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Durbin Advocates for Continued Amtrak Funding
Illinois' senior U.S. Senator says there's a proposal in the Illinois House that would be bad to Illinois if it passed.

Senator Dick Durbin was in Galesburg Friday, and told reporters and members of the Galesburg-Area Chamber of Commerce that a proposal that would essentially cut off Amtrak funding to Illinois would be, in his words, "devastating" to an area like Galesburg.

Durbin tells WGIL some politicians may not believe it, but rail travel is still pretty viable.

"This week, Amtrak broke all records for ridership; 30 million people rode Amtrak this year so far, and more to follow. That's a new record," Durbin said. "It's an indication that rail passenger service is not some nostalgic old idea. It's today's idea. We've got to get people to look at it honestly."

Durbin says Amtrak's federal subsidy has gone down based on how much money they spend, but there's a "substantial subsidy" for air travel.

Republican Congressman Bobby Schilling said in Galesburg Friday he wants to "keep the current Amtraks funded," but he doesn't want to see funding for "any new Amtraks," like a proposed route between Chicago and the Quad Cities.


(Sen. Dick Durbin speaks with Knox County Landfill Administrator Jerry Reynolds Friday after a breakfast meeting with the Galesburg-Area Chamber of Commerce. WGIL News Story and Photo by Will Stevenson.)
09 30 11 by Newsroom
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