Amtrak's $900 million in funding falls short

Rehberg pledges support for full rail funding

The Daily Inter Lake

A U.S. House appropriations subcommittee on Thursday approved $900 million in 2007 funding for Amtrak, a figure some lawmakers say is essentially "a shutdown number."

"This is a better starting point than we had last year when the president's request was zero," Congressman Denny Rehberg, R-Mont., said in a press release. "Every year, it's the same song and dance with Amtrak. Cross-country rail service is the responsibility of the federal government. There simply needs to be more funding for a transportation option that is vital to Montanans."

Rehberg, a member of the House Appropriations Committee, said he'd press his Congressional colleagues to increase Amtrak's 2007 budget.

When Amtrak's Empire Builder service through Montana was threatened last year, Rehberg used his position on the committee to push for funding for the Empire Builder. He led a bipartisan coalition that eventually won approval of legislation to restore full funding for Amtrak at $1.3 billion for the current fiscal year.

A $900 million appropriation - the funding level supported by the Bush administration - would leave only about $100 million for capital projects, most of which would be consumed by "legally mandated" investments to comply with environmental and other laws, according to the National Association of Railroad Passengers.

Amtrak has used increased funding in recent years for capital improvements, not operations. Operating grants have remained stable even as ridership has grown. Last year Amtrak debuted its renovated and upgraded Empire Builder cars and announced plans of a systemwide rebuild of passenger cars.

Not all appropriations subcommittee members supported the $900 million budget, the nonprofit railroad association noted. Committee chairman Joe Knollenberg, R-Mich., said "obviously, we're going to have to find an increase in funding down the way." Rep. John Olver, D-Mass., the subcommittee's top Democrat, called $900 million "a shutdown number."

Railroad association director Ross Capon said it's vital that Knollenberg's "prediction of increased funding be fulfilled.

"At a time of high gas prices and growing uncertainty about future energy supplies, it makes no sense to cut passenger train service," Capon said.

The legislation next goes to the full House Appropriations Committee in early June.

Amtrak ridership in Montana increased at most stops last year. Whitefish, the passenger service's busiest Montana stop, had a 9.8 percent increase from 2004 to 2005, accommodating 62,719 passengers last year compared to 57,141 the previous year.

Total ridership for Montana was 142,783, up 9 percent from 2004.