Save The Date: Virtual Day on the Hill

As you may have read earlier this week, the emergence of new coronavirus cases across the nation led us to delay—not cancel—the Rail Passengers Association’s spring meeting until mid-June.

However, the legislative gears are still rapidly turning in Washington, D.C., and we’re still working everyday for a bigger and better passenger rail system. With that in mind, we will be going ahead with our Passenger Rail Day on the Hill on March 31st — obviously it will need to be more of a “Virtual” Day on the Hill.

We’re counting on you to join us on March 31st to call your members of congress—or even meet with staffers at your local district offices—to ask for more investment in passenger trains. We’ll provide you with specific request for:

• Fiscal Year 2021 Appropriations: House and Senate appropriators are currently considering spending levels for Amtrak, passenger rail grant programs, and transit. It’s important that they hear from passengers about the pressing needs of Amtrak and transit systems.
• Surface Transportation Reauthorization Blueprint: Congress is drafting a bill that will control passenger rail funding and policy over the next five years, and shape the passenger rail network for decades.
• Infrastructure/Stimulus Bill: with a flagging economy, leaders in both the Senate and the House are discussing using an infrastructure bill to revitalize our economy, and we need to make sure rail is part of the conversation. This will be even more important with news coming that travelers across the country are canceling their travel plans, causing a sharp drop in Amtrak and airline revenues.

We’re still working on the logistics of a legislative briefing and a Q&A, but we will make sure everyone will have all the resources they need to confidently advocate for better trains in America. Please stay tuned as we unroll our plan for an effective Virtual Day on the Hill over the next three weeks.