U.S. Rep. Nick J. Rahall (D-WV) said the Republican budget continues to misplace American priorities and "could do significant harm to America's transportation infrastructure," as the budget would severely underfund and possibly derail Amtrak, among other transportation programs.

"Here we go again," said Rahall, who has helped lead efforts in the past to restore needed funding in the budget to keep Amtrak running. "When are folks going to learn that Amtrak is essential to meeting the transportation needs of our citizens, particularly in the form of the Cardinal Line that serves West Virginia?"

In this year's budget blueprint, the Administration proposes no direct investment in Amtrak for operational purposes. Instead, and much like last year, the Administration has tied federal investment in Amtrak to numerous conditions Amtrak will be unlikely or unable to meet.

"The Administration is holding Amtrak and its passengers hostage with this budget proposal," Rahall said. "The GOP leadership in Washington is willing to invest in railroads, highways and airports in Iraq, but refuses to come up with the needed investments here in America to keep our transportation infrastructure from crumbling beneath our feet."

In last year's proposed budget, the Administration provided zero funding for Amtrak, forcing Members of Congress to restore the needed investments in Amtrak. Rahall and others led an effort on the House floor to not only save Amtrak's Cardinal Line, which runs through southern West Virginia, but also to provide a $1.3 billion investment in Amtrak to keep the service running.

"Last year, the Administration was willing to completely derail Amtrak by proposing zero funding for the rail service," Rahall said. "Had they had their way, millions of Americans would have been left on the platform with no trains in sight, forced to find another more expensive, less-efficient way to travel. Fortunately, we stopped them last year and I'm confident we'll do so again this year."