Bill Details
HR.188 - 119th Congress
Status
Latest action
2025-06-06 - Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 113.
Introduced Date
2025-01-03
Policy Area
Transportation and Public Works
Committees
View committees (1)
Sponsors
Cosponsors
View cosponsors (1)
7
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AI Summary This summary was generated by AI from the bill text. AI can get information wrong.
This bill would make Amtrak’s Board of Directors follow the federal open meetings rules, so more of its meetings would be held in public and its actions would be easier for passengers and taxpayers to see. The goal is to increase transparency and accountability, while still allowing Amtrak to keep some matters private when public discussion could harm the company, its workers, or public safety.
- Amtrak would have to follow both the public records rules and the open meetings rules that apply to many federal agencies.
- Some parts of meetings could still be closed, especially for contract talks, labor negotiations, personnel matters, and confidential business information.
- The bill would not force Amtrak to share information that could put customers or employees at risk.
- Amtrak could still take actions needed to follow the law, honor contracts, and carry out its normal business and mission.
Official Summaries
Amtrak Transparency and Accountability for Passengers and Taxpayers Act
This bill directs Amtrak to comply with federal open meeting requirements under the Government in the Sunshine Act, with exceptions.
Under the bill, certain open meeting requirements do not apply to any portion or portions of a meeting that Amtrak properly determines are likely to involve
- contract negotiations, including negotiations for contract procurements and agreements, the disclosure of which would imperil or compromise Amtrak’s competitive position;
- collective bargaining agreements or any terms and conditions that are proposed for inclusion in an agreement; and
- matters involving the employment, appointment, termination, terms and conditions of employment, performance evaluation, promotion, or disciplining of a current or prospective Amtrak officer, employee, or contractor (unless all affected individuals request in writing that the matter or matters be discussed at a public meeting).
Current Full Text
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 188 Reported in House (RH)]
<DOC>
Union Calendar No. 113
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 188
[Report No. 119-144]
To require that the Amtrak Board of Directors comply with the open
meetings requirements of section 552b of title 5, United States Code,
and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 3, 2025
Mr. Nehls (for himself and Mr. Graves) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure
June 6, 2025
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole
House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed
in italic]
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on January
3, 2025]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require that the Amtrak Board of Directors comply with the open
meetings requirements of section 552b of title 5, United States Code,
and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Amtrak Transparency and
Accountability for Passengers and Taxpayers Act''.
SEC. 2. OPEN MEETINGS.
Section 24301(e) of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
(1) by striking ``Section 552 of title 5, this part'' and
inserting the following:
``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (3),
section 552 of title 5 and the open meetings requirements of
section 552b of such title, this part'';
(2) in the second sentence by striking ``Section 552 of
title 5, United States Code, applies'' and inserting the
following:
``(2) Timing of application.--Except as provided in
paragraph (3), sections 552 and 552b of title 5 apply''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(3) Scope of application.--
``(A) Information.--The requirements of the second
sentence of section 552b(b) of title 5 shall not apply
to any portion of an Amtrak meeting and subsections (d)
and (e) of section 552b of title 5 shall not apply to
any information pertaining to any portion of an Amtrak
meeting otherwise required by section 552b of title 5
to be disclosed to the public in any case in which
Amtrak properly determines that such portion or
portions of the meeting or the disclosure of such
information is likely to involve--
``(i) contract negotiations, including
negotiations for procurements and agreements
that may result in a contract, the disclosure
of which would imperil or compromise the
competitive position of Amtrak;
``(ii) collective bargaining agreements or
any terms and conditions that are proposed for
inclusion in any collective bargaining
agreement, including the negotiation of terms
and conditions with employees or
representatives of employees of Amtrak;
``(iii) with respect to any individual who
is a prospective officer, employee, or
contractor or an officer, employee, or
contractor employed or appointed by Amtrak,
matters involving the employment, appointment,
termination of employment, terms and conditions
of employment, evaluation of the performance
of, promotion or disciplining of any such
individual, unless all such individuals whose
rights could be adversely affected request in
writing that the matter or matters be discussed
at a public meeting; or
``(iv) confidential commercial information.
``(B) Additional application.--In addition to the
information described in subparagraph (B), the
information described in section 552b(c) shall apply to
Amtrak meetings.
``(4) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this subsection
shall be construed to--
``(A) require Amtrak to disclose information that
could put the safety of Amtrak customers or employees
at risk; or
``(B) prevent Amtrak from taking any action
otherwise necessary to--
``(i) comply with law;
``(ii) honor existing contracts or legally
binding agreements; or
``(iii) carry out normal business
activities consistent with the statutory
mission and goals of Amtrak.''.
Union Calendar No. 113
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 188
[Report No. 119-144]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require that the Amtrak Board of Directors comply with the open
meetings requirements of section 552b of title 5, United States Code,
and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
June 6, 2025
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole
House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed