President Barack Obama recently unveiled a fiscal year 2013 budget. The budget includes $47 billion over six years to develop high-speed passenger-rail corridors and improve intercity passenger-rail service.
The proposal also calls for “merging Amtrak’s stand-alone subsidiaries into the high-speed rail program as part of a larger, competitive system preservation initiative,” according to the USDOT’s budget summary.
Amtrak released the following statement: “We appreciate the Obama administration’s strong support for Amtrak and its continuing commitment to make significant investments to improve and grow intercity and high-speed passenger rail across America. Amtrak plays an important role in the nation’s transportation network, offering people a safe, efficient, and reliable alternative in an economy marked by high gas prices and pervasive highway congestion. Congress has given Amtrak a critical national mission to provide intercity passenger rail service, and with an appropriate level of federal funding support, we can secure a stronger future for our country and reduce the nation’s dependence on foreign oil.”
“TCU is pleased to see this funding for High Speed Rail,” said TCU President Bob Scardelletti “and we hope that Amtrak will receive a dedicated long term funding source, so that it will become a world-class, nationwide high-speed rail system.”