I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8692 

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. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 11, 2024 

Mr. NEHLS 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 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘The Amtrak Trans5 parency and Accountability for Passengers and Taxpayer 

6 Act’’. 

7 SEC. 2. OPEN MEETINGS. 

8 (a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other provi9 sion of law, the Amtrak Board of Directors shall adhere 


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1 to the requirements of section 552b of title 5, United 

2 States Code, as applicable. 

3 (b) NONPUBLIC COLLABORATIVE DISCUSSIONS.— 

4 (1) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding section 

5 552b of title 5, United States Code, a majority of 

6 the members of the Board may hold a meeting to 

7 discuss official business that is not open to public 

8 observation if— 

9 (A) no formal or informal vote or other of10 ficial action is taken at the meeting; and 

11 (B) each individual present at the meeting 

12 is a member or an employee of the Board. 

13 (2) DISCLOSURE OF NONPUBLIC COLLABO14 RATIVE DISCUSSIONS.—Except as provided under 

15 paragraph (3), not later than 2 business days after 

16 the conclusion of a meeting described in paragraph 

17 (1), the Board shall make available to the public, in 

18 a place easily accessible to the public— 

19 (A) a list of the individuals present at the 

20 meeting; and 

21 (B) a summary of the matters, including 

22 key issues, discussed at the meeting, except for 

23 any matter the Board properly determines may 

24 be withheld from the public under section 

25 552b(c) of title 5, United States Code. 


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1 (3) ONGOING PROCEEDINGS.—If a meeting de2 scribed in paragraph (1) directly relates to an ongo3 ing proceeding before the Board, the Board shall 

4 make the disclosure required under paragraph (2) 

5 on the date on which the Board issues a final deci6 sion with respect to such ongoing proceeding. 

7 (c) SUMMARY OF WITHHELD MATTERS.—If the 

8 Board properly determines a matter may be withheld from 

9 the public under section 552b(c) of title 5, United States 

10 Code, the Board shall provide to the public a summary 

11 of any such matter with as much general information as 

12 possible on such matter. 

13 SEC. 3. ANNUAL BRIEFING. 

14 (a) BRIEFING REQUIRED.—During the 30-day period 

15 ending on the day before the first date of each fiscal year, 

16 the Chair of the Board of Directors of Amtrak shall pro17 vide a briefing to the Committee on Transportation and 

18 Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the 

19 Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of 

20 the Senate on the activities of the Board in the fiscal year 

21 in which the briefing occurs. 

22 (b) CONTENT OF BRIEFING.—The briefing required 

23 under subsection (a) shall include— 

24 (1) a description of all matters before the 

25 Board that required a vote of the Board; and 


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1 (2) a description of matters pending before the 

2 Board in which the Board is required to vote. 

Æ 


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