U.S. Senators say Amtrak's waffling on Southwest Chief funding is "fiscally irresponsible"
June 8th, 2018
June 8, 2018 - TRA Newswire -
Three Congressional delegations that have supported the program to stabilize and improve the Southwest Chief route in CO, KS and NM have fired off an angry letter to Amtrak CEO Richard Anderson demanding to know why the railroad has withdrawn from funding its portion of a TIGER grant for upkeep of the BNSF line that the train operates on.
Calling Amtrak's withholding of $3 million dollars toward a multi-state agreement "fiscally irresponsible" the Senators and Congressional signers to the letter "condemn such a decision and urge you to uphold your commitment to the TIGER IX grant and the states and local communities we represent and that you partnered with in this muti-year effort." In the letter to Anderson, Senators and Congressmen said that "the Southwest Chief is vital to the economic well-being of our communities."
The bi-partisan letter was signed by both Senators of Colorado, Kansas and New Mexico along with five members of Congressional districts along the route of the Southwest Chief.
Southwest Chief Bicameral letter to Amtrak_05312018 (1)
Three Congressional delegations that have supported the program to stabilize and improve the Southwest Chief route in CO, KS and NM have fired off an angry letter to Amtrak CEO Richard Anderson demanding to know why the railroad has withdrawn from funding its portion of a TIGER grant for upkeep of the BNSF line that the train operates on.
Calling Amtrak's withholding of $3 million dollars toward a multi-state agreement "fiscally irresponsible" the Senators and Congressional signers to the letter "condemn such a decision and urge you to uphold your commitment to the TIGER IX grant and the states and local communities we represent and that you partnered with in this muti-year effort." In the letter to Anderson, Senators and Congressmen said that "the Southwest Chief is vital to the economic well-being of our communities."
The bi-partisan letter was signed by both Senators of Colorado, Kansas and New Mexico along with five members of Congressional districts along the route of the Southwest Chief.
Southwest Chief Bicameral letter to Amtrak_05312018 (1)