Trent Lott: “It is good to know that there are other legal avenues that can be followed so that the duties of the Amtrak board are…”

“It is good to know that there are other legal avenues that can be followed so that the duties of the Amtrak board are not suspended indefinitely while candidates are nominated, vetted, and confirmed by Congress. As we all know, Presidential appointments can often be a long and arduous process. However, its my hope that the Commerce Committee and the Senate will consider the confirmation of Amtrak board members as promptly as possible once we have received candidates from the President. Of course, I would like to acknowledge the work of Mayor Smith of Meridian, MS. He agreed to offer his knowledge and experience to the board, and has served for years as chairman of Amtrak's board of directors. I am grateful for his dedication to Amtrak and the excellent work he did for the railroad during his term. It is most important that the White House provide names of candidates for the board as quickly as possible so that we can begin moving through the confirmation process and return the Amtrak board to its full composition.”