Opinion ID: 164946
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Privacy of Information Disclosed by Amtrak

Text: 17 Jackson argues that Amtrak is a government agency whose disclosure to Perry of the information surrounding his travel plans violated his rights under the Privacy Act, 5 U.S.C. § 552a, and the Fourth Amendment. As a result, Jackson argues, he is entitled to suppression of all the evidence seized during his encounter with Perry. 18 Assuming, without deciding, that the Privacy Act can create a reasonable expectation of privacy that could support suppression of evidence, Jackson's argument fails because Amtrak is not an agency within the meaning of the Privacy Act. The Fifth Circuit has held that Amtrak is not subject to the Privacy Act. See Ehm v. Nat'l R.R. Passenger Corp., 732 F.2d 1250, 1251-53 (5th Cir.1984). Noting that Amtrak's charter, 45 U.S.C. § 541, specifically provides that Amtrak will not be an agency or establishment of the United States Government, the Ehm Court held that Amtrak was not an agency within the meaning of the Privacy Act. Ehm, 732 F.2d at 1252-53. In Lebron v. Nat'l R.R. Passenger Corp., 513 U.S. 374, 392, 115 S.Ct. 961, 130 L.Ed.2d 902 (1995), the Supreme Court specifically noted that Amtrak's charter is dispositive of Amtrak's status as a government entity for the purposes of the Administrative Procedure Act because Congress controls whether Amtrak is subject to the provisions of the statutes which it enacts. The Privacy Act is part of the Administrative Procedure Act. 5 U.S.C. § 552a. As a consequence, we find the Ehm Court's reasoning persuasive and hold that Amtrak is not a governmental agency within the meaning of the Privacy Act. Because the Privacy Act does not apply to Amtrak, Jackson's argument necessarily fails.