[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 356 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 356

  Expressing support for the designation of the week of September 18 
   through September 24, 2023, as ``Rail Safety Week'' in the United 
   States and supporting the goals and ideals of Rail Safety Week to 
 reduce highway-rail grade crossing and trespasser-related incidents, 
    fatalities, and injuries, reduce derailments, improve the safe 
transportation of hazardous materials by rail, and prevent rail worker 
                              fatalities.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 21, 2023

  Ms. Cantwell (for herself, Mr. Vance, Mr. Brown, Mr. Casey, and Mr. 
 Fetterman) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
         the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Expressing support for the designation of the week of September 18 
   through September 24, 2023, as ``Rail Safety Week'' in the United 
   States and supporting the goals and ideals of Rail Safety Week to 
 reduce highway-rail grade crossing and trespasser-related incidents, 
    fatalities, and injuries, reduce derailments, improve the safe 
transportation of hazardous materials by rail, and prevent rail worker 
                              fatalities.

Whereas the first Rail Safety Week was held from September 24 through September 
        30, 2017, by the national education safety nonprofit organization 
        Operation Lifesaver, the Department of Transportation, and other 
        organizations;
Whereas Rail Safety Week was launched to raise awareness about the need for 
        increased education on how to be safe around highway-rail grade 
        crossings and railroad tracks and to highlight efforts to further reduce 
        collisions, injuries, and fatalities;
Whereas highway-rail grade crossing and trespassing incidents constituted 
        approximately 94 percent of all rail-related fatalities during 2022;
Whereas, under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Public Law 117-58; 
        135 Stat. 429), Congress provided $3,000,000,000 during a 5-year period 
        for the Railroad Crossing Elimination grant program to help local 
        communities construct highway-rail grade separation projects to 
        eliminate crossings;
Whereas, in 2022, 50 percent of all highway-rail grade crossing collisions and 
        64 percent of all fatal highway-rail grade crossing collisions occurred 
        at gated highway-rail grade crossings;
Whereas preliminary Federal statistics indicate that 2,197 highway-grade 
        crossing collisions occurred in the United States in 2022, resulting in 
        274 deaths and another 812 individuals being injured;
Whereas many collisions between trains and motor vehicles or pedestrians could 
        have been prevented by increased education, engineering, and 
        enforcement;
Whereas Operation Lifesaver, the foremost nonprofit organization with respect to 
        rail safety, administers a public education program about grade-crossing 
        safety and trespassing prevention;
Whereas, during Rail Safety Week, from September 18 through 24, 2023, and 
        throughout the year, everyone is encouraged to take added caution as 
        motorists or pedestrians approach tracks or trains;
Whereas the February 3, 2023, Norfolk Southern train derailment in East 
        Palestine, Ohio, which resulted in the burning of 6 vinyl chloride tank 
        cars and forced the evacuation of approximately 2,000 nearby residents, 
        was a reminder of the risks posed by hazardous materials transportation;
Whereas preliminary 2022 Federal statistics indicate that--

    (1) Class I freight railroads had the highest derailment rate in the 
past decade;

    (2) the number of derailments per 1,000,000 miles traveled among Class 
I freight railroads has increased by 14 percent since 2012; and

    (3) more than 43,000 rail workers have been injured and 135 rail 
workers have been killed on duty since 2012;

Whereas the United States, Canada, and Mexico will concurrently observe Rail 
        Safety Week; and
Whereas this important observance should lead to greater safety awareness and a 
        reduction in highway-rail grade crossing collisions, derailments, rail 
        worker fatalities, and other railroad incidents: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) supports the designation of ``Rail Safety Week'';
            (2) expresses strong support for--
                    (A) the goals and ideals of Rail Safety Week;
                    (B) efforts to reduce highway-rail grade crossing 
                and trespasser-related incidents, fatalities, and 
                injuries;
                    (C) efforts by the Federal Railroad Administration 
                to improve safety cultures at Class I freight 
                railroads;
                    (D) efforts by the National Transportation Safety 
                Board to investigate the February 3, 2023, Norfolk 
                Southern derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, and the 
                safety culture at Norfolk Southern;
                    (E) the residents of East Palestine, Ohio, Western 
                Pennsylvania, and all other communities impacted by the 
                derailment and release of hazardous materials on 
                February 3, 2023;
                    (F) the brave actions of first responders who 
                combat releases of hazardous materials across the 
                United States, including the brave actions of the more 
                than 300 firefighters from 50 fire departments who 
                responded to the February 3, 2023, derailment in East 
                Palestine, Ohio; and
                    (G) rail workers who have died or been injured 
                while working to keep people and goods moving 
                throughout the United States and the families of those 
                rail workers; and
            (3) encourages the people of the United States--
                    (A) to participate in Rail Safety Week events and 
                activities;
                    (B) to educate themselves and others on how to be 
                safe around railroad tracks; and
                    (C) to support efforts to improve the safe 
                transportation of hazardous material by rail.
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