Major transportation groups applauded the U.S. Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee’s advancement of a $78 billion surface transportation act.
Groups representing both railroads and the trucking industries released statements in support of the 25-3 vote.
Ian Jeffries, president and CEO of the American Association of Railroads, applauded the committee’s actions.
“Railroads applaud the committee for its leadership and bipartisan commitment to strengthening our nation’s infrastructure,” Jefferies said in a statement. “By staying focused on vital funding needs and safety, the committee was able to build consensus on a package that makes a solid down payment on our future surface transportation needs. AAR and our member railroads thank the committee for its tireless work and stand ready to help push the bill across the finish line.”
For railroads, the legislation would invest $7.5 billion in railroad safety and improvement projects, including establishing a new grant program to eliminate grade crossings, increasing funding for the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvement (CRISI) grant program, authorizing more than $25 billion over five years for intercity passenger rail, and providing funding to address Northeast Corridor (NEC) maintenance backlogs.
The American Trucking Association also praised the committee’s work.
“Chair Cantwell, Ranking Member Wicker, and all members of the committee deserve great credit for working constructively to advance this important piece of the highway bill,” American Trucking Associations President and CEO Chris Spear said. “Safety is job one for our industry, and this bill proves that improving safety is something both parties agree on. We hope other committees can follow the example set by the Commerce Committee and quickly bring their pieces of the reauthorization bill to the floor so we can enact a new highway bill before the current one expires.”
The legislation includes the DRIVE-Safe Act pilot program, which would create an apprenticeship program for truck drivers under 21 to participate in interstate commerce.
“This pro-safety, pro-jobs provision will strengthen the U.S. supply chain with a new and rigorous apprenticeship program, bolstering the trucking workforce and raising safety and training standards for its emerging members,” Spear said.