Amtrak Executive Bonus Disclosure Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 192
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Transportation and Public Works
- Status
- Passed House
- Latest Action
- 2025-01-14: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
- Last Updated
- 2026-07-10T19:23:30Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The Amtrak Executive Bonus Disclosure Act aims to increase transparency in Amtrak's executive compensation by requiring public disclosure of base pay and bonuses for key leaders, alongside the criteria used to determine those bonuses.
Key Provisions
- Amends Section 24315(a) of Title 49, United States Code, which governs Amtrak's reporting and auditing requirements.
- Requires Amtrak to submit reports to Congress and make them publicly available on its website.
- Mandates inclusion of:
- Annual base pay for members of the executive leadership team (including the chief executive officer, president, and other officers).
- Any bonus compensation paid to these executives.
- The specific criteria and metrics (e.g., performance standards or goals) used to calculate bonuses.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Previously, Amtrak's reports under Section 24315(a) were submitted only to Congress without a public disclosure requirement.
- Replaces the prior paragraph (2) with new language that explicitly details executive pay and bonus information, shifting from internal congressional reporting to broader public access via Amtrak's website.
- This introduces a mandatory online publication element, enhancing accessibility beyond government channels.
Potential Impacts
- On government agencies: Amtrak, as a federally supported rail corporation, will face increased administrative burdens to compile and post detailed compensation data, potentially affecting its budgeting and reporting processes.
- On citizens: Improves public oversight of how taxpayer funds support executive pay in a government-backed entity, allowing greater scrutiny of Amtrak's financial decisions without direct costs to individuals.
- On international relations: No direct impact, as the bill focuses on domestic rail operations and U.S. federal requirements.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Amtrak and its executives: Directly required to disclose personal compensation details, which may influence hiring, retention, or negotiation of executive contracts.
- Congress: Retains oversight role but gains a public-facing tool for accountability, potentially aiding legislative reviews of Amtrak's funding.
- The public and taxpayers: Benefits from transparent information on executive pay, fostering trust in Amtrak's use of public resources.
- Oversight bodies: Entities like the Government Accountability Office or congressional committees may use the data for audits or policy evaluations.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Strengthens existing federal transparency laws (e.g., under the Freedom of Information Act framework) by codifying public access to specific financial data, without creating new enforcement mechanisms—compliance falls under Amtrak's general reporting duties.
- Constitutional: Aligns with First Amendment principles of open government and public access to information about federally supported entities; no apparent conflicts with privacy rights, as it targets aggregate compensation rather than personal details.
- Political: Promotes accountability in quasi-public corporations like Amtrak, potentially sparking debates on executive pay in government-linked organizations; could set a precedent for similar disclosure rules in other federal agencies, emphasizing fiscal responsibility amid public scrutiny of spending.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (1)
Recent Actions
- 2025-01-14: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
- 2025-01-13: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- 2025-01-13: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 407 - 0 (Roll no. 8). (text: CR H99) (Roll call 8)
- 2025-01-13: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 407 - 0 (Roll no. 8). (text: CR H99) (Roll call 8)
- 2025-01-13: Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H106-107)
- 2025-01-13: At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
- 2025-01-13: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 192.
- 2025-01-13: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H99-100)
- 2025-01-13: Mr. Graves moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
- 2025-01-04: Referred to the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials.
- 2025-01-03: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
- 2025-01-03: Introduced in House
- 2025-01-03: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Amtrak Executive Bonus Disclosure Act — issued 2025-01-13 — PDF (4 pages)
- Amtrak Executive Bonus Disclosure Act — issued 2025-01-03 — PDF (2 pages)
- Amtrak Executive Bonus Disclosure Act — issued 2025-01-14 — PDF (2 pages)