[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 52 (Tuesday, April 26, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E771]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   AMTRAK BOARD'S REORGANIZATION PLAN

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. NICK J. RAHALL II

                            of west virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 26, 2005

  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, last week, Amtrak's Board of Directors 
released a set of ``strategic reform initiatives'' the railroad would 
like to take ``to revitalize U.S. passenger rail service.'' The 
Chairman of the Board suggested these reforms would ``strengthen 
passenger rail service at a time when our nation needs it most.''
  In my view, which I share with many of my colleagues on the House 
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, these reforms are 
misguided and would doom the future prospects for the railroad, result 
in significant hardships for rail passengers in the long-term and be a 
tremendous disservice to the hard-working employees of Amtrak.
  It comes as no surprise to me that the Board's proposal is similar to 
that of the Administration's--Amtrak's entire governing body has been 
appointed by President Bush. To be clear, if these proposals, both from 
Amtrak and the Administration, go into effect, Amtrak will not survive. 
In many cases, the millions of people who depend on Amtrak's services 
will be left with no reliable means of rail transportation.
  Of significant concern is the Board's proposal as it relates to its 
workers. The Board proposes to alter the Railway Labor Act to enable 
Amtrak to unilaterally change work rules and contract out jobs. The 
Board's reforms would also eliminate many health, safety and benefit 
protections for which Amtrak's workers have fought hard. In addition, 
under the Board's plan, newly hired Amtrak and other passenger rail 
workers would be placed in the Social Security program instead of the 
Railroad Retirement System, which has covered rail workers for more 
than 70 years.
  The Board is attempting to put Amtrak's funding burden on the backs 
of its hard-working employees and for that I will not stand. To that 
end, I would like to highlight the introduction of the Amtrak 
Reauthorization Act of 2005, introduced by Chairman Young and Ranking 
Member Oberstar.
  This legislation would provide Amtrak with $2 billion each year 
through 2008, and would put the railroad on the track to financial and 
operational stability. This bill also includes strict funding 
accountability procedures to ensure contractual obligations are met and 
money is spent wisely. It is this type of proposal--not the 
Administration's or Amtrak's Board's plan--that will benefit Amtrak and 
its passengers in the coming years.
  In closing, I urge my colleagues to reject both the Bush 
Administration's and Amtrak Board's proposals to dismantle Amtrak. They 
aim only to weaken the railroad, place greater financial burden on the 
states, and harm the hard-working employees of Amtrak and passenger 
rail throughout the country.

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