Rep. Mica to Amtrak: Stop bringing in chefs to cook train food

{mosads}”I intend to have our Government Operations Subcommittee investigate these outrageous expenditures and have asked Rail Subcommittee Chairman Jeff Denham to also review these practices,” Mica continued. “With a total $1.4 billion Amtrak taxpayer subsidy for just the last year, extravagant chef-designed dishes need to be considered for the chopping block.”

The fact that Amtrak was bringing in chefs to improve its onboard meals was first reported by The Washington Post.

Mica, who is a former chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, has frequently criticized Amtrak for receiving subsidies from the federal government.

Since its inception in 1971, Amtrak has received about $1 billion per year from Congress.

Mica memorably went to a Capitol Hill area McDonald’s in 2012 to protest Amtrak’s losses on concession sales.

Amtrak supporters have argued that the company’s riders expect quality meal options. They have also contended that Amtrak’s employees who operate the concession sales are trained to assist in the event of emergencies.

Amtrak did not respond to a request for comment on Mica’s comments on Tuesday.