(Reuters circulated the following article on September 28.)
WASHINGTON — The performance of Amtrak’s board will be reviewed by Department of Transportation (DOT) auditors after congressional Democrats raised concerns about oversight of the national passenger railroad.
Amtrak Chairman David Laney was advised of the review in a letter written Tuesday by the DOT’s Office of Inspector General and disclosed on Thursday.
The review was requested by Democratic lawmakers who examined board operations and found in March that some deficiencies raised in a 2005 Government Accountability Office report required additional scrutiny.
“They cited concerns that Amtrak’s Board of Directors has not exercised sufficient oversight of the corporation or held management accountable for results and whether the Amtrak’s board’s expenses are appropriate,” David Tornquist, assistant inspector general for competition and economic analysis wrote in the letter to Laney.
Democrats have disagreed with the board’s proposal to restructure Amtrak and the firing of its president, David Gunn, last November in a dispute with directors and the Bush administration over the railroad’s future.
Amtrak is a for-profit corporation that was created by Congress. It receives annual government subsidies to survive.
An Amtrak spokesman referred questions on the review to Laney, who could not immediately be reached for comment.
In addition to looking at how the board operates, the review will examine the board’s expenses from fiscal 2002 until the present. The current fiscal year ends Sept. 30.
Other areas of review include whether the board has followed established procedures and whether the board has set goals and performance standards for the rail service.
“The results of our review will aid in identifying whether potential reforms to improve the board’s performance are needed,” Tornquist said.