Issues in the Reauthorization of Amtrak [Updated January 5, 2021]   [open pdf - 1MB]

From the Summary: "Amtrak--officially the National Railroad Passenger Corporation--has been the national intercity passenger railroad since 1971, and currently serves over 500 stations on a network approximately 22,000 miles long. In some markets, such as the busy Northeast Corridor (NEC) connecting Washington, DC; New York; and Boston, it has captured a greater share of intercity passengers than domestic airlines. In other, more rural markets, some see it as a vital link to the national transportation system despite low levels of ridership. Though Amtrak is legally a private for-profit corporation, the federal government controls the company's operations. A multiyear authorization of federal funding for Amtrak was included in the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act of 2015 (P.L. 114-94), which expires at the end of FY2021."