Rep. Shuster applauds Amtrak decision to continue Pennsylvania service

{mosads}“I am pleased that Amtrak and the Commonwealth came together to preserve Amtrak’s Pennsylvanian service,” Shuster said in a statement.

“From the start, I urged both Pennsylvania and Amtrak to sit down and come up with a plan that makes sense for both parties,” the Transportation Committee chairman continued.  “We reformed federal law in 2008 to ensure states had more authority in the process while making Amtrak more accountable. This is an example of how partnerships between states and Amtrak can produce savings while maintaining service.”

GOP lawmakers in the House have pushed in the past to eliminate funding for  long-distance railways that operate outside of the Northeast. The last Congress also saw a push to privatize Amtrak service in the region, which is by far, home to its most profitable routes.

Lawmakers are expected to begin debate this year on a new version of the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act (PRIIA), which is the bill that traditional includes Amtrak funding.