Happening Now
2026 Legislative Resources
Rail Passengers Association Fiscal Year 2027 Legislative Grant Request
Rail Passengers Association's annual legislative grant request for Amtrak and passenger rail, providing an overview of the programmatic funding requests and specific policies and legislation that Rail Passengers is advocating for in the coming year.
Congressional committees are currently drafting the bill that will succeed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), a historic piece of legislation that sought to close the investment gap for America's passenger rail system. Until this the new law is enacted, Rail Passengers believes it is critical for Congressional appropriators to continue supporting these programs
Read Rail Passengers' President & CEO Jim Mathews' letter to the U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, House and Urban Development leadership.
Rail Passengers Association Surface Transportation Reauthorization Blueprint
As Congress prepares to develop legislation that will succeed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Rail Passengers Association has assembled a list of programs, policy reforms, funding proposals that we believe will speed project delivery, support State- and private sector-led corridor develeopment, and strengthen Amtrak's network nationwide.
Read our draft Rail Reauthorization Blueprint one-pager.
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Already Advancing Critical Projects
Increased infrastructure investment provided in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA)—in combination with annual appropriations approved by Congress—is already resulting in tangible improvements to the U.S. rail network and national rail fleet. The IIJA has already invested $53 billion across 594 projects that will improve rail safety and expand passenger rail travel in 48 states.
Rail Passengers has assembled a list of select passenger rail projects and corridors that are already seeing work funded by IIJA rail programs.
Privatization and Profitability in Passenger Rail
Responding to common myths and misconceptions about subsidies and privatization across the U.S. transportation system.
"The National Association of Railroad Passengers has done yeoman work over the years and in fact if it weren’t for NARP, I'd be surprised if Amtrak were still in possession of as a large a network as they have. So they've done good work, they're very good on the factual case."
Robert Gallamore, Director of Transportation Center at Northwestern University and former Federal Railroad Administration official, Director of Transportation Center at Northwestern University
November 17, 2005, on The Leonard Lopate Show (with guest host Chris Bannon), WNYC New York.