» House Approves $1.4 Billion For Amtrak - New York House Delegation Solidly Supports Amtrak

The House passed a $104.4 billion fiscal 2008 Transportation and Housing bill on Tuesday, July 24, which contains $1.4 billion for Amtrak. The bill, H.R. 3074, passed by a vote of 268-153. The legislation managed to survive waves of attacks from members of the Republican Study Committee, led by Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ), fighting to eliminate funding for many programs and earmarks.

Flake offered amendments to cut Amtrak funding in one case by reducing operating funding by $475 million, in the other by cutting the capital and debt service grant by $425 million. In addition, Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX) offered an amendment to forbid Amtrak from spending any operating funds to operate the route with the highest loss per passenger mile, a clearly stated attack on the Sunset Limited.  And Rep. Michele Bachmann’s (R-MN) amendment to the Fiscal 2008 Transportation-HUD appropriations bill sought to cut Amtrak’s funding by $106 million and transfer this to homeless housing programs. All four Amendments were soundly defeated.

New York’s entire House delegation (both Democrats and Republicans) voted solidly in favor of Amtrak. In fact there was only one anti-Amtrak vote cast on all four of the amendments offered (that was by a New York City representative to support the attack on the Sunset Limited, which failed).

The full New York House delegation voting record on the Amtrak Amendments is available HERE (PDF).

ESPA applauds New York’s entire House Delegation for supporting Amtrak and recognizing the need to adequately fund operations and capital for FY 2008. You are urged to thank your respective representative also!

The Senate is expected to take up their version of a Transportation bill after Labor Day. Both Senator Schumer and Senator Clinton are long-time Amtrak supporters, but they should be urged to actively work to garner support for at least an equal funding level among their Senate colleagues.