I 

119TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 264 

To amend title 49, United States Code, to require Amtrak to make traditional 

dining and an alternative, more affordable food and beverage service 

available to passengers on overnight routes of Amtrak, and for other 

purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 9, 2025 

Mr. COHEN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on Transportation and Infrastructure 

A BILL 

To amend title 49, United States Code, to require Amtrak 

to make traditional dining and an alternative, more affordable food and beverage service available to passengers on overnight routes of Amtrak, 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 ‘‘Train Establishment 

5 of Appetizing Table Service Act’’ or the ‘‘Train EATS 

6 Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. FOOD AND BEVERAGE SERVICE REQUIREMENTS ON 

2 OVERNIGHT ROUTES OF AMTRAK. 

3 (a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 243 of title 49, United 

4 States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol5 lowing new section: 

6 ‘‘§ 24324. Food and beverage service requirements on 

7 overnight routes of Amtrak. 

8 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—On each covered route, Amtrak 

9 shall make available— 

10 ‘‘(1) to the extend practicable, in accordance 

11 with subsection (b), traditional dining; and 

12 ‘‘(2) to all passengers an alternative food and 

13 beverage service that is more affordable than tradi14 tional dining. 

15 ‘‘(b) PRIORITY OF TRADITIONAL DINING CAPAC16 ITY.—On each covered route on which traditional dining 

17 is available, Amtrak shall offer any traditional dining ca18 pacity not otherwise used by passengers in First Class or 

19 Business Class to passengers traveling in Coach Class (or 

20 other base fare class ticket) for a fee on a first-come, first21 serve basis. 

22 ‘‘(c) TRADITIONAL DINING MEAL OPTIONS.—Am23 trak shall ensure that traditional dining on a covered route 

24 includes— 

25 ‘‘(1) a healthy meal option; and 


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1 ‘‘(2) upon pre-order from a passenger to whom 

2 traditional dining is offered, meals that satisfy the 

3 dietary restrictions of the passenger. 

4 ‘‘(d) REGULATIONS.—The Secretary of Transpor5 tation shall issue such regulations as are necessary to 

6 carry out this section. 

7 ‘‘(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

8 ‘‘(1) COVERED ROUTE.—The term ‘covered 

9 route’ means a rail passenger transportation route 

10 operated by Amtrak that is scheduled to depart and 

11 arrive on different dates. 

12 ‘‘(2) HEALTHY MEAL OPTION.—The term 

13 ‘healthy meal option’ means a meal the nutritional 

14 contents of which are consistent with the Dietary 

15 Guidelines for Americans established under section 

16 301 of the National Nutrition Monitoring and Re17 lated Research Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5341). 

18 ‘‘(3) TRADITIONAL DINING.—With respect to 

19 rail passenger transportation, the term ‘traditional 

20 dining’ means a food and beverage service— 

21 ‘‘(A) for which a passenger is seated at a 

22 table in a car designated solely for such food 

23 and beverage service to order and eat a meal; 

24 and 

25 ‘‘(B) that is serviced by wait staff.’’. 


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1 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENTS.—The analysis for 

2 chapter 243 of title 49, United States Code, is amended 

3 by adding at the end the following new item: 

‘‘24324. Food and beverage service requirements on overnight routes of Amtrak.’’. 

Æ 


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