S4PRC Membership Meeting

September 19, 2010Jacksonville, Florida

Federal Legislative Update

David EwingConsultant

Two Topics

• Obama Infrastructure Proposal• FY 2011 Appropriations Summary

Obama Infrastructure Proposal

• 4,000 miles• Equal footing• Building on• Fleet Overhaul• Consolidate, stream line, prioritize

4,000 miles

• Commuter rail

Equal Footing

• Sounds like a surface transportation administration or TIGER-like approach

• Dedicated funding?

Building On

• More money• $1 billion in the President’s FY 2012 Budget

Fleet Overhaul

• Amtrak’s Fleet plan

February 2009

• Pre-ARRA• After the Amtrak Legislative Proposal finalized

and submitted to OMB

Fleet Plan

• Secular Growth

Consolidate, Streamline, Prioritize

• “Race to the Top Model”• Consolidation implications for safety and

funding

Conclusions

• Six Year Bill that includes intercity passenger rail

• Authorizations and/or FY 2012 budget process– Current extension ends 12-31-10

FY 2011

• Summary• CR

SummaryFY 2011 Appropriations

Program House Passed (HR 5850) Senate Committee (S3644)

HSIPR $1 billion $1.4 billion

Railroad Safety and Technology Grants $75 million $150 million

Research and Development $40 million $40 million

Rail Line Relocation Grants 0 0

Select FY 11 Amtrak Appropriations

Program FY10 enacted

FY 11 PRIIAAuthorize

FY11 Amtrak request

FY 11 President

FY 11 House passed

FY 11 Senate Committee

Operating $563 M $592 M $592 M $563M $563 M $563M

Capital $594 M $1.025 B $1.025 B $764 M $606 M $865 M

Fleet --- --- $446 M --- $127.5 m ---

Outreach

• Funding levels• RRIF loan(s) for equipment• Federal Share

• House 80-20• Senate 90-10

Continuing Resolution (CR)

• Appropriators are now working on the CR, which could run until the middle of next month or after Thanksgiving.

• “Clean”• Level of Discretionary Spending

CR

• Appropriators are now working on the CR, which could run until the middle of next month or after Thanksgiving.

• A second CR may also be needed to buy time as lawmakers work to clear the spending package before the end of the year.

CR

• Appropriators are now working on the CR, which could run until the middle of next month or after Thanksgiving.

• A second CR may also be needed to buy time as lawmakers work to clear the spending package before the end of the year.

• After passing the CR, Democrats are expected to assemble an omnibus package, which would include all the outstanding spending bills.

Politics

• If Republicans win the majority in either chamber in the November election then chances for finishing the FY11 appropriations process this year will diminish significantly. GOP lawmakers would prefer to wait until the next Congress begins in January to put their stamp on the spending bills.

Thank you