NARVRE AMTRAK UPDATE

July 7, 2004

TO: ALL NARVRE NATIONAL OFFICERS, AREA DIRECTORS, ASS'T AREA DIRECTORS, NATIONAL LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE, UNITS AND MEMBERS

    Signatures are being collected on a pro-Amtrak letter from individual senators to their Appropriation leaders.  The letter is addressed to Senators Ted Stevens (R-AK), Robert Byrd, (D-WV), Richard Shelby, (R-AL), and Patty Murray, (D-WA), the chairpersons and ranking members of the full appropriation committee and its transportation/treasury subcommittee.

       Please urge your senators to sign this letter.  The goal is to have the signatures collected by Friday, July 9th.  We urge you to call the Capitol switchboard on the NARVRE toll free numbers at 1-877-668-3864 or 1-877-668-3866. 

       FY 2005 commences on October 1, 2004.  Amtrak requested a $1.812 billion for the current year (2004) as the first part of a multi-year program to stabilize its services and bring the system to a state of good physical repair.  At the same time, the Bush Administration proposed $900 million, which Amtrak characterized as a shutdown level.  The final appropriation for FY 2004 was $1.218 billion, which despite its earlier request, Amtrak said was survivable because of deferment of a $100 million loan from DOT in 2000, reduced costs and postponement of part of its capital program.

       Now, for 2005, The Bush Administration is again proposing a shutdown level of $900 million and Amtrak is requesting $1.798 billion.  Amtrak is seeking the increase in order to repay the $100 million loan and to pick up the pace of its capital program. 

       The following senators have signed the letter in support of the Amtrak funding.  Carper, DE, Biden, DE, Durbin, IL, Breaux, LA, Snowe, ME, Sarbanes, MD, Mikulski, MD, Kennedy, MA, Dayton, MN, Burns, MT, Ben Nelson, NE, Bingaman, NM, Clinton, NY, Corzine, NJ, Lautenberg, NJ, Dorgan, ND, Spector, PA (author), Chaffee, RI, Hollings, SC (author), Leahy, VT and Kohl, WI.

       Note:  If one of your Senators is Stevens, Byrd, Shelby or Murray, they will not sign the letter as it is addressed to them.  You should still contact them to support a full Amtrak appropriation.  If one of your Senators is Spector or Hollings, they have already signed the letter as co-authors.  Be sure to thank them for their support! Click here for a Sample Letter.


                                  Thomas J. Dwyer
                                  National Legislative Director
                                  NARVRE

Revised: 07/25/04