The Senate Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee voted Wednesday to provide $1.2 billion for Amtrak next year, despite the Bush Administration's request of only $521 million. The transportation subcommittee also voted to ignore Bush's proposal to cut $8.6 billion from federal highway spending, instead providing $31.8 billion in the bill. "If enacted, that cut could have imposed an almost 30% reduction in core federal investment in our nation's highways and bridges at a time when our economy is struggling to grow," said Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.), chairwoman of the transportation subcommittee, on the administration's proposed highway spending cuts. The transportation spending bill for fiscal year 2003 put forth by the subcommittee totals $64.4 billion, roughly $9.2 billion more than the level requested by the Bush Administration.