FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Douglas John Bowen, (201) 798-6137
James Ciacciarelli, (856) 988-5190
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MAJORITY OF U.S. SENATE SUPPORTS FULL AMTRAK FUNDING

New Jersey's Lautenberg, Corzine Among the Majority;
NJ-ARP Gratified by Duo's Continued Support

CHATHAM, N.J., August 23, 2004 -- The United States Senate Monday spoke with a strong voice by releasing a letter with 51 Senators' signatures requesting full Amtrak funding from Senate appropriators.

New Jersey's two U.S. Senators, Jon Corzine (D) and Frank R. Lautenberg (D), are among the cosigners, according to Douglas John Bowen, president of the New Jersey Association of Railroad Passengers (NJ-ARP), the statewide rail passenger advocacy group.

The Senate letter, co-authored by Senators Ernest Hollings (D-S.C.) and Arlen Specter (R-Pa.), requests a fiscal 2005 appropriation of $1.798 billion for Amtrak capital and operating needs. This level of funding is critical to avoid a shut-down crisis in 2005 and maintain Amtrak President David L. Gunn's efforts to return the railroad to a state of good repair.

"New Jersey's bipartisan congressional delegation routinely signals its support for Amtrak each year," Bowen noted. "But NJ-ARP doesn't take that for granted. We're grateful to New Jersey's House representatives and -- in this case -- our two U.S. Senators for their continued support of Amtrak and a national rail passenger network."

The Senate letter takes on added importance given the shut-down funding level of $900 million approved by the House Appropriations Committee on July 22, 2004. A timeline for Senate action on Amtrak's appropriation will be decided upon at the end of the August recess.

A copy of the text of the letter, as well as a list of Senators who signed the letter, may be viewed at the Web site of the National Association of Railroad Passengers (NARP) at http://www.narprail.org/sen7.htm. NARP is based in Washington, D.C.