Happening Now
Trump Administration’s First Budget Calls for End to National Network Trains. Join NARP in Saying: NATIONAL OR NOTHING!
March 16, 2017
Every passenger must STAND UP for trains—there are no sidelines now!
The White House released its “skinny budget”—a general budget outline with few programmatic details—early this morning. And while infrastructure investment has been a major theme of President Trump’s campaign and first 100 days, his administration’s first budget guts infrastructure spending, slashing $2.4 billion from transportation. This will jeopardize mobility for millions of Americans and endanger tens of thousands of American jobs.
Every passenger must STAND up for trains—there are no sidelines now!
The budget appears to be modeled on an outline produced by the ultra-conservative Heritage Foundation. Cuts include:
- Elimination of all federal funding for Amtrak’s national network trains, which provides the only Amtrak service to 23 states, and the only nearby Amtrak service for 144.6 million Americans;
- $499 million from the TIGER grant program, a highly successful program that invests in passenger rail and transit projects of national significance;
- Elimination of $2.3 billion for the Federal Transit Administration’s “New Starts” Capital Investment Program, which is crucial to launching new transit, commuter rail, and light-rail projects.
NARP is asking every Amtrak, subway, and commuter rail passenger to speak out today!
It’s up to Congress to turn this proposal into a real budget. Members of Congress look to see which cuts produce the most pushback from advocacy groups, local officials, and members of the public to gauge where cuts can be made. If we stay silent, these cuts will be enacted into law!
Even an email will take too long. Call now!
Read the full NARP Press Release on the proposed cuts!
"When [NARP] comes to Washington, you help embolden us in our efforts to continue the progress for passenger rail. And not just on the Northeast Corridor. All over America! High-speed rail, passenger rail is coming to America, thanks to a lot of your efforts! We’re partners in this. ... You are the ones that are going to make this happen. Do not be dissuaded by the naysayers. There are thousands of people all over America who are for passenger rail and you represent the best of what America is about!"
Secretary Ray LaHood, U.S. Department of Transportation
2012 NARP Spring Council Meeting
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