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Rahall Fights Attempt to Derail Amtrak Reauthorization

06/11/08

U.S. Representative Nick Rahall (D-WV) Wednesday stood up to a  White House veto threat and joined his House colleagues in passing legislation to extend, for another five years, federal support of Amtrak, including routes important to West Virginians

This White House has a one-track mind with respect to Amtrak – derail it,” Rahall said. “But this latest effort to nix Amtrak reauthorization is particularly ill-considered, given rising gas costs that are driving more citizens to rely on the railways.” 

The Amtrak reauthorization would provide $14.4 billion over the course of the bill for continued operations of the passenger rail provider. In addition, it contains $1.75 billion to help fund grants to states and to Amtrak for high-speed corridors, as well as provisions aimed at shoring up oversight of operations.
Throughout its tenure, the Bush Administration has repeatedly sought to break up Amtrak and to eliminate rural routes. The last Amtrak authorization bill, the Amtrak Reform and Accountability Act, expired in 2002. As a result, the Congress has had to pass funding every year to ensure continued, uninterrupted Amtrak service to citizens who rely upon rail travel. 

“This current Congress is acting responsibly to extend Amtrak for five years and provide greater certainty for all of those citizens who ride the rails,” Rahall said. 

Amtrak ridership has been on the rise for a number of years. Between fiscal years 2002 and 2007, ridership increased to 25.8 million and total ticket revenue in fiscal 2007 rose 11 percent over fiscal  2006. Current media reports attribute the continued bump in ridership as a result of high gasoline prices. 

In West Virginia, Amtrak runs the Cardinal, a route that connects New York to Chicago and which makes stops in White Sulphur Springs, Alderson, Hinton, Prince, Thurmond, Montgomery, Charleston, and Huntington. The Capitol Limited serves the Eastern Panhandle and connects to Washington and through Pittsburgh to Chicago. 

“If we didn’t learn after 9-11 the importance of Amtrak in our mix of transportation alternatives, certainly the challenges of rising fuel prices should convince us that rail service is a needed and valuable option,” Rahall said. “Although I am not holding my breath, I hope that the President will reconsider his veto threat and sign this needed legislation.”