CLEVELAND, June 29 — The following is a statement by BLET National President Don M. Hahs regarding the House vote yesterday to fully fund Amtrak.
Yesterday, the U.S. House of Representatives took a courageous step and voted to fully fund our nation’s passenger rail carrier, Amtrak. The House recognized what the American people have known for decades — that Amtrak is an integral and valuable portion of the nation’s transportation infrastructure. Members of the House sided with the American people voted to save Amtrak from its foes in the Bush administration.
Our nation needs a mix of transportation options, and passenger rail is an important component in this mix. The Bush administration clearly did not believe this when it came up with its wrong-headed proposal. The administration’s proposal would catapult Amtrak into bankruptcy, leading to the destruction of the system. Bankruptcy would be disastrous for Amtrak and would actually take away Congressional control of the passenger carrier and place control in the hands of a trustee. Congress will not be able to legislate any changes to Amtrak once bankruptcy proceedings have been begun.
Under the Bush plan, Railroad Retirement taxes would increase to make up for the loss of 20,000 Amtrak jobs and would eventually jeopardize the entire Railroad Retirement system.
The “reforms” that the Bush administration has proposed are not really reforms. Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta criss-crossed the country stumping for a Bush plan to destroy the passenger rail system in this country as we know it.
Representatives Steven LaTourette (R-OH), James Oberstar (D-MN) and Corrine Brown (D-FL), and all of the House members who voted for these amendments, should be commended for their support of passenger rail. The LaTourette/Oberstar amendment increases Amtrak’s funding level to $1.2 billion from the $550 million which was allocated by the Appropriations Committee last week. Rep. Brown’s amendment restores subsidies for 18 long distance routes.
Representative Brown’s amendment passed by a 269-152 margin and the LaTourette/Oberstar amendment passed overwhelmingly by a voice vote. The margin of victory for both of these amendments demonstrates that these legislators realized the value of Amtrak, and the peril that awaited the carrier and its employees if it was allowed to languish without funding. The bi-partisan support demonstrates that the House sided with the American people, not with the ideologues of the Bush Administration.
Hopefully, the U.S. Senate will take the same courageous step when a similar proposal is put before it. Amtrak is a vital part of America’s transportation system and deserves to be fully funded.