INDEPENDENCE, Ohio, October 20 — BLET National President Dennis R. Pierce will testify before the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on Wednesday, October 21. The hearing begins at 10:00 a.m. EDT and is titled, “Passenger and Freight Rail: The Current Status of the Rail Network and the Track Ahead.”
The hearing will examine the current state of America’s passenger and freight rail network, including impacts of COVID-19 and legislative considerations for surface transportation reauthorization. Senator Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) serves as Chair of the Committee, and Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) serves as Chair of the Subcommittee on Transportation and Safety.
President Pierce will deliver testimony in his capacity as President of the Teamsters Rail Conference. Among other items, his comments will focus on Amtrak and public transit funding as well as a wide range of health, safety and job issues impacting locomotive engineers, trainmen, track workers, and all railroaders in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Precision Scheduled Railroading operating model.
Additional witnesses will include: (Panel 1) William Flynn, President and Chief Executive Officer, Amtrak; and Paul Tuss, Executive Director, Bear Paw Developing Corporation and Member, Montana Economic Developers Association; and (Panel 2) Frank Chirumbole, Vice President Global Supply Chain, Olin Corporation on behalf of American Chemistry Council; Randy Gordon, President and Chief Executive Officer, National Grain and Feed Association; Kent Fountain, Chairman, National Cotton Council; Ian Jefferies, President and Chief Executive Officer, Association of American Railroads; and Dennis Pierce, President, Teamsters Rail Conference.
Again, the hearing will begin at 10:00 a.m. (Eastern) on Wednesday, October 21. A live stream will be available at the following:
https://www.commerce.senate.gov/