URGENT LEGISLATIVE NARP UPDATE Dear Friends of Amtrak, The following was just received by NARP. Please read and act upon this urgent request. --Craig O'Connell Friends of Amtrak To NARP Members--January 7, 2003: The Senate Appropriations Committee plans to consider funding for the CURRENT fiscal year (2003) this Friday, January 10. Richard Shelby (R-AL), the transportation subcommittee chairman, is leaning towards an amount below $1.2 billion. Amtrak President & CEO David Gunn, in a December 16 to appropriations leaders, reiterated that the $762 million approved by the House Appropriations Committee "would guarantee insolvency by spring and the shutting down of the railroad at that time...there are no easy options to any of us if the funding level falls below $1.2 billion." Please telephone your senators' offices--if possible tomorrow (Wednesday) or Thursday--urging them to work for the $1.2 billion Amtrak requested even before Gunn's arrival. The Senate switchboard, 202/224-3121, connects to all offices, or see our web site for more contact information (www.narprail.org). Don't hesitate to call or e-mail NARP if you have questions or learn information that you think we should have. --Ross B. Capon, NARP Executive Director
CHris, I appreciate the news update, but the sad thing about it is the reminder that we're consistently being there, doing that, with Amtrak, and have been since Day 1. Unless and until this country gets a decent mass transit system based on rail, we go through this mess every year. We as citizens need to tell Congress to *&%^ or get off the pot in the matter of Amtrak funding- feeding it pennies while the airlines cry for (and get) dollars won't work. OK, off the soapbox now.......