(The Associated Press circulated the following article by Sarah Karush on March 15.)
WASHINGTON — The Senate’s budget plan includes a boon for Amtrak – $1.78 billion for intercity passenger rail, nearly twice the amount proposed by President Bush and even more than Amtrak’s own budget request.
The amount, announced Wednesday by Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J, is included in the plan being unveiled by Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad, D-N.D. It matches the amount called for in a broad, six-year Amtrak authorization bill introduced in January by Lautenberg and Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss
The $1.78 billion includes $100 million in the form of matching grants for states to use to develop rail service on key corridors in their territory and $50 million to pay for upgrades needed to make Amtrak stations compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Amtrak’s request, including those two items, totaled $1.68 billion.
Amtrak spokeswoman Karina Romero called the proposed $1.78 billion “very encouraging.”
It’s unlikely that Congress will give Amtrak more than it asked for, though theoretically the extra money could be moved over to expand the state grant program.
Amtrak wants to establish such a program to help states fund their own rail service over frequently traveled routes that have no rail connection or limited service. Already, 14 states pay Amtrak for service, but supporters of a matching program say many more would seek to expand service if federal support was available.
President Bush is also a supporter of the idea. His budget proposal also calls for $100 million for state matching grants, though it would pare Amtrak’s direct subsidy down to $800 million.
Amtrak is getting $1.3 billion for the current fiscal year. The railroad’s funding prospects are considered better now that Democrats control Congress.
“We’re on our way to building a 21st-century rail system, one that continues to serve travelers like those in New Jersey, but that will serve new passengers as we expand our corridor service,” Lautenberg said in a statement. “We’re finally giving people a real choice between the congestion of our highways and airports and the convenience of a train.”