[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 33 (Friday, March 14, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S2332]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




COMMENDING THE CHAIR OF THE U.S. SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD, LINDA J. 
                                 MORGAN

 Mr. HOLLINGS. Mr. President, today, I am pleased to commend 
Linda J. Morgan, the Chair of the U.S. Surface Transportation Board 
[STB], for her leadership in facilitating the discussions that have led 
to a possible settlement among the three major eastern rail carriers 
that would end the bitter, long, and costly merger fight between the 
Norfolk Southern, CSX, and Conrail Railroads. For months the Nation has 
witnessed the spectacle of these three giants trying to gain an 
advantage over each other and access to almost 4 billion dollars' worth 
of annual rail freight. This merger fight was shaping up to be a battle 
costing millions of dollars with no end in sight. And certainly there 
was no guarantee that the American consumer would be better at the end 
of the struggle than they were at its beginning.
  Ms. Morgan's service to this Nation is two fold. First, there was her 
simple, and very wise, suggestion to the parties that a settlement 
between the parties ending this fight would probably be preferable to 
having the Government step in and end the fight. Second, there was her 
astute suggestion that gaining rail competition in the Northeast should 
be an important goal in any final decision by the STB, which must 
approve any merger.
  It is important to note that many interested parties appreciated her 
candor and attention to the people's welfare. State agencies in the 
Northeast had urged a negotiated solution that would encourage more 
competition. Certainly, shippers have long seen the need for more 
competition in moving cargo through the largest North American consumer 
markets. The Journal of Commerce was moved to editorialize on [March 6, 
1997] that the agreement spurred by Chairman Morgan's comment ``makes 
good business sense'' and that ``Ms. Morgan showed a deft touch, 
hinting at regulators' views without compromising her objectivity about 
a case that hadn't yet been filed.''
  Let me close by saying that Linda Morgan's deft touch has given 
consumers and shippers some hope that they will come out ahead after 
any merger. It's a view that was articulated in The Journal of 
Commerce: ``The deal * * * will provide effective rail freight 
competition into New York * * * (and) offers more competitive service 
in other cities--among them Baltimore, Philadelphia, Wilmington and 
Pittsburgh * * *'' I offer my thanks to Ms. Morgan, a fine example of a 
dedicated and effective public servant.

                          ____________________