The Amtrak Improvement Act of 1978, signed into law by President Jimmy Carter, authorized $755 million in federal funds for operating expenses and capital expenditures in fiscal 1979.
The measure also mandated the U.S. DOT study Amtrak’s route system to “put Amtrak on a more stable financial footing and to discontinue services that have large operating losses without providing substantial public benefits.” The transportation secretary was required to submit a report to Congress by December 31, 1978.
It also included a “Buy American” provision, which required Amtrak to buy mined, produced, or manufactured goods costing more than $1 million in the United States.
