Happening Now
We Asked, You Delivered
April 8, 2020
Thank you for supporting America's trains during our virtual Day on the Hill campaign!
Last week Rail Passengers asked our volunteer leaders and members to speak with their elected officials about the importance of passenger trains to our towns and our economy. We asked them to come to the aid of Amtrak and transit agencies, who are confronting an unprecedented crisis caused by the coronavirus’ impact on the transportation sector. And we asked them to recruit their members of Congress to help us take concrete steps to improve our nation’s passenger rail network and the onboard experience of everyday passengers.
We asked, you delivered!
THANK YOU for everyone who took part in this campaign.
Thanks to the hard work of our Council of Representatives, this association delivered our message to 144 House offices and 59 Senate offices. That is an impressive feat given the many novel challenges our Council Members faced, and the chaos and short-staffing affecting most Congressional offices as they struggled to pass legislation in the face of a global pandemic. We thanked Congress for the aid delivered to railroads and transit agencies in the Phase 3 coronavirus package; asked for meaningful funding for new equipment, more frequencies and added service; and explained how an infrastructure bill could put millions of Americans back to work building the passenger rail network our country deserves.
Members of Congress asked for our help, in return. They asked our members and staff which rail projects we believe are the top priorities for funding, and our ideas for how to fund these programs. They wanted to know what we'd like to see in the upcoming passenger rail reauthorization, and how we can improve the passenger experience onboard Amtrak trains. Thanks to your support, we were able to serve as a resource for Congressional offices who remain committed to rebuilding America's rail network in these troubled times.
Our Council of Representatives was joined by many of our members who delivered that same message to their senators and representatives. If you haven’t had a chance, it’s not too late to join our campaign! Click here and we’ll provide you with all the facts and arguments you need to quickly and easily write your members of Congress.
Your response to our call to action is humbling. You never disappoint with your tenacity. Every day I'm proud of the work of the Rail Passengers Association's professional staff. I watch them work tirelessly with our constituents, communities across the country and Congressional leadership to ensure your grassroots efforts and voices are heard loud and clear in Washington, DC. I invite you to support the work of the staff by donating today!
Thank you for all you do on behalf of America’s passengers, present and future.
Jim Mathews
President & CEO
Rail Passengers Association
"It is an honor to be recognized by the Rail Passengers Association for my efforts to strengthen and expand America’s passenger rail. Golden spikes were once used by railroads to mark the completion of important rail projects, so I am truly grateful to receive the Golden Spike Award as a way to mark the end of a career that I’ve spent fighting to invest in our country’s rail system. As Chair of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, it has been my priority to bolster funding for Amtrak, increase and expand routes, look to the future by supporting high-speed projects, and improve safety, culminating in $66 billion in new funding in the Bipartisan infrastructure Law."
Representative Peter DeFazio (OR-04)
March 30, 2022, on receiving the Association's Golden Spike Award for his years of dedication and commitment to passenger rail.
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