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Congress Signals Start for Transportation Budget
May 5, 2023
Congressional appropriations committees have announced mark-up dates for mid-May. With the House of Representatives debating 22 percent across-the-board cuts, Amtrak and transit systems are in the budgetary crosshairs.
U.S. House GOP leadership notified members of the House Committee on Appropriations this week that the subcommittee markup of the transportation funding bill will take place on May 17th or 18th, sounding the starting gun for the delayed Fiscal Year 2024 budget process. And with the House of Representatives debating a 22 percent across-the-board cut, Amtrak and transit systems are in the budgetary crosshairs.
While the passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) has introduced a new era for America’s rail passengers by providing guaranteed multi-year funding to upgrade and expand the national passenger rail network, this funding can only be used for certain purposes and was never meant to replace Amtrak's annual appropriations.
Providing sufficient FY24 funding is necessary to allow Amtrak to operate trains and restore full service, perform annual maintenance and carry out core functions to avoid long-term deterioration of assets and services, and make targeted, high-priority investments for future expansion. Critically, insufficient funding could lead to cuts to service and slow the rollout of desperately needed upgrades to equpiment and on-board service.
Join Rail Passengers' campaign to support funding for Amtrak and transit. Use our Action Center to call your members of Congress and take a stand against service cuts!
"The COVID Pandemic has been and continues to be the biggest challenge faced by Americans as it has taken a deadly toll on the world and on the world’s economies. During COVID Locomotive Engineers at Amtrak and other Passenger and Freight Railroads have embodied the definition of essential workers. This dedication by our members is not new. We applaud the Rail Passenger’s Association for recognizing the vital contributions of our members and their hard work moving Americans and freight during the COVID pandemic."
Dennis Pierce, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) National President
December 21, 2021, on the Association awarding its 2021 Golden Spike Award to the Frontline Amtrak Employees.
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