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A month ago, President Bush signed off on a resolution that called for funding Amtrak at fiscal-year 2006 levels through Sept. 30, 2007. But the national intercity passenger railroad might be able to count on receiving substantially more federal dollars in the next fiscal year. The Senate Budget Committee’s fiscal-year 2008 budget resolution, unveiled yesterday, would provide $1.8 billion for Amtrak.

The amount is $880 million higher than the president’s request and $480 million more than the FY2007 funding level, adjusted for inflation.

“As in previous years, the president’s request would significantly underfund Amtrak and is well below the level Congress typically appropriates,” committee members wrote in the resolution. “The chairman’s mark will help Amtrak pay off debt and continue to improve its operations.”