Del. Holmes Norton on Amtrak: ‘Certainly Is’ a Link Between Safety and Funding

‘There is a real link between what you’re able to fund and how much safety you assure the public that it’s getting’

RUSH TRANSCRIPT:
WAGNER: "Congresswoman, thank you for joining me. I know it's been a heated day on Capitol Hill. I guess let's first talk about the dividing line between some Democrats and some Republicans on this issue. Do you think that there is a link between safety and funding." 
HOLMES NORTON: "There certainly is. My heart goes out to the families of those who were hurt and certainly those who died. Look, Democrats are not -- we passed a authorization bill. We agreed we can authorize is the most X percent. It's what the appropriators give you. Now, amtrak said it needed two billion just for state of good repair, who are just keeping the train going. I am very concerned that we're driving into a safety wreck, and I must say, it may be coincidence that the cut came today, but the cuts have been coming year after year, and the cuts have been coming this year in a year when what the Republican budget does is to try to raise defense spending and take it all out of defense, out of domestic spending just like the rail and the amtrak that we've had here today. There is a real link between what you're able to fund and how much safety you assure the public that it's getting."

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