"We must make an even greater commitment to this program," he said.
District of Columbia Councilman Jim Graham, chairman of the WMATA board, said late Tuesday that the directors had just voted to set up a $250,000 fund for the relief of injured victims.
"This is not about evening up the situation. This is not about any kind of settlement," he said.
Graham urged Congress to provide WMATA with additional money to address such issues as replacing older cars. House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer indicated Tuesday that he was receptive to such a plea.
"I want to wait before jumping to the conclusion that this was a lack of money" that helped lead to the loss of life, the Southern Maryland Democrat said at a news conference.
Hoyer said that members of Congress from Maryland and Virginia, and the District of Columbia's nonvoting House delegate, would meet with Metro officials and others next month to discuss the causes of the collision and what should be done to prevent future accidents.
WMATA'S critics have begun circling, with some questioning whether Catoe - hired from Los Angeles in 2006 - should remain.
One blogger chronicling the Metro's failings wrote that "Metro's problems aren't humorous any more, they're deadly."
"Suddenly, Metro doesn't feel so safe," the blogger posted on Unsuck DC Metro.
Baltimore Sun reporters Andrea F. Siegel and Paul West contributed to this article.
