By Ed Somers
September 8, 2003

Amendments to both increase and cut Amtrak funding were defeated in the House of Representatives on September 4 as the FY 2004 funding bill for the Department of Transportation (DOT) was debated. In the end, the House approved the committee recommended figure of $900 million, the amount requested by the Administration. The House rejected an amendment that would have cut this level to $580 million.

In commenting on the $900 million funding level, Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Railroads Chairman Jack Quinn (NY) said, "We have given Amtrak just enough money to fail."

On the same day, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved $1.3 billion for Amtrak as part of its FY 2004 funding bill for DOT.

Both of these figures are significantly less than the $1.8 billion Amtrak says it's needs for the coming year.