The dispute stems from a law that requires freight rail companies to give Amtrak “preference” on their tracks.
The White House is proposing $12 billion to fund the agency, nearly 20% more than the EPA’s budget this year.
Thousands of people have been affected by the Norfolk Southern accident near East Palestine, Ohio, and the full scope of the disaster remains to be calculated.
Without mandatory regulation, the railroad industry looks to pricing as way to encourage safety.