Castle Vows to Increase Funding for Amtrak in Response to President Bush's Budget Recommendation
Castle Vows to Increase Funding for Amtrak in Response to President Bush's Budget Recommendation
Wilmington, DE -- Delaware Congressman Mike Castle released the following statement in reaction to the President's proposed $900 million in funding for Amtrak for Fiscal Year 2007.
"Last year, the Administration proposed zeroing-out Amtrak's budget and forcing the passenger rail system into bankruptcy. Congress overwhelmingly rejected this proposal and, as co-chair of the House Passenger Rail Caucus, I helped lead the effort to provide Amtrak with sufficient funding to keep the trains running.
"The fiscal year 2007 budget request for Amtrak of $900 million signifies that the White House got the message last year, and now understands the importance of sustaining passenger rail service in this country. Still, in the face of rising energy costs, this budget proposal is unrealistic for a passenger rail system that is used by over 25 million Americans every year.
"In Delaware and across the country, gas prices are high and overcrowded highways have made it increasingly difficult for travelers. The President touched on this in his State of the Union address and one of the best ways to reduce our dependence on foreign oil is to embrace passenger rail and other environmentally efficient options.
"I share the Administration's desire to improve Amtrak's operations, and I firmly believe that this needs to be a joint collaboration between Congress, the Administration, and the rail industry. In particular, strong leadership from Amtrak's Board of Directors will be crucial, which is why I will continue to urge the President to restructure the Amtrak Board and appoint true railroad professionals to run Amtrak.
"As Congress begins considering this budget proposal, I plan to work in a bipartisan fashion to make certain that Amtrak receives adequate resources to provide safe and effective service for the thousands of Delawareans who rely on passenger rail in their daily lives."
In 2005, the Department of Transportation's Inspector General released a report, which concluded that Amtrak needs an average of $1.8 billion in federal funding to survive over the next five years.
http://www.house.gov/castle/pr_06_amtrakbudget.html