Letter to the Hon. Nita Lowey, Chairwoman of the House Appropriations Committee, the Hon. Kay Granger, Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee, the Hon. David Price, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies of the House Appropriations Committee, and the Hon. Mario Diaz-Balart, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies of the House Appropriations Committee - Norton Requests $26 Million for Union Station in the Next Coronavirus Response Bill

Letter

Dear Chairs Lowey and Price and Ranking Members Granger and Diaz-Balart:

We write to request that you provide $26 million in the next coronavirus response bill to ensure the continued operations of Union Station in the nation's capital. As you know, Union Station is a multimodal transportation hub that serves not only the District of Columbia and the national capital region, but also is a critical asset for the entire Northeast Corridor. Union Station, which is owned by the federal government, is the second busiest transportation station in the country, serving, before the coronavirus, more than 42 million passengers and visitors each year.

Union Station is operated as a public-private partnership, and its operations and maintenance are funded by revenue from its restaurants and shops and parking facility. These sources of revenue have been significantly impacted by the coronavirus. Although the station must remain open to essential transportation services, such as Amtrak Metro and intercity buses, the restaurants and shops are closed, and the parking facility is barely used.

In light of this severe reduction in revenue and the potential damage the shortfall may cause to the continued operations of this more than century-old station, the Union Station Redevelopment Corporation (USRC), the entity authorized by Congress to operate and maintain the station, discussed with the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), the agency with jurisdiction over Union Station, the need for $26 million to ensure the continued operations of Union Station. This figure is based on the six-month average cost to operate and maintain the station. While we all hope that the coronavirus crisis is over long before six months, the reality is that the crisis could continue for a long time. As early as next month, Union Station could experience a revenue shortfall that would impede the operations and maintenance of the station, negatively impacting passenger services well beyond the end of this crisis.

In recent conversations with FRA, FRA indicated it would require both funding and the authority to provide resources to USRC. Therefore, we are requesting that you include the following language in the next coronavirus response bill.

To enable the Secretary of Transportation to make grants to the Union Station Redevelopment Corporation pursuant to sections 6901 through 6910 of title 40, $26,000,000, to remain available until expended, in support of operations, maintenance, capital projects, related costs and obligations for Union Station in Washington D.C., to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus: Provided, That such amount is designated by the Congress as being for an emergency requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.

This language will ensure that FRA has both the funding and the authority to provide assistance to USRC to continue critical operations and maintenance of Union Station. Thank you for your consideration of this important matter.