CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., said Monday that a House Republican plan to privatize Amtrak service would threaten to eliminate passenger train service in West Virginia. "Amtrak is a lifeline for our nation's communities -- including many among the Cardinal and Capitol Limited lines in West Virginia -- and is an engine of economic growth.
"Amtrak provides West Virginians with an affordable way to get between small communities and big cities, and the Republican plan would put it in jeopardy."
Current Republican-backed legislation would privatize Amtrak, offering it to the highest bidder on the private market.
Two major supporters of the legislation to privatize Amtrak are Reps. John Mica, R-Fla., chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and Bill Shuster, R-Pa., chairman of the Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee.
"Selling Amtrak piece by piece to profit-seeking private companies is a risky proposal," Rockefeller said.
Click for Full Text!
