Hotline #672-A

Debate began yesterday morning and still continues on S.1204, the Moynihan surface transportation bill. The great showdown has been between Senator Moynihan (D.-N.Y.) himself, whose bill does the most in terms of including passenger rail as an eligible trust fund program and a level playing field across all modes, and Senator Warner (R.-Va.), who is leading a coalition of Senators from Highway Trust Fund "donor states," which pay more in gas taxes than they get back in federal highway money.

The Warner coalition had a bill of its own, S.1221, which is essentially the Administration bill with a re-working of the highway money allocation formulas to benefit the donor states. But the Warner bill contained none of the balanced-transportation language found in the Moynihan bill. The Warner coalition wanted to see its bill replace the Moynihan bill, which would have been very bad for us. What may happen instead is a compromise whereby Moynihan would allow a re-working of the allocation formulas within his own bill. The main thing is that the balanced transportation and flexibility language be part of the final bill.

Senator Durenberger (Minn.) is expected to introduce an amendment to designate a National Highway System, which Senator Moynihan has refused to do, even under threat of a veto from the Administration.

At some point in the debate, Senator Simon (Ill.) will introduce his passenger-rail corridor grade-crossing elimination bill, S.1065, as an amendment to the main bill. This amendment would be a big help in developing corridors and so needs the support of every Senator. Maine residents should also ask Senator Mitchell (D.-Me.) to introduce an amendment requiring a rail link in the Boston Central Artery project.

NARP Executive Director Ross Capon will appear at a hearing in New York on June 17 regarding the three-year-old child killed on June 2 on Amtrak's new Empire Connection in Manhattan. Politicians and the press have been in an uproar because Amtrak did not restore missing fences, but Amtrak says it is not responsible.