House panel grants Amtrak three-year extension

Grumbling about how much money is needed to get Amtrak back on financial track, a House committee voted Wednesday to reauthorize the passenger rail service for another three years at a cost of $6 billion.

Leaders of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee said the authorization in the bill (H.R. 2572) falls way short of what's needed to improve the rail system. The bill goes to the House.

"We're making a start here," the ranking Democrat, James Oberstar of Minnesota, said. But, he added, "It's no solution to Amtrak's problems."

Similarly Rep. John Mica, R-Fla., said, "If you think this is going to reform Amtrak, you are smoking some funny weed."

Members of both parties, however, praised the new head of Amtrak, David Gunn, as an administrator who could help end the passenger rail system's financial losses.

The General Accounting Office recently testified that it would take $6 billion alone to catch up with deferred maintenance.

The bill authorizes $2 billion a year for fiscal 2004 through 2006.