From the AP Newswire: House bill would give Amtrak $900 million next year September 4, 2003 Associated Press WASHINGTON -- Rejecting efforts to further cut federal subsidies for Amtrak, the House settled Thursday on giving the money-losing railway $900 million next year. It is the amount President Bush proposed but only half what Amtrak says it needs to retain existing services. The question of Amtrak's future dominated debate on a $89.3 billion bill to fund Transportation and Treasury programs in the budget year starting Oct. 1. Several supporters of the national rail system also tried, without success, to substantially increase Amtrak's funds. A final vote on the legislation might not come until next week. The Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday approved $1.35 billion in subsidies for Amtrak, more than the House version but still less than the $1.8 billion Amtrak says is necessary to keep current operations intact. Meanwhile, the House, on a 327-90 vote, removed a provision in the bill that would have eliminated a requirement that states use 10 percent of their federal highway money for bike trails, pedestrian walkways and other transportation enhancement projects. The program directs around $600 million a year into trails, transportation museums and restoration of scenic or historic highway sites. "It's the single most popular federal aid highway program," said Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., head of the congressional bicycle caucus. The House rejected two proposals to reduce the Amtrak budget by $320 million, moving that amount to highways or programs to fight drugs or terrorism. "The unhealthy relationship between the Congress and Amtrak has become a seemingly endless cycle of empty promises and bottomless government subsidies," said Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., whose amendment lost 322-90. "This has to come to an end some time." But Rep. Jack Quinn, R-N.Y., among the many northeastern lawmakers who strongly support Amtrak, said that even the $900 million would not lift the railway from its financial crisis. That budget, he said, is "just enough money to make sure it fails." Quinn offered, and then withdrew, a proposal to boost Amtrak's funds to $1.7 billion and delay for a year repayment of a $1 billion Transportation Department loan. Amtrak, formed in 1971 from defunct passenger railroads, serves 500 communities in 46 states on 22,000 miles of track. But it continues to have operating losses of about $1 billion a year, raising debate in Congress over whether the government should subsidize a national passenger rail service. In 1997, Congress voted to give the railroad five years to wean itself from federal support, a deadline that was not met. Richard Moe, president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, applauded the House for approving the amendment, offered by Reps. Tom Petri, R-Wis., and John Olver, D-Mass., to preserve the guaranteed money for transportation enhancements. He said that since the program was enacted, it has provided $6 billion to 16,699 community-based projects. Rep. Ernest Istook, R-Okla., chairman of the Appropriations subcommittee that handles the legislation, said he supported eliminating the 10 percent requirement because "it's time to give communities a choice, not a commandment" on how to spend highway money. --- On the Net: Information on the bill, H.R. 2989, can be found at this site
If only the public would learn, understand, how much our OTHER transportation systems are subsidized. Boxcab E50
