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H.R. 188

U.S. HouseHouse Floor Calendar

Summary

H.R. 188, the Amtrak Transparency and Accountability for Passengers and Taxpayers Act, was introduced in the House on Jan 3, 2025 by Rep. Troy Nehls (R) with 1 co-sponsor. It last saw action on Jun 6, 2025: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 113.


Record

Text

H.R. 188 has 1 co-sponsor.

hb188/introduced-in-house.txt
119 HR 188 IH: Amtrak Transparency and Accountability for Passengers and Taxpayers Act
U.S. House of Representatives
2025-01-03
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
I 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 188 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 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.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the Amtrak Transparency and Accountability for Passengers and Taxpayers Act .
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), sections 552 and 552b of title 5, 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 contract procurements and agreements, 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; and
(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.
(B)
Additional application
In addition to the information described in subparagraph (B), the information described in section 552b(c) shall apply to Amtrak meetings.
.

Tracker

The tracker indicates the progress of this legislation as it moves through the legislative process.

  1. Introduced2025-01-03
  2. Passed House
  3. Passed Senate
  4. Conference
  5. To President
  6. Became Law

CRS Summary

The summaries are the Congressional Research Service’s, one per stage. Read them in full.

Introduced in House Jan 3, 2025

hb188/introduced-in-house.md

Shown Here:
Introduced in House (01/03/2025)

Amtrak Transparency and Accountability for Passengers and Taxpayers Act

This bill directs Amtrak to comply with federal open meeting requirements under the Government in the Sunshine Act, with exceptions.

Under the bill, certain open meeting requirements do not apply to any portion or portions of a meeting that Amtrak properly determines are likely to involve

  • contract negotiations, including negotiations for contract procurements and agreements, the disclosure of which would imperil or compromise Amtrak’s competitive position;
  • collective bargaining agreements or any terms and conditions that are proposed for inclusion in an agreement; and
  • matters involving the employment, appointment, termination, terms and conditions of employment, performance evaluation, promotion, or disciplining of a current or prospective Amtrak officer, employee, or contractor (unless all affected individuals request in writing that the matter or matters be discussed at a public meeting).

Sponsors

Rep. Troy Nehls (R) sponsors H.R. 188, and 1 member has co-sponsored it from the day it was introduced.

Committees

H.R. 188 went before 2 committees: Transportation and Infrastructure and Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee.

Transportation and Infrastructure
Transportation and Infrastructure
Reported By · Jun 6, 2025 · 156 Bills
Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee
Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee
Referred to · Jan 4, 2025 · 47 Bills

Reports

1 committee report has been filed on H.R. 188, the latest H. Rept. 119-144.

  • H. Rept. 119-144 — AMTRAK TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY FOR PASSENGERS AND TAXPAYERS ACT

Actions

H.R. 188 has taken 8 actions since Jan 3, 2025, the latest on Jun 6, 2025.

ChamberAction
Jun 6, 2025
House
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. H. Rept. 119-144.Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
Jun 6, 2025
House
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 113.
Apr 2, 2025
House
Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials DischargedTransportation and Infrastructure Committee
Apr 2, 2025
House
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session HeldTransportation and Infrastructure Committee
Apr 2, 2025
House
Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.Transportation and Infrastructure Committee

Votes

H.R. 188 has not gone to a roll call.

Titles

H.R. 188 goes by 4 titles, 2 of them short titles.

  • Amtrak Transparency and Accountability for Passengers and Taxpayers Act — Short Title(s) as Reported to House
  • Amtrak Transparency and Accountability for Passengers and Taxpayers Act — Display Title
  • Amtrak Transparency and Accountability for Passengers and Taxpayers Act — Short Title(s) as Introduced
  • 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. — Official Title as Introduced

Lobbying

2 clients hired 2 firms and 8 registered lobbyists who named H.R. 188 in 6 quarterly filings, 2025 to 2026. Reported under the Lobbying Disclosure Act; a filing’s income covers everything its registrant worked that quarter, so the amounts below are the filings’, not this bill’s.

Filed under Railroads, Agriculture, Budget/Appropriations, Defense, Energy/Nuclear, Environment/Superfund, Financial Institutions/Investments/Securities, Fuel/Gas/Oil.

Clients

Who paid to be heard, by how many filings named the bill.

ClientBusinessStateFirmsFilingsReported
CALIFORNIA INTERCITY RAIL CORRIDORS LINKING EVERYONE (CIRCLE)Intercity passenger rail coalitionCalifornia15$150K
NATIONAL TAXPAYERS UNIONDistrict of Columbia11

Firms

Registrants who filed on the bill, by filings.

RegistrantClientsFilingsReported
TAI GINSBERG & ASSOCIATES, LLC15$150K
NATIONAL TAXPAYERS UNION11

Lobbyists

Named on the filings that cite the bill.

Filings

The documents themselves, on the Senate’s Lobbying Disclosure site, largest reported first.

ClientRegistrantPeriodReportedDocument
CALIFORNIA INTERCITY RAIL CORRIDORS LINKING EVERYONE (CIRCLE)TAI GINSBERG & ASSOCIATES, LLC2026 second_quarter$30K2nd Quarter - Report
CALIFORNIA INTERCITY RAIL CORRIDORS LINKING EVERYONE (CIRCLE)TAI GINSBERG & ASSOCIATES, LLC2026 first_quarter$30K1st Quarter - Report
NATIONAL TAXPAYERS UNIONNATIONAL TAXPAYERS UNION2025 fourth_quarter$30K4th Quarter - Report
CALIFORNIA INTERCITY RAIL CORRIDORS LINKING EVERYONE (CIRCLE)TAI GINSBERG & ASSOCIATES, LLC2025 fourth_quarter$30K4th Quarter - Report
CALIFORNIA INTERCITY RAIL CORRIDORS LINKING EVERYONE (CIRCLE)TAI GINSBERG & ASSOCIATES, LLC2025 third_quarter$30K3rd Quarter - Report
CALIFORNIA INTERCITY RAIL CORRIDORS LINKING EVERYONE (CIRCLE)TAI GINSBERG & ASSOCIATES, LLC2025 second_quarter$30K2nd Quarter - Report

Classification

The Congressional Research Service files H.R. 188 under Transportation and Public Works, one of its 31 policy areas, and gives it 5 legislative subjects.

CRS Subjects

CRS assigns every bill one policy area from its 31; H.R. 188’s is Transportation and Public Works.

hr188/policy-areas.txt
Transportation and Public WorksAgriculture and FoodAnimalsArmed Forces and National SecurityArts, Culture, ReligionCivil Rights and Liberties, Minority IssuesCommerceCongressCrime and Law EnforcementEconomics and Public FinanceEducationEmergency ManagementEnergyEnvironmental ProtectionFamiliesFinance and Financial SectorForeign Trade and International FinanceGovernment Operations and PoliticsHealthHousing and Community DevelopmentImmigrationInternational AffairsLabor and EmploymentLawNative AmericansPublic Lands and Natural ResourcesScience, Technology, CommunicationsSocial WelfareSports and RecreationTaxationWater Resources Development

Legislative Subjects

H.R. 188 carries 5 of CRS’s legislative subjects, from Congressional oversight to Railroads.

hr188/subjects.txt
Congressional oversightGovernment ethics and transparency, public corruptionGovernment information and archivesNational Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak)Railroads

Constitutional authority

The clause the sponsor cites as Congress’s power to enact H.R. 188, as entered in the Congressional Record.

[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 1 (Friday, January 3, 2025)][House]From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]By Mr. NEHLS:H.R. 188.Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuantto the following:Article 1, Section 8 of the US ConstitutionThe single subject of this legislation is:To apply the requirements of the Government in the SunshineAct to meetings of Amtrak's Board of Directors[Page H42]

Source: congress.gov · legiscan.com