[House Report 111-472]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
111th Congress Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
2d Session 111-472
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SUPPORTING THE GOALS AND IDEALS OF NATIONAL TRAIN DAY
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May 4, 2010.--Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed
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Mr. Oberstar, from the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H. Res. 1301]
The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, to whom
was referred the resolution (H. Res. 1301) supporting the goals
and ideals of National Train Day, having considered the same,
report favorably thereon without amendment and recommend that
the resolution be agreed to.
PURPOSE OF THE LEGISLATION
H. Res. 1301 supports the goals and ideals of National
Train Day as designated by Amtrak; recognizes the important
contribution that trains make to the national transportation
system; and urges the people of the United States to recognize
National Train Day (May 8) as an opportunity to learn more
about trains.
BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION
H. Res. 1301 supports the goals and ideals of National
Train Day as designated by Amtrak. Amtrak will host the third
annual National Train Day on May 8, 2010, with events across
the country to celebrate America's love for trains. In 2009,
more than 140 events celebrating National Train Day took place
across the country; Amtrak expects even more in 2010.
National Train Day recognizes 141 years of passenger rail
service in the United States and commemorates the day that the
first transcontinental railroad was created. On May 10, 1869,
in Promontory Summit, Utah, the golden spike was driven into
the final tie that joined 1,776 miles of the Central Pacific
and Union Pacific railways, transforming America by creating
the nation's first transcontinental railroad.
Transcontinental railroad passenger train service began
five days later from Omaha to Sacramento with the trip costing
between $40 and $111 (depending on the class of service) and
scheduled to take 4 days, 4 hours, and 40 minutes. Today,
Amtrak provides service between Omaha and Sacramento on the
California Zephyr, which takes 41 hours and 8 minutes.
Amtrak, or the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, was
created by Congress in 1970. It began operations on May 1,
1971. Prior to enactment, passenger rail service had declined
in the United States, largely due to the rise of the
automobile; the devastating economic impact of two World Wars;
creation of the Interstate Highway System; the increasing
availability, comfort, and convenience of air travel;
increasing train fares and decreasing service; and a number of
railroad bankruptcies, mergers, and acquisitions. By 1965, only
10,000 rail passenger cars were in operation, 85 percent fewer
than in 1929, and passenger rail service was provided on only
75,000 miles of track. At its peak, railroads were operating on
more than 240,000 miles of track.
Today, Amtrak operates 21,000 route miles in 46 States, the
District of Columbia, and three Canadian provinces. Amtrak
operates more than 300 trains each day to more than 500
destinations. It is also the operator for State-supported
corridor services in 15 States and for four commuter rail
agencies.
On April 8, 2010, Amtrak announced that the railroad is on
pace to break its annual ridership record carrying a best ever
13.6 million passengers during the first six months of Fiscal
Year (FY) 2010, representing a 4.3 percent increase over the
same period the prior year. Amtrak has carried approximately
100,000 more riders than the 13.5 million passengers posted in
FY 2008, which was Amtrak's best ridership year in company
history when Amtrak carried 28.7 million passengers.
In 2008, Congress reauthorized Amtrak in the Passenger Rail
Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 (PRIIA) (P.L. 110-432)
and created two Federal-State matching grant programs to
develop intercity passenger and high-speed rail across the
country. In 2009, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
(Recovery Act) (P.L. 111-5), which built upon the success of
PRIIA, provided $8 billion to States for development of
intercity passenger and high-speed rail, and another $1.3
billion to Amtrak for capital, safety, and security
improvements. Later that year, Congress provided an additional
$2.5 billion for development of intercity passenger and high-
speed rail in the Transportation, Housing and Urban
Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010
(Division A of P.L. 111-117).
On April 16, 2009, the President released a strategic plan
for the development of high-speed intercity passenger rail in
the United States, which proposes to help address the nation's
transportation challenges by investing in an efficient, high-
speed passenger rail network of 100-600 mile intercity
corridors that connect communities across America.
In the near term, the plan proposes to lay the foundation
for that network by investing in intercity rail infrastructure,
equipment, and intermodal connections, beginning with the $8
billion ``down payment'' provided under the Recovery Act, and
continuing with a longer-term high-speed rail grant program.
The near-term investment strategy seeks to: (1) advance new
express high-speed corridor services (operating speeds above
150 miles per hour (mph) on primarily dedicated track) in
select corridors of 200-600 miles; (2) develop emerging and
regional high-speed corridor services (operating speeds up to
90-110 mph and 110-150 mph respectively, on shared and
dedicated track) in corridors of 100-500 miles; and (3) upgrade
reliability and service on conventional intercity rail services
(operating speeds up to 79-90 mph).
On January 28, 2010, President Obama announced the first
recipients selected to receive part of the $8 billion in grant
funding provided under the Recovery Act. A total of 31 States
received awards. In the West, 23 projects received a total of
$2.95 billion. In the Midwest, 24 projects received a total of
$2.62 billion. In the Northeast, 23 projects received a total
of $490 million. And in the Southeast, 12 projects received a
total of $1.88 billion.
The program generated enormous interest and excitement
across the country. The Federal Railroad Administration
received 259 grant applications from 37 States requesting
nearly $57 billion in funding far exceeding the $8 billion
available under the Recovery Act. According to the Obama
administration, the first round of selections represents a down
payment on the President's vision of a passenger rail network
that will help address the nation's 21st Century transportation
challenges.
SUMMARY OF THE LEGISLATION
H. Res. 1301 supports the goals and ideals of National
Train Day as designated by Amtrak. National Train Day will be
held on Saturday, May 8, 2010. Further, the resolution
recognizes the important contribution that trains make to the
national transportation system, and urges the people of the
United States to recognize that day as an opportunity to learn
more about trains.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY AND COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION
On April 27, 2009, Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines,
and Hazardous Materials Chairwoman Corrine Brown introduced H.
Res. 367. On May 5, 2009, the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure discharged the resolution. On May 6, 2009, the
House agreed to H. Res. 367 by a vote of 426-0.
On April 27, 2010, Subcommittee Chairwoman Brown introduced
H. Res. 1301. On April 29, 2010, the Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure met in open session to
consider H. Res. 1301. The Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure ordered H. Res. 1301 reported favorably to the
House by a voice vote with a quorum present.
RECORD VOTES
Clause 3(b) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of
Representatives requires each committee report to include the
total number of votes cast for and against on each record vote
on a motion to report and on any amendment offered to the
measure or matter, and the names of those members voting for
and against. There were no recorded votes taken in connection
with consideration of H. Res. 1301 or ordering the resolution,
reported. A motion to order H. Res. 1301 reported favorably to
the House was agreed to by voice vote with a quorum present.
COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS
With respect to the requirements of clause 3(c)(1) of rule
XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the
Committee's oversight findings and recommendations are
reflected in this report.
COST OF LEGISLATION
With respect to clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of
the House of Representatives, H. Res. 1301 is a resolution of
the House of Representatives, and therefore does not have the
force of law. As such, there is no cost associated with this
resolution for fiscal year 2010, or any fiscal year thereafter.
COMPLIANCE WITH HOUSE RULE XIII
1. With respect to the requirement of clause 3(c)(2) of
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, and
section 308(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the
Committee advises that the resolution contains no measure that
authorizes funding, so no comparison of the total estimated
funding level for the relevant programs to the appropriate
level under current law is required.
2. With respect to the requirement of clause 3(c)(4) of
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the
Committee advises that the resolution contains no measure that
authorizes funding, so no statement of general performance and
objectives for any measure that authorizes funding is required.
3. With respect to the requirement of clause 3(c)(3) of
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and
section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the
Committee advises that the resolution contains no measure that
authorizes funding, so no cost estimate nor comparison for any
measure that authorizes funding is required.
COMPLIANCE WITH HOUSE RULE XXI
Pursuant to clause 9 of rule XXI of the Rules of the House
of Representatives, the Committee is required to include a list
of congressional earmarks, limited tax benefits, or limited
tariff benefits, as defined in clause 9(e), 9(f), and 9(g) of
rule XXI of the Rules of the House of Representatives. H. Res.
1301 does not contain any earmarks, limited tax benefits, or
limited tariff benefits under clause 9(e), 9(f), or 9(g) of
rule XXI.
CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY STATEMENT
Pursuant to clause 3(d)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules of the
House of Representatives, H. Res. 1301 is a resolution of the
House of Representatives, and therefore does not have the force
of law. As such, clause 3(d)(1) of rule XIII does not apply.
FEDERAL MANDATES STATEMENT
H. Res. 1301 contains no Federal mandates.
PREEMPTION CLARIFICATION
Section 423 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974
requires the report of any Committee on a bill or joint
resolution to include a statement on the extent to which the
bill or joint resolution is intended to preempt state, local,
or tribal law. The Committee states that H. Res. 1301 does not
preempt any state, local, or tribal law.
ADVISORY COMMITTEE STATEMENT
No advisory committees within the meaning of section 5(b)
of the Federal Advisory Committee Act are created by this
legislation.
APPLICABILITY TO THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
The Committee finds that the resolution does not relate to
the terms and conditions of employment or access to public
services or accommodations within the meaning of section
102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act (P.L. 104-1).
CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW MADE BY THE BILL, AS REPORTED
H. Res. 1301 makes no changes in existing law.