Rescue workers survey the wreckage after an Amtrak passenger train derailed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, May 12, 2015.
America woke up to the news this morning of
a deadly Amtrak train crash in Philadelphia in which
seven are now confirmed dead and more than 200 injured. That made the scheduling of an Amtrak funding debate in the House Appropriations Committee even more relevant. The draft legislation the committee was considering made further cuts to already low federal funding. You can probably guess what the committee
decided to do.
As investigators began working through the wreckage of a derailed train in Philadelphia, the House Appropriations Committee on Wednesday rejected an amendment to increase funding for Amtrak.
The amendment, offered by Representative Chaka Fattah, Democrat of Pennsylvania, would have increased funding an additional $1.31 billion to the level in President Obama's budget request, increasing the amount available for Amtrak to $2.45 billion. It failed by a 21-30 vote.
"These riders deserve safe, secure, and modern infrastructure," Mr. Fattah said. "While it's too early to speculate on the cause of last night's derailment, ensuring safety and reliability on our railways requires substantial investment in Amtrak. And it is imperative we continue to prioritize our country's investment in transportation infrastructure."
Clearly, that exhortation—and the day's news—fell on deaf ears in the Republican-led committee. Chairman Harold Rogers lamented the his hands were tied, that the "Budget Control Act is the law of the land, dictates what we can’t do and we’re appropriating up to the level of the law." Nevermind that the Appropriations Committee would be a very good place for Congress to begin repealing the Budget Control Act so that artificial limits aren't placed on what government needs to do. But that would mean Republicans would have one less shield to hide behind when they refuse to do their jobs.