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Rail Passengers Praises Nomination of Elaine Clegg
May 2, 2024
Rail Passengers Association Praises Biden Administration’s Nomination of Idaho’s Elaine Clegg to Amtrak Board of Directors
For Immediate Release (24-5)
Contact: M. Ned Butler ([email protected])
Rail Passengers Association Praises Biden Administration’s Nomination of Idaho’s Elaine Clegg to Amtrak Board of Directors
Washington, D.C. — The Rail Passengers Association applauds President Joe Biden’s nomination of Idaho’s Elaine Clegg to the Amtrak Board of Directors. Clegg, who serves as CEO of Valley Regional Transit, is an established advocate for more and better transit and rail service, with a proven track record of addressing the needs of both urban and rural passengers.
As head of the VRT, and before that as a member of the Boise City Council, Clegg has been a leader in expanding access to transit, passenger rail, and other forms of sustainable transportation for more than two decades.
“Elaine would be an excellent addition to the Amtrak Board of Directors,” said Rail Passengers President & CEO Jim Mathews. “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the time I’ve spent working with her on efforts to expand and upgrade Amtrak service throughout the Western U.S., where she has been a consistent champion for the rights of Americans to access frequent and reliable train service. We congratulate Elaine on her nomination, and extend our appreciation to the Biden-Harris Administration for recognizing her remarkable contributions to the transportation sector.”
Rail Passengers stands ready to work with the U.S. Senate to swiftly confirm Clegg to the Amtrak Board of Directors.
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About the Rail Passengers Association
The Rail Passengers Association is the oldest and largest national organization serving as a voice for the more than 40 million rail passengers in the U.S. Our mission is to improve and expand conventional intercity and regional passenger train services, support higher speed rail initiatives, increase connectivity among all forms of transportation, and ensure safety for our country's trains and passengers. All of this makes communities safer, more accessible, and more productive, improving the lives of everyone who lives, works, and plays in towns all across America.
"It is an honor to be recognized by the Rail Passengers Association for my efforts to strengthen and expand America’s passenger rail. Golden spikes were once used by railroads to mark the completion of important rail projects, so I am truly grateful to receive the Golden Spike Award as a way to mark the end of a career that I’ve spent fighting to invest in our country’s rail system. As Chair of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, it has been my priority to bolster funding for Amtrak, increase and expand routes, look to the future by supporting high-speed projects, and improve safety, culminating in $66 billion in new funding in the Bipartisan infrastructure Law."
Representative Peter DeFazio (OR-04)
March 30, 2022, on receiving the Association's Golden Spike Award for his years of dedication and commitment to passenger rail.
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