WASHINGTON — In a historic step for the rights of dog owners, legislation that would instruct Amtrak to develop a pet-friendly policy is on the verge of passing the House of Representatives.
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee passed by voice vote on Thursday the Passenger Rail Reform and Investment Act.
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Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari told The Huffington Post that it’s possible the bill would authorize pilot programs beyond the two that currently exist in Illinois, which are set to end in April. As for those pilot programs, Magliari relayed that there had been no complaints from passengers or crew members even after 145 pets had ridden on trains.
Congress still has a little ways to go to before man and his best friend can share a cheese platter and a bad Wi-Fi connection. But this is as promising as the situation has been to date. The House committee passed the Passenger Rail Reform and Investment Act last fall. That bill included similar pets-on-train language, but it was done too late in the session and the full House never took it up. This time, Congress has nearly two years to get it through both chambers and to the president’s desk.
