NARP: Ryan budget plan would 'cripple' Amtrak

Another passenger-rail organization has come out against U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan's (R-Wis.) proposed federal budget plan, which would eliminate Amtrak's federal operating subsidies.

National Association of Railroad Passengers (NARP) officials said Ryan's plan, which was unveiled last week, would "cripple" Amtrak. And while proposing cuts to highway and transit spending, Ryan requires profitability from only one mode of transportation: passenger rail, NARP officials said in a press release.

"Amtrak's total federal grant only accounts for 0.037 percent of the budget, yet provides a critical role in providing mobility for scores of millions of passengers through its intercity and commuter operations. This is in no way a serious deficit reduction measure," said NARP Vice President Sean Jeans-Gail. "America’s passengers need Congress to stop playing politics, and to start thinking about how we as a country can address the growing infrastructure crisis affecting our rails, highways and transit systems."