Amtrak CEO Pleads With Congress for Billions in Covid-19 Aid (1)

Amtrak’s chief executive pleaded with House lawmakers Wednesday to approve $2.84 billion in additional funding for the national railway system as Congress and the White House fight over another round of coronavirus stimulus.

Citing a ridership decline of more than 80% compared to a year ago, before the pandemic, CEO Bill Flynn said Amtrak needs the money by Oct. 1 to avoid dismissals and service cuts.

“We recently updated our forecast and now anticipate needing up to $4.9 billion in funding to operate and invest in our network, support our partners, and address various congressional concerns like avoiding employee ...