NARP Statement on House T&I Markup of PRRIA 2015

For Immediate Release (#15-02)
February 12, 2015

Contact: Sean Jeans-Gail - 202-408-8362

NARP Statement on House T&I Markup of PRRIA 2015

Washington, D.C.--Statement of Jim Mathews, President & CEO of the National Association of Railroad Passengers, in response to today’s House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure mark-up of the Passenger Rail Reform & Investment Act of 2015 (H.R. 749).

“NARP and its 28,000 members appreciate the time and work the Committee has dedicated to the passenger rail reauthorization. The commitment displayed by Chairman Bill Shuster (PA) and Peter DeFazio (OR) recognizes the critical role passenger trains play in ensuring mobility for everyday Americans and supporting the U.S. economy.

“However, while Committee members talked about the need to invest more in passenger rail, this bill fails to meaningfully address the funding gap holding back the U.S. rail network. PRRIA caps investments in capacity, divides the national network from the Northeast Corridor, shortchanges the need for new equipment, and defines success in evaluating routes far too narrowly. The bill does contain some regulatory improvements—but that is no replacement for a dedicated, predictable, and robust source of funding for trains.

“Our association also applauds the wisdom shown in turning back Rep. John Mica’s (FL) amendment to introduce a third-party operator onto Northeast Corridor by transferring authority from Amtrak to the Northeast Corridor Infrastructure and Operations Advisory Commission. This extreme proposal could dramatically affect operations of the 2,200 trains that use the corridor each day. Stakeholder groups representing passengers, operators, and federal and state agencies deserve a chance to provide input on a proposal of this magnitude.”

Click here for more on our response to PRRIA 2015. NARP has outlined our proposals for the passenger rail reauthorization.

About the National Association of Railroad Passengers

NARP is the only national organization speaking for the users of passenger trains and rail transit. We have worked since 1967 to expand the quality and quantity of passenger rail in the U.S. Our mission is to work towards a modern, customer-focused national passenger train network that provides a travel choice Americans want. Our work is supported by more 28,000 individual members nationwide.

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