Sec. 22214. AMTRAK DAILY LONG-DISTANCE SERVICE STUDY

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## SEC. 22214 AMTRAK DAILY LONG-DISTANCE SERVICE STUDY ###

(a)In General The Secretary shall conduct a study to evaluate the restoration of daily intercity rail passenger service along— ####

(1)any Amtrak long-distance routes that, as of the date of enactment of this Act, were discontinued; and ####

(2)any Amtrak long-distance routes that, as of the date of enactment of this Act, occur on a nondaily basis. ###

(b)Inclusions The study under subsection

(a)shall— ####

(1)evaluate all options for restoring or enhancing to daily-basis intercity rail passenger service along each Amtrak route described in that subsection; ####

(2)select a preferred option for restoring or enhancing the service described in paragraph (1); ####

(3)develop a prioritized inventory of capital projects and other actions that are required to restore or enhance the service described in paragraph (1), including cost estimates for those projects and actions; ####

(4)develop recommendations for methods by which Amtrak could work with local communities and organizations to develop activities and programs to continuously improve public use of intercity passenger rail service along each route; and ####

(5)identify Federal and non-Federal funding sources required to restore or enhance the service described in paragraph (1), including— #####

(A)increased Federal funding for Amtrak based on applicable reductions or discontinuations in service; and #####

(B)options for entering into public-private partnerships to restore that service. ###

(c)Other Factors When Considering Expansions In evaluating intercity passenger rail routes under this section, the Secretary may evaluate potential new Amtrak long-distance routes, including with specific attention provided to routes in service as of April 1971 but not continued by Amtrak, taking into consideration whether those new routes would— ####

(1)link and serve large and small communities as part of a regional rail network; ####

(2)advance the economic and social well-being of rural areas of the United States; ####

(3)provide enhanced connectivity for the national long-distance passenger rail system; and ####

(4)reflect public engagement and local and regional support for restored passenger rail service. ###

(d)Consultation In conducting the study under this section, the Secretary shall consult, through working groups or other forums as the Secretary determines to be appropriate, with— ####

(1)Amtrak; ####

(2)each State along a relevant route; ####

(3)regional transportation planning organizations and metropolitan planning organizations, municipalities, and communities along those relevant routes, to be selected by the Secretary; ####

(4)host railroad carriers the tracks of which may be used for a service described in subsection (a); ####

(5)organizations representing onboard Amtrak employees; ####

(6)nonprofit organizations representing Amtrak passengers; ####

(7)relevant regional passenger rail authorities and federally recognized Indian Tribes; and ####

(8)such other entities as the Secretary may select. ###

(e)Report Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives a report that includes— ####

(1)the preferred options selected under subsection (b)(2), including the reasons for selecting each option; ####

(2)the information described in subsection (b)(3); ####

(3)the funding sources identified pursuant to subsection (b)(5); ####

(4)the estimated costs and public benefits of restoring or enhancing intercity rail passenger transportation in the region impacted for each relevant Amtrak route; and ####

(5)any other information the Secretary determines to be appropriate. ###

(f)Funding There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to conduct the study under this section and to carry out the consultations required by subsection (d)— ####

(1)$7,500,000 for fiscal year 2022; and ####

(2)$7,500,000 for fiscal year 2023. ## Subtitle C Intercity Passenger Rail Policy