Rail Passenger Fairness Act

HR 9961, the Rail Passenger Fairness Act, amends federal law to allow Amtrak to directly sue in federal court to enforce its statutory right to priority over freight trains on shared rail lines. Currently, only the Attorney General can initiate such enforcement actions, and this power has rarely been used (only one case in Amtrak's history). The bill addresses documented issues where host railroads routinely prioritize freight, causing significant delays - 3.2 million minutes of delay for Amtrak passengers in 2019 due to freight interference. By enabling Amtrak to seek equitable relief directly, the bill aims to improve on-time performance, which could save Amtrak millions annually in operational costs. This change targets the enforcement mechanism of an existing right, not the right itself.