MIPRC is asking Midwestern members of Congress to support the $80 billion passenger rail investment in the proposed American Jobs Plan and strengthen several aspects of federal passenger rail policy and funding when re-authorizing the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act, which expires in September. In a May 14 letter emailed to members and their transportation legislative aides, MIPRC also stated its support for Amtrak’s proposed $5.4 billion grant request  for federal fiscal year 2022.

The Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission is seeking regional planning funding and a major revision of the federal law that dictates when states must cover the tab for passenger rail in the latest version of its principles and positions for renewing the FAST (Fixing America’s Surface Transportation) Act.

The Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission is asking the Biden administration to give “equal consideration” to states’ passenger rail plans and Amtrak’s as it refines the details of how its proposed $2.7 trillion American Jobs Plan will spend about $80 billion on passenger rail.

UPDATE: The current version of the U.S. House THUD COVID-relief legislation (S. Con Res 5), contains $1.5 billion for Amtrak, specifically $820,388,160 for the Northeast Corridor and $679,611,840 for the National Network.

MIPRC is asking Midwestern members of Congress to support $1.54 billion in additional FY 2021 funding for Amtrak as part of their pending COVID-19 relief legislation to restore daily service on the national passenger railroad's long-distance train routes.

As Congress closes in on a deal for new COVID-19 relief legislation and FY 2021 appropriations, MIPRC is asking Midwestern members to ensure Amtrak gets enough funding between relief and 2021 appropriations to restore daily long-distance service and provide crucial funding for state-supported Amtrak services.

Commissioners, partners and allies of the Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission met via Zoom on Nov. 10-11 for MIPRC’s 2020 Annual Meeting, to assess regional developments since 2019 and plan for 2021.