NEWS RELEASE - MARCH 31, 2007


Iowa Association of Railroad Passengers

3349 Southgate Court SW, Suite 108

Cedar Rapids, IA  52404-5424



CONTACTS:



George Davison, Jr., Counselor to the President

Telephone:  515-250-1553

E-mail:  n0zezgfd@junocom



Eliot Keller, Excursion Chair

Telephone:  319-337-9924 (home), 319-363-2061 (work)

E-mail:  eliot@kzia.com



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



STATE RAIL PASSENGER GROUP PRAISES IOWA HOUSE FOR PASSING PASSENGER RAIL BILL; URGES IOWA SENATE TO DO THE SAME



CEDAR RAPIDS - The Iowa Association of Railroad Passengers (IARP) praises the Iowa House for overwhelmingly approving HF-559, the Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Compact.  The bill, which will allow the State of Iowa to become a member of the Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission (MIPRC) and to participate in planning for a Midwestern network of rail passenger service, now goes to the Iowa Senate for consideration.



IARP urges the Iowa Senate to pass this important bill.



"We need a balanced transportation system in the State of Iowa and in the nation.  We need good roads; adequate airports; and fast, frequent, and dependable passenger trains", says IARP Counselor to the President George Davison, Jr., of Des Moines.



Eight Midwestern states are now members of the MIPRC - Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and Ohio.  The Commission is currently developing plans for a 3,000 mile high speed rail system in the Midwest known as the Midwest Regional Rail Initiative.  More information about the MIPRC is available at www.miprc.org.



IARP urges Iowa residents to contact their State Senator and encourage them to support the bill to bring the state into the Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission.  IARP thanks Rep. David Jacoby for being the primary sponsor of the House bill and Sen. Jack Kibbie for being the primary sponsor of the Senate bill.  HF-559 was floor managed by Rep. Paul Bell (D), Newton.



The Iowa Association of Railroad Passengers is a non-profit and non-partisan citizens organization advocating modern and efficient rail transportation.  IARP was formed in 1981 to strengthen the voice of the train passenger in Iowa