WASHINGTON, D.C. — Leaders of 35 AFL-CIO transportation unions today criticized House Appropriations Committee cuts in Amtrak and highway spending, saying they would cost over 150,000 workers their jobs and jeopardize long-overdue improvements in passenger rail and critically important highway projects. At its fall meeting, the Executive Committee of the AFL-CIO’s Transportation Trades Department (TTD) unanimously adopted a statement calling upon the full House to reject these misguided cuts and instead adopt the Senate Appropriations Committee’s funding levels for Amtrak and highway programs.
According to TTD, the partisan September 26 vote in the House panel provided Amtrak only 63 percent of the minimum it needs to keep the trains running. “It is disturbing that lawmakers on the appropriations committee fail to understand the seriousness of these cuts and the deteriorating finances of Amtrak,” the policy resolution stated. “And we are especially troubled that apparent supporters of Amtrak and its employees voted against Rep. Martin Sabo’s attempt to give the passenger carrier a chance to succeed.”
The transportation labor leaders supported the spending bill adopted this summer by the Senate Appropriations Committee, which fully funds Amtrak at $1.2 billion and restores the $8.6 billion cut in the Bush highway budget. “We urge the House appropriators to reverse course and adopt the Senate spending levels. Failing to do so runs the risk of slashing Amtrak trains in communities across America, delaying much needed highway projects and idling thousands of transportation and construction workers who stand to lose their jobs in the wake of these cuts,” the labor leaders declared as the appropriations committee was expected to consider an amendment to restore the highway cuts this afternoon.
The TTD statement noted that the Amtrak situation is further complicated by the fact that the FY 2003 transportation spending bill is unlikely to be completed before Congress adjourns. While a stop-gap measure providing short-term funding would likely be adopted under that scenario, Amtrak must receive short-term funding that meets its cash needs and thus avoids a shutdown of service, TTD said.
For a copy of the resolution, visit www.ttd.org
TTD represents 35 member unions in the aviation, rail, transit, trucking, highway, longshore, maritime and related industries.