Senate Panel Opposes White House's Amtrak Bill
By Don Phillips
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, October 3, 2003; Page A04
The Bush administration's plan to restructure Amtrak ran into nearly universal bipartisan opposition yesterday from a Senate committee, and Chairman John McCain (R-Ariz.) said he fears Congress will continue to subsidize the passenger railroad's losses while demanding no basic changes in how it operates.
Federal Railroad Administrator Allan Rutter defended the administration bill before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. Rutter said he was incredulous that anyone could think it was intended to dismantle Amtrak and dump financial responsibility for passenger train service on the states, as several senators then charged.