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NARP reported as follows:
This morning (July 28), the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and
Transportation voted 18-4 to report favorably S. 1516, the Passenger
Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2005. Chairman Ted Stevens (R-AK)
praised the innovative nature of the bill, which Ranking Member Daniel
Inouye (D-HI) called "the most comprehensive bill on Amtrak we've ever had."

NARP Executive Director Ross B. Capon said the 18-4 vote for the
bipartisan bill "clearly signals that legislators are hearing, and
responding positively to, the public's call for more and better rail
passenger service."

Trent Lott (R-MS), chairman of the Subcommittee on Surface
Transportation and Merchant Marine, said Conrad Burns (R-MT) and John
Rockefeller (D-WV) had joined as co-sponsors. Other sponsors are
Stevens, Lott, Inouye, Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Kay Bailey Hutchison
(R-TX).

Lott said the bill aimed to reform Amtrak but also to "financially
support Amtrak so it can do its job." Referring to a provision that
makes the Amtrak president a voting member of the board, Lott said: "I
like David Gunn and I think if we give him more power he will be able to
get more accomplished."

Lautenberg, who worked closely with Lott on developing the bill, noted
Amtrak's national security value, which he said was vividly demonstrated
after 9/11 when only Amtrak kept running. He called Amtrak "an essential
part of our lives," and reminded critics of federal aid that airlines get.

Barbara Boxer (D-CA), saying Amtrak and the Northeast usually are
mentioned in the same breath, emphasized Amtrak's importance in
California, where she said Amtrak's ridership is the second highest in
the nation. "We rely on Amtrak; without it we'd have much worse gridlock."

Conrad Burns (R-MT) lamented that U.S. DOT has always treated Amtrak
like a "step-child," which he said hurts the morale of Amtrak management
and employees alike. He said this bill "and its reforms allows for a lot
of discussion; that's where we have to start." 

The committee defeated 7-15 a McCain amendment to delete "placeholder"
language allowing bond funding, which would depend on action by the
Senate Finance Committee.

Before that vote, McCain said, "Amtrak has never paid back a single
penny of any money that has been loaned to them." Actually, Amtrak has
serviced its debt reliably for many years. Standard & Poor's had a
'stable' rating on that debt until March 29, when the Bush
Administration's zero budget request for Amtrak led to a 'negative'
rating. Continuing funding uncertainty caused S&P in early May to put
Amtrak's debt ratings on "CreditWatch with negative implications." Also,
Amtrak is repaying its newest loan--$100 million from U.S. DOT in
2002--in five equal, annual installments starting this year. 

Regarding bonding, Lott said, "I think we're going to have to go that
route eventually not just for passenger but also for freight rail."
Stevens saw the need for bonding also in aviation, "where traffic is going to double."

SENATE COMMITTEE ADDS $50 MILLION TO AMTRAK FUNDING

   Amtrak trains 5&6, the California Zephyr, will be forced to detour away from their scenic Colorado Rockies route on a number of weeks between August 31 and November 4 because of track work being done by Union Pacific.

  The work, between Bond and Palisade, Colorado, will occur on alternate weeks. Listed here are the origin dates for trains that will follow the normal route:

 AUGUST 30 AND BEFORE
- ORIGIN DATES SEPTEMBER 8 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 14
- ORIGIN DATES SEPTEMBER 23 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 29
- ORIGIN DATES OCTOBER 8 THROUGH OCTOBER 14
- ORIGIN DATES OCTOBER 23 THROUGH OCTOBER 30
- ORIGIN DATES NOVEMBER 4 AND AFTER.

   The detour will take the trains across Wyoming on the UP, the route followed before the Colorado route became available about 20 years ago.

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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