FL Amtrak budgets cut under President Trump's plan

TAMPA (FOX 13) - President Donald Trump's budget proposal was released Tuesday and reveals some items that could impact daily life in Florida.

One such item includes the elimination of all funding for Amtrak service in the Sunshine State, according to the office of U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL).

The proposal cuts funding for Amtrak's long-distance routes, including all three routes in Florida. It would also halt ongoing efforts to restore service in Florida's Panhandle and along the Gulf Coast.

Nelson's office said the cuts do not "make sense," pointing to the nearly one million Floridians who ride the train every year.

"It would have a real impact on our tourism-driven economy by making it harder for folks to come visit our state," Nelson said in a statement.

More than 950,000 Floridians rode Amtrak during the last fiscal year, which ended Sept. 30, 2016, according to Nelson's office.

The routes that the budget would eliminate under President Trump's budget include the Auto train, which runs daily from Lorton, Va. to Sanford, FL, the Silver Meteor, which runs daily from Miami to Orlando to New York, and the Silver Star, which runs daily from Miami to Tampa to Orlando to New York.