Title
Calling upon the Congress of the United States to direct Amtrak to comply with H.R. 4838 and immediately rename the 30th Street Station as the "William H. Gray, III 30th Street Station”.
Body
WHEREAS, William H. Gray, III represented Pennsylvania's Second Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives from 1979 until 1991; and
WHEREAS, Congressman William H. Gray, III was and remains the highest ranking member of the Pennsylvania delegation to serve in Congress as Chairman of the House Budget Committee from 1985 until 1989 and House Majority Whip from 1989 until 1991; and
WHEREAS, Congressman Gray, as Chairman of the House Budget Committee and House Majority Whip, was a strong advocate for funding infrastructure and public services; and
WHEREAS, Congressman Gray was a key voice in preventing the elimination of funding for Amtrak and instrumental in securing funding for the first major restoration of the 30th Street Station; and
WHEREAS, Congressman Gray resigned from congress in 1991 to become the President and Chief Executive Officer of the United Negro College Fund; and
WHEREAS, William H. Gray served the United Negro College Fund through 2004, raising more than $2.3 billion during his tenure; and
WHEREAS, In June 2012, the Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania honored William H. Gray for his dedicated service to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the City of Philadelphia and the residents of the Second Congressional District; and
WHEREAS, William H. Gray died July 1, 2013, at 71 years of age; and
WHEREAS, In the summer of 2014, the Congress of the United States, in commemoration of Congressman Gray's lifelong service and commitment to the City of Philadelphia, unanimously approved H.R. 4838, renaming the Amtrak railroad station located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, commonly known as "30th Street Station" as the "William H. Gray 30th Street Station"; and
WHEREAS, In August 2014, the President of the United States, Barack Obama, signed H.R. 4838 into law; and
WHEREAS, Amtrak is a federally chartered corporation with the Federal Government as the majority stockholder and operates intercity passenger rail services in 46 states and the District of Columbia; and
WHEREAS, The Federal Government is the primary source of public funding for Amtrak, while Amtrak also receives state funding from 18 states under operating agreements or legislative appropriations; and
WHEREAS, In the 2014-2015 fiscal year, the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania approved an appropriation of $14.5 million to Amtrak through the Department of Transportation for operation of two routes, Harrisburg to Philadelphia and Philadelphia to Pittsburgh; and
WHEREAS, 30th Street Station is the third busiest Amtrak station, with an average of more than 11,000 passengers a day; and
WHEREAS, Despite the desire and direction of Congress and the President of the United States under Public Law 113-158, enacted three years ago, Amtrak has failed to re-name the 30th Street Station; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the Philadelphia City Council, Hereby calls upon the Congress of the United States to direct Amtrak to comply with H.R. 4838 and immediately rename the 30th Street Station as the "William H. Gray III 30th Street Station".
FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to Amtrak Corporate Headquarters, 60 Massachusetts Avenue NE, Washington DC 20002.
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