June 10, 2023
Representative Sam Graves. US Congress 6th District of Missouri
Dear Representative Sam Graves:
RUN advocates on behalf of all riders on rail-based transportation, whether Amtrak or local rail transit. We appreciate the importance of Amtrak in providing mobility throughout most of the nation, and we also advocate for improved connectivity between Amtrak and local rail transit.
Our members, including those who serve on our Board, live in different parts of the country, including along the Northeast Corridor (NEC). We appreciate the mobility provided by Amtrak and the local railroads in that part of the country but, at the same time, we recognize the requirement that the Amtrak Board represent geographically-diverse regions of the country and the riders and potential riders who live in those regions. Throughout its history, RUN has advocated strongly for a robust Amtrak National Network, in addition to improvements in the Northeast.
RUN believes that the country outside the Northeast Corridor, which statute defines to include Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Jersey, New York, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and the District of Columbia, is grossly under-represented in terms of Amtrak services and its board members.
As such, the Rail Users Network is gravely concerned about the direction the President of the United States is taking in his choices of nominees for the Amtrak Board of Directors. His choices are in direct conflict with the provisions set forth in Public Law 117-58 by the 117th Congress as 49 U.S. Code (USC) 24302.
According to 49 U.S. Code § 24302 – Board of Directors, part (C):
8 individuals appointed by the President of the United States, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, [having the following characteristics]:
1) general business and financial experience, experience or qualifications in transportation, freight and passenger rail transportation, travel, hospitality, cruise line, or passenger air transportation businesses,
2) representatives of employees or users of passenger rail transportation or a State government, at least 1 of whom shall be an individual with a disability (as defined in section 3 of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12102)) who has a demonstrated history of, or experience with, accessibility, mobility, and inclusive transportation in passenger rail or commuter rail,
3) rail passenger advocacy,
4) union affiliation and service,
5) military experience, while not required, is a plus, and
6) candidates should reflect opposing political parties.
Congress mandated in IIJA that no more than four members of Amtrak’s Board come from the Northeast Corridor (NEC), which the statute defines to include Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Jersey, New York, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and the District of Columbia. Of the six individuals nominated all but one are from the Northeast Corridor, which is in direct violation of this Act which clearly defines Congress’s intent for the Board to represent the entire nation. We agree with Senator Jon Tester, and we want to voice his ask to bring this slate of nominees into compliance with the IIJA requirements.
Further, we also believe the Board will be better served by candidates with familiarity with the operations and customer base of Amtrak’s long-distance (LD) routes which are suffering from Amtrak’s concentration on the NEC and the near abandonment of long-distance services. Selection of more regionally diverse candidates would greatly stem the slow dissolution of Amtrak’s LD trains and services.
To reiterate, RUN requests that any nominees for Amtrak’s Board of Directors be representative of the entire United States and the services therein to include not only the Northeast Corridor and state- supported corridor services, but also the long-distance trains which establish the nationwide system, thin as it is.
Sincerely,
Richard Rudolph, Ph.D.,
Chairman, Rail Users’ Network
The Rail Users Network (RUN) is a 501 (c) (3) tax exempt national organization