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119-hr-7338119th CongressWALLET

Railroad Safety and Accountability Act

Sponsored By: Representative Sykes, Emilia Strong [D-OH-13]

In Committee

Summary

This bill would codify the Railroad Safety Advisory Committee (RSAC) as a standing advisor to the Federal Railroad Administration and require regular consultation and reporting to Congress.

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  • Railroad stakeholders would get guaranteed seats. The RSAC must include at least one representative from each major stakeholder group, including freight and passenger carriers, Amtrak, local governments, passenger organizations, railroad labor (operating crafts, maintenance of way, shop and mechanical crafts, clerks, and dispatchers), safety-related employees, and suppliers and manufacturers.
  • The RSAC would guide rulemaking and safety programs by developing standards, recommending regulatory changes, identifying cost-effective and non-regulatory solutions, and forming task-based working groups when requested by the Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration.
  • The FRA would meet quarterly with the RSAC, and the committee would file an annual report to Congress starting the first calendar year after enactment. The bill also authorizes funding from the Highway Trust Fund as necessary to support the RSAC.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

New Railroad Safety Advisory Committee

If enacted, this bill would require the Federal Railroad Administration to maintain a Railroad Safety Advisory Committee to advise on rail safety rules, reviews, and non-regulatory options. The committee would have at least one representative from each major stakeholder group, including freight and passenger carriers, Amtrak, local governments, passenger groups, rail labor (covering operating crafts, maintenance, shop and mechanical crafts, clerks, and dispatchers), safety-related employees, and suppliers. The RSAC could hire staff, form task-based working groups when requested by the FRA, and would meet with the FRA quarterly. It would send an annual report to Congress starting in the first calendar year after enactment, and Chapter 10 of title 5 (the Federal Advisory Committee Act) would apply except that section 1013 of title 5 would not apply. The bill would also authorize appropriations from the Highway Trust Fund of "such funds as may be necessary" to support the committee, but any actual spending would require later congressional appropriation.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Sykes, Emilia Strong [D-OH-13]

OH • D

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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