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PRRIA Passes House
On March 4, the House of Representatives passed by a vote of 316-101 the Passenger Rail Reform and Investment Act (H.R. 749), which previously unanimously passed in the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee (T&I).
The House adopted several noncontroversial amendments by voice vote. The House rejected an amendment to eliminate all federal support for Amtrak. The bill now goes to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, which has not yet indicated how it will act on the legislation.
APTA called for the bill's passage in a March 2 letter to T&I Chairman Bill Shuster (R-PA) and Ranking Member Peter DeFazio (D-OR). "We appreciate that the bill authorizes funds in Fiscal Years 2016-2019 for passenger rail service, including Amtrak, Amtrak's Office of Inspector General and FRA loan and grant programs," APTA President & CEO Michael Melaniphy wrote.
"While the bill does not authorize significant funding for a new federal high-speed and intercity passenger rail program that was recommended by APTA, it does authorize $1.2 billion for grants to states for capital costs related to new intercity passenger rail service and provides the legislative basis to continue that discussion," the letter continued.
Melaniphy also recognized that the legislation includes improvements to the Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing program that are meant to increase the use of this financing tool, provisions that streamline and improve project delivery and efforts to improve transparency and planning on the Northeast Corridor.
APTA and other rail advocates determined that the bill represents a good bipartisan step forward, but will continue to advocate for additional, robust funding for intercity and passenger rail.
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