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PO Box 9007,
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WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Conrad Burns (R-Mont.), a member of the powerful
Senate Appropriations Committee, announced today that the Transportation, Treasury, the Judiciary and Housing and Urban Development (TTHUD) appropriations bill has passed out of the subcommittee and will now move on for full committee approval.  Included in this bill is $1.4 billion for Amtrak.

“All Montanans have been watching the Amtrak debate closely over the past
months, and I have been committed in my support of this national rail
system from day one,” said Burns.  “Today, we have designated $1.4 billion
for Amtrak, which is not as much as I’d like to see, but it keeps the
Empire Builder running and that’s what we need. This is the first step in a
long process of Amtrak reform which I intend to be engaged in at every step
of the way.”

The legislation passed out of subcommittee today includes some reform
proposals, designed to address the continued funding shortfalls that Amtrak
faces annually.  The bill would prohibit federal funds from being used to
subsidize food and beverage service or sleeper cars.  Authority is also
granted to the Secretary of Transportation to allow surcharges to be levied
on tickets for capital expenditures, as long as ridership is not decreased.
Amtrak is also directed to implement new cost accounting methods.

“While I appreciate the fact that we were able to secure funding to keep
the Empire Builder running, I am concerned about the reform proposals for
food and beverage service, and the sleeper cars,” Burns said. “Food and
beverages, as well as sleeper cars, are essential components of
long-distance train travel.  I agree that Amtrak needs to be more
aggressive in contracting for food and beverage service, but I also believe
we need to keep those amenities available.  In fact, I am excited to see
the new improvements to the Builder, and I don’t want anything to
jeopardize those new cars.”

Burns recently announced that the Empire Builder, which travels through
Montana’s Hi-Line, will get a fresh new look beginning August 2005. The
changes are the start of a major initiative at Amtrak to improve
passengers’ on-board experience on long-distance trains, in addition to
improving the trains’ financial performance. The new look will include
refurbished rail cars, new on-board services and improved passenger
amenities.  “Sprucing the Empire Builder up will undoubtedly make riding
this line a more attractive option for tourists and residents alike,” said
Burns.  “These on-board improvements are creative solutions from within
that I believe will get more people riding, and that’s certainly a good thing.
”

Burns has been a staunch supporter of Amtrak funding, and recently
chastised the Administration for failing to recognize the importance of
Amtrak to the nation’s infrastructure, particularly to rural America. “We
are talking about a transportation system folks depend on in areas where
they have no other options, and unfortunately I don’t feel we have an
advocate for Amtrak at the Department of Transportation right now, so that
means we must win this fight here in Congress. In addition, the Department
has persisted in using rhetoric that threatens not only the Empire Builder,
but Amtrak as a whole. The Administration’s attempts to bankrupt Amtrak
have thrown the system into chaos, making genuine reform that much harder
to achieve.”

Burns also brought Transportation Appropriations Chairman Senator
Christopher “Kit” Bond (R-MO) to Whitefish this May to ride the Empire
builder.  The pair rode from Whitefish to Cut Bank so Senator Bond could
see first-hand how important the line is to Montana’s transportation
infrastructure.  At the time, Senator Bond said “This is a beautiful line,
and I will not be a part of the Administrations’ plan to bankrupt it.”
Burns worked with Chairman Bond to ensure Amtrak received adequate funding.

Burns is a senior member of the Commerce, Science and Transportation
Committee, which oversees transportation and interstate commerce issues and 
will oversee efforts to reform Amtrak, and a senior member of the powerful 
Appropriations Committee, and the Subcommittee on Transportation, which funds 
Amtrak.

DOT WANTS TO CUT OUT SLEEPING CAR, DINER, LOUNGE AND CHECKED BAGGAGE SERVICE ON AMTRAK TO SAVE MONEY.
NARP RELEASES REBUTTAL TO PROPOSAL:
HOUSE VOTE SAVES AMTRAK FUNDING
SUMMER SOLSTICE IN BERLIN 1971
HOUSE COMMITTEE FAILS TO INCREASE AMTRAK FUNDS
President Gunn Reacts to House Subcommittee's Anti-Amtrak Vote
Amtrak President Talks of Acela and Food Service (see complete article)
Amtrak computer outage creates problems with trains, reservations, tickets
   (see complete article)

Cover of forthcoming issue

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DOT'S MINETA HARASSING AMTRAK &  AMTRAK'S REPLY TO THE MINETA LETTER
NARP: DOT OVERSTATES LONG DISTANCE TRAIN PRICE TAG BY $600 MILLION
SENATE HEARING UNDERLINES AMTRAK FUNDING CRUNCH; LONG-DISTANCE TRAINS NOT THE PROBLEM
The shape of long distance trains to come.
AMTRAK HEARINGS BEGIN; AMTRAK SUBMITS BUDGET REQUEST
MESSAGE FROM AMTRAK PRESIDENT DAVID GUNN TO EMPLOYEES APRIL 18 ON THE ACELA EXPRESS PROBLEM
FRA NOMINEE FACES SENATE COMMITTEE, SAYS AMTRAK'S BUDGET WILL NOT BE ZERO
EMPIRE BUILDER DERAILMENT BELIEVED CAUSED BY TRACK PROBLEM
COLORADO HIT BY MASSIVE SNOW STORM--TRAINS CONTINUE RUNNING
AMTRAK APRIL 25 SCHEDULE CHANGES
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