President Barack Obama’s economic stimulus plan does not include sufficient funding for intercity passenger rail, according to a group of Iowa lawmakers.

A bill passed last week by the U.S. House allocates $1.1 billion to rail – $800 million to Amtrak and $300 million to state projects to improve intercity rail outside of Amtrak’s capital needs.

“The best way to make sure our transportation investments meet our energy policy goals is to invest in intercity rail,” said Senate President Jack Kibbie, D-Emmetsburg. “We cannot afford to miss this opportunity to create jobs that lead to long-term prosperity through better intercity rail that connects the Midwest.”

Kibbie, along with state Sen. Daryl Beall, D-Ft. Dodge, and State Rep. Paul Bell, D-Newton, are Iowa’s legislatively-appointed members to the Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission (MIPRC), a 10-state coalition that advocates at the local, state and federal levels for passenger rail development.

The commission has submitted to congressional leaders a list of more than $815 million in projects that could move forward within 120 days. In Iowa, the federal stimulus could provide funding for track, signaling and other improvements to begin new service between the Quad Cities and Iowa City, and between Chicago and Dubuque. The lawmakers point to a proposal from the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee which recommended a $5 billion total investment in rail, including $3.4 billion for state passenger rail projects, $1.5 billion for Amtrak and $100 million for short line railroads.

“The economic stimulus plan currently being considered by Congress provides an incredible opportunity to build a modern regional passenger rail network that makes America and Iowa more energy-efficient, sustainable and prosperous, while at the same time putting more Iowans and Americans to work,” Beall said.

The U.S. Senate is expected to debate the stimulus plan this week.