RAILforum: Get Amtrak The Funding It Deserves!

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Posted by SaveAmtrak (Member # 1150) on :

November 11, 2001

SAVE AMTRAK

Well, it seems as though
SAVE AMTRAK is not enough.

As a concept -- SAVE AMTRAK --
has been refined
by a comment contributor to be better expressed as

Get Amtrak The Funding It Deserves!

HOW can we do it?

Discussion forum commentators
have recommended contacting
U.S Senators and Members of Congress.

Okay.
Great idea.
I'll do it!
Who should we contact first?

Now, a search on the web came up with
one particular Congressman who has
a News Release SUPPORTING AMTRAK!

Hooray!

He's some guy from New Jersey.

The link to the press release is on this page:
| http://www.JL-Site.com/SaveAmtrak/GovOfficials.html |

HOWEVER.

Just One Congressman is not enough.

So, if anyone out there knows about
-- a local city Mayor; or
-- a State Governor; or
-- some other local or state elected officials,

A U.S. Congressman; or
A U.S. Senator

Who actually SUPPORTS AMTRAK
and a fully funded National Railroad Passenger service
let's find out about those guys and gals
and help them get the word out.

Also -- do you know of any local and national organizations
who support AMTRAK
and a fully funded National Railroad Passenger service

Let's find out who they are -- and give them support.

How about journalists?
Does anyone know of a local newspaper reporter
interested in investigating a story or two on AMTRAK
and a National Railroad Passenger service?

Who are they?
Contact them.

"Let's roll"!

SAVE AMTRAK
Get Amtrak The Funding It Deserves!
JOHN LONGENECKER
| http://www.JL-Site.com/SaveAmtrak/Directory.html |
Email: JL@MainNet.com

------------------
Save Amtrak
JOHN LONGENECKER
JL@MainNet.com

Posted by SaveAmtrak (Member # 1150) on :

"Let's roll"!

SAVE AMTRAK
Get Amtrak The Funding It Deserves!
"We should not downsize Amtrak, we should eliminate the ARC."

HERE IS THAT PRESS RELEASE
| http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/nj01_andrews/61801release.html |===========================================================

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Date: June 18, 2001

REP. ANDREWS: RALLY TO SAVE AMTRAK
| http://www.house.gov/andrews/welcome.htm |

Philadelphia, PA.-- Rep. Rob Andrews today rallied supporters of Amtrak at Philadelphia's 30th Street Station. "A first class passenger rail system is essential for a world class economy," Andrews said. "We will not let Amtrak wither away and die."

Andrews refuted claims by Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta that Amtrak should be downsized to service only regional lines rather than the nationwide system that the organization currently supports.

Last week, Mineta said: " There's no question Amtrak is facing very, very serious financial problems. [Amtrak should] look at selected routes rather than blanket the country with rail service that is not really viable."

Andrews refuted this statement by saying: "It would be completely irresponsible for the Federal government to mandate that Amtrak begin cutting routes and stranding thousands of passengers who rely on the rail carrier for safe, reliable and affordable transportation."

Rep. Andrews joined with thirteen rail labor unions,
-- The American Train Dispatchers Department,
-- The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers,
-- The Brotherhood of Maintanence of Way Employees,
-- The Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen,
-- The Hotel and Restaurant Employees Union,
-- The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers,
-- The International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers,
-- The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers,
-- The Service Employees International Union,
-- The Sheet Metal Wokers International Association,
-- The Transportation Communications International Union and
-- The Transport Workers Union of America,

to highlight his support for the continuation of federal funding for Amtrak.

He noted that in the Philadelphia region alone, 3.8 million passengers travel on its trains each year. In addition, Amtrak employs approximately 3,000 workers in the Philadelphia Metropolitan area.

He also voiced his opposition to the policies of the Amtrak Reform Council (ARC), an "oversight committee, " some of whose members have stridently opposed Amtrak.

"The Amtrak Reform Council is not interested in reform -- it is a tool to dismantle Amtrak.

"To date, the Council's only action has been to request more money from Congress for its own agenda.

We should not downsize Amtrak, we should eliminate the ARC."

Last year, Rep. Andrews successfully sponsored a House amendment to save taxpayers $530,000 in federal funding from the ARC's budget. The Council had originally requested $980,000 million in federal funding but Rep. Andrews's amendment, which passed the House on May 19, 2000, knocked them back to their 1998 funding level of $450,000.

Despite Andrews' efforts, the ARC did manage to increase their funding to $750,000, which was added during the House-Senate Conference for the Transportation funding bill for FY 2001.

President Bush has allocated $785,000 for the ARC in his budget recommendation to Congress for FY 2002.

Congressman Andrews will again introduce legislation to strip the funding from this group on the basis that the ARC is wasting taxpayer resources by duplicating the efforts of governmental organizations already in place that independently evaluate and assess Amtrak's feasibility.

He anticipates that the House will consider his proposal this summer.

=================================================

"Let's roll"!

SAVE AMTRAK
Get Amtrak The Funding It Deserves!
JOHN LONGENECKER
| http://www.JL-Site.com/SaveAmtrak/Directory.html |
Email: JL@MainNet.com

------------------
Save Amtrak
JOHN LONGENECKER
JL@MainNet.com

Posted by SaveAmtrak (Member # 1150) on :

November 11, 2001

"Let's roll"!

SAVE AMTRAK
Get Amtrak The Funding It Deserves!
=================================================

Okay.
The Congressman's Press Release
lists support from these organizations.
| http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/nj01_andrews/61801release.html |

Anybody have any contact with these guys.
Any members out there?
If so, how can we work together?

Here's the list:
=======================================

The American Train Dispatchers Department

The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers

The Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees

The Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen

The Hotel and Restaurant Employees Union

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers

The International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers

The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers

The Service Employees International Union

The Sheet Metal Workers International Association

The Transportation Communications International Union

The Transport Workers Union of America

=================================================

"Let's roll"!

SAVE AMTRAK
Get Amtrak The Funding It Deserves!
JOHN LONGENECKER
| http://www.JL-Site.com/SaveAmtrak/Directory.html |
Email: JL@MainNet.com

------------------
Save Amtrak
JOHN LONGENECKER
JL@MainNet.com

Posted by mrlithian (Member # 1129) on :

Write or email your local newspaper -- they love a cause and will help you fight for it. Look in back issues for the original article about the ARC, and in your letter to the editor ask the news-reading public at large if this is what THEY really want. Yes, some will say it's a good idea to get rid of Amtrak -- but I'm betting the majority of the readers will be appalled that Congress has let things come this far, and we will have picked up even more letter-writing advocates.

Don't wait -- send a letter today (you've already written your senator/rep, right?) to your paper today, not tomorrow.

Remember: squeaky wheels get greased.