Carper on Warrington’s Departure from Amtrak

WASHINGTON, DC – Senator Tom Carper, who as a member of Amtrak’s National Board of Directors asked George Warrington to serve as Amtrak’s President, issued the following statement on Warrington’s announced move from Amtrak to New Jersey Transit: “For now, Amtrak’s survival depends less on who is President of the company. The more important question is whether our nation’s leaders are willing to take steps necessary to develop a national passenger rail service,” Carper said. “George Warrington performed a great service to Amtrak and the country. I am sorry to see him go and he will be missed. During George’s time at the helm, Amtrak made real improvements. But Amtrak’s progress will continue to be limited by the lack of a dedicated source of capital funding for it. George has left Amtrak, but support for capital funding for Amtrak continues to grow in Congress.” Carper is an original co-sponsor of Senator Hollings’ “National Defense Interstate Rail Act,” and has helped collect the signatures of 47 Senators on a letter asking Budget Chairman Kent Conrad to set aside $1.2 billion for Amtrak in the fiscal 2003 budget resolution.