Proposed GOP Spending Cuts Would Essentially Eliminate Amtrak

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Created: 20 January 2011 20 January 2011
Federal transportation funding would take a hit under the "Spending Reduction Act" being proposed Thursday afternoon by some conservative House Republicans.
The legislation calls for eliminating the $1.5 billion annual subsidy for Amtrak, which is tantamount to shutting down the national passenger rail service, and $2.5 billion in high-speed rail grants.
The plan from the Republican Study Committee, which represents 165 members, would cut $2.5 trillion from the federal budget over the next 10 years. According to the Washington Post, that would be achieved primarily by cutting non-defense spending to 2006 levels and firing 15 percent of federal workers.
Below is a graph which shows how little the federal government has invested in intercity passenger rail over the years. The green area is hard to find.
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