[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1366 Reported in House (RH)]

                                                 House Calendar No. 217
111th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1366

                          [Report No. 111-542]

          Recognizing and honoring the freight rail industry.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 18, 2010

 Mr. Hare (for himself, Ms. Norton, Ms. Richardson, Mr. Garamendi, Mr. 
Schauer, Mr. Higgins, Mr. Larsen of Washington, Mr. Wu, Mr. Filner, Ms. 
 Corrine Brown of Florida, Ms. Schakowsky, Mr. Rush, Mr. Costello, Mr. 
  Cummings, Mr. Lipinski, Mr. Grijalva, Mr. Manzullo, Mr. Bachus, Ms. 
Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas, Mr. DeFazio, and Mr. Gary G. Miller of 
 California) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
           the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

                             July 15, 2010

Additional sponsors: Mr. Shuler, Mr. Kagen, Mr. Carney, Mr. Teague, Mr. 
 Holden, Mr. Sires, Mr. Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida, and Mr. Carnahan

                             July 15, 2010

 Reported with amendments, referred to the House Calendar, and ordered 
                             to be printed
      [Strike the preamble and insert the part printed in italic]
[Strike out all after the resolving clause and insert the part printed 
                               in italic]

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
          Recognizing and honoring the freight rail industry.

<DELETED>Whereas the United States utilizes the most efficient and productive 
        freight railroad system in the world;
Whereas freight rail has played a critical role in the economic development of 
        the United States and has helped to build cities and strengthen 
        infrastructure throughout this great Nation;
Whereas the first railroad in North America, the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, was 
        chartered by the State of Maryland in 1827;
Whereas freight rail has been instrumental in bringing American goods to market 
        nationally and internationally since 1830;
Whereas the United States freight rail network has over 560 railroad companies, 
        includes 140,000 miles of track and carries more than 2,200,000,000 tons 
        of freight annually;
Whereas 43 percent of all intercity freight volume is moved by freight rail, 
        including the clothes we wear, the food we eat, the coal we use for 
        domestic energy, and the automobiles we drive;
Whereas freight railroads have nearly doubled the amount of cargo they have 
        shipped over the past 3 decades with virtually no increase in fuel 
        consumption;
Whereas freight rail is one of the most fuel-efficient modes of transportation, 
        able to move one ton of freight 480 miles on 1 gallon of diesel fuel;
Whereas freight railroads have increased fuel economy by an average of 45 
        percent since 1990;
Whereas, from 1980 to 2009, United States freight railroads consumed 
        55,000,000,000 fewer gallons of fuel and emitted 617,000,000 fewer tons 
        of carbon dioxide than they would have if their fuel efficiency had not 
        improved;
Whereas the freight railroad sector complies with the Environmental Protection 
        Agency's new locomotive emissions standards which will cut particulate 
        emissions by up to 90 percent and nitrogen oxide emissions by up to 80 
        percent;
Whereas the freight rail industry has created good-paying jobs and provided its 
        workers with good benefits, and as of 2008, there were 183,743 employees 
        working for the freight railroads;
Whereas freight rail continues to play a vital role in the United States growth, 
        job creation, and economic recovery;
Whereas freight rail companies have reinvested $460,000,000,000 in revenues 
        toward equipment, maintenance, and rail expansion since 1980, which has 
        supported employment and economic activity throughout the United States;
Whereas such investments have continued even during the economic downturn, with 
        major railroads spending more that $10,000,000,000 in 2008 on capital 
        improvements and similar amounts in 2009;
Whereas for every $1 invested in freight rail capacity, the national economy 
        sees $3 in economic output;
Whereas freight rail growth will continue to generate jobs and produce a 
        reliable means of transporting goods;
Whereas the seven Class 1 freight railroads have joined the Environmental 
        Protection Agency's ``SmartWay Transport'', which works to improve fuel 
        efficiency and reduce harmful greenhouse gases;
Whereas both the public and private sector and organized labor have contributed 
        significantly toward the creation of the freight rail infrastructure we 
        use today;
Whereas the freight rail industry has built one of the world's most envied 
        infrastructure networks; and
Whereas a strong freight rail system is critical to the economic and 
        environmental well-being of the United States of America: Now, 
        therefore, be it
</DELETED>Whereas the United States utilizes the most efficient and productive 
        freight railroad system in the world;
Whereas freight rail has played a critical role in the economic development of 
        the United States and has helped to build cities and strengthen 
        infrastructure throughout this great Nation;
Whereas the first common carrier railroad in North America, the Baltimore & Ohio 
        Railroad, was chartered by the State of Maryland in 1827;
Whereas freight rail has been instrumental in bringing American goods to market 
        nationally and internationally since 1830;
Whereas the United States freight rail network has over 560 railroad companies, 
        includes 140,000 miles of track and carries more than 2,200,000,000 tons 
        of freight annually;
Whereas 43 percent of all intercity freight volume is moved by freight rail, 
        including the clothes we wear, the food we eat, the coal we use for 
        domestic energy, and the automobiles we drive;
Whereas freight railroads have nearly doubled the amount of cargo they have 
        shipped over the past 3 decades with virtually no increase in fuel 
        consumption;
Whereas freight rail is one of the most fuel-efficient modes of transportation, 
        able to move one ton of freight 480 miles on 1 gallon of diesel fuel;
Whereas freight railroads have increased fuel economy by an average of 45 
        percent since 1990;
Whereas, from 1980 to 2009, United States freight railroads consumed 
        55,000,000,000 fewer gallons of fuel and emitted 617,000,000 fewer tons 
        of carbon dioxide than they would have if their fuel efficiency had not 
        improved;
Whereas the freight railroad sector complies with the Environmental Protection 
        Agency's new locomotive emissions standards which will cut particulate 
        emissions by up to 90 percent and nitrogen oxide emissions by up to 80 
        percent;
Whereas the freight rail industry has created good-paying jobs and provided its 
        workers with good benefits, and as of 2008, there were 183,743 employees 
        working for the freight railroads;
Whereas freight rail continues to play a vital role in the United States growth, 
        job creation, and economic recovery;
Whereas freight rail companies have reinvested $460,000,000,000 in revenues 
        toward equipment, maintenance, and rail expansion since 1980, which has 
        supported employment and economic activity throughout the United States;
Whereas such investments have continued even during the economic downturn, with 
        major railroads spending more than $10,000,000,000 in 2008 on capital 
        improvements and similar amounts in 2009;
Whereas for every $1 invested in freight rail capacity, the national economy 
        sees $3 in economic output;
Whereas freight rail growth will continue to generate jobs and produce a 
        reliable means of transporting goods;
Whereas the seven Class I freight railroads have joined the Environmental 
        Protection Agency's ``SmartWay Transport'', which works to improve fuel 
        efficiency and reduce harmful greenhouse gases;
Whereas both the public and private sector and organized labor have contributed 
        significantly toward the creation of the freight rail infrastructure we 
        use today;
Whereas the freight rail industry has built one of the world's most envied 
        infrastructure networks; and
Whereas a strong freight rail system is critical to the economic and 
        environmental well-being of the United States of America: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved,  <DELETED>That the House of Representatives--
        <DELETED>    (1) recognizes the contributions the freight rail 
        industry has made to the national transportation system; 
        and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) supports the freight rail industry's efforts 
        to continue improving safety as our Nation moves forward with 
        developing its infrastructure.</DELETED>
That the House of Representatives--
            (1) recognizes the contributions the freight rail industry 
        and its employees have made to the national transportation 
        system; and
            (2) supports the efforts of the freight rail industry and 
        its employees to continue improving safety as our Nation moves 
        forward with developing its infrastructure.
            Amend the title so as to read: ``Resolution recognizing and 
        honoring the freight railroad industry and its employees.''.
                                                 House Calendar No. 217

111th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                              H. RES. 1366

                          [Report No. 111-542]

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

          Recognizing and honoring the freight rail industry.

_______________________________________________________________________

                             July 15, 2010

 Reported with amendments, referred to the House Calendar, and ordered 
                             to be printed