Important message from NARP

ChrisDante Jan 8, 2003

  1. ChrisDante

    ChrisDante TrainBoard Member

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    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
     
  2. friscobob

    friscobob Staff Member

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    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.......
     

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