TO:  ALL NARVRE MEMBERS - USA    

 This has been a quiet period when it comes to railroad issues before Congress.  In an election year Congress seems to only want to get the appropriation process taken care of and of course act on controversial issues to be used as election tools in the fall.     
 Behind the scenes friends of Amtrak were successful in attaching the Oberstar/LaTourette amendment to HR 5576 the Transportation/Treasury/HUD Appropriation bill increasing the funding from $900 million to $1.114 billion which is still not enough to operate the railroad properly.  The Senate has yet to act on their bill and usually their appropriation is higher which eventually would be ironed out in conference with the House.  Expect this to happen after the August break.      
There are other events taking place in the transportation area as well.  Recently, Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta submitted his resignation effective July 7, 2006.  Mr. Mineta, the only Democrat serving in the Cabinet was also a former Chairman on the House Public Works and Transportation Committee when the Democrats were in the House majority.  Mr. Mineta is the longest serving secretary in the Transportation Department's history.  If you recall DOT General Counsel Jeffrey Rosen who represented Mr. Mineta on the Amtrak Board of Directors is also leaving effective July 3 to join the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).      
Possible successors to Mr. Mineta are Maria Cino currently a deputy transportation secretary and Michael P. Jackson, deputy secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.     
Maria Cino is the former deputy chairwoman of the Republican National Committee, where she served as chief political strategist and operating officer.     
Mr. Jackson at one time served in DOT as a deputy secretary and moved over to Homeland Security after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Appropriations in the Labor, Health, Human Services and Education bill show that the Railroad Retirement Board receiving $103, 518, 000 for FY 2007.  This is a standard appropriation each fiscal year.     
On May 25, 2006, a bipartisan bill HR 5483, the Railroad Retirement Disability Earnings Act of 2006 was introduced by Chairman Don Young, R-AK; Ranking Member James Oberstar, D-MN; Subcommittee on Railroads Chairman Steve LaTourette, R-OH; and Corrine Brown, D-FL, Ranking Member on the Subcommittee on behalf of disabled railroad workers.     
HR 5483, will increase the monthly earnings from the present $400 per month to $700 per month.  This also would include automatic yearly cost-of-living (COLA's) in the monthly earnings limitations.      
We are requesting all NARVRE members to call or email their member of the House of Representatives to cosponsor this legislation.  The bill is now in the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee. Do not call your two Senators at this time.     
Please call 1-877-668-3864 or 1-877-668-3866 which is the Capitol Hill operator and they will connect you to the proper office.                                                               

Tom Dwyer, NLD
 NARVRE