Amtrak at risk again

Friends and neighbors,

I attended the rail passenger conference on Saturday in Cut Bank.

One takeaway from the meeting that everyone in Northern Montana needs to be aware of; the 2019 Legislature approved House Joint Resolution 34 – the Interim Study on Passenger Transportation.

Now, that may not cause any red flags to emerge, except that it was noted at the Cut Bank meeting, as per HJ 34, there is a renewed push to revive the Hiawatha Passenger Service, Chicago, Billings, Missoula and Spokane.

Here’s a bit of history: April 10, 2007 Gov. (Brian) Schweitzer convened a meeting to consider a request to revive the Southern Montana Hiawatha Route. The service was discontinued in 1979 due to budget constraints.

Gov Schweitzer, Sen. (Max) Baucus, Sen (Jon) Tester and (Rep. Dennis) Rehberg all climbed aboard in support of the effort.

I immediately contacted Montana’s congressional delegation to state my displeasure, making the point that they were putting Amtrak service at risk, “If the Hiawatha Route is approved, we will lose Amtrak” because the votes are in southern and western Montana, the Boot.

Sen. Tester quipped, “Bob, that’s where the people are” (Rep.) Rehberg responded, “Bob, that’s where the votes are”

In 2008, Sen Tester introduced a bill to study reviving the Hiawatha, it was approved and was signed by President George W. Bush.

Luckily, I was able to garner enough support that funding was never considered by the US Senate, finance and claims committee.

However, they never gave up, bills surfaced in the Montana Legislature, every session from 2009. What was disturbing, I was the only one from Northern Montana to show at the hearings to oppose the bills, however each time they were defeated.

So here we are, HJ 34 was approved and now they are going to study it.

From what I know, Amtrak supporters have some real challenges.

 When one reviews the committee members – Rep. Andrea Olson, D-Missoula, Sen. Carlie Boland, D-Great Falls; Sen. Diane Sands, D-Missoula, Sen. Gordon Vance, R-Belgrade, Sen. Jeff Welborne, R-Dillon; Rep. Mark Sweeney, D-Phillipsburg, Rep. Ross Fitzgerald, R-Fairfield, Rep. Denley Loge, R-Saint Regis — the skids have been pretty well-oiled.

The Transportation Committee’s first meeting is July 9 in Helena. We best be involved.

Here’s the rub, folks, if “We the People in northern Montana” don’t care, if I’m the only who gives a hoot, please let me know, I will spend my time on other important issues.

I’m sharing this with commissioners, mayors, chambers and people in northern Montana, can I get a response? Will you get involved?

Cordially

——

Bob Sivertsen is president of the Highway 2 Association and can be emailed at [email protected].