(The offices of Rep. James L. Oberstar (Minn.) and Rep. Corrine Brown (Fla.) issued the following joint press release by Mary Kerr on May 2.)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Rep. James L. Oberstar (Minn.) and Rep. Corrine Brown (Fla.) have introduced the Federal Railroad Safety Improvement Act of 2007 (H.R. 2095), which will reauthorize the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and improve the safety of the nation’s railroads.
“Congress last reauthorized the FRA in 1994, and that authorization expired in 1998. Since that time, the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure has held 13 hearings on rail safety. In the first four months of the 110th Congress alone, we have held four hearings on rail safety, including one field hearing in San Antonio, Texas,” said Rep. Oberstar, Chairman of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. “At these hearings, we received testimony from the FRA, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the Department of Transportation’s Inspector General, the Government Accountability Office, Members of Congress and other elected officials, the railroads, rail labor, and numerous safety organizations and experts. This bill is the product of what we have learned through these hearings.”
”Since the FRA was last authorized, the railroad industry has changed dramatically. Economic growth and an increase in international trade have led to record traffic levels. At the same time, Amtrak and the commuter railroads – which often operate on freight rail lines – are moving more passengers, which means that there is a lot of pressure on our rail system. This has a significant impact on worker and public safety,” said Rep. Brown, the Chairwoman of the Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee. “Although I am encouraged by improvements in the 2006 rail safety statistics, I believe we still have a long way to go. Serious accidents resulting in fatalities, injuries, and environmental damages continue to occur.”
According to the FRA, the total number of train accidents, including collisions and derailments, increased from 2,504 in 1994 to 3,325 in 2005. In 2006, the number of train accidents decreased to 2,835. The FRA estimates that approximately 40 percent of all train accidents are the result of human factors, and one in four of those accidents result from fatigue.
“Despite widespread agreement that the hours-of-service law is antiquated and in need of updating, it has been almost 40 years since substantial changes to the law have been made. In previous Congresses, I introduced legislation to strengthen hours-of-service rules. The railroads fought against it, stating that hours-of-service should be dealt with at the collective bargaining table. I believe that the safety of railroad workers and the safety of the general public, which all too often are the victims in these train accidents, should not be relegated to a negotiation between management and labor,” said Rep. Oberstar. “I am again introducing legislation that strengthens hours-of-service rules and reduces rail worker fatigue.”
“Although the NTSB has repeatedly asked the FRA to make improvements to hours-of-service limits and address fatigue, the FRA seemingly does not have the regulatory authority to do so,” said Rep. Brown. “My Subcommittee has held numerous hearings on railroad safety, fatigue, and human factor accidents and has heard testimony from all the stakeholders and policymakers in the passenger and freight rail industry. I believe this legislation will help reduce accidents, improve rail safety, and enhance the work environment for employees, which will allow the passenger and freight rail industry to safely handle the future growth.”
“This legislation is a critical step forward in increasing safety standards for the rail industry, which is good news for rail workers and the general public. Safety is always my number one priority, regardless of the mode of transportation, and I will work to ensure swift passage of this important legislation,” concluded Rep. Oberstar.
H.R. 2095 will:
• strengthen hours-of-service for all signal personnel and train crews;
• require railroads to submit fatigue management plans to the Secretary of Transportation for review and approval;
• provide the Secretary with the regulatory authority to reduce the maximum number of hours an employee can remain or go on duty and increase the minimum number of hours of rest;
• reorganize the FRA as the Federal Railroad Safety Administration and require it to consider the assignment and maintenance of safety as the highest priority;
• create a new position for a Chief Safety Officer and increase the number of Federal safety inspectors to at least 800 by fiscal year 2011;
• require the Secretary to develop a long-term strategy for improving railroad safety by reducing the number of accidents, increasing the effectiveness of enforcement and compliance programs, targeting enforcement at and safety improvements to high-risk grade crossings, and enhancing research that promotes railroad safety;
• require regular reporting of statutory mandates that have not been implemented and open safety recommendations made by the NTSB or the Inspector General regarding railroad safety;
and
• increase civil and criminal penalties and strengthen transparency in the FRA’s enforcement process;
• strengthen whistleblower protections for rail workers and ensure injured workers get prompt medical attention;
• implement positive train control, which has been on the NTSB’s Most Wanted Safety Improvements list since its inception in 1990;
• strengthen safety at our nation’s grade crossings;
• require railroads to minimize accidents due to track defects and provide funding for track inspection equipment; and
• implement NTSB recommendations from the recent accidents in Graniteville, South Carolina, Macdona, Texas, Home Valley, Washington, and Nodaway, Iowa.