Transportation, Treasury, Housing and Urban Development, the Judiciary, the District of Columbia, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006

TRANSPORTATION, TREASURY, HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, THE JUDICIARY, THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, AND INDEPENDENT AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2006 -- (House of Representatives - June 29, 2005)

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Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Chairman, I applaud the committee for its accomplishments in crafting H.R. 3058, including increasing funding to public transit and preserving the CDBG program, I join my colleagues in expressing my disappointment that Amtrak has not been adequately funded.

By providing only $550 million for Amtrak, this bill would have the effect of pushing Amtrak into bankruptcy. Many people might think that $550 million is an enormous amount. In fact, $550 million is only 5 percent of the total amount that is provided in this bill for the air traffic control system, and it is $323 million less than Congress has appropriated to support the redevelopment of transportation infrastructure in Iraq.

In addition to failing to adequately fund Amtrak, the committee inserted a provision in the bill that would have the effect of eliminating up to 18 different Amtrak routes, including six routes that travel through my district in Baltimore.

Mr. Chairman, it is time we bring to close the prolonged debate about the future of Amtrak by recommitting ourselves to the value of our national intercity passenger rail service. I have therefore joined with my colleagues, the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Corrine Brown), the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Rahall), and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Menendez), in sponsoring an amendment that would save these 18 routes and preserve passenger rail service in 23 States. I urge my colleagues to keep Amtrak on track.

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