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Amtrak Gets More Money, Continues to Suck

The US House of Representatives has just passed a $14.9 billion bill to finance Amtrak for the next five years. It also includes a provision for another $1.5 billion of federal money for the Washington, DC Metro.

Though President Bush says he won't sign the measure, the bill passed with a big enough majority that the House would likely override any veto. Jaunted frienemy Rep. James Oberstar helped craft the bill, along with longtime Amtrak critic Rep. John Mica, who's apparently finally sick of paying $4 a gallon for gas.

A similar bill has already passed the Senate, but the House version includes a requirement that the Department of Transportation seek proposals from private companies to build a high-speed rail line along the Eastern Seaboard.

That might be a nice change: A private company probably wouldn't announce plans to shut down this weekend only to reschedule those repairs for June 16-19.

Related Stories:
· Bipartisan Bill Funding Amtrak Passes in House [AP, via WP]
· Amtrak coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: william.ward]