U.S. Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut asked the federal Transportation secretary Wednesday why the president wants to slash funding for railroad repairs between Boston and Washington, D.C.
Murphy said Secretary Elaine Chao stated in her own budget request that the Northeast Corridor is the busiest in the country.
“Help me figure out how I explain to our constituents why we are going to be levied with these enormous cuts even though the administration seems to recognize that this is a vitally important transportation corridor. Help me square your recognition that this is the lifeblood of our region’s economy with these very draconian cuts.”
Murphy said he feels targeted by the president’s proposed budget reductions, which would cut Amtrak’s budget in half and eliminate a program that helps maintain repairs.
Chao responded that they were “not exactly cuts” because it’s the same budget the president proposed last year.
Murphy said are more than $300 million in proposed cuts compared to the actual funding Congress gave the rail corridor last year.