I 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 3362 

To limit the manner in which Amtrak is authorized to provide food and 

beverage service. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

NOVEMBER 3, 2011 

Mrs. SCHMIDT (for herself, Mr. COBLE, and Mr. BUCSHON) introduced the 

following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation 

and Infrastructure 

A BILL 

To limit the manner in which Amtrak is authorized to 

provide food and beverage service. 

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 ‘‘Amtrak Food and Bev5 erage Service Savings Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. AMTRAK FOOD AND BEVERAGE SERVICE. 

7 (a) AUTHORITY.—Section 24305(c)(4) of title 49, 

8 United States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘only if reve9 nues from the services each year at least equal the cost 


smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 3362 IH

1 of providing the services’’ and inserting ‘‘only as provided 

2 in subsection (g)’’. 

3 (b) PROCEDURES.—Section 24305 of title 49, United 

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

6 ‘‘(g) FOOD AND BEVERAGE SERVICE.— 

7 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para8 graph (6), food and beverage service may be pro9 vided on Amtrak trains only by a bidder selected by 

10 the Federal Railroad Administration under para11 graph (5). The Federal Railroad Administration may 

12 consult with and obtain assistance from the General 

13 Services Administration in carrying out this sub14 section. 

15 ‘‘(2) REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS.—Not later 

16 than 60 days after the date of enactment of this 

17 subsection, the Federal Railroad Administration 

18 shall issue separate requests for proposals for provi19 sion of food and beverage service on Amtrak trains 

20 on— 

21 ‘‘(A) the Northeast Corridor; 

22 ‘‘(B) other long-haul routes; and 

23 ‘‘(C) State-run routes. 

24 ‘‘(3) DEADLINES.— 


smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 3362 IH

1 ‘‘(A) SUBMITTAL OF BIDS.—Bids for the 

2 provision of food and beverage service on Am3 trak trains pursuant to the requests for pro4 posals issued under paragraph (2) shall be sub5 mitted to the Federal Railroad Administration 

6 not later than 60 days after the issuance of the 

7 relevant request for proposals. 

8 ‘‘(B) SELECTION OF WINNING BIDS.—The 

9 Federal Railroad Administration shall select 

10 winning bidders pursuant to paragraph (5) not 

11 later than 90 days after the issuance of the rel12 evant request for proposals. 

13 ‘‘(4) AMTRAK PARTICIPATION.—Amtrak may 

14 participate in the bidding pursuant to a request for 

15 proposals issued under paragraph (2). 

16 ‘‘(5) SELECTION OF PROVIDERS.—The Federal 

17 Railroad Administration shall select for the provision 

18 of food and beverage service on Amtrak trains the 

19 qualified bidder responding to the request for pro20 posals issued under paragraph (2) whose bid would 

21 result in the lowest cost, or the greatest source of 

22 revenue, to Amtrak. 

23 ‘‘(6) EXEMPTION.—If no qualified bidder re24 sponds to the request for proposals issued under 

25 paragraph (2), Amtrak, after transmitting to the 


smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 3362 IH

1 Federal Railroad Administration and the Congress 

2 an explanation of the reasons for the need of an ex3 emption, may request from the Federal Railroad Ad4 ministration, and the Federal Railroad Administra5 tion may grant, an exemption from the limitations 

6 under this subsection. 

7 ‘‘(7) SUBSIDY FOR NET LOSS.—The Federal 

8 Railroad Administration shall provide directly to the 

9 entity providing food and beverage service on Am10 trak trains any portion of appropriations for Amtrak 

11 necessary to cover a net loss resulting from the pro12 vision of such service, but only to the extent that 

13 such net loss was anticipated in the bid selected.’’. 

Æ 


smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with BILLS