In testimony to Congress this week, Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, citing Amtrak President/CEO Richard Anderson, stated that Amtrak's long distance trains are "unsustainable" and implied that they are little used.

Florida passengers of busy long distance trains like the Silver Meteor, Silver Star, and the Auto Train will find these claims hard to believe, but Chao's comments do support President Trump's FY 2020 budget proposal, which envisions replacing the national network with subsidized bus service running on federally-subsidized highways.

Good coverage of her testimony is found here in the Missoula Current newspaper: https://missoulacurrent.com/government/2019/03/daines-transportation-funding/ 

Perhaps most troubling is that for the very first time in its history, proposed cuts to Amtrak service are being supported by claims from its very own management.  

If you care about Florida's Amtrak trains, please contact Florida's U.S. Senators Marco Rubio and Rick Scott, as well as your Congressman and tell them you support Amtrak's national network trains. If you need their contact information, use this link: https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials/

Subsidized bus service or disconnected corridor trains around the country are not what is right for the country or for Florida.

 --Jackson McQuigg