Chuck Schumer: “That is something we should consider, but we should not consider pulling the rug out from Amtrak. Roads are subsidized…”

“That is something we should consider, but we should not consider pulling the rug out from Amtrak. Roads are subsidized far beyond the nickel gas tax, and airports are taxed far beyond the ticket price. Federal dollars go into each of those; we all know that. It is not simply that one is subsidized by the other. It makes no sense if you just believe in air and roads. Before September 11, we had delay after delay after delay in the Northeast and then throughout the country in the air. In Europe, where they have as great a density, they do not have it. If you go a short distance, you take a speedy train. If you go from Paris to London, you take the Chunnel. From Paris to Frankfurt, you take the TGV. We will have to have rail in this country because we do not have enough space at the airports, we do not have enough space on the roads in the Northeast corridor, in California, and in so many other parts of the country where we have dense populations. So let's all pull together. My good friend from Arizona fights subsidies in a lot of places, and I appreciate that. But so many others will vote for subsidies in every other place, but when it comes to rail, we say no. That makes no sense. It is unfair. I am glad we have this amendment on the floor. I salute the leadership of my colleagues. I hope we will do something about Amtrak.”