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 af-
fordable food and beverage service available to pas-
sengers on overnight routes of Amtrak, and for other 
purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Train Establishment 
of Appetizing Table Service Act’’ or the ‘‘Train EATS 
Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. FOOD AND BEVERAGE SERVICE REQUIREMENTS ON 
OVERNIGHT ROUTES OF AMTRAK. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 243 of title 49, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new section: 
‘‘§ 24324. Food and beverage service requirements on 
overnight routes of Amtrak. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—On each covered route, Amtrak 
shall make available— 
‘‘(1) to the extend practicable, in accordance 
with subsection (b), traditional dining; and 
‘‘(2) to all passengers an alternative food and 
beverage service that is more affordable than tradi-
tional dining. 
‘‘(b) PRIORITY
OF TRADITIONAL DINING CAPAC-
ITY.—On each covered route on which traditional dining 
is available, Amtrak shall offer any traditional dining ca-
pacity not otherwise used by passengers in First Class or 
Business Class to passengers traveling in Coach Class (or 
other base fare class ticket) for a fee on a first-come, first- 
serve basis. 
‘‘(c) TRADITIONAL DINING MEAL OPTIONS.—Am-
trak shall ensure that traditional dining on a covered route 
includes— 
‘‘(1) a healthy meal option; and 
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‘‘(2) upon pre-order from a passenger to whom 
traditional dining is offered, meals that satisfy the 
dietary restrictions of the passenger. 
‘‘(d) REGULATIONS.—The Secretary of Transpor-
tation shall issue such regulations as are necessary to 
carry out this section. 
‘‘(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) COVERED
ROUTE.—The term ‘covered 
route’ means a rail passenger transportation route 
operated by Amtrak that is scheduled to depart and 
arrive on different dates. 
‘‘(2) HEALTHY
MEAL
OPTION.—The term 
‘healthy meal option’ means a meal the nutritional 
contents of which are consistent with the Dietary 
Guidelines for Americans established under section 
301 of the National Nutrition Monitoring and Re-
lated Research Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5341). 
‘‘(3) TRADITIONAL
DINING.—With respect to 
rail passenger transportation, the term ‘traditional 
dining’ means a food and beverage service— 
‘‘(A) for which a passenger is seated at a 
table in a car designated solely for such food 
and beverage service to order and eat a meal; 
and 
‘‘(B) that is serviced by wait staff.’’. 
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(b) CLERICAL
AMENDMENTS.—The analysis for 
chapter 243 of title 49, United States Code, is amended 
by adding at the end the following new item: 
‘‘24324. Food and beverage service requirements on overnight routes of Am-
trak.’’. 
Æ 
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