I 112th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 3362 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES November 3, 2011 Mrs. Schmidt (for herself, Mr. Coble, and Mr. Bucshon) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure A BILL To limit the manner in which Amtrak is authorized to provide food and beverage service.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Amtrak Food and Beverage Service Savings Act.

2.

Amtrak food and beverage service

(a)

Authority

Section 24305(c)(4) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by striking only if revenues from the services each year at least equal the cost of providing the services and inserting only as provided in subsection (g). (b)

Procedures

Section 24305 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: (g)

Food and beverage service

(1)

In general

Except as provided in paragraph (6), food and beverage service may be provided on Amtrak trains only by a bidder selected by the Federal Railroad Administration under paragraph (5). The Federal Railroad Administration may consult with and obtain assistance from the General Services Administration in carrying out this subsection. (2)

Requests for proposals

Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this subsection, the Federal Railroad Administration shall issue separate requests for proposals for provision of food and beverage service on Amtrak trains on— (A)the Northeast Corridor; (B)other long-haul routes; and (C)State-run routes. (3)

Deadlines

(A)

Submittal of bids

Bids for the provision of food and beverage service on Amtrak trains pursuant to the requests for proposals issued under paragraph (2) shall be submitted to the Federal Railroad Administration not later than 60 days after the issuance of the relevant request for proposals. (B)

Selection of winning bids

The Federal Railroad Administration shall select winning bidders pursuant to paragraph (5) not later than 90 days after the issuance of the relevant request for proposals. (4)

Amtrak participation

Amtrak may participate in the bidding pursuant to a request for proposals issued under paragraph (2). (5)

Selection of providers

The Federal Railroad Administration shall select for the provision of food and beverage service on Amtrak trains the qualified bidder responding to the request for proposals issued under paragraph (2) whose bid would result in the lowest cost, or the greatest source of revenue, to Amtrak. (6)

Exemption

If no qualified bidder responds to the request for proposals issued under paragraph (2), Amtrak, after transmitting to the Federal Railroad Administration and the Congress an explanation of the reasons for the need of an exemption, may request from the Federal Railroad Administration, and the Federal Railroad Administration may grant, an exemption from the limitations under this subsection. (7)

Subsidy for net loss

The Federal Railroad Administration shall provide directly to the entity providing food and beverage service on Amtrak trains any portion of appropriations for Amtrak necessary to cover a net loss resulting from the provision of such service, but only to the extent that such net loss was anticipated in the bid selected. .