All Aboard Act dedicates $200 billion over five years to build transportation system of the future
Bill Text (PDF) | One Pager (PDF)
Washington (July 29, 2025) - Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), member of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and Representative Chris Deluzio (PA-17), member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, today reintroduced the All Aboard Act, legislation that would dedicate $200 billion over five years to build high-speed rail, expand existing passenger rail service, and electrify the most heavily polluting railyards and corridors. The legislation includes critical labor protections for the existing union labor workforce and creates a rail personnel training grant program for rail workers. The investments made under the All Aboard Act would make Massachusetts’ rail dreams a reality by turbocharging West-East Rail and revolutionizing the Northeast Corridor.
“The All Aboard Act would build the high-speed transportation system of the future and do it with union labor,” said Senator Markey. “By investing billions in America’s rail network, we can drive down emissions, make our communities more connected, and create union jobs. That is a future all Americans are on board with.”
“In 2025, the people of this great country should have a rail system that is safe, fast, affordable, and keeps the economy moving,” said Congressman Deluzio. “I am proud to join with Senator Markey to introduce the All Aboard Act to make transformational investments, like electrification, in the United States rail network. This bill will make American passenger and freight rail a lot safer and cleaner, slash road traffic, and invest in the rail workers who make it all happen.”
“Investing in modern, low-emission trains keeps passengers and goods moving across our nation while protecting the air we breathe,” said Senator Padilla. “California is leading the way to slash harmful locomotive emissions, and we must expand our high-performance and reliable rail infrastructure built by skilled union workers.”
“America was once the world’s leader in innovative transportation solutions that connected our heartland to our coasts. It’s time to build on those achievements and unlock our potential. The All-Aboard Act makes the transformative investments necessary to bring our nationwide rail system into the 21st century while supporting union labor. The American people deserve a fast, reliable, low-emission method of transportation to connect our communities, and I’m proud to be a part of this effort,” said Senator Blunt Rochester.
“This essential legislation makes key investments to advance our nation’s rail network and to bolster the talented workforce dedicated to its construction. The All Aboard Act provides the necessary resources for an accessible and reliable rail system spanning our nation. With this legislation, we stay on track by connecting Americans with a safer, cleaner, and more efficient mode of transportation,” said Senator Blumenthal.
The legislation is cosponsored by Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Cory Booker (D-N.J.).
This legislation is supported by a broad coalition of labor, transportation, and environmental groups, including the Transportation and Trades Division of the AFL-CIO, The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division-International Brotherhood of Teamsters (BMWED), The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen-International Brotherhood of Teamsters (BLET), Teamsters Rail Conference, Transport Workers Union (TWU), International Association of Machinists (IAM), United Electrical Workers (UE), Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, Transportation (SMART-Transportation), Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, Transportation Mechanical Division (SMART-Mechanical), International Brotherhood of Boilermakers (IBB), the Transportation Communications Union (TCU), Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen (BRS), the American Train Dispatchers Association (ATDA), the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), the Sierra Club, Natural Resources Defense Council, the Green New Deal Network, Solutionary Rail, the Moving Forward Network, Earthjustice, The Rail Passengers Association, Transportation for America, and the Union of Concerned Scientists.
Specifically, the All Aboard Act would:
“As America’s largest transportation labor federation, representing the passenger and freight rail workforce, we are proud to support the All Aboard Act,” said Greg Regan, president of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD). “This bill will expand high-speed rail programs and passenger rail systems, including Amtrak, while electrifying rail yards and reducing air pollution for both rail workers and the surrounding communities. The All Aboard Act upholds an essential industry safety standard by requiring two-person crews for any resulting federally-funding projects and also invests in the workforce by establishing training centers in partnership with unions. We thank Senator Markey and Congressman Deluzio for championing this effort and look forward to working together to push this bill forward.”
“We commend Senator Markey for reintroducing the All Aboard Act, which would supercharge efforts to modernize American rail,” said Yasmine Agelidis, attorney on Earthjustice’s Right to Zero campaign. “While other countries race ahead with electric rail, the U.S. has remained at a polluting standstill. We’re long overdue for major upgrades, and this transformative legislation would provide the critical funding we need for high-speed, efficient, zero-emissions rail. It’s a win for our economy and for the communities that have been forced to live alongside dirty freight lines.”
“We applaud Senator Ed Markey for his visionary thinking. The All Aboard Act will modernize our nation’s rail system, boost the economy, and protect public health. Investing in zero-emission rail technology is a win for communities who deserve clean air and a workforce that can rely on good, union jobs,” said Athena Motavvef, Senior Washington Representative for Union of Concerned Scientists.
“The BLET is proud to endorse the All Aboard Act, which would help establish the high-speed passenger rail system that Americans both need and deserve. Our nation lags European nations and especially China when it comes to the development of high-speed rail. It’s time to make up for lost ground. In addition to serving the public by better connecting cities and towns with modern efficient service, the All Aboard Act would provide an economic boost to many areas of the country and secure good paying jobs in the rail industry. We salute Senator Markey for his leadership and strong support for passenger rail and America’s railroad workforce,” said Mark Wallace, President of the Teamsters Rail Conference and The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET).
“The Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees Division, International Brotherhood of Teamsters (BMWED) once again strongly supports Senator Markey’s All Aboard Act and we applaud his bold vision for the future of our passenger and freight rail systems. The re-introduction of this legislation is encouraging for the future of American railroading and we are proud to stand with Sen. Markey on this bill. The BMWED has long pushed for the United States to build high-speed rail and expand its passenger rail network. The funding in this legislation will help ensure that America builds and maintains the 21st century high speed rail and passenger rail system it needs. BMWED is the leading union in maintaining overhead catenary for railroads and the funding in this legislation will help build more catenary, as well as upgrade our existing rail catenary system, creating tens of thousands of jobs for BMWED members. Finally, we are grateful for Sen. Markey’s continued commitment to work with BMWED to ensure these federal grants have the strongest labor standards required, ensuring that our nation’s best unionized railroaders perform the highly skilled work needed to ensure its success,” said Jeff Joines of the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees Division, International Brotherhood of Teamsters (BMWED).
“The All Aboard Act will deliver a modern, efficient, and electric rail system to move people and goods around the country. The Sierra Club strongly supports this ambitious legislation to improve air quality, speed up the delivery of goods, and cut climate pollution. This bill makes crucial investments to address health-harming pollution at railyards and corridors. We applaud Senator Markey and Representative Deluzio’s leadership and their steadfast commitment to the robust rail network we deserve,” said Katherine García, Director of Sierra Club’s Clean Transportation for All Campaign.
“The All Aboard Act will secure transformative investments in good, green union jobs and tackle the urgent issue of rail pollution. UE represents thousands of workers in the rail industry; both those who manufacture locomotives and parts, and rail crew drivers who work in rail yards across the U.S. Our members have been fighting alongside community allies for years to push the railroads to create new jobs manufacturing cleaner technology. The All Aboard Act is a big step forward. With this, the railroads must step up for workers, communities and the future of our planet,” said Tommy Carden, Green Locomotive Project Director, United Electrical, Radio & Machine Workers of America (UE).
“I want to thank Senator Markey for introducing this very important piece of legislation that is intended to improve air quality technology for locomotives while also ensuring workforce development as there’s a transition to this green technology,” said Brian Bryant, International President of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM Union). “The IAM was founded as a rail union in1888 and has very deep roots in this important industry. As the representative of more than 35,000 rail workers, the IAM Rail Division supports this legislation that is intended to help improve and expand passenger rail across the U.S. This is growing our nation’s rail technologies while ensuring good, union-paying jobs.”
Senator Markey is a long-time advocate for electrifying rail and a leader on supporting rail labor. Senator Markey and Rep. Deluzio first introduced the legislation last December. In 2020, Senator Markey introduced the BRAIN Train Act, which established a new $25 billion passenger rail grant program and required that the FRA prioritize projects that connect historically under-connected areas. In April 2024, Senator Markey worked closely with a broad coalition of environmental groups and labor groups to send two letters to the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Transportation, calling for the EPA to update its locomotive emissions standard and for the DOT to require federally funded work to reduce emissions and to use union labor. In July 2023, Senator Markey chaired an Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Clean Air, Climate, and Nuclear Safety Hearing on reducing locomotive emissions and the need for EPA to update its 2008 locomotive emission standards.
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