On Thursday, December 18, the National Railroad Passenger Corporation of the United States and a group led by officials from the Union Station in Washington D.C. approved a renegotiated agreement, officially deciding to restore federal government control over this capital transportation hub. This decision comes at a time when the facility is undergoing extensive renovations.
According to the Congressional Hill Report, a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Transportation informed the media that both the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (commonly known as Amtrak) and the non-profit organization Union Station Redevelopment Corporation (USRC) board members unanimously voted to approve the agreement, agreeing to transfer greater control of the building to the federal government. Currently, the station is operated by the Union Station Redevelopment Corporation.
The spokesperson stated that the revised agreement grants the Union Station operator USRC more power to seek investment from the private sector, upgrade and maintain station facilities, while Amtrak focuses on railway operations.
Prior to the approval of the agreement announced on Thursday, the Department of Transportation had declared in August that the federal government would take over the management of Union Station, a move that stemmed from concerns raised by officials of the Trump administration about the station’s security.
Taking control of Union Station is also one of the measures of the Trump administration to combat criminal activities in the capital and assist in maintaining law and order in the city. In August, Trump also announced the temporary takeover of the Metropolitan Police Department of Washington D.C. and the deployment of the National Guard to assist the city police in law enforcement.
Located near the Capitol Building, Union Station serves as a hub for Amtrak trains, public buses, the Washington D.C. metro system, and retail outlets. Since the 1980s, Union Station has been owned by the U.S. Department of Transportation, but over the years, management responsibilities have been held by various other entities.
Officials of the Trump administration have previously pointed out that Union Station is part of the issues related to crime and homelessness in Washington D.C. Following President Trump’s orders to deploy troops city-wide to combat crime, National Guard troops were stationed outside this transportation hub for several weeks.
(Reference from the Congressional Hill Report)