New All Aboard Act would make $200 billion investment in rail
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WASHINGTON – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, today introduced the All Aboard Act, legislation that would dedicate $200 billion over five years to build high-speed rail, expand existing passenger rail service, and electrify the most heavily polluting railyards and corridors. The legislation includes critical labor protections for the existing union labor workforce and creates a rail personnel training grant program for rail workers. The legislation is led by Representative Chris Deluzio (PA-17) in the House.
“An accessible, reliable, and electrified rail network across our nation would put us on a high-speed track to fend off the worst effects of the climate crisis,” said Senator Markey. “The All Aboard Act makes critical investments in every link of our rail network – from investing in our workers to expanding passenger rail to electrifying railyards across the country. This bill would give Americans the train service they are clamoring for, help save our planet, and do it all with union labor. With the All Aboard Act, I’m calling ‘all aboard’ the train to a greener, more connected future.”
“The American people ought to have a rail system that is safe, gets folks quickly where they want to go, and keeps the economy moving—all while slashing road traffic,” said Congressman Deluzio. “I am proud to join with Senator Markey to introduce the All Aboard Act to make transformational investments in the United States rail network like electrification. This bill will make American passenger and freight rail a lot safer and cleaner and will invest in the rail workers who make it all happen.”
This legislation is supported by a broad coalition of labor, transportation, and environmental groups, including the Sierra Club, the Green New Deal Network, the National Resources Defense Fund, Earthjustice, the Union of Concerned Scientists, the Tallahassee Food Network, the Transportation and Trades Division of the AFL-CIO, the American Train Dispatchers Association (ATDA), International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, United Electrical Workers (UE), International Association of Machinists (IAM), the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Ways Employees Division (BMWED), the Teamsters Rail Conference, SMART-Mechanic, SMART-Transportation, the Transportation and Communications Union, the Transport Workers Union, the American of Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), Transportation for America, the Rail Passengers Association, the High-Speed Rail Alliance, and Solutionary Rail.
Specifically, the All Aboard Act would:
- Expand Passenger Rail and High-Performance Rail. The All Aboard Act would invest $150 billion over five years across several successful rail grant programs established or expanded in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Specifically, the bill provides $80 billion to the Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail, $30 billion to the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure Safety Improvement program, $30 billion for Amtrak, and $10 billion for the Railroad Crossing Elimination program.
- Establish a Green Railroad Fund. The All Aboard Act would create a new Green Railway Fund that would dedicate $50 billion over five years to electrify highly polluting rail yards, support electric high-performance passenger rail projects, and electrify the existing highest trafficked corridors by freight and passenger trains. With these funds, the U.S. rail network will take a lesson from many countries that have already fully electrified their train system, reducing air pollution in many frontline communities and driving down emissions from transportation.
- Create a Dedicated Rail Formula Program. The All Aboard Act would create a first-of-its-kind, $3.5 billion rail formula program for states to perform rail planning, maintenance, operations, and capital investment. Although states can rely on regular formula funding to expand highways, federal investments in rail come only through competitive grants. States need regular, reliable funding to plan for and execute a more robust rail network.
- Address Air Pollution from Railyards. The All Aboard Act would provide $500 million in grants under the Clean Air Act to address air pollution from railyards in frontline communities. Like other modes of transportation, air pollution from diesel-powered locomotives caused disproportionate harm in environmental justice communities. This investment is a down payment on addressing that harm.
- Invest in the Rail Workforce. The All Aboard Act recognizes that the rail workforce is the backbone of a safe, efficient rail network and would invest $300 million over five years to establish freight and passenger rail training centers. These centers would be run in partnership with organized labor and provide the training and development necessary to deliver the rail network of the future.
“The All Aboard Act is an investment in our transportation workers, our climate, and our communities, and the Sierra Club is proud to support it so Americans across the country can access the benefits of rail. Expanding and electrifying the U.S. rail system to move people and goods will help improve air quality, speed up the delivery of goods, reduce traffic congestion, and cut climate pollution,” said Katherine García, Director of Sierra Club’s Clean Transportation for All Program.
“As America’s largest transportation labor federation, representing the passenger and freight rail workforce, we are proud to support the All Aboard Act,” said Greg Regan, president of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD). “This bill will expand high-speed rail programs and passenger rail systems, including Amtrak, while electrifying rail yards and reducing air pollution for both rail workers and the surrounding communities. The All Aboard Act upholds an essential industry safety standard by requiring two-person crews for any resulting federally-funding projects, and also invests in the workforce by establishing training centers in partnership with unions. We thank Senator Markey and Congressman Deluzio for championing this effort and look forward to working together to push this bill forward.”
“I want to thank Senator Markey for introducing this very important piece of legislation that is intended to improve air quality technology for locomotives while also ensuring workforce development as there’s a transition to this green technology,” said Brian Bryant, International President of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM). “The IAM was founded as a rail union in1888 and has very deep roots in the industry. As the representative of more than 35,000 rail workers, the IAM Rail Division supports this legislation that is intended to help improve and expand passenger rail across the U.S. This is growing our nation’s rail technologies while ensuring good, union-paying jobs.”
“UE represents thousands of workers in the rail industry; both those who manufacture locomotives and parts, and rail crew drivers who work in rail yards across the U.S. For years, workers, their families and communities have organized for bold action to address the urgent issue of rail pollution. With federal support through the All Aboard Act, the railroads must do their part to make necessary investments required to clean up our communities and create good union jobs,” said Carl Rosen, General President of the United Electrical, Radio & Machine Workers of America (UE).
“We urgently need fast electric trains to improve lives, reduce traffic, and clean up our air – and we plan to build them! The All Aboard Act is a visionary proposal to more than double investment in our passenger and freight railroads, take the first steps towards railroad electrification, and provide significant resources to support communities harmed by rail infrastructure. We applaud Senator Markey and his team for painting an inspirational picture of the track we all deserve and a way to get there,” said Saul Levin, Campaigns and Political Director at the Green New Deal Network.
“The All Aboard Act of 2024 sets the stage for what the zero-emissions rail future could look like, and this future looks a lot brighter,” said Yasmine Agelidis, Attorney on Earthjustice’s Right to Zero Campaign. “Old diesel locomotives are some of the worst offenders when it comes to health-harming air pollution, spewing toxins into our air that can lead to asthma, heart issues, and cancer. By upgrading rail lines across the country with all-electric options, we can improve transportation and mobility for millions of Americans while cleaning our air. We thank Senator Markey for his leadership in modernizing American rail.”
“Fully electrifying America’s railways would revolutionize how we move people and goods throughout the country, providing more efficient intercity connections and strengthening economic activity between regions,” said Jim Mathews, President & CEO of Rail Passengers Association. “The All Aboard Act takes seriously the scope of the challenges—and opportunities—involved in modernizing the U.S. rail network, and we applaud Senator Markey for his leadership and ambition on this issue.”
“The Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees Division, International Brotherhood of Teamsters (BMWED) strongly supports Senator Markey’s All Aboard Act and we applaud his bold vision for the future of our passenger and freight rail systems. BMWED has been a leader in rail labor for pushing for the United States to build its first high-speed rail train and expanding passenger rail. The funding in this legislation will help ensure that America builds and maintains the 21st century high speed rail and passenger rail network it needs. BMWED is also the leading union in maintaining overhead catenary for railroads and the funding in this legislation will help build more catenary and upgrade our existing rail catenary system, creating tens of thousands of jobs for BMWED members. Finally, we are grateful for Senator Markey’s commitment to continue to work with BMWED to ensure these federal grants have the strongest labor standards required so that it will be rail labor, including BMWED, members operating and maintaining these vital systems,” said Jeff Joines of the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees Division, International Brotherhood of Teamsters (BMWED).
“America deserves a world class passenger rail system, but too many Americans have been quite literally off the rails for far too long. Passenger railroads have linked the country together in the past and can once again. While some progress has been made in recent years, as a nation we’re still far behind where we should be. Senator Markey’s All Aboard Act presents a comprehensive way forward for American passenger rail, including accelerating progress toward building state-of-the-art high-speed rail,” said Mark L. Wallace, President of the Teamsters Rail Conference. “The Teamsters Rail Conference, which represents the majority of unionized rail workers in this country, is proud to endorse the All Aboard Act. Senator Markey’s bill not only will boost economic activity and speed passengers to their destinations, it also will create thousands of good paying jobs for Teamster members and others who operate the trains and build and maintain the rails.”
Senator Markey is a long-time advocate for electrifying rail and a leader on supporting rail labor. Last Congress, Senator Markey introduced the BRAIN Train Act, which established a new $25 billion passenger rail grant program and required that the FRA prioritize projects that connect historically under-connected areas. In April 2024, Senator Markey worked closely with a broad coalition of environmental groups and labor groups to send two letters to the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Transportation, calling for the EPA to update its locomotive emissions standard and for the DOT to require federally funded work to reduce emissions and to use union labor. In July 2023, Senator Markey chaired an Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Clean Air, Climate, and Nuclear Safety Hearing on reducing locomotive emissions and the need for EPA to update its 2008 locomotive emission standards.
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