Congress Urged to Pass Freight Rail Policy Improvements
The American Chemistry Council has asked Congress to pass bipartisan legislation that will improve current freight rail policies.
The “Surface Transportation Board Reauthorization Act of 2015” was presented yesterday by U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation Chairman John Thune (R-S.D.) and Ranking Member Senator Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), which urges improving the efficiency of the Surface Transportation Board (STB).
“Chairman Thune and Ranking Member Nelson have carefully crafted a smart and significant proposal that reflects the input of numerous stakeholders and responds to the growing support for modernizing the STB. The bill reflects many of the improvements that are supported by ACC and a large number of other groups representing a wide range of U.S. manufacturing, agricultural and energy interests. This bill will promote a more competitive environment for freight rail service and improve how the STB operates,” said Cal Dooley, ACC president and CEO, in support of the proposed bill.
“The railroad industry has undergone dramatic changes since the STB was created and Congress last passed major freight rail legislation. We need to update the STB’s policies so the Board is better equipped to deal with today’s freight rail challenges, including ongoing service problems and growing rate issues. The reasonable reforms in this bill help fulfill that goal by addressing specific issues, such as streamlining the STB’s overly burdensome rate review standards, providing reasonable arbitration procedures to resolve rate disputes, and allowing the STB to be more proactive in resolving freight rail issues. Moreover, the legislation will allow both railroads and shippers to thrive, while encouraging the growth of the U.S. economy.”
For more information on freight rail reform, please click here.