Washington, DC – U.S. Representative Judy Biggert (R-IL-13th) today issued the following statement after the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approved H.R. 6707, the Taking Responsible Action for Community Safety (TRACS) Act, which would amend laws governing how the Surface Transportation Board (STB) reviews railway mergers like the one between Canadian National (CN) and the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway (EJ&E) line:
 
             “Congress may have a lot on its plate right now, but this issue is far too important to let it fall by the wayside.  I’m very grateful for all the hard work that Chairman Oberstar and the other members of our bipartisan coalition are doing to keep this legislation moving.
 
             “I think the testimony we gave before the committee really opened their eyes to how patently unfair the current regulatory process can be.  Once they heard what CN is trying to do to our communities in Illinois, I think members from both sides realized that it could happen in their districts too.  There is just no excuse not to have some basic fairness built into the law to protect the public interest – that’s what laws are for.
 
             “My colleagues and I will continue to use every tool in our arsenal to protect local communities and keep the pressure on the STB to address our concerns.  The safety, quality of life, and tax dollars of suburban residents shouldn’t have to be sacrificed to advance CN’s corporate interests.  I call on House leaders to quickly schedule this bill for a vote on the House floor so that we can send it to the Senate for consideration.”
 
Editor’s note: Biggert is an original cosponsor of H.R. 6707, which was introduced on July 31, 2008 by the Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, James Oberstar (D-MN-8).  The bill requires the STB to weigh the public costs a merger would have against the transportation benefits.  For a merger to proceed, the adverse impacts on communities could not outweigh the transportation benefits.  The STB also would have the authority to set stricter mitigation conditions on a merger.  The bill was approved by the Committee by voice vote, clearing the way for it to be considered on the House floor.  Although Congress is currently scheduled to adjourn on September 26, expectations of an extension or lame duck session have increased over the last week.

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