The overall GOP bill would slash Amtrak's budget by $251 million, to $1.1 billion, for the next fiscal year.
The move by Democratic Rep. Chaka Fattah failed on a party-line vote as the Appropriations Committee debated a $55 billion measure funding transportation and housing programs. The overall GOP bill would slash Amtrak's budget by $251 million, to $1.1 billion, for the next fiscal year.
"Every day, tens of thousands of passengers travel our nation's railways on Amtrak — a majority of those along the Northeast Corridor where yesterday's tragic accident occurred," said Fattah, who represents Philadelphia. "These riders deserve safe, secure, and modern infrastructure."
President Barack Obama asked for almost $2.5 billion for Amtrak in his February budget, much more than he'd requested in previous years. Obama's proposed boost is mostly dedicated to capital investment in track, tunnels and bridges and includes $400 million in grants for capital construction along Amtrak's Northeast corridor.
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I'm lost. Is Amtrak a private company? If so why is the government spending so much annually?
ReplyDeleteIt is heavily subsidized. Since our railroad infrastructure has been so extensively dismantled instead of upgraded and modernized over the past several decades, the opportunity to provide potentially profitable transport for both people and freight has been lost,
ReplyDeleteThe Amtrak budget was not slashed the growth in the fund for the next fiscal year was cut. that is it period. only in government if the growth in the budget is held back is it a cut
ReplyDelete8:53 AM. - Many private businesses plan for annual growth in their budgets and cutting off that growth is definitely considered a cut.
ReplyDeleteSuccessful governments, just like successful businesses invest in their future.
8:35 - everyone that uses it gets money in their pockets from every taxpayer that doesn't. If they had to pay fees based on cost per passenger, it would have almost no ridership - and those that rode would pay a lot to sit by themselves.....
ReplyDeleteMost people have chosen automobiles and airplanes over rail travel. Make RRs private freight service entities. RR companies own the rails anyway. They are a much slower mode of travel anyway. People can use buses and cities can keep their underground subways. Any day now flying cars will probably become available. Move over Jetsons!
ReplyDelete