Rail Advocates See The Right Ticket With Biden

by Megan Scully

Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2008


Advocates of passenger rail will likely have little trouble getting on board with the No. 2 on the Democratic ticket.

It is no secret that Democratic Sen. Joseph Biden is one of Amtrak's most frequent riders, using the train system for his daily commute from Wilmington, Del., to his office on Capitol Hill.

Indeed, Biden, whose son Hunter also happens to be vice chairman of Amtrak's board, made a surprise appearance at the Wilmington train station on Monday, glad-handing with and accepting congratulations from familiar faces.

But the Delaware senator who would be vice president has also been an advocate for Amtrak during his tenure in the Senate -- a position that could benefit the subsidized train service should Democrats win the White House.

Most recently, Biden was among the first senators to co-sponsor the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2007, which authorizes $11.4 billion for Amtrak over the next six years.

The measure easily passed the Senate in October and a similar bill was approved by the House this summer. The legislation is now tied up in House-Senate conference negotiations.

"As someone who rides the train every day, Sen. Biden has always been a champion for passenger rail and has been a key supporter of our bipartisan Amtrak bill," Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., chairman of the Senate Commerce Surface Transportation Subcommittee, said in a statement.

Amtrak, which relies heavily on the largesse of lawmakers, was somewhat restrained in its reaction to Biden's selection. But a spokesman acknowledged that, if Democrats win in November, the train service could have a friend in the White House.

"Senator Biden is a longtime enthusiastic supporter of Amtrak and a regular passenger, riding frequently between his home in Delaware and his office in Washington," said Cliff Black. "We would expect Senator Biden to continue his support if elected vice president."

Biden's track record on Amtrak differs markedly from that of the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, Sen. John McCain of Arizona, who has railed against subsidies for Amtrak.

"McCain has consistently not been a supporter of Amtrak," said David Johnson, deputy director of the National Association of Railroad Passengers. "His voting record in the Senate speaks for that."

While one could assume his stance on Amtrak would follow McCain to the White House if elected, "a change of heart is always possible," Johnson said hopefully.

Bruce Richardson, president of the policy institute United Rail Passenger Alliance and a former Amtrak consultant, argued that McCain's position on Amtrak is "greatly misunderstood."

"I don't think Senator McCain would oppose passenger rail if it was done right," Richardson said.

  •  
  •