Amtrak Appropriation Bill Passes House of Representatives

[Vogon_Glory]

"H.R. 6003, the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008, cleared the House of Representatives by a veto-proof margin of 311-104 on Wednesday. The bill now goes to conference committee to reconcile differences with the Senate counterpart, S. 294. President Bush has issued a veto threats against both versions of the bill."

http://www.narprail.org/cms/index.php/hotline/more/hotline_557/

There remains the Senate vote. Whether the Senate would pass the Amtrak bill with a sufficient majority to override a G W Bush veto is still up in the air.

[nxylas]

1. You think the Senate may say "narp, rail"?

If you'll excuse the Hot Fuzz-inspired pun on the domain name of the site you linked to.

[Vogon_Glory]

2. Would the Senate Majority Be a Veto-Proof Majority?

There have been enough pro-rail Republican senators even during the years of Republican control of the US Senate to keep Amtrak operating another year. My concern is that if Boosh should veto the Amtrak appropriation, there wouldn't be enough pro-rail senators to override his veto. Even though there are SOME pro-Amtrak Republican senators, I don't know if there are enough pro-Amtrak Republican AND Democratic senators to override.

I do admit that I'm likely to use the NARP web site a lot. But then, I also admit that I think that pro-public transit and pro-smart growth advocates ought to at least be aware of NARP's existence, even if they choose not to join.

[nxylas]

3. I think they'de get more members if they changed their name

Such is the state of passenger rail in America that I suspect potential rail passengers (those who would use a far more extensive and frequent rail network) way outnumber actual ones.