HHS's Thompson denies reports he will resign from Amtrak post

Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson said Monday he continues to serve as chairman of Amtrak and denied he has acceded to White House pressure to resign the passenger railroad job, the Associated Press reported. Thompson said published reports in recent days that he has decided to quit his Amtrak post "were completely news to me." Thompson added: "I'm a workaholic. I've always had many responsibilities that I'm able to handle." Thompson served 14 years as Wisconsin governor before joining the Bush administration. Still, Thompson demurred when asked if he will stay at Amtrak for his full term, which ends in 2003. "I'm not going to say that. ... There's been no final decision made either way," Thompson said in an interview after addressing members of the American Dental Association. In 1998, then-President Clinton appointed Thompson to a five-year term on the Amtrak board. The seven-person board has selected Thompson as its chairman every year since.