Amtrak won’t shut down if government does

by Keith Laing - 04/08/11 5:59 PM ET

Congress subsidizes Amtrak operations. Though Republicans have sharply criticized the agency recently, its 2011 funding has not been a sticking point in negotiations between the House and Senate this week. The service is seeking $2.2 billion for 2012 and has enough to operate in the event of a short-term federal shutdown, spokesman Steve Kulm told The Hill.

“Amtrak has money beyond the federal investment,” Kulm said. “We’ve got money from the last payment from the government, ticket revenue and other revenue.”

President Obama has proposed putting Amtrak’s funding under the Federal Railroad Administration instead of Congress.

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