Senate passes increased funding for Amtrak, passenger rail
September 20th, 2019
September 20, 2019 - RailPassengers.org -
Appropriations Committee emphasizes importance of National Network to Amtrak-served communities
The Senate Appropriations Committee passed an $86.6 billion Fiscal Year 2020 transportation funding bill, an increase of $167 million over this year’s levels--$58 million of which went to increased funding for Amtrak. The bill was approved by a vote of 31-0, a strong show of bipartisan support infrastructure investment has in Congress, and a rejection of the Trump Administration’s proposal to eliminate funding for the National Network.
“Thanks to bipartisan cooperation on this Subcommittee, Senator Reed and I have drafted a bill that accommodates the priorities of many Members. We received input from 75 Senators with more than 950 requests, all of which we carefully evaluated,” said Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine), chair of the Senate Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Subcommittee. “This legislation will support job creation and economic development [and] allow us to make critical improvements to our infrastructure.”
While the text of the bill has not yet been released, the Appropriations Committee did release topline figures:
Read more: https://www.railpassengers.org/happening-now/news/blog/senate-passes-increased-funding-for-amtrak-passenger-rail-programs/
Appropriations Committee emphasizes importance of National Network to Amtrak-served communities
The Senate Appropriations Committee passed an $86.6 billion Fiscal Year 2020 transportation funding bill, an increase of $167 million over this year’s levels--$58 million of which went to increased funding for Amtrak. The bill was approved by a vote of 31-0, a strong show of bipartisan support infrastructure investment has in Congress, and a rejection of the Trump Administration’s proposal to eliminate funding for the National Network.
“Thanks to bipartisan cooperation on this Subcommittee, Senator Reed and I have drafted a bill that accommodates the priorities of many Members. We received input from 75 Senators with more than 950 requests, all of which we carefully evaluated,” said Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine), chair of the Senate Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Subcommittee. “This legislation will support job creation and economic development [and] allow us to make critical improvements to our infrastructure.”
While the text of the bill has not yet been released, the Appropriations Committee did release topline figures:
Read more: https://www.railpassengers.org/happening-now/news/blog/senate-passes-increased-funding-for-amtrak-passenger-rail-programs/