(The Huntington, W.Va., Herald-Dispatch posted the following article by Raju Chebium on its website on March 23.)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Sen. Robert Byrd believes Amtrak needs twice the money President Bush has set aside for it in his proposed budget for next year.
The Senate narrowly agreed with the West Virginia Democrat.
Senators voted 51-49 on Friday to approve a measure Byrd introduced to increase funding for the national passenger railroad to $1.8 billion, twice the $900 million the White House allocated in its budget in February.
Byrd s amendment is part of a budget blueprint the Senate is expected to pass this week. The House has already passed it.
The president presents a spending plan to Congress early every year. Congress then dissects the budget and comes up with an alternative. The executive and legislative branches then reach a compromise between their two versions. Usually budget negotiations drag on until the end of the year.
The blueprint, an early step in the budget-writing process, isn’t binding on Congress or the administration, but sets spending limits for various programs.
So the Senate s action doesn t mean Amtrak will get $1.8 billion next year, but does indicate the Republican-controlled Congress is willing to allocate that much money for the financially ailing railroad.
“Amtrak is the nation s passenger rail service. It is not just service for big cities or for urban regions. For many rural Americans, Amtrak represents the only major transportation link to the rest of the country,” Byrd said. “This funding level will ensure that the railroad remains viable throughout the entirety of 2004. & A funding level of $900 million for 2004 will ensure that the railroad enters bankruptcy about halfway through the fiscal year.”