Sen. Casey Presses For Expanded Funding For Amtrak
By Paul Kurtz
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- US senator Robert Casey (D-Pa.) was in Philadelphia today to call on Congress to approve the Senate's version of a funding bill for Amtrak.
At a press conference at 30th Street Station, Casey said last month's train disaster in Philadelphia underscored the need to make sure Amtrak has the proper funding to improve safety and infrastructure.
"We have to make the case, especially in the aftermath of a horrific tragedy, to make sure the folks in Washington know that Amtrak is essential, not only for the Northeast but for the whole country," Casey said.
The Senate bill would provide $1.4 billion in funding. A House bill approved last month, just days after the deadly derailment, would cut nearly $300 million from Amtrak's budget. However, it includes $9 million in new funding for video cameras inside locomotive cabs.
