Both of my NM senators responded to my e-mail. One left to go- President Bush which I highly doubt that he or one of his aides will respond. Here is it:
March 8, 2005
Dear Mr. Swager:
Thank you for contacting me to share your concerns regarding
Amtrak. I appreciate hearing from you on this important issue.
Amtrak was created in 1970, and began operations in 1971, to
relieve railroad companies of their money-losing passenger operations
while maintaining passenger rail service in the United States. Under
Amtrak, passenger rail service has continued to provide intercity
transportation throughout the country. I believe Amtrak provides an
important public service, especially in rural areas where other forms of
transportation are not as prevalent. Amtrak provides an alternative to air
travel and reduces the need to drive long distances, allowing for a
reduction in fossil fuel use. Also, Amtrak uses routes that travel through
New Mexico, so it is important to our state.
Unfortunately, Amtrak has been an unprofitable venture, a fact
true for intercity passenger rail throughout the world. Amtrak earns over
$2 billion a year, but spends nearly $3 billion a year, producing operating
deficits of around $900 million annually. In addition, it has
approximately $3 billion in long-term debt and capital lease obligations,
and nearly $6 billion in capital maintenance work backlogged. In recent
years, many, including several Members of Congress, have called for
reform to the overall operations and expenditures of Amtrak.
The Amtrak Reform Council's restructuring plan, submitted to
Congress in 2002, recommended separating Amtrak into three
components - operations, infrastructure, and policy planning - and
increasing federal capital spending on passenger rail. It also encouraged
the idea of introducing competition by franchising the operation of trains
and Northeast Corridor maintenance through competitive bidding. While
I believe reform is necessary to restructure Amtrak and to ensure its
continued passenger service, I am also concerned that the funding being
proposed does not properly acknowledge the immense cost of such
reform.
In his Fiscal Year 2006 (FY06) federal budget, President Bush
has requested no funding for Amtrak, a move likely to force the entity
into bankruptcy. Unfortunately, this assault on Amtrak
demonstrates that the Administration has no real plan for
reforming the railroad other than a vain attempt to undermine it.
However, last year, Congress budgeted more for Amtrak than the
President requested. I am hopeful this will be the case again this
year. Amtrak has requested from Congress $1.8 billion in federal
money in FY06, and has constructed an operating plan by which it could
function with $1.2 billion, the same amount it received in both FY04 and
FY05. Currently, the budget is being debated in both the House and
Senate. Please be assured that I will continue to work to ensure the
future durability of Amtrak.
Thank you again for sharing your thoughts with me. Please feel free to
contact me again with comments on any federal issue. You may visit my
website at www.tomudall.house.gov for more information.
Very Truly Yours,
Tom Udall
Member of Congress
March 8, 2005
Dear Mr. Swager:
Thank you for contacting me to share your concerns regarding
Amtrak. I appreciate hearing from you on this important issue.
Amtrak was created in 1970, and began operations in 1971, to
relieve railroad companies of their money-losing passenger operations
while maintaining passenger rail service in the United States. Under
Amtrak, passenger rail service has continued to provide intercity
transportation throughout the country. I believe Amtrak provides an
important public service, especially in rural areas where other forms of
transportation are not as prevalent. Amtrak provides an alternative to air
travel and reduces the need to drive long distances, allowing for a
reduction in fossil fuel use. Also, Amtrak uses routes that travel through
New Mexico, so it is important to our state.
Unfortunately, Amtrak has been an unprofitable venture, a fact
true for intercity passenger rail throughout the world. Amtrak earns over
$2 billion a year, but spends nearly $3 billion a year, producing operating
deficits of around $900 million annually. In addition, it has
approximately $3 billion in long-term debt and capital lease obligations,
and nearly $6 billion in capital maintenance work backlogged. In recent
years, many, including several Members of Congress, have called for
reform to the overall operations and expenditures of Amtrak.
The Amtrak Reform Council's restructuring plan, submitted to
Congress in 2002, recommended separating Amtrak into three
components - operations, infrastructure, and policy planning - and
increasing federal capital spending on passenger rail. It also encouraged
the idea of introducing competition by franchising the operation of trains
and Northeast Corridor maintenance through competitive bidding. While
I believe reform is necessary to restructure Amtrak and to ensure its
continued passenger service, I am also concerned that the funding being
proposed does not properly acknowledge the immense cost of such
reform.
In his Fiscal Year 2006 (FY06) federal budget, President Bush
has requested no funding for Amtrak, a move likely to force the entity
into bankruptcy. Unfortunately, this assault on Amtrak
demonstrates that the Administration has no real plan for
reforming the railroad other than a vain attempt to undermine it.
However, last year, Congress budgeted more for Amtrak than the
President requested. I am hopeful this will be the case again this
year. Amtrak has requested from Congress $1.8 billion in federal
money in FY06, and has constructed an operating plan by which it could
function with $1.2 billion, the same amount it received in both FY04 and
FY05. Currently, the budget is being debated in both the House and
Senate. Please be assured that I will continue to work to ensure the
future durability of Amtrak.
Thank you again for sharing your thoughts with me. Please feel free to
contact me again with comments on any federal issue. You may visit my
website at www.tomudall.house.gov for more information.
Very Truly Yours,
Tom Udall
Member of Congress
