December 21, 2024 Intercity

Amtrak Board Nominations: Schumer Wins Race Against Time; All Confirmed (Updated Dec. 21)

Written by Frank N. Wilner, Capitol Hill Contributing Editor


Ron Batory testifies before the House Railroad Subcommittee as Federal Railroad Administrator. Screen shot of the hearing YouTube video.

Using a late-played and hardball parliamentary maneuver forcing Republican acquiescence despite a warning to Senate Republicans from the President-elect to block the effort, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) won confirmation early Saturday morning, Dec. 21, of four new Amtrak Board members. The outcome was not anticipated.

Confirmed for five-year terms to the 10-member Amtrak Board of Directors were Democrats David Michael Capozzi and Elaine Marie Clegg, and Republicans Ronald L. Batory and Lanhee J. Chen. Capozzi fills a newly created seat designated for an advocate of the disabled. Clegg succeeds Yvonne Brathwaite Burke, whose term expired. Batory takes the seat of departed Christopher R. Beall. Chen takes the seat of Jeffrey R. Moreland, whose term expired.

Batory, Federal Railroad Administrator during the President-elect’s first Administration and a career railroader, was nominated by President Biden in May 2024. He is the first Amtrak board member from rail management ranks with an operating background—he formerly was President and COO of Conrail (Shared Assets Operations) and The Belt Railway of Chicago—and only the third railroader—preceded by former United Transportation Union President Charles Luna and former BNSF attorney Jeff Moreland, now succeeded by Chen.

The two new Democrats and two new Republicans join Board Chairman and Democrat Anthony R. Coscia and Democrat Christopher C. Koos, and Republican Joel Szabat. The Republican Cabinet-level Secretary of Transportation, when confirmed, will add a fourth Republican vote as an ex officio Amtrak Board member.

Not until the new President fills a still-vacant Amtrak board seat—also requiring Senate confirmation—will Republicans have a voting majority at 5-4. While Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner is the 10th Board member, he does not have a vote. By law, the number of voting members of the Amtrak Board is limited to a maximum of five from one political party.

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