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This bill would make Amtrak’s operations more open to the public and to state partners. It would require more notice and public access for board meetings, make certain bonus payments more visible, and give states more information about major vendor contracts tied to state-supported rail service. The goal is to improve transparency, help states better understand how Amtrak is run, and make it easier to oversee spending and service decisions.
- Amtrak’s board would have to post a meeting notice and planned agenda on a public website at least 30 days before the meeting.
- Board meetings would have to follow federal open-meeting rules, and a majority of eligible board members would still be needed to conduct business.
- At least once each year, the board would have to hold a meeting that includes the transportation leaders from states served by long-distance or state-supported routes, or their designees.
- Amtrak would have to publicly disclose the amount of each discretionary bonus paid to officers and non-union employees, and it would have to share vendor agreements of $250,000 or more with a state or the State-Amtrak Intercity Passenger Rail Committee upon request.
Official Summaries
Amtrak Transparency Act
This bill increases Amtrak's open meeting and public disclosure requirements.
Specifically, the Amtrak Board of Directors must comply with federal open meeting requirements under the Government in the Sunshine Act.
In addition, at least 30 days prior to the board convening, the board must publicly post an announcement of the meeting and the anticipated meeting agenda.
The board must also annually convene a meeting to which state departments of transportation with long-distance routes or state-supported routes are invited to participate.
Further, Amtrak must publicly disclose the discretionary bonus compensation paid to an Amtrak officer or non-bargaining unit employee.
Upon request, Amtrak must also disclose to a state or the State-Amtrak Intercity Passenger Rail Committee vendor agreements of $250,000 or more for certain services on state-supported routes.
Current Full Text
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 174 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 174
To improve the transparency of Amtrak operations, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
January 21, 2025
Mrs. Fischer introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To improve the transparency of Amtrak operations, 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 Act''.
SEC. 2. BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETINGS.
Section 24302 of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)(6), by striking ``in an open
meeting''; and
(2) by amending subsection (e) to read as follows:
``(e) Meetings.--
``(1) Quorum.--A majority of the members serving on the
Board who are eligible to vote shall constitute a quorum for
doing business.
``(2) Notice; open meetings.--
``(A) Notice.--Not later than 30 days before
convening any meeting of the Board, the Board shall
post, on a publicly accessible website, an announcement
of the meeting that includes the anticipated agenda for
the meeting.
``(B) Open meetings.--All meetings of the Board
shall comply with the requirements set forth in section
552b of title 5.
``(3) Annual meeting with states.--Not less frequently than
annually, the Board shall convene a meeting to which the head
of the Department of Transportation of each State traversed by
a long-distance route or State-supported route, or the designee
of such State official, shall be invited to participate.''.
SEC. 3. DISCRETIONARY BONUS DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENT.
Section 24303(b) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by
striking ``The preceding sentence'' and inserting ``Amtrak shall
publicly disclose the amount of each discretionary bonus paid to any
officer or non-bargaining unit employee. The 2 preceding sentences''.
SEC. 4. DISCLOSURE OF VENDOR AGREEMENTS.
Section 24315(h) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by
adding at the end the following: ``Upon request, Amtrak shall disclose
to a State or the State-Amtrak Intercity Passenger Rail Committee, any
vendor agreement valued at not less than $250,000 for services procured
to implement a service on a State-supported route.''.
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