Bill Summary
The "Amtrak Transparency and Accountability for Passengers and Taxpayers Act" is legislation aimed at enhancing transparency in the operations of Amtrak, the national passenger railroad service. The bill mandates that the Amtrak Board of Directors adhere to the open meetings requirements outlined in section 552b of title 5 of the United States Code, which generally requires that meetings of federal agencies be open to public observation.
Key provisions of the bill include:
1. **Open Meetings Requirement**: Amtrak's board meetings must comply with federal open meetings laws, ensuring that the public has access to the discussions and decisions of the board, except in specific circumstances.
2. **Exemptions for Sensitive Information**: The legislation allows Amtrak to withhold certain information from public disclosure during meetings if it pertains to sensitive topics such as contract negotiations, collective bargaining agreements, and personnel matters, provided that Amtrak justifies such exclusions based on potential impacts to competitive positions or employee rights.
3. **Safety and Legal Compliance**: The bill explicitly states that it does not require the disclosure of information that could compromise the safety of Amtrak's customers or employees, nor does it prevent Amtrak from fulfilling legal obligations or honoring contracts.
Overall, the Act aims to balance the need for public transparency with the necessity of protecting sensitive business and personnel information relevant to Amtrak’s operations.
Possible Impacts
Here are three examples of how the "Amtrak Transparency and Accountability for Passengers and Taxpayers Act" could affect people:
1. **Increased Public Accountability**: By requiring the Amtrak Board of Directors to comply with open meetings requirements, this legislation would enable greater transparency in Amtrak's decision-making processes. Passengers and taxpayers would have better access to information regarding Amtrak's operations, policies, and financial decisions, fostering a greater sense of accountability and trust in the organization.
2. **Protection of Sensitive Information**: The bill allows Amtrak to withhold certain sensitive information, such as details about contract negotiations and employee matters, from public disclosure. While this could protect Amtrak's competitive position and the privacy of employees, it may also limit public insight into critical issues that could affect service quality, labor relations, and overall organizational effectiveness, potentially leading to frustration among passengers and stakeholders who desire comprehensive oversight.
3. **Impact on Labor Relations**: The legislation permits Amtrak to keep certain aspects of collective bargaining negotiations confidential. This could affect employees and unions by limiting their ability to disclose and discuss negotiation processes and outcomes publicly. Employees may feel less informed about their rights and working conditions, which can influence morale and trust in the organization, while also impacting the effectiveness of union representation in advocating for worker interests.
[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