49 U.S.C. § 24305 — General authority

(a) Acquisition and Operation of Equipment and Facilities. Amtrak can acquire, run, maintain, and contract for equipment and facilities needed for intercity and commuter rail, mail and express transport, and auto-ferry service. Amtrak must control, as much as practical, all aspects of the rail service it provides itself. Amtrak may contract with a bus company for intercity passenger transport over regular routes, but only if: the bus company is not a public agency getting government assistance (other than certain rural transit funding); the passengers already traveled by rail or will travel by rail afterward; and the buses used are only for those connecting passengers. This restriction does not apply to service mostly funded by a State or local government, or to plain ticket-selling agreements. (b) Maintenance and Rehabilitation. Amtrak may maintain and rehabilitate its rail passenger equipment, and must keep a regional maintenance plan that includes: a review panel picked by Amtrak's President; a system-wide inventory of spare parts in each region; enough maintenance staff for cars and locomotives in each region; a systematic preventive maintenance program; periodic reviews of maintenance costs, delays, and parts shortages with fixes for them; and any other elements Amtrak thinks appropriate. (c) Miscellaneous Authority. Amtrak may: make and carry out reasonable agreements; transport mail and express, and must try hard to win the U.S. Postal Service's bulk mail business; improve its reservation system and advertising; provide food and drinks on trains; run research, development, and demonstration programs tied to its mission; and buy or lease rail cars and develop better rolling stock. (d) Through Routes and Joint Fares. Congress supports Amtrak setting up through-routes and combined fares with other rail, bus, air, or water carriers, domestic or international, and encourages using existing legal authority (sections 11322 and 14302) to improve public service and efficiency. (e) Rail Police. Amtrak can directly hire or contract rail police to protect passengers and Amtrak's property. Rail police who already meet one State's licensing requirements can work across other States without needing to separately meet each State's requirements. (f) Domestic Buying Preferences. For purchases costing at least $1,000,000, Amtrak must buy only unmanufactured materials mined or produced in the U.S. (including territories and D.C.), or manufactured goods made in the U.S. substantially from U.S.-sourced materials. The Secretary of Transportation may exempt Amtrak from this rule for specific items if following it would be against the public interest, would cost too much, if the items aren't available in the U.S. in sufficient quantity or quality, or if rolling stock or engines can't be delivered domestically in a reasonable time.