NARP e-mail 11/11 Options

[KevinKorell]

To NARP Members, November 11, 2005--

Thanks to NARP Board member Jim Salvador who pointed out the availability of a C-SPAN "events" e-mail address. If you are unable to get through to C-SPAN on the phone (they do have limited phone capacity), please send an e-mail with your request to
events@c-span.org.

Again, ask them to carry the Railroads Subcommittee of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee's Amtrak hearing on Tuesday, November 15 at 10:00 a.m. live on one of their two main channels.

(I've repeated yesterday's message below for your convenience)

-Dave Johnson
NARP Assistant Director
-----Original Message-----
From: David Johnson
Sent: Thu 11/10/2005 5:14 PM
To: NARP
Cc:
Subject: ACTION ALERT: Call C-SPAN and request broadcast of Tuesday's
Amtrak hearing


To NARP Members, November 10, 2005--

The Railroads Subcommittee of the House Transportation and
Infrastructure Committee has scheduled a "Current Governance Issues at
Amtrak" hearing on Tuesday, November 15 at 10:00 a.m. This will be
primarily a hearing about the termination of David Gunn.

The live presence of C-SPAN (cable and satellite channel carrying
federal-level government and public affairs programming) would allow
all
Amtrak advocates nationwide to view the hearing and the vigorous debate
that is likely to result.

Please call C-SPAN at (202) 737-3220, between the hours of 9:00 a.m. to
5:00 p.m., Eastern Time. Ask them to carry this hearing live on either
of their main channels. Remember: this is the Railroads Subcommittee
of
the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee's Amtrak hearing
on Tuesday, November 15 at 10:00 a.m.

Thank you for your efforts!

--David Johnson
Assistant Director
National Association of Railroad Passengers

[KevinKorell]

To NARP Members, November 11, 2005--

Amtrak's Fiscal 2006 appropriation is in a House-Senate conference committee this week.

The Associated Press is reporting that an Amtrak funding level of $1.31 billion has been tentatively agreed upon. However, there is still a danger that the micromanaging language about food service and sleeping cars, which the Senate deleted last week, could return.

Conferees have reached an impasse on an unrelated matter (travel to Cuba) and therefore will reconvene next week (Congress has adjourned for the Veteran's Day Holiday).

Please contact your Members of Congress; go to our Action Alert Center at http://www.narprail.org/ for methods of contact (given the timeliness of this issue, phone calls are needed). Ask them to keep the Amtrak appropriation "clean" and free of any micromanaging language. Amtrak is well aware of the need to improve the economics of its food and beverage services and is making strides in that direction. Full elimination of these services would severely impact ridership and ticket revenues.

--David Johnson
Assistant Director
National Association of Railroad Passengers