Senator Collins joined a bipartisan group of Senators today in calling on the President to take quick action on the issue. "Absent immediate action, all intercity passenger rail service and many commuter rail services in this country will come to a halt in just a few days time," said Senator Collins. "it is essential that urgent measures be taken to ensure that Amtrak, and the many commuter rail services that depend on it, continue to operate through the remainder of this fiscal year. We can either provide Amtrak the money it requires to maintain operations or face the termination of intercity passenger rail service and many commuter services across the country."
In a letter to the President, Senator Collins and her colleagues noted that the nation's economy and morale have suffered since September 11th, especially in areas such as New York City and Washington, D.C., which rely heavily on efficient Amtrak and commuter rail service. "We do not need to impose additional suffering by terminating rail service and throwing more than 23,000 Amtrak employees out of work across the nation. In the wake of September 11th, we provided a $15 billion bailout to the airlines. We are asking you to support slightly more than 1 percent of that amount to keep passenger rail service alive in our country."
Closer to home, Senator Collins has noted that shutting down Amtrak service would be "disastrous for passengers in Maine." Amtrak operates daily Downeaster service between Portland, Maine and Boston, Massachusetts.