Amtrak In Jeopardy Part Two
Last week I wrote about how Republicans, backed by George W. Bush, want to slash funding for Amtrak ... just as the service is needed (and used) more than ever.
Looks like the good guys have won a small victory this week in Congress.
A congressman’s bid to derail Amtrak has been squashed by his colleagues.The House of Representatives voted 328-94 against a move to end Amtrak’s federal subsidies.
The move to strip Amtrak’s support was made by Rep. Jeff Blake, a Republican from Arizona, a state with limited service from the national passenger railroad.
President Bush, a fellow Republican, has also been a vocal opponent of giving federal funding to Amtrak but is willing to provide federal funding for the airline industry.
Congress is working to fund Amtrak for the next several years, but a Bush veto still looms. I think this is quite important, so I plan to continue the updates as the Amtrak funding story continues ...
