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PO Box 9007,
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A Message from President Gunn on the FY '06 Budget (June 15)
Dear Amtrak Co-workers:

Earlier today here in Washington, the House subcommittee responsible for proposing how much Amtrak receives in federal support voted $550 million for Amtrak for the entire fiscal year that starts Oct. 1. 

That's a 55-percent cut from our present funding level. There's still a long process ahead and this is not a done deal. Nevertheless, the practical impact of $550 million in federal support would be the same as zero funding for Amtrak, and they know it. It can't run a single train from point A to point B - not on the Northeast Corridor and not anywhere. 

Seven weeks ago today, I testified before the House subcommittee, reporting on all of the progress we've made lately. I reported that 
Amtrak had:
· Decreased our deficit per train mile from $22 in FY '00 to $13 in FY '04
· Increased system-wide ridership to 25 million - an all-time record
· Lowered headcount by 20 percent since FY '01
· Established a stable, efficient and vertically integrated management structure
· Completed millions of dollars in work to reduce the catalogue of deferred maintenance plaguing plant and equipment 
· Presented Congress with a package of strategic reform initiatives that, if adopted, would transform the funding and development of passenger rail service

In addition to appearing before the subcommittee formally, I have had numerous private meetings with these same members. They know that this 
amount of money will result in the termination of all intercity passenger rail service. Comments otherwise are just political spin.
 
In light of all the progress you and I have ccomplished, I am sadly disappointed at the subcommittee's action, and I imagine you are as 
well, given how dedicated so many of you are to your responsibilities and our passengers. Don't waver in your focus on passenger service and 
I won't in mine to secure adequate funding to operate our services and continue to make good on the reforms we've planned.

Regardless of the subcommittee's vote today, I don't believe that rational people - lawmakers, governors or simply our regular passengers - want to see passenger rail service shut down, and I continue to hope in the end that reason prevails. 

Sincerely,
David Gunn
President and CEO

Amtrak computer outage creates problems with trains, reservations, tickets
   (see complete article)

RailPAC endorses Amtrak-Laney funding proposal with reservations
  The Rail Passenger Association of California's board of directors on June 4 issued the following endorsement:

I.  ENDORSEMENT

    In the interest of national security and the provision of alternate forms of transportation, RailPAC endorses, with some reservations,  the "Amtrak Strategic Reform Initiatives and FY06 Grant Request," calling for "rebuilding America's Passenger Rail System," as submitted to the Congress by the Amtrak Board of Directors, its Chairman David Laney, and President David Gunn in April, 2005.
 (See complete article here)

Sources of hostility to Amtrak funding: Analysis

AMTRAK VERSUS MINETA IN MONTANA: THE STRANGE BATTLE OVER THE EMPIRE BUILDER
 
 
 
 
 
 

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DOT'S MINETA HARASSING AMTRAK &  AMTRAK'S REPLY TO THE MINETA LETTER
NARP: DOT OVERSTATES LONG DISTANCE TRAIN PRICE TAG BY $600 MILLION
SENATE HEARING UNDERLINES AMTRAK FUNDING CRUNCH; LONG-DISTANCE TRAINS NOT THE PROBLEM
The shape of long distance trains to come.
AMTRAK HEARINGS BEGIN; AMTRAK SUBMITS BUDGET REQUEST
MESSAGE FROM AMTRAK PRESIDENT DAVID GUNN TO EMPLOYEES APRIL 18 ON THE ACELA EXPRESS PROBLEM
FRA NOMINEE FACES SENATE COMMITTEE, SAYS AMTRAK'S BUDGET WILL NOT BE ZERO
EMPIRE BUILDER DERAILMENT BELIEVED CAUSED BY TRACK PROBLEM
COLORADO HIT BY MASSIVE SNOW STORM--TRAINS CONTINUE RUNNING
AMTRAK APRIL 25 SCHEDULE CHANGES
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