The House Committee on Appropriations advanced a Fiscal Year 2023 budget yesterday that would provide a 23 percent increase in discretionary investments for transit and passenger and freight rail.
There were no significant changes in funding levels from the bill advanced out of the transportation subcommittee last week. Report language released by the committee did highlight the need for improved on-time performance, noting that Amtrak passengers on long-distance trains arrived at their destination on time only 52 percent of the time, compared to 82 percent on-time performance for those traveling on state-supported trains. In light of this, the committee emphasized the importance of establishing and staffing a passenger rail desk with the Surface Transportation Board (STB) -- the agency tasked with providing oversight to the rail industry. The bill provides “not less than $1,000,000 for the STB to staff the passenger rail unit with five [full-time employees] to assist with passenger rail activities, and other activities as appropriate as determined by the STB.”
“We applaud the Committee’s work to secure additional funding for rail transportation, above and beyond what is provided for in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,” said Jim Mathews, President & CEO of Rail Passengers Association. “In particular, we appreciate the concrete actions taken by the Committee to expand the STB’s capacity to enforce the existing laws that protect America’s passengers. We call on the full House and the Senate to advance this budget with all due haste and avoid unnecessary stopgap extensions.”
Next Steps
The full House is expected to vote on the bill later in July. From there, the Senate will need to take up the spending bills before the end of the fiscal year on September 30th.
That means it’s not too late to make your voice heard! Join Rail Passengers in asking your members of Congress to support passenger rail service for ALL Americans!
"It is an honor to be recognized by the Rail Passengers Association for my efforts to strengthen and expand America’s passenger rail. Golden spikes were once used by railroads to mark the completion of important rail projects, so I am truly grateful to receive the Golden Spike Award as a way to mark the end of a career that I’ve spent fighting to invest in our country’s rail system. As Chair of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, it has been my priority to bolster funding for Amtrak, increase and expand routes, look to the future by supporting high-speed projects, and improve safety, culminating in $66 billion in new funding in the Bipartisan infrastructure Law."
Representative Peter DeFazio (OR-04)
March 30, 2022, on receiving the Association's Golden Spike Award for his years of dedication and commitment to passenger rail.