DOCSLIB.ORG

Examining the Surface Transportation Board’S Role in Ensuring a Robust Pas- Senger Rail System

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text

Load more

EXAMINING THE SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD’S ROLE IN ENSURING A ROBUST PAS- SENGER RAIL SYSTEM (116–66) REMOTE HEARING BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON RAILROADS, PIPELINES, AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS OF THE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ONE HUNDRED SIXTEENTH CONGRESS SECOND SESSION NOVEMBER 18, 2020 Printed for the use of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure ( Available online at: https://www.govinfo.gov/committee/house-transportation?path=/ browsecommittee/chamber/house/committee/transportation U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE 43–578 PDF WASHINGTON : 2021 VerDate Aug 31 2005 17:58 Mar 08, 2021 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 5011 Sfmt 5011 P:\HEARINGS\116\RR\11-18-~1\TRANSC~1\43578.TXT JEAN TRANSPC154 with DISTILLER COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE PETER A. DEFAZIO, Oregon, Chair ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON, SAM GRAVES, Missouri District of Columbia DON YOUNG, Alaska EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON, Texas ERIC A. ‘‘RICK’’ CRAWFORD, Arkansas RICK LARSEN, Washington BOB GIBBS, Ohio GRACE F. NAPOLITANO, California DANIEL WEBSTER, Florida DANIEL LIPINSKI, Illinois THOMAS MASSIE, Kentucky STEVE COHEN, Tennessee SCOTT PERRY, Pennsylvania ALBIO SIRES, New Jersey RODNEY DAVIS, Illinois JOHN GARAMENDI, California ROB WOODALL, Georgia HENRY C. ‘‘HANK’’ JOHNSON, JR., Georgia JOHN KATKO, New York ANDRE´ CARSON, Indiana BRIAN BABIN, Texas DINA TITUS, Nevada GARRET GRAVES, Louisiana SEAN PATRICK MALONEY, New York DAVID ROUZER, North Carolina JARED HUFFMAN, California MIKE BOST, Illinois JULIA BROWNLEY, California RANDY K. WEBER, SR., Texas FREDERICA S. WILSON, Florida DOUG LAMALFA, California DONALD M. PAYNE, JR., New Jersey BRUCE WESTERMAN, Arkansas ALAN S. LOWENTHAL, California LLOYD SMUCKER, Pennsylvania MARK DESAULNIER, California PAUL MITCHELL, Michigan STACEY E. PLASKETT, Virgin Islands BRIAN J. MAST, Florida STEPHEN F. LYNCH, Massachusetts MIKE GALLAGHER, Wisconsin SALUD O. CARBAJAL, California, Vice Chair GARY J. PALMER, Alabama ANTHONY G. BROWN, Maryland BRIAN K. FITZPATRICK, Pennsylvania ADRIANO ESPAILLAT, New York JENNIFFER GONZA´ LEZ-COLO´ N, TOM MALINOWSKI, New Jersey Puerto Rico GREG STANTON, Arizona TROY BALDERSON, Ohio DEBBIE MUCARSEL-POWELL, Florida ROSS SPANO, Florida LIZZIE FLETCHER, Texas PETE STAUBER, Minnesota COLIN Z. ALLRED, Texas CAROL D. MILLER, West Virginia SHARICE DAVIDS, Kansas GREG PENCE, Indiana ABBY FINKENAUER, Iowa MIKE GARCIA, California JESU´ S G. ‘‘CHUY’’ GARCI´A, Illinois ANTONIO DELGADO, New York CHRIS PAPPAS, New Hampshire ANGIE CRAIG, Minnesota HARLEY ROUDA, California CONOR LAMB, Pennsylvania (ii) VerDate Aug 31 2005 17:58 Mar 08, 2021 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 5905 Sfmt 5905 P:\HEARINGS\116\RR\11-18-~1\TRANSC~1\43578.TXT JEAN TRANSPC154 with DISTILLER SUBCOMMITTEE ON RAILROADS, PIPELINES, AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS DANIEL LIPINSKI, Illinois, Chair ALBIO SIRES, New Jersey ERIC A. ‘‘RICK’’ CRAWFORD, Arkansas DONALD M. PAYNE, JR., New Jersey SCOTT PERRY, Pennsylvania LIZZIE FLETCHER, Texas RODNEY DAVIS, Illinois ANDRE´ CARSON, Indiana BRIAN BABIN, Texas FREDERICA S. WILSON, Florida MIKE BOST, Illinois MARK DESAULNIER, California RANDY K. WEBER, SR., Texas STEPHEN F. LYNCH, Massachusetts DOUG LAMALFA, California TOM MALINOWSKI, New Jersey LLOYD SMUCKER, Pennsylvania GRACE F. NAPOLITANO, California PAUL MITCHELL, Michigan STEVE COHEN, Tennessee BRIAN K. FITZPATRICK, Pennsylvania JESU´ S G. ‘‘CHUY’’ GARCI´A, Illinois TROY BALDERSON, Ohio ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON, ROSS SPANO, Florida District of Columbia PETE STAUBER, Minnesota EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON, Texas GREG PENCE, Indiana ALAN S. LOWENTHAL, California SAM GRAVES, Missouri (Ex Officio) COLIN Z. ALLRED, Texas, Vice Chair ANGIE CRAIG, Minnesota CONOR LAMB, Pennsylvania PETER A. DEFAZIO, Oregon (Ex Officio) (iii) VerDate Aug 31 2005 17:58 Mar 08, 2021 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 5905 Sfmt 5905 P:\HEARINGS\116\RR\11-18-~1\TRANSC~1\43578.TXT JEAN TRANSPC154 with DISTILLER VerDate Aug 31 2005 17:58 Mar 08, 2021 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 5905 Sfmt 5905 P:\HEARINGS\116\RR\11-18-~1\TRANSC~1\43578.TXT JEAN TRANSPC154 with DISTILLER CONTENTS Page Summary of Subject Matter .................................................................................... vii STATEMENTS OF MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE Hon. Daniel Lipinski, a Representative in Congress from the State of Illinois, and Chairman, Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Ma- terials: Opening statement ........................................................................................... 1 Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 4 Hon. Eric A. ‘‘Rick’’ Crawford, a Representative in Congress from the State of Arkansas, and Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials: Opening statement ........................................................................................... 5 Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 6 Hon. Peter A. DeFazio, a Representative in Congress from the State of Or- egon, and Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Opening statement ........................................................................................... 7 Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 8 Hon. Sam Graves, a Representative in Congress from the State of Missouri, and Ranking Member, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, prepared statement .............................................................................................. 93 Hon. Eddie Bernice Johnson, a Representative in Congress from the State of Texas, prepared statement .............................................................................. 93 WITNESSES Ann D. Begeman, Chairman, Surface Transportation Board, oral statement ... 10 Martin J. Oberman, Vice Chairman, Surface Transportation Board, oral state- ment ...................................................................................................................... 12 Prepared joint statement of Chairman Begeman and Vice Chairman Oberman ........................................................................................................ 14 Romayne C. Brown, Chair, Board of Directors, Metra Commuter Rail: Oral statement .................................................................................................. 17 Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 18 Stephen J. Gardner, Senior Executive Vice President, Chief Operating and Commercial Officer, National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak): Oral statement .................................................................................................. 22 Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 24 Ian N. Jefferies, President and Chief Executive Officer, Association of Amer- ican Railroads: Oral statement .................................................................................................. 37 Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 39 Randal O’Toole, Senior Fellow, Cato Institute: Oral statement .................................................................................................. 47 Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 48 Paul P. Skoutelas, President and Chief Executive Officer, American Public Transportation Association: Oral statement .................................................................................................. 51 Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 52 SUBMISSIONS FOR THE RECORD Submissions for the Record by Hon. Daniel Lipinski: Statement of Jim Mathews, President and Chief Executive Officer, Rail Passengers Association ................................................................................. 60 (v) VerDate Aug 31 2005 17:58 Mar 08, 2021 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 5905 Sfmt 5905 P:\HEARINGS\116\RR\11-18-~1\TRANSC~1\43578.TXT JEAN TRANSPC154 with DISTILLER vi Page Submissions for the Record by Hon. Daniel Lipinski—Continued Statement of Arun Rao, Chair, States for Passenger Rail Coalition, Inc. ... 67 Statement of the American Train Dispatchers Association et al., ‘‘On the 40th Anniversary of the Staggers Act, Congress Should Consider the Collateral Damage to the Rail Industry, and How To Fix It’’ ............ 94 APPENDIX Questions to Chairman Ann D. Begeman and Vice Chairman Martin J. Oberman, Surface Transportation Board, from: Hon. Peter A. DeFazio ...................................................................................... 97 Hon. Eric A. ‘‘Rick’’ Crawford .......................................................................... 97 Hon. Eleanor Holmes Norton .......................................................................... 98 Questions to Stephen J. Gardner, Senior Executive Vice President, Chief Operating and Commercial Officer, National Railroad Passenger Corpora- tion (Amtrak), from: Hon. Peter A. DeFazio ...................................................................................... 98 Hon. Eric A. ‘‘Rick’’ Crawford .......................................................................... 101 Hon. Lloyd Smucker
Recommended publications
  • 1996 Republican Party Primary Election March 12, 1996

    1996 Republican Party Primary Election March 12, 1996

    Texas Secretary of State Antonio O. Garza, Jr. Race Summary Report Unofficial Election Tabulation 1996 Republican Party Primary Election March 12, 1996 President/Vice President Precincts Reporting 8,179 Total Precincts 8,179 Percent Reporting100.0% Vote Total % of Vote Early Voting % of Early Vote Delegates Lamar Alexander 18,615 1.8% 11,432 5.0% Patrick J. 'Pat' Buchanan 217,778 21.4% 45,954 20.2% Charles E. Collins 628 0.1% 153 0.1% Bob Dole 566,658 55.6% 126,645 55.8% Susan Ducey 1,123 0.1% 295 0.1% Steve Forbes 130,787 12.8% 27,206 12.0% Phil Gramm 19,176 1.9% 4,094 1.8% Alan L. Keyes 41,697 4.1% 5,192 2.3% Mary 'France' LeTulle 651 0.1% 196 0.1% Richard G. Lugar 2,219 0.2% 866 0.4% Morry Taylor 454 0.0% 124 0.1% Uncommitted 18,903 1.9% 4,963 2.2% Vote Total 1,018,689 227,120 Voter Registration 9,698,506 % VR Voting 10.5 % % Voting Early 2.3 % U. S. Senator Precincts Reporting 8,179 Total Precincts 8,179 Percent Reporting100.0% Vote Total % of Vote Early Voting % of Early Vote Phil Gramm - Incumbent 837,417 85.0% 185,875 83.9% Henry C. (Hank) Grover 71,780 7.3% 17,312 7.8% David Young 75,976 7.7% 18,392 8.3% Vote Total 985,173 221,579 Voter Registration 9,698,506 % VR Voting 10.2 % % Voting Early 2.3 % 02/03/1998 04:16 pm Page 1 of 45 Texas Secretary of State Antonio O.
  • Key Committees 2021

    Key Committees 2021

    Key Committees 2021 Senate Committee on Appropriations Visit: appropriations.senate.gov Majority Members Minority Members Patrick J. Leahy, VT, Chairman Richard C. Shelby, AL, Ranking Member* Patty Murray, WA* Mitch McConnell, KY Dianne Feinstein, CA Susan M. Collins, ME Richard J. Durbin, IL* Lisa Murkowski, AK Jack Reed, RI* Lindsey Graham, SC* Jon Tester, MT Roy Blunt, MO* Jeanne Shaheen, NH* Jerry Moran, KS* Jeff Merkley, OR* John Hoeven, ND Christopher Coons, DE John Boozman, AR Brian Schatz, HI* Shelley Moore Capito, WV* Tammy Baldwin, WI* John Kennedy, LA* Christopher Murphy, CT* Cindy Hyde-Smith, MS* Joe Manchin, WV* Mike Braun, IN Chris Van Hollen, MD Bill Hagerty, TN Martin Heinrich, NM Marco Rubio, FL* * Indicates member of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, which funds IMLS - Final committee membership rosters may still be being set “Key Committees 2021” - continued: Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Visit: help.senate.gov Majority Members Minority Members Patty Murray, WA, Chairman Richard Burr, NC, Ranking Member Bernie Sanders, VT Rand Paul, KY Robert P. Casey, Jr PA Susan Collins, ME Tammy Baldwin, WI Bill Cassidy, M.D. LA Christopher Murphy, CT Lisa Murkowski, AK Tim Kaine, VA Mike Braun, IN Margaret Wood Hassan, NH Roger Marshall, KS Tina Smith, MN Tim Scott, SC Jacky Rosen, NV Mitt Romney, UT Ben Ray Lujan, NM Tommy Tuberville, AL John Hickenlooper, CO Jerry Moran, KS “Key Committees 2021” - continued: Senate Committee on Finance Visit: finance.senate.gov Majority Members Minority Members Ron Wyden, OR, Chairman Mike Crapo, ID, Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow, MI Chuck Grassley, IA Maria Cantwell, WA John Cornyn, TX Robert Menendez, NJ John Thune, SD Thomas R.
  • Extensions of Remarks E661 EXTENSIONS of REMARKS

    Extensions of Remarks E661 EXTENSIONS of REMARKS

    June 17, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E661 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS HONORING REN HARRIS Herb was a cherished member of the Miami When asked about her motivation to challenge community. One of the last living survivors of the system, Mills would later say ‘‘Our instruc- HON. MIKE THOMPSON Kristallnacht and the SS St. Louis, Herb was tors were just as good, but some of my son’s OF CALIFORNIA widely known and respected for his decades textbooks would go to page 3 and then skip to of engagement with community groups, page 35. You can’t learn like that.’’ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES schools, churches, and synagogues. He was a Ms. Mills also was the first black career em- Thursday, June 17, 2021 ubiquitous presence as a teacher and docent ployee of the United States Postal Service in Mr. THOMPSON of California. Madam at the Holocaust Memorial on Miami Beach, Winter Haven and eventually became man- Speaker, I rise today to recognize Ren Harris, where he spent every Saturday leading tours ager of the Florence Villa Post Office. But as the 2021 Napa Valley Grape Grower of the and educating generations of visitors about the first Black postal worker, her career was Year, for his accomplishments and contribu- the Holocaust. not easy. At one point, Ms. Mills was trans- tions toward our community. Born in Germany, Herb was just 12 when ferred to another post office, in an area known Born in 1941 in San Francisco, Harris is a he and his family fled the Nazi regime on ‘‘the to be unwelcoming to Black people, in an ef- sixth generation Californian.
  • Big Business and Conservative Groups Helped Bolster the Sedition Caucus’ Coffers During the Second Fundraising Quarter of 2021

    Big Business and Conservative Groups Helped Bolster the Sedition Caucus’ Coffers During the Second Fundraising Quarter of 2021

    Big Business And Conservative Groups Helped Bolster The Sedition Caucus’ Coffers During The Second Fundraising Quarter Of 2021 Executive Summary During the 2nd Quarter Of 2021, 25 major PACs tied to corporations, right wing Members of Congress and industry trade associations gave over $1.5 million to members of the Congressional Sedition Caucus, the 147 lawmakers who voted to object to certifying the 2020 presidential election. This includes: • $140,000 Given By The American Crystal Sugar Company PAC To Members Of The Caucus. • $120,000 Given By Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy’s Majority Committee PAC To Members Of The Caucus • $41,000 Given By The Space Exploration Technologies Corp. PAC – the PAC affiliated with Elon Musk’s SpaceX company. Also among the top PACs are Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics, and the National Association of Realtors. Duke Energy and Boeing are also on this list despite these entity’s public declarations in January aimed at their customers and shareholders that were pausing all donations for a period of time, including those to members that voted against certifying the election. The leaders, companies and trade groups associated with these PACs should have to answer for their support of lawmakers whose votes that fueled the violence and sedition we saw on January 6. The Sedition Caucus Includes The 147 Lawmakers Who Voted To Object To Certifying The 2020 Presidential Election, Including 8 Senators And 139 Representatives. [The New York Times, 01/07/21] July 2021: Top 25 PACs That Contributed To The Sedition Caucus Gave Them Over $1.5 Million The Top 25 PACs That Contributed To Members Of The Sedition Caucus Gave Them Over $1.5 Million During The Second Quarter Of 2021.
  • PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION March 28, 2017 Agenda ID# 15631

    PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION March 28, 2017 Agenda ID# 15631

    STATE OF CALIFORNIA EDMUND G. BROWN JR., Governor PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION 505 VAN NESS AVENUE SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102 March 28, 2017 Agenda ID# 15631 TO PARTIES TO RESOLUTION ST-203 This is the Resolution of the Safety and Enforcement Division. It will be on the April 27, 2017, Commission Meeting agenda. The Commission may act then, or it may postpone action until later. When the Commission acts on the Resolution, it may adopt all or part of it as written, amend or modify it, or set it aside and prepare its own decision. Only when the Commission acts does the resolution become binding on the parties. Parties may file comments on the Resolution as provided in Article 14 of the Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure (Rules), accessible on the Commission’s website at www.cpuc.ca.gov. Pursuant to Rule 14.3, opening comments shall not exceed 15 pages. Late-submitted comments or reply comments will not be considered. An electronic copy of the comments should be submitted to Colleen Sullivan (email: [email protected]). /s/ ELIZAVETA I. MALASHENKO ELIZAVETA I. MALASHENKO, Director Safety and Enforcement Division SUL:vdl Attachment CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE I certify that I have by mail this day served a true copy of Draft Resolution ST-203 on all identified parties in this matter as shown on the attached Service List. Dated March 28, 2017, at San Francisco, California. /s/ VIRGINIA D. LAYA Virginia D. Laya NOTICE Parties should notify the Safety Enforcement Division, California Public Utilities Commission, 505 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94102, of any change of address to ensure that they continue to receive documents.

  • Co M M U Te R

    RAIL COMMUTER Effective August 12, 2019 Monday – Saturday EBJ Union Station Victory Station Medical/Market Center Station Downtown Irving/ Heritage Crossing Station West Irving Station CentrePort DFW Airport Station (Fare Boundary) Bell Station Richland Hills Station Fort Worth Central Station Fort Worth T & P Station TRE Schedule booklet_AUG 2019 Designer: JH 525-008-0619 SIZE: 3.25X9 CMYK w/Bleeds TrinityRailwayExpress.org RideTrinityMetro.org DART.org 817-215-8600 214-979 -1111 DART TICKETS & PASS PRICES PRECIOS DE PASES Y BOLETOS DE DART FARES TARIFAS Fare Category FARE Categoría de tarifa TARIFA Single Ride - Local (Bus Only) $2.50 Viaje Sencillo - Local (Sólo Autobús) $2.50 Single Ride - Reduced* (Bus Only) $1.25 Viaje Sencillo - Reducido* (Sólo Autobús) $1.25 AM/PM Pass - Local $3.00 Pase AM/PM - Local $3.00 AM/PM Pass - Reduced* $1.50 Pase AM/PM - Reducido* $1.50 Midday - Local (9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.) $2.00 Mediodía - Local (9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.) $2.00 Day Pass - Local $6.00 Pase Diario - Local $6.00 Day Pass - Reduced* $3.00 Pase Diario - Reducido* $3.00 Day Pass - Regional $12.00 Pase Diario - Regional $12.00 Monthly Pass - Local † $96.00 Pase Mensual - Local † $96.00 Monthly Pass - Reduced* † $48.00 Pase Mensual - Reducido* † $48.00 Monthly Pass - Regional $192.00 Pase Mensual - Regional $192.00 Local: DART rail and buses; Trinity Railway Express Local: ferroviario y autobuses de DART; servicio de (TRE) service between EBJ Union Station & CentrePort Trinity Railway Express (TRE) entre EBJ Union Station y Station; GoLink & Flex service.
  • DART / TRE / Texrail / DCTA Effective: August 12, 2019

    DART / TRE / Texrail / DCTA Effective: August 12, 2019

    Rail System Map DART / TRE / TEXRail / DCTA Effective: August 12, 2019 O R Parker Road P PLANO MAP LEGEND Fare ChangeDENTON — PLANO Downtown Plano Blue Line B UNT Dallas to Downtown Rowlett President George Bush Turnpike ExpresswayCentral to Denton (operated by DCTA) Red Line R Westmoreland to Parker Rd. Regional Zone Cityline/Bush P Downtown Denton TC Dallas North Tollway Green Line G 35E P LIMITED PARKING AVAILABLE 75 North Carrollton/Frankford to Buckner Med Park P Orange Line O Highland Village/Lewisville Lake DFW Airport to LBJ/Central P LIMITED PARKING AVAILABLE LBJ/Central to Parker, Galatyn Park G Old Town P Weekdays Peak Only P Parking Available North Fare Change Carrollton/ Hebron P — Trinity Railway Express Frankford George Turnpike Bush President P (No Sunday Service) ADDISON Arapaho Center P TEXRail CARROLLTON RICHARDSON 121 Regional Zone A-Train Trinity Mills P Regional Zone Fare Zone Boundry Downtown RICHARDSON Stemmons FreewayCarrollton P Regional Fares Apply 161 Spring Valley P FARMERS Regional Zone — Fare Change Only Peak Weekdays BRANCH ROWLETT P Farmers Branch P Grapevine/ GARLAND Lyndon B. Johnson Freeway Main Street Rd. Parker to LBJ/Central Line Orange B 635 635 Downtown Dallas North Tollway Downtown 114 Royal Lane P O LBJ/Central P Forest/Jupiter P 635 Garland Rowlett DFW P P P Airport Belt P 114 Line Walnut Hill/ Forest Lane P North North Irving Denton P P Lake Covention College Center 35E P Walnut Hill LBJ/Skillman Bachman P P R. L. Thornton Fwy Burbank Lake DFW DFW Las Colinas P Park Lane Highlands P 30 Airport Airport Urban P LOOP North P 12 Terminal Terminal Center Freeway Stemmons Richland Hills/ B A Lovers Lane White Rock P Smitheld DFW 161 University Inwood/ UNIVERSITY PARK of Dallas Love Field MESQUITE P North Richland P HIGHLAND 75 SMU/Mockingbird Hills/Iron Horse P 114 Southwestern PARK 183 Medical District/ Cityplace/Uptown P Mercantile Center LOOP Parkland Pearl/Arts 12 Market P District 635 P 35E LOOP North Side Center St.
  • October 1, 2015 Texas Congressional Republicans Rayburn House Office

    October 1, 2015 Texas Congressional Republicans Rayburn House Office

    October 1, 2015 Texas Congressional Republicans Rayburn House Office Building United States House of Representatives Washington, D.C. 20515 AN OPEN LETTER TO THE TEXAS REPUBLICAN CONGRESSIONAL HOUSE DELEGATION Dear Representative, Like the rest of the nation, last Friday I was surprised to learn of Speaker of the House John Boehner’s imminent resignation from Congress. As you are aware, Boehner revealed he had originally intended to serve as Speaker for only two terms, but after the stunning grassroots defeat of Majority Leader Eric Cantor, he decided to remain in the position through the end of this year. However, in order to prevent greater damage from further "prolonged leadership turmoil," Boehner changed his plans yet again and will be resigning at the end of October. Millions of voters in Texas and across the nation have been in a state of 'prolonged turmoil' since the election of President Obama in 2008. As evidence of the strong displeasure with the direction the President has taken the country, voters have elected a strong Republican majority in the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate during the midterm elections of both of his terms. Unfortunately, to their chagrin, little has changed after these sweeping electoral victories. The grassroots—of which I include myself—are extremely frustrated at the lack of action on any number of conservative public policy priorities in D.C. The voters did not elect conservative Republicans in 2010 and 2014 to stand by idly as their leaders engaged in the politics of surrender. Speaker Boehner's resignation is a direct result of the very same grassroots wave that swept him into power.
  • Speakers of the House: Elections, 1913-2021

    Speakers of the House: Elections, 1913-2021

    Speakers of the House: Elections, 1913-2021 Updated January 25, 2021 Congressional Research Service https://crsreports.congress.gov RL30857 Speakers of the House: Elections, 1913-2021 Summary Each new House elects a Speaker by roll call vote when it first convenes. Customarily, the conference of each major party nominates a candidate whose name is placed in nomination. A Member normally votes for the candidate of his or her own party conference but may vote for any individual, whether nominated or not. To be elected, a candidate must receive an absolute majority of all the votes cast for individuals. This number may be less than a majority (now 218) of the full membership of the House because of vacancies, absentees, or Members answering “present.” This report provides data on elections of the Speaker in each Congress since 1913, when the House first reached its present size of 435 Members. During that period (63rd through 117th Congresses), a Speaker was elected six times with the votes of less than a majority of the full membership. If a Speaker dies or resigns during a Congress, the House immediately elects a new one. Five such elections occurred since 1913. In the earlier two cases, the House elected the new Speaker by resolution; in the more recent three, the body used the same procedure as at the outset of a Congress. If no candidate receives the requisite majority, the roll call is repeated until a Speaker is elected. Since 1913, this procedure has been necessary only in 1923, when nine ballots were required before a Speaker was elected.
  • BART to Antioch Extension Title VI Equity Analysis & Public

    BART to Antioch Extension Title VI Equity Analysis & Public

    BART to Antioch Extension Title VI Equity Analysis & Public Participation Report October 2017 Prepared by the Office of Civil Rights San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District Table of Contents I. BART to Antioch Title VI Equity Analysis Executive Summary 1 Section 1: Introduction 7 Section 2: Project Description 8 Section 3: Methodology 20 Section 4: Service Analysis Findings 30 Section 5: Fare Analysis Findings 39 II. Appendices Appendix A: 2017 BART to Antioch Survey Appendix B: Proposed Service Plan Appendix C: BART Ridership Project Analysis Appendix D: C-Line Vehicle Loading Analysis III. BART to Antioch Public Participation Report i ii BART to Antioch Title VI Equity Analysis and Public Participation Report Executive Summary In October 2011, staff completed a Title VI Analysis for Antioch Station (formerly known as Hillcrest Avenue Station). A Title VI/Environmental Justice analysis was conducted on the Pittsburg Center Station on March 19, 2015. Per the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Title VI Circular (Circular) 4702.1B, Title VI Requirements and Guidelines for Federal Transit Administration Recipients (October 1, 2012), the District is required to conduct a Title VI Service and Fare Equity Analysis (Title VI Equity Analysis) for the Project's proposed service and fare plan six months prior to revenue service. Accordingly, staff completed an updated Title VI Equity Analysis for the BART to Antioch (Project) service and fare plan, which evaluates whether the Project’s proposed service and fare will have a disparate impact on minority populations or a disproportionate burden on low-income populations based on the District’s Disparate Impact and Disproportionate Burden Policy (DI/DB Policy) adopted by the Board on July 11, 2013 and FTA approved Title VI service and fare methodologies.
  • Fact Sheet: the House Health Repeal Bill's Impact on Pennsylvania

    Fact Sheet: the House Health Repeal Bill's Impact on Pennsylvania

    Fact Sheet: The House Health Repeal Bill’s Impact on Pennsylvania A year ago, a majority of the House of Representatives, including Representatives Mike Kelly, Scott Perry, Glenn Thompson, ​ ​ Bill Shuster, Tom Marino, Lou Barletta, Keith Rothfus, Lloyd Smucker, and Tim Murphy, voted for and passed the so-called “American Health Care Act,” or AHCA, a health repeal bill that would have cut coverage, increased costs, and eliminated protections for hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians. The bill would have imposed an “age tax,” letting insurers charge people over 50 five times more for coverage, and put the health of one in five Americans on Medicaid in jeopardy, including seniors, children, and people with disabilities. While Pennsylvanians would have lost out, the wealthy and insurance and drug companies would have gotten $600 billion in new tax breaks. AHCA Meant Pennsylvanians Would Have Lost Coverage 777,000 Pennsylvanians Would Have Lost Coverage. In 2026, 777,000 Pennsylvanians would have lost coverage under ​ ​ ​ this bill. 371,800 With Medicaid Would Have Lost Coverage. Under the American Health Care Act, 371,800 Pennsylvanians with ​ Medicaid would have lost their coverage. ​ ​ 10,800 Veterans in Pennsylvania Would Have Lost Coverage. Under the American Health Care Act, 10,800 veterans in ​ Pennsylvania would have lost their Medicaid coverage. ​ ​ AHCA Meant Pennsylvanians Would Have Paid Higher Costs, Especially Older Pennsylvanians Raise Premiums By Double Digits. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office found that a key part of the American ​ Health Care Act, repealing the requirement that most people have health insurance, will premiums 10 percent next year. ​ ​ Though the AHCA never became law, Congressional Republicans managed to enact these changes through the GOP tax bill.
  • Congress of the United States Washington, DC 20515

    Congress of the United States Washington, DC 20515

    Congress of the United States Washington, DC 20515 June 14, 2021 The Honorable Nancy Pelosi Speaker of the House H-232, The Capitol Washington, D.C. 20515 Dear Madam Speaker: We write today to urge you to fully reopen the House of Representatives. The positive impact of increasing vaccination rates and decreasing cases of COVID-19 are clear to see. Businesses are open, sporting venues and cultural institutions have welcomed back fans and visitors, and restrictions have been lifted. On June 11, Washington D.C. fully reopened and lifted the restrictions put in place to stop the spread of COVID-19. Unfortunately, the United States Capitol and the People’s House have failed to do the same. The Capitol remains closed to the American people and the House continues to maintain policies that run contrary to science of COVID-19. It is time for you to reopen the House and get back to serving the American people. Weekly case numbers in the United States have reached their lowest point since March of 2020 at the very start of the pandemic, and every day hundreds of thousands of Americans are being vaccinated. This also holds true for the Washington D.C. metropolitan area and the Capitol Hill community specifically. Over the last two weeks cases are down 36% in Washington D.C. and over 40% in both Virginia and Maryland. On Capitol Hill, no congressional staffer is known to have tested positive in weeks and no Member of Congress is known to have tested positive in months. This can no doubt be attributed to the institution’s steady access to vaccinations.