Happening Now
The Trump Budget Strikes Back! (UPDATE)
September 6, 2017
UPDATED: September 7th
In an unexpected move, Congress launched debate on a series of transportation amendments late last night, with NARP staff tracking movement on the House floor.
We're thrilled to report that a bipartisan coalition of House Transportation leadership took a strong stance in support of America's national rail network, and all anti-Amtrak amendments were defeated. The Trump Budget proposal to end long-distance trains has been turned back again!
NARP will spend today tallying the votes. For now, we can all take satisfaction in knowing that a summer of hard-fought advocacy has paid on in a strong, bipartisan coalition capable of turning back these kind of attacks!
Thank you for your support of passenger rail and our mission at NARP!
Jim Mathews, President & CEO | NARP
P.S. Please consider donating a special gift to NARP to help us continue these fights for a better, more connected passenger rail system -- for the present and for our children!
Vote counts:
- Amendment #33 by Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL): Ends Amtrak's National Network through the elimination of $1.1 billion in grant funding. [Defeated by a vote of 128 Yeas - 293 Nays]
- Amendment #32 by Rep. Ted Budd (R-NC): Eliminates a $900 million allocation for the upgrade of an Amtrak rail line between Newark and New York City. [Defeated by a vote of 159 Yeas - 260 Nays]
"The National Association of Railroad Passengers has done yeoman work over the years and in fact if it weren’t for NARP, I'd be surprised if Amtrak were still in possession of as a large a network as they have. So they've done good work, they're very good on the factual case."
Robert Gallamore, Director of Transportation Center at Northwestern University and former Federal Railroad Administration official, Director of Transportation Center at Northwestern University
November 17, 2005, on The Leonard Lopate Show (with guest host Chris Bannon), WNYC New York.
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