By Bill Raack, KWMU
St. Louis – Amtrak's twice-daily train between St. Louis and Kansas City is in danger of losing substantial state funding this year.
Amtrak says it needs an additional $885,000 from the state to continue operating the "Missouri Mule" line. But the House Budget Committee Tuesday narrowly rejected the request.
Chairman Carl Bearden, a Republican from St. Charles, says they are frustrated with Amtrak's continued need for more money.
"Last year we thought we had a permanent solution," Bearden said. "The year before that we thought we had a permanent solution but each year it keeps coming back and so the committee's message is, we need to find a permanent solution. Apparently, we haven't been taken seriously over that so the committee removed the money for the Amtrak funding for the rest of the year."
Bearden says this may not be the last word. Negotiatiors are continuing to try to keep both trains, and additional money could be restored to the budget in the Senate.