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Amtrak Transparency and Accountability for Passengers and Taxpayers Act
H. R. 188 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.
Summary
The bill requires Amtrak's Board of Directors to comply with federal open meetings requirements, making most board meetings open to the public. The bill applies federal Freedom of Information Act and Sunshine Law provisions to Amtrak. The bill allows closed sessions for contract negotiations, collective bargaining, personnel matters, and confidential commercial information, consistent with federal exemptions. The bill includes a safety exemption and does not require disclosure of information that could endanger customers or employees or prevent compliance with existing contracts and business operations.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
1 cosponsor
- Rep. Graves, Sam [R-MO-6] (R-MO)
Money behind the sponsor
Top reported contributors to Troy E. Nehls’s campaign committee (2024 cycle) — who funds the bill’s sponsor, not a claim about this bill. Data from FEC.
Organizations whose employees gave the most — itemized individual contributions grouped by the donor’s reported employer (FEC Schedule A). Full finance for Troy E. Nehls → · Outside spending →
Actions (8)
- Jun 6, 2025 Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 113. · house
- Jun 6, 2025 Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. H. Rept. 119-144. · house
- Apr 2, 2025 Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote. · house
- Apr 2, 2025 Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held · house
- Apr 2, 2025 Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials Discharged · house
- Jan 4, 2025 Referred to the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials. · house
- Jan 3, 2025 Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. · house
- Jan 3, 2025 Introduced in House
More bills on these subjects (8)
Other bills that carry the most legislative subjects in common with this one (topical discovery — distinct from the procedural related bills above).
Similar bills (6)
Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.
Text versions (2)
Bills are re-published as they move (Introduced → Reported → Engrossed → Enrolled …). Each stage below is a separate text; pick two to see what changed. Data from Congress.gov.
Full text
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
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