Congress Holds Key to Amtrak's Future

The U.S. House and Senate are on a collision course over funding measures that could spell the difference between life and death for the nation's passenger rail system.

Last week, the U.S. Senate approved a measure to increase fiscal 2003 funding for Amtrak to $1.2 billion. By contrast, leaders in the House of Representatives are seeking to cut the railroad subsidy to $762 million.

Amtrak President and Chief Executive Office David Gunn said that anything less than a $1.2 billion appropriation would guarantee a shutdown of Amtrak by this Spring or sooner.

The higher funding levels are necessary to preserve service nationwide and to maintain bridges and track on the heavily used New York to Washington D.C. route.

Go to www.goiam.org/politics.asp to send an action message to Congress demanding appropriate funding for Amtrak