UNDATED - The head of Amtrak says its crunch time again for the national rail passenger system which serves Gainesville.
According to the Georgia Association of Railroad Passengers (GARP), Congress adjourned last week without passing a 2003 budget for Amtrak.
A continuing resolution is providing Amtrak with interim funding, but when the new Congress convenes next month, it will have to decide on a final funding figure.
The House has proposed $762 million for Amtrak, but Amtrak President David Gunn says $1.2 billion is needed to prevent the "demise" of the system.
"Congress can vote $700 million and turn to me and say, 'handle it,' but I'm telling you, it has enormous reprecussions," Gunn told The Peach State XPress, the GARP newsletter.
When Republicans take control of the Senate in January, John McCain of Arizona will become chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, which plays an important role in Amtrak funding.
The newsletter quotes McCain as saying "subsidization of forever of Amtrak is nothing that this senator will ever support."
The Amtrak "Crescent" stops twice daily in Gainesville.
Thursday
April 25th, 2024
12:45PM
