Editing Amtrak (section)

====1970s to 1990s====
Amtrak commenced operations in 1971 with $40&nbsp;million in direct federal aid, $100&nbsp;million in federally insured loans, and a somewhat larger private contribution.<ref>{{cite book |last=Don |first=Phillips |editor-first=Harold A. |editor-last=Edmonson |date=1972 |title=Journey to Amtrak; The year history rode the passenger train |chapter=Railpax Rescue |location=Milwaukee, WI |publisher=Kalmbach Pub. Co. |pages=8–11}}</ref> Officials expected that Amtrak would break even by 1974, but those expectations proved unrealistic and annual direct federal aid reached a 17-year high in 1981 of $1.25&nbsp;billion.<ref>$709&nbsp;million of the 1981 aid package was for operations. The remainder was capital appropriations. {{Harvnb|Vranich|1997|p=37}}</ref> During the [[Presidency of Ronald Reagan|Reagan administration]], appropriations were halved and by 1986, federal support fell to a decade low of $601&nbsp;million, almost none of which were capital appropriations.<ref>National Railroad Passenger Corp. ''Statistical Appendix to Amtrak FY1995 Annual Report'', ''1995 Annual Report'', p.1.</ref> In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Congress continued the reductionist trend even while Amtrak expenses held steady or rose. Amtrak was forced to borrow to meet short-term operating needs, and by 1995 Amtrak was on the brink of a cash crisis and was unable to continue to service its debts.<ref>National Railroad Passenger Corp. ''1999 Annual Report'', p.41.</ref> In response, in 1997 Congress authorized $5.2&nbsp;billion for Amtrak over the next five years – largely to complete the ''Acela'' capital project – on the condition that Amtrak submit to the ultimatum of self-sufficiency by 2003 or liquidation.<ref>''Amtrak Reform and Accountability Act of 1997''. 105th Cong. (January 7, 1997). Congressional Budget Office. ''S. 738 Amtrak Reform and Accountability Act'' (July 22, 1997), in ''104th Cong. Senate Report 105-85'' (September 24, 1997).</ref> While Amtrak made financial improvements during this period,{{citation needed|date=June 2015}} it did not achieve self-sufficiency.<ref name="railroadingscuts" />