The National Association of Railroad Passengers (NARP) presented Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) with the Golden Spike Award for his long and unflagging support of American passenger trains.

“I would like to thank the National Association of Railroad Passengers for this honor. I am truly humbled. For more than a century, passenger rail service has been a safe and reliable means for the citizens of our great nation to move about the country. I will continue to do everything I can in the Congress to support this important mode of transportation,” said Sen. Inouye.

Despite the absence of Amtrak service in his state, Inouye has been a staunch defender of Amtrak, allowing the company to grow its ridership to the record levels seen over the past decade. In his work as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, he played a key role in the passage of the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act (PRIIA) of 2008 — the first Amtrak authorization passed by Congress since 1997. PRIIA created a number of important programs, including creating a federal grant program for states to support infrastructure upgrades for passenger trains and establishing the Next Generation Corridor Equipment Pool Committee.

NARP presents George Falcon Golden Spike Awards to honor individuals for their support for a fully developed train network and leadership in promoting rail development.