A new high-speed train proposal hopes to link Los Angeles and New York City in time for the FIFA World Cup and celebrations for the United States&#8217; 250th birthday next year.
AmeriStarRail, based in Delaware, proposed the plan to Amtrak, as well as to President Donald Trump, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, and Congress, <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/high-speed-rail-new-york-los-angeles-2093565">according</a> to Newsweek.
The train, called the &#8220;Transcontinental Chief,&#8221; would be funded entirely by private investors, not taxpayers, and would transport both passengers and commercial trucks.
&#8220;The Transcontinental Chief will be a great opportunity for Amtrak to team up with the private sector to confront the challenges of its money-losing long-distance trains and create opportunities to usher in a profitable Golden Age of rail travel for passengers and truckers, with the ingenuity of free enterprise, as we celebrate our great nation&#8217;s 250th birthday next year,&#8221; AmeriStarRail Chief Operating Officer Scott Spencer said in a letter to Amtrak.
The train would rely on existing infrastructure from host railroads and include stops at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Chicago, and the Grand Canyon. Amtrak has not yet responded to the proposal, Newsweek reported.
The plan contrasts with another high-speed train project in California, which risks losing its federal funding after failing to make progress for more than a decade, The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-admin-ready-to-pull-the-plug-on-california-high-speed-rail-boondoggle">reported</a>.
Despite receiving about $4 billion for the 800-mile project since 2010, the state has &#8220;not laid a single high-speed track,&#8221; <a href="https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/trumps-transportation-secretary-sean-p-duffy-releases-report-exposing-no-viable-path">according</a> to the Trump administration.
When voters approved the project in 2008, the estimated cost was $33 billion. Now, the projected cost has swelled to $128 billion, leaving California about $100 billion short, <a href="https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-03-21/high-speed-rail">according</a> to the Los Angeles Times.
The state is currently trying to build the first segment of the project, a 119-mile track connecting Merced to Bakersfield. The estimated completion date is 2033, but the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) says the state doesn&#8217;t have &#8220;a viable path&#8221; to finishing the first phase by the deadline.
California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, who promoted the train when he was mayor of San Francisco, said in May that workers have begun the first phase of the project, &#8220;laying the tracks to get to where they start to lay the tracks.&#8221;
&#8220;It’s a technical way of actually doing the development in phases, so real tracks are being laid, and the formal track that will be the first-in-the-nation high-speed rail track is about to take place,&#8221; Newsom said.
A California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) spokesperson told The Daily Wire in June that the agency remains &#8220;firmly committed&#8221; to the project.
In its response to the FRA, the CHSRA disputed the findings and requested that the agency withdraw the proposed termination of federal funds.
&#8220;The Authority’s work has already reshaped the Central Valley,&#8221; the CHSRA&#8217;s response said. &#8220;We have built many of the viaducts, overpasses, and underpasses on which the first 119 miles of high-speed rail track will run.&#8221;

tu010625_hudsonrail

Proposed ‘High-Speed’ Train Would Bring Passengers From NYC To L.A. In Three Days

Amtrak

Business

California

High Speed rail

Los Angeles

New York

New York City

Railroads

Train

U.S.

World Cup

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg vacationed in a famous tourist hotspot in Europe as the threat of a rail strike threatened to grind the U.S. economy to a halt.
The Washington Free Beacon <a href="https://freebeacon.com/biden-administration/buttigieg-vacationed-in-europe-as-rail-unions-were-on-verge-of-strike/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that Buttigieg left the U.S. for Porto, Portugal, on August 29, just days before Amtrak started canceling trips in anticipation that workers were going to strike.
The report said that some of the unions&#8217; demanded that workers get paid sick leave which was not included in the final contract that U.S. lawmakers passed and sent to President Joe Biden to be <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/12/02/biden-signs-bill-averting-rail-worker-strike-despite-lack-of-paid-sick-days.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">signed</a> into law. Biden had put Buttigieg as one of those in charge of leading the negotiations.
&#8220;Pete Buttigieg will take paid vacation in Europe for days on end but doesn&#8217;t think rail workers should get more than one day of sick leave,&#8221; Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) <a href="https://twitter.com/philipletsou/status/1603132736012943360" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a statement. &#8220;If rail workers showed up for work as rarely as Buttigieg does, the country would fall apart.&#8221;
The report said that while the nature of Buttigieg&#8217;s trip was not known, it appears that he did not want anyone to know about it as he tried to maintain the illusion on social media that he will still in the U.S.
&#8220;As usual, while traveling on personal time he remained available and engaged on urgent issues, which in this case meant multiple calls with staff and stakeholders to work on the topic of rail labor negotiations,&#8221; Buttigieg&#8217;s office claimed, adding that the trip had been planned long in advance and that his work helped &#8220;successfully prevent a rail shutdown included dozens of calls and meetings between April and December.&#8221;
A <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/buttigieg-took-taxpayer-funded-private-jets-trumps-hhs-sec-was-forced-to-resign-for-doing-that" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> from earlier this month revealed that Buttigieg, an ardent proponent of reducing carbon emissions, has taken taxpayer-funded private jets rather than commercial planes at least 18 times since he was inaugurated into office.
Buttigieg has utilized a private jet fleet whose private records match his schedule of external and public engagements, as Americans for Public Trust (APT) discovered, Fox News stated in an exclusive report.
“Every day Americans face flight [cancellations] and long wait times because Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has completely mismanaged air travel,” APT Executive Director Caitlin Sutherland opined to Fox News.
“Yet, he gets to avoid all that by taking taxpayer-funded private jets to destinations with readily available commercial airline options,” she continued. “And for someone so holier-than-thou on reducing emissions, Buttigieg sure doesn’t seem to mind the pollution caused by his literal jet-setting. This is hypocrisy at its finest, and these troubling expenses to taxpayers must come under immediate scrutiny.”
In April 2022, Buttigieg stated at a virtual town hall, “When you look at the U.S. economy, transportation accounts for the largest share of our greenhouse gas emissions. To me, that means transportation ought to be responsible for the biggest share of the solution.”
In 2017, then-Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price, serving in the Trump administration, was found to have taken over 25 private jet flights during that year, which prompted him to resign from the administration.
Hank Berrien contributed to this report.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/buttigieg-took-taxpayer-funded-private-jets-trumps-hhs-sec-was-forced-to-resign-for-doing-that">Buttigieg Took Taxpayer-Funded Private Jets. Trump’s HHS Sec Was Forced To Resign For Doing That.</a>

SiriusXM’s Julie Mason Hosts A Town Hall With Sec. Pete Buttigieg, Presented With The Institute Of Politics

Buttigieg Vacationed In Posh European Tourist Destination As Rail Unions Neared Strike

Executive

Pete Buttigieg

Politics

Two GOP lawmakers are looking for answers after a recent report regarding Amtrak executives receiving six-figure bonuses despite the company losing money and receiving billions in taxpayer-funded support.
Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee Ranking Member Rick Crawford (R-AR) and Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Ranking Member Sam Graves (R-MO) sent a letter to Amtrak&#8217;s Chairman Anthony Coscia on Thursday to address the concerning information.
“Payment of lavish executive bonuses when Amtrak services and revenues remain below pre-pandemic levels, and financial losses appear permanent, seems inappropriate, wasteful and disrespectful to Amtrak’s nonexecutive front-line employees and taxpayers,&#8221; the Republican lawmakers <a href="https://republicans-transportation.house.gov/uploadedfiles/2022-11-03_amtrak_bonuses_final.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a>.
&#8220;These concerns are only exacerbated by the $66 billion in guaranteed funding Amtrak received as a result of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which should be spent on improving the existing system rather than needless expansions or excessive executive rewards,&#8221; they added.
Last year, Amtrak&#8217;s bonuses of more than $200,000 per executive represented more than 50% of the salaries of the company&#8217;s leaders, according to the lawmakers. Amtrak claims the bonuses were due to performance.
An Amtrak report, however, showed that the company&#8217;s adjusted operating earnings for fiscal year 2020 were negative $789 million, growing to negative $1.03 billion in fiscal year 2021, as cited in the letter by the lawmakers. Further, the losses were covered by approximately $3.7 billion in taxpayer-funded COVID support.
&#8220;Given Amtrak’s struggles are expected to continue indefinitely, we remain concerned about plans for awarding executive bonuses when the company expects billions of dollars in annual future losses,&#8221; the GOP leaders added. &#8220;Amtrak Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Stephen Gardner—who received a bonus of over $261,000 in 2021—confirmed in September that Amtrak’s recent operating losses are $910 million and that the company will never achieve profit.&#8221;
The lawmakers also said that between fiscal years 2019 and 2021, Amtrak’s total revenues declined by nearly 41%, with an income loss of almost 124%.
The letter further noted that Amtrak’s customer satisfaction remains below pre-pandemic levels, including reports that intercity commuter trips have increased in price.
The New York Post recently <a href="https://nypost.com/2022/11/03/lawmakers-seek-answers-from-amtrak-about-lavish-bonuses/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that Amtrak&#8217;s top ten earning executives had received large bonuses.
William Herrmann, Amtrak&#8217;s vice president senior managing deputy general counsel, appears to have received the largest additional pay that included more than $300,000 in 2021.
The New York Times previously <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/05/us/politics/amtrak-executive-pay-bonus.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">revealed</a> that most of Amtrak&#8217;s top executives were given more than $200,000 in bonuses in the last fiscal year, despite declining company profits.
Transportation Workers Union International President John Samuelsen has also questioned Amtrak&#8217;s bonuses.
“It is outrageous that while Amtrak’s workforce put their lives on the line to see this carrier through its most trying time yet, bosses who got to work from the comfort of their homes — and who are so wealthy they can decline regular paychecks — walked away with millions in bonuses,” Samuelsen said in a <a href="https://nypost.com/2022/10/05/amtraks-10-highest-earners-raked-in-six-figure-bonuses/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>, The Post reported.
“This isn’t just an affront to Amtrak workers — every tax paying American should be livid,&#8221; it added.

Amtrak train

GOP House Members Investigate Following Report Of Amtrak’s ‘Lavish’ Bonuses

General

Investigation

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/amtrak" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Amtrak</a> announced cancellations of all long-distance train routes this week ahead of a nationwide railroad <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/labor-unions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">strike</a> that could begin as soon as Friday.
BNSF, CSX, Norfolk Southern, and Union Pacific <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/railroad-freight-companies-cutting-service-ahead-of-potential-nationwide-strike">announced embargoes</a> on certain shipments earlier this week as negotiations continue with multiple rail unions. Amtrak, whose employees are not involved with the negotiations, operates largely on track maintained and dispatched by freight companies.
Amtrak is “hopeful that parties will reach a resolution,” although the company “has now begun phased adjustments to our service in preparation for a possible freight rail service interruption later this week,” according to a <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/amtrak-cancel-more-long-distance-trains-wednesday-2022-09-13/">statement</a> provided to Reuters.
Trains servicing Seattle, Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami, San Antonio, New Orleans, San Francisco, and other major cities are subject to cancellation. Amtrak will only operate trains this week if they “will have enough time to reach their final destinations” before Friday.
However, travel in the Northeast Corridor — which includes Boston, New York City, Washington D.C., and related branch lines in Pennsylvania and New York — will be largely unaffected since Amtrak operates most of the routes.
The Biden administration created a Presidential Emergency Board via <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/07/15/president-biden-signs-executive-order-creating-a-presidential-emergency-board/">executive order</a> two months ago to facilitate the negotiations, while Labor Secretary Marty Walsh met with union leaders and rail company executives on Wednesday morning. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/house/3639544-hoyer-suggests-congress-would-move-to-stop-rail-strike-if-needed/">affirmed</a> on Monday that Congress, which has the authority to block strikes, would intervene “if needed.”
“There is a role for Congress if in fact they fail to reach an agreement,” Hoyer remarked. “Obviously a railroad strike at this point in time would be extraordinarily detrimental to our economy and the American people. And we want to avoid that.”
Indeed, supply chain bottlenecks caused by <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/unemployment-rate-edges-upward-for-the-first-time-in-months-as-more-americans-return-to-work">labor shortages</a> and worldwide <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/apple-shifts-ipad-manufacturing-away-from-china-due-to-harsh-covid-lockdowns">government lockdowns</a> have impacted the American economy over the past two years, worsening <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/survey-economists-foresee-high-inflation-supply-chain-crisis-labor-shortages-lasting-well-into-2022">inflationary pressures</a> as consumer goods <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/grocery-stores-continue-to-experience-low-supply-of-goods">fail to reach shelves</a>.
“We have made crystal clear to the interested parties the harm that American families, businesses and farmers, and communities would experience if they were not to reach a resolution,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/press-briefings/2022/09/13/press-briefing-by-press-secretary-karine-jean-pierre-and-nsc-coordinator-for-strategic-communications-john-kirby-6/">told</a> reporters on Tuesday, adding that the administration is working with shipping, trucking, and air freight companies to “see how they can step in and keep goods moving in case of this rail shutdown.”
Two major rail unions — the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) and SMART Transportation Division (SMART-TD) — have declined the tentative deal to resume operations. The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), whose leadership originally approved the framework, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/rail-union-rejects-labor-deal-as-white-house-scrambles-to-avoid-nationwide-railroad-strike">announced</a> on Wednesday that its members had voted against the deal.
Industry groups are concerned that other transportation methods do not presently have the capacity to carry freight typically handled by rail companies. The daily economic cost of a nationwide rail shutdown could amount to $2 billion, according to a <a href="https://www.aar.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/AAR-Rail-Shutdown-Report-September-2022.pdf">report</a> from the Association of American Railroads.
Last month, the White House proposed increasing railroad employee pay by 24% over the next two years — a measure that would lead to an average raise of $11,000 per employee. “An agreement based on these terms would lead to the largest general wage increase in nearly 40 years,” Association of American Railroads CEO Ian Jefferies said in a <a href="https://www.aar.org/news/aar-statement-on-biden-peb-report">statement</a>.

Screen Shot 2022-04-18 at 10.55.52 PM

Amtrak Cancels All Long-Distance Travel Ahead Of Possible Nationwide Railroad Strike

Amtrak Cancels Long-Distance Travel As Nationwide Railroad Strike Looms

Biden Administration

Economy

Labor Unions

Supply Chain

An Amtrak train headed from Los Angeles to Chicago with a reported 243 people on board derailed close to Kansas City, Missouri, on Monday; multiple people have been reported injured. The Southwest Chief train derailed at Mendon, Missouri, roughly 100 miles northeast of Kansas City.
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DEVELOPING: Amtrak confirms to me a train derailment in Mendon, Missouri. 243 passengers on board. Reports of injuries. More info coming.
&mdash; Pete Muntean (@petemuntean) <a href="https://twitter.com/petemuntean/status/1541500848794226692?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 27, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
BREAKING: First responders say multiple fatalities in Amtrak train crash near Mendon, Missouri
&mdash; BNO News (@BNONews) <a href="https://twitter.com/BNONews/status/1541507791080329217?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 27, 2022</a></blockquote>
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News reports related the cause of the derailment; “Several cars of an Amtrak train derailed after hitting a dump truck at a public crossing,” <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/amtrak-train-derails-missouri-injuries-reported/story?id=85384122&amp;cid=social_twitter_abcn">ABC News</a> reported.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Mass casualties after Amtrak hits dump truck on public crossing and derails near Kansas City <a href="https://t.co/3dpgqBSsHj">https://t.co/3dpgqBSsHj</a> <a href="https://t.co/H0lb3YgGUE">pic.twitter.com/H0lb3YgGUE</a>
&mdash; Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) <a href="https://twitter.com/MailOnline/status/1541507349608792065?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 27, 2022</a></blockquote>
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On Sunday afternoon, three people died at the scene when an Amtrak commuter train smashed into a car ín Brentwood, California, roughly an hour from San Francisco, the California Highway Patrol reported. “Two adults were transported by ground to the hospital, but their conditions are unknown. One child was airlifted by helicopter to a local hospital and their condition is also unknown at this time,” <a href="https://www.kron4.com/news/train-collision-in-brentwood-leaves-3-dead-3-others-injured/">KRON 4</a> reported,
&nbsp;

US-ECONOMY-TRANSPORT-AMTRAK-CHICAGO

Amtrak Train Derails In Missouri, Multiple People Injured, Deaths Feared

Amtrak Train Derails In Missouri, Multiple People Feared Dead

The American Track National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) has removed its mask mandate for both passengers and employees, an email obtained by The Daily Wire shows.
&#8220;To All Amtrak Employees,&#8221; reads the email, sent to employees around 8:20 pm ET on Monday. &#8220;Amtrak passengers and employees are no longer required to wear masks while on board trains or in stations.&#8221;
&#8220;This action is consistent with the Biden Administration’s statement, just issued, which acknowledges today’s federal court decision in Florida to strike down the CDC mask mandate for public modes of transportation. Amtrak’s updated policy follows the Administration’s approach to this issue,&#8221; the notice continues.
The email said that Amtrak will continue to encourage both passengers and employees to wear masks as an &#8220;optional preventative measure.&#8221;
All employees and contractors may voluntarily wear masks &#8220;whenever they want,&#8221; the guidance notes, adding that &#8220;masks must conform to company appearance standards or be a standard surgical or KN95 mask.&#8221;
&#8220;Mask usage is strongly recommended for those at personal high risk (e.g. not fully vaccinated or boosted, medical issue or personal situation),&#8221; the Amtrak email said. &#8220;Mask usage is strongly recommended for those who live or work in a high-risk community, as defined by <a href="https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fyour-health%2Fcovid-by-county.html&amp;data=04%7C01%7CJames.Davey%40amtrak.com%7C16e6e816c429479ea7a508da219a3994%7C6197edc201c04b2489198f827d5c4dfa%7C0%7C0%7C637859243848837281%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&amp;sdata=HzunLb7NxiCneaIeUrKhBfGwKIkpSfVAS8XFTjqZIVw%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.cdc.gov%252Fcoronavirus%252F2019-ncov%252Fyour-health%252Fcovid-by-county.html%26data%3D04%257C01%257CJames.Davey%2540amtrak.com%257C16e6e816c429479ea7a508da219a3994%257C6197edc201c04b2489198f827d5c4dfa%257C0%257C0%257C637859243848837281%257CUnknown%257CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%253D%257C3000%26sdata%3DHzunLb7NxiCneaIeUrKhBfGwKIkpSfVAS8XFTjqZIVw%253D%26reserved%3D0&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1650420982307000&amp;usg=AOvVaw296Nz71dCa2Svf-NDV2C0H">CDC guidance</a>.&#8221;
The email suggests that employees keep a mask on hand as &#8220;a matter of professional etiquette,&#8221; noting that &#8220;it is possible you may be working closely with employees who prefer that you wear a mask.&#8221;
&#8220;As you will probably be unaware of the underlying reasons why they would like you to wear a mask in these circumstances, we ask that out of respect to them, you voluntarily wear a mask if a co-worker asks you to do so,&#8221; the email said. &#8220;Extending this courtesy is consistent with our <a href="https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fallaboard.amtrak.com%2Fs%2Farticle%2FAmtrak-Values&amp;data=04%7C01%7CJames.Davey%40amtrak.com%7C16e6e816c429479ea7a508da219a3994%7C6197edc201c04b2489198f827d5c4dfa%7C0%7C0%7C637859243848837281%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&amp;sdata=4ZQYSKt9xZP1d9toSHAaPBZrAMYKD5CbcVHTI9Sp2BY%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fallaboard.amtrak.com%252Fs%252Farticle%252FAmtrak-Values%26data%3D04%257C01%257CJames.Davey%2540amtrak.com%257C16e6e816c429479ea7a508da219a3994%257C6197edc201c04b2489198f827d5c4dfa%257C0%257C0%257C637859243848837281%257CUnknown%257CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%253D%257C3000%26sdata%3D4ZQYSKt9xZP1d9toSHAaPBZrAMYKD5CbcVHTI9Sp2BY%253D%26reserved%3D0&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1650420982307000&amp;usg=AOvVaw18tzyPZrenn8LDKcpVM1sT">Amtrak Values</a>, including Do the Right Thing, Put Customers First and Excel Together.&#8221;
The email comes <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/major-u-s-airlines-each-reveal-if-they-will-continue-to-enforce-bidens-mask-mandate">as multiple airlines announced</a> they will no longer enforce Democrat President Joe Biden’s mask mandate on airplanes and at airports after a federal judge ruled Monday that the requirement was “unlawful.”
Those airlines include American Airlines, Delta Airlines, United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and Alaska Airlines.
U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-federal-judge-in-florida-voids-bidens-national-mask-mandate-at-airports-planes-public-transit">said</a> Monday in her ruling that  the mandate “exceeded the CDC’s statutory authority, improperly invoked the good cause exception to notice and comment rulemaking, and failed to adequately explain its decisions.”
“In accordance with the Transportation Security Administration no longer enforcing the federal face mask mandate, face masks will no longer be required for our customers and team members at U.S. airports and on domestic flights,&#8221; American Airlines <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/major-u-s-airlines-each-reveal-if-they-will-continue-to-enforce-bidens-mask-mandate">said in a statement</a> announcing its decision.
&#8220;Please note face masks may still be required based on local ordinances, or when traveling to/from certain international locations based on country requirements,&#8221; that statement said. &#8220;In keeping with our commitment to creating a welcoming environment for everyone who travels with us, customers and team members may choose to continue to wear masks at their own discretion.”

Amtrak Removes Mask Mandate For Passengers, Employees

Air Travel

Mask Mandate

Amtrak is getting ready to cut back on its services due in part to the enforcement of its vaccine mandate early next year.
Amtrak’s vaccine mandate is scheduled to be implemented January 4, and a spokesman for the company <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/amtrak-prepares-to-reduce-service-because-of-vaccine-mandate-11639086847">reportedly</a> said that its rule will stay even if the federal vaccine mandate attempted by the Biden Administration is still barred by the courts. 
Amtrak President Stephen Gardner discussed the upcoming setbacks in written <a href="https://transportation.house.gov/imo/media/doc/Gardner%20Testimony1.pdf">testimony</a> for a hearing before the House Committee on Transportation &amp; Infrastructure Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials on Thursday. 
Gardner noted that 94% of the workers are fully vaccinated, and 96% have gotten at least one dose, but added that those &#8220;numbers do not include employees who are on leave of absence or have an approved accommodation.&#8221;
“As part of addressing the challenges presented by COVID-19, Amtrak must comply with the federal mandate effective January 4, 2022 that employees of government contractors be fully vaccinated,” he noted.
Gardner added that “because many engineers, conductors and on-board service employees retired or left Amtrak during the pandemic, and we temporarily halted hiring due to funding uncertainty and covid-related distancing requirements that inhibited training, we anticipate that we will not initially have enough employees to operate all the trains we are currently operating when the federal mandate takes effect. &#8230; This will likely necessitate temporary frequency reductions, primarily for our long-distance services.”
He also explained how this fallout will mostly be experienced “across our long-distance services because of the relatively small crew bases at intermediate points. … At some of these crew bases across our network, we have a relatively high percentage of unvaccinated employees.”
Gardner added that if those workers do not get vaccinated by the scheduled date, the company will not have enough workers who are able to perform the necessary functions. 
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White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki also <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/585210-amtrak-to-cut-service-as-employees-refuse-vaccines">commented</a> on the company&#8217;s discussion.
“We don’t expect these requirements will cause disruptions to services that people depend on,” Psaki told reporters. “There is some time to implement it. We are of course working with all federal contractors and federal employees and parts of the federal government to implement this going forward.”
</div>
</div>
</div>
As <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/amtrak-prepares-to-reduce-service-because-of-vaccine-mandate-11639086847">reported</a> by The Wall Street Journal, “Amtrak has 15 long-distance routes, which carried 14% of Amtrak’s passengers during its 2019 fiscal year, according to the company.”
The Journal added, “Amtrak’s ridership was 12.2 million in its 2021 fiscal year, compared with 32.5 million in fiscal year 2019, an Amtrak spokesman said. For the 2020 fiscal year, ending Sept. 30, Amtrak carried 16.8 million passengers. &#8230; Amtrak currently has nearly 18,000 employees, a spokesman said. It had 18,600 employees at the end of 2019 fiscal year, according to its 2019 fiscal-year company profile.”
A <a href="https://amtrakoig.gov/sites/default/files/reports/OIG-A-2022-003%20Workforce.pdf">report</a> by the Office of the Inspector General from the National Railroad Passenger Corporation also <a href="https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/amtrak-hr-department-too-understaffed-to-handle-planned-hiring-report-says/">noted</a> another potential issue – the “Human Resources department does not have sufficient leadership or staff to effectively recruit, screen, hire, and onboard new employees, which will likely hinder the company’s plans to add 2,500 to 3,500 new employees in FY 2022.”
Earlier this week, a federal judge in Georgia blocked the Biden administration’s vaccine mandate for federal contractors. 
The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/judge-halts-biden-vaccine-mandate-for-federal-contractors">reported</a>: 
<blockquote>
According to <a href="https://news.bloomberglaw.com/daily-labor-report/biden-vaccine-mandate-for-federal-contractors-blocked-nationwide">Bloomberg</a>, the judge halted the mandate nationwide, which was originally mandated by President Joe Biden in September. The decision follows a preliminary injunction issued by a federal judge in Kentucky, who was presiding over a case involving Kentucky, Ohio, and Tennessee.
The mandate would have taken effect on January 4th, and would have affected about 25% of the U.S. workforce, including employees of companies like Lockheed Martin, Microsoft, Google, and General Motors, Bloomberg reported.
The mandate was opposed by a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/governors-immediately-push-back-on-unconstitutional-biden-plan-will-fight-them-to-the-gates-of-hell">number of states</a> almost immediately after it was signed, including Arizona, Florida, Texas, Oklahoma, and Georgia.
The Biden administration’s mandate for private companies with more than 100 employees has also been suspended. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled an injunction against the mandate. The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals is currently considering a lawsuit brought by the Daily Wire and numerous other companies challenging the mandate.
</blockquote>
The Daily Wire is fighting Joe Biden’s vaccine mandate in federal court. Join us in this fight by <a href="https://lp.dailywire.com/osha-petition/">signing our petition</a> to OSHA, telling them that you will not comply with this mandate.

A21309A4-4948-4F47-B737-46D137D067F2_1_201_a

Amtrak Set To Cut Some Services Due In Part To Unvaccinated Workers

Delivering remarks at a train maintenance yard in New Jersey, President Joe Biden told a story &#8212; one he has told numerous times before &#8212; that has been <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/30/politics/fact-check-biden-amtrak-angelo-negri-miles-traveled/index.html">deemed false</a> by CNN.
&#8220;If I can pause for a second &#8212; I apologize because some have heard this,&#8221; Biden said, drawing laughter.
&#8220;I commuted every single day, 263 miles a day, on Amtrak from the time I got elected United States senator. As matter of fact, when I was Vice President, I used to like to take the train home because my mom was very sick and dying, and I’d come home every weekend to make sure I’d take the train home. And Secret Service &#8212; and I&#8217;m not criticizing them &#8212; legitimately would rather me fly because it&#8217;s safer, because too many people can get on and off, et cetera,&#8221; the president said, according to an official White House <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2021/10/25/remarks-by-president-biden-on-build-back-better-and-the-bipartisan-infrastructure-deal/">transcript.</a>
&#8220;And I&#8217;m getting on one Friday, and then one of the senior guys on Amtrak, Angelo Negri &#8212; I got to know all the conductors really well; they became my friends. I mean, really, my genuine friends. I have them in my home at Christmas and during the summer. And Ang walks up to me and goes, &#8216;Joey, baby!&#8217; Grabs my cheek. And I thought the Secret Service was going to blow his head off. I swear to God. True story,&#8221; Biden continued.
&#8220;I said, &#8216;No, no, he&#8217;s a friend.&#8217; I said, &#8216;What&#8217;s up, Ang?&#8217; He said, &#8216;Joey, I read in the paper &#8212; I read in the paper you traveled 1,000 &#8212; 1,200,000 miles on Air Force planes&#8217; &#8212; because they keep meticulous tabs of it. I said, &#8216;Yeah.&#8217; He said, &#8216;Big&#8230;&#8217; &#8212; I won&#8217;t say the whole thing &#8212; &#8216;Big deal.&#8217; He said, &#8216;You know how many miles you traveled on Amtrak, Joey?&#8217; And I said, &#8216;No.&#8217; He said, &#8216;The boys and I figured it out at the retirement dinner.&#8217; He says, &#8216;You travel 2 million&#8230;&#8217; &#8212; I think it was 180, but &#8212; &#8216;2,200,000 miles,’” the president said.
&#8220;I said, &#8216;How did you get that answer?&#8217; He said, &#8216;Well, 267 miles a day. We figured you traveled 119 days a year for 36 years, and then you traveled as Vice President.&#8217; And then he goes, &#8216;So, Joey, I don&#8217;t hear this about the Air Force anymore,’” Biden added.
There was one big problem: Negri retired from Amtrak in 1993, which means he didn’t work there when Biden was vice president from 2009 to 2017. He died in May 2014.
And CNN previously said there is another problem with the tale: &#8220;Biden at least hinted that the encounter with Negri occurred when he was commuting to Delaware because his mother was dying. But Biden&#8217;s mother, Catherine Eugenia &#8216;Jean&#8217; Finnegan Biden, died in early 2010, more than five years before her son hit the million-miles-flown mark.&#8221;
And the network said in June that “Biden’s account simply does not add up. Biden did not reach the million-miles-flown mark as vice president until September 2015, according to his own past comments.”

Democratic Presidential Nominee Joe Biden Holds Train Campaign Tour Of OH And PA

‘Swear To God, True Story,’ Biden Says As He Tells ‘False’ Amtrak Tale Yet Again

Joe Biden

A Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) special agent was shot during a routine inspection on an Amtrak train in Tuscon, Arizona, on Monday.
Just after 8 a.m. on <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/10/05/shots-fired-amtrak-train-tucson/6000959001/">Monday</a>, a DEA regional task force, as well as local police, boarded the Sunset Limited, which was on its way from New Orleans to Los Angeles, to do a routine inspection for contraband, such as money, drugs, and weapons. As officers were detaining a suspect on one of the train cars, a second suspect pulled out a handgun and opened fire, killing one DEA special agent, and injuring another agent and a Tuscon police officer.
The detained suspect was arrested and taken into custody. The suspect who opened fire was found dead in a train car bathroom, where he had barricaded himself after exchanging gunfire with police.
The injured Tuscon police officer, who was wounded while attempting to help the DEA agents, was on the platform when shots broke out. None of the 137 passengers or 11 crew were injured, according to an Amtrak spokesperson.  
Speaking outside the hospital where the officer and agent were taken, Tuscon Police Chief Chris Magnus praised his officers for their efforts and mourned the loss of the unnamed DEA agent who was killed.
&#8220;It&#8217;s very horrific and we&#8217;re all just coming to terms with just how terrible a loss this is,&#8221; Magnus said. &#8220;But I also want to reflect on the really heroic actions of the officers at the scene. They literally ran towards the danger, into the car, where there was an active shooting situation going on.&#8221; 
Magnus said that the wounded DEA agent was in critical condition, while the injured police officer was stable.
Tuscon Mayor Regina Romero released a statement on Twitter expressing her condolences for the victims. &#8220;The shooting that took place this morning at our downtown train station was an absolutely shocking act of violence,&#8221; Romero said in a statement published to <a href="https://twitter.com/TucsonRomero/status/1445130003444744194?s=20">Twitter</a>. &#8220;I ask all Tucsonans to join me in praying for the deceased DEA officer and for the swift recovery of the law enforcement officers who were injured.&#8221; Romero also ordered all flags at city offices to be lowered to half-mast in order to honor the fallen agent and the injured officers.
Arizona Governor Doug Ducey also tweeted out a <a href="https://twitter.com/dougducey/status/1445166352780574722?s=20">statement</a> in response to reports of the shooting. “My heartfelt condolences are with the loved ones and colleagues of the DEA agent who lost his life today in Tucson. Two other law enforcement officers are injured in the hospital. Our prayers are with them, their families and the law enforcement community,” Ducey said.

Amtrak passenger train USA

DEA Agents, Police Officers Shot During Amtrak Inspection In Arizona

Amtrak is spending $7.3 billion on hybrid power trains.
The taxpayer-subsidized rail company is contracting with Siemens, which will manufacture the eighty-three trains in Sacramento, California.
According to Amtrak’s <a href="https://media.amtrak.com/2021/07/amtrak-to-transform-rail-travel-with-7-3-billion-investment-in-state-of-the-art-equipment/">press release</a>:
<blockquote>The latest trains will feature more comfortable seating, individual power outlets and USB ports, onboard Wi-Fi, enhanced lighting and panoramic windows, larger vestibules, a more contemporary food service experience, including self-service options, as well as state-of-the-art customer trip information, digital seat reservation system and navigation display systems. The trains were designed with the latest health and safety standards, including enhanced HVAC, touchless restroom controls, and automated steps.</blockquote>
Amtrak touted the trains’ multi-power systems, which will permit “a substantial environmental benefit through reduced criteria pollutants compared to the existing fleet.”
“These new trains, some of which will be our first hybrid battery operations in the United States, will transform the way Americans travel,” remarked Siemens executive Michael Cahill. “Over the past decade, we’ve worked closely with Amtrak and its state partners to develop and deliver trains that meet the needs of America’s travelers, these next generation trainsets build on that experience and offer much more.”
“Based right here in Sacramento for 30 years, this Siemens facility is one of the largest such plants on the continent and one of the most sustainable, and this new contract cements California’s leadership in clean transportation and reducing carbon emissions,” added Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA).
Throughout his four decades in the Senate, President Biden frequently advocated for increases in funding to Amtrak. Since his inauguration, the Commander-in-Chief has stressed a desire to promote green energy within the rail service. 
As he stated during a <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2021/04/30/remarks-by-president-biden-at-an-event-marking-amtraks-50th-anniversary/">celebration</a> of Amtrak’s fiftieth anniversary in April: 
<blockquote>And, as I’ve said from the beginning, when I think about fighting climate change, I think about jobs. And rail and hopefully the expansion of rail provides good union jobs, good-paying jobs. It also connects people to jobs and economic opportunities that can be reached from wherever you live. </blockquote>
Accordingly, the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/another-2-trillion-here-are-the-key-components-of-bidens-massive-infrastructure-plan">American Jobs Plan</a> — President Biden’s $2.7 trillion infrastructure bill — contains multiple provisions that would increase spending on climate change solutions. For instance, the legislation suggests allocating “$35 billion in the full range of solutions needed to achieve technology breakthroughs that address the climate crisis and position America as the global leader in clean energy technology and clean energy jobs.”
On his first day in office, President Biden <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/keystone-pipeline-dead-killed-by-biden-thousands-of-jobs-lost">nixed</a> the contract for the Keystone XL Pipeline, which would have transported over 800,000 barrels of oil per day from Alberta to refineries on the Texas Gulf Coast. He subsequently <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/peter-doocy-blasts-jen-psaki-when-do-union-workers-get-their-green-jobs">promised</a> green energy jobs to the thousands of Americans who lost positions.

Amtrak Drops $7.3 Billion On Eco-Friendly Trains

Senator Tom Carper (D-DE), the chairman of the Environment and Public Works committee, remotely led a Senate hearing early Wednesday from an Amtrak train while not wearing a mask, an apparent violation of President Joe Biden’s mask mandate and Amtrak policy. 
A video clip of the hearing, posted by C-Span, shows the mask-less Democratic senator addressing a committee from aboard the Amtrak and explaining the reason for his delayed arrival. “Joe Biden [was] up in Wilmington last night, slept in his own bed, so he could go to the St. Patrick’s day breakfast and mass at St. Patrick’s Church,” he said. 
“Unbeknownst to me, the whole city of Wilmington practically was shut down,” Carper, who like Biden is from Delaware, explained. “No traffic was moving, and I know the police pretty well, but there was no way they were going to let me go through, so I end up missing my train [inaudible]&#8230; maybe I’ll just drive down, but they also shut down access to I-95 for the most part. So I end up on the next train, and I’m joining you remotely, but I’ve never done this before, so we&#8217;ll see how it works out.&#8221;
Carper can be seen not wearing a mask throughout his remarks in the drinking water and wastewater infrastructure hearing. The Democratic senator speaks from the train for about ten minutes before announcing that he’s arrived at his destination, and will join them in-person shortly. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
WATCH: <a href="https://twitter.com/SenatorCarper?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenatorCarper</a> began chairing a hearing this morning on a train and arrived about 30 minutes later.<a href="https://twitter.com/SenDuckworth?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenDuckworth</a>: &#8220;I hope you weren&#8217;t on the quiet car.&#8221;
Sen. Carper: &#8220;I was not. I went all the way to the front car and there weren&#8217;t many people up there.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/Yb0WFDXZqs">pic.twitter.com/Yb0WFDXZqs</a>
— CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1372196826561007624?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The face mask policy on Amtrak’s website reads: “Federal law and Amtrak policy require all customers and employees to wear a mask or covering that fully covers the entire mouth and nose, fits snugly against the side of the face, and secures under the chin at all times while on board trains and in stations, even if state or local policies are different.”
On the second day of his presidency, Biden signed a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-signs-order-requiring-travelers-to-wear-face-masks">face-mask order</a> directed at various methods of public transportation used for interstate travel, including buses, trains, and commercial aircraft. About ten days later, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention issued an 11-page order <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/cdc-order-requiring-masks-for-travelers-to-begin-monday-night">requiring masks on transportation systems</a> in order to help the United States “control this pandemic and aid in re-opening America’s economy.”
As The Daily Wire previously reported, the CDC’s face-mask travel order grants exemption to “children under the age of 2, anyone who cannot wear a mask or wear one safely due to a disability, and anyone who would be risking workplace safety or health by wearing a mask. All masks must cover both the mouth and nose of the wearer.”
A footnote to the CDC’s <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/pdf/Mask-Order-CDC_GMTF_01-29-21-p.pdf">order</a> reads: “While this Order may be enforced and CDC reserves the right to enforce through criminal penalties, CDC does not intend to rely primarily on these criminal penalties but instead strongly encourages and anticipates widespread voluntary compliance as well as support from other federal agencies in implementing additional civil measures enforcing the provisions of this order, to the extent permitted by law and consistent with President Biden’s executive order of January 21, 2021 (Promoting COVID-19 Safety In Domestic and International Travel).”

Senate Environment Committee Examines Climate Change And Energy Sector’s Role In Fostering Growth

Dem Senator Leads Committee Hearing From Amtrak Train Without Mask

COVID

Face Masks

Bad news for the East Coast Elites.
Amtrak announced that it will be suspending non-stop Acela service between Washington, D.C., and New York City for the next few months due to decreased demand caused by panic over the coronavirus.
&#8220;As we are experiencing some reduced demand for our service, we are making temporary adjustments to our schedule, such as removing train cars or cancelling trains when there is a convenient alternative with a similar schedule that will have minimal impact to customers,&#8221; Amtrak said in a <a href="https://media.amtrak.com/2020/03/amtrak-takes-active-measures-to-maintain-safe-environment/">statement</a> released Friday.
CNBC News <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2020/03/07/amtrak-cancels-nonstop-acela-service-between-dc-nyc-due-to-coronavirus.html">reported</a> that the “Acela nonstop service will be temporarily suspended starting Tuesday, March 10 until Tuesday, May 26,” but passengers can still take the slow northeast regional trains up and down the east coast. The company also “waived change fees on all existing or new reservations made before April 30,” the outlet added.
&#8220;While there are no current travel restrictions on Amtrak, we understand customers may have concerns,&#8221; the company said in its statement. &#8220;As a valued customer, we are waiving change fees on all existing or new reservations made before April 30, 2020.&#8221;
In an effort to ensure a reduced risk of catching the virus on one of Amtrak’s trains, the company listed several ways it is actively working to create a safe environment:
<ul>
<li>
<blockquote>Enhancing cleaning protocols: We have increased the frequency of cleaning service on our trains and at our stations to multiple times a day, and in some cases, on an hourly basis. We have increased the use of disinfectants to wipe down handrails, doorknobs, handles and surfaces.</blockquote>
</li>
<li>
<blockquote>Increasing supplies of antibacterial products: We have increased the quantity of sanitizers and disinfectant wipes available for customers and employees throughout our trains and stations.</blockquote>
</li>
<li>
<blockquote>Reinforcing good hygiene practices: We are regularly sharing with employees and customers best practices on ways to protect against communicable diseases.</blockquote>
</li>
</ul>
Amtrak, like seemingly every other business and association in America now, also included ways to protect oneself from the coronavirus:
<ul>
<li>
<blockquote>Wash hands frequently with soap and water – and for 20 seconds. If you can’t wash your hands, use hand sanitizers.</blockquote>
</li>
<li>
<blockquote>When sneezing or coughing, use tissues and promptly dispose of them or cover your mouth with your sleeve or elbow.</blockquote>
</li>
<li>
<blockquote>If you are feeling ill, please stay home until feeling better.</blockquote>
</li>
</ul>
As of this writing, 437 people in the United States have confirmed cases of the coronavirus, according to <a href="https://www.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6">a database</a> compiled by the Johns Hopkins Whiting School of Engineering. Seventeen people have died in America and from what we know, the deaths were elderly people or those with other medical issues. The average person should not panic over getting the virus, as they have almost no risk of dying from it. We don’t need to travel to stores with lots of other people and their germs to stockpile water and toilet paper. This is not a hurricane.
The media and their Democratic counterparts, however, have sowed panic throughout the country in an effort to hurt President Donald Trump, whose administration has been handling the coronavirus as well as any other president – Democrat or Republican – would have. Just don’t be gross, and you should live.

Amtrak To Halt Non-stop Train From D.C. To New York City Amid Coronavirus Panic

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