[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 166 (Monday, November 17, 2003)]
[House]
[Page H11191]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     H.R. 876, THE LOCAL RAILROAD REHABILITATION AND INVESTMENT ACT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Moran) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight on behalf of 
thousands of America's rural communities, and I would like to focus 
attention on a looming crisis within our Nation's transportation 
infrastructure. Short line railroads, rural America's link to the 
national rail network, are approaching a crisis point.
  Before the rail industry was deregulated, Federal policy created a 
tremendous investment disincentive whose repercussions can still be 
felt today. With America's generation of heavier rail cars, which many 
short lines cannot accommodate, this situation has grown worse. We must 
move quickly, because thousands of miles of track are in danger of 
being abandoned forever.
  Over 550 short line rail carriers now operate 30 percent of the 
Nation's rail network. Short line railroads exist in all 50 States and 
in over 70 percent of all congressional districts. They operate 50,000 
miles of track, employ over 23,000 workers at an average wage of 
$47,000, and earn $3 billion in annual revenue.
  Today, this local service is threatened due to the introduction of 
heavier 286,000 pound railcars that have become a new industry 
standard. Because of the interconnectivity of our Nation's rail 
network, short lines are forced to use these heavier cars, placing an 
added strain on track structure and making rehabilitation urgent. 
Studies indicate that it will take $7 billion in new investment for our 
Nation's short lines to accommodate these heavier railcars. To keep our 
constituents connected with the national rail network, these lines must 
be upgraded. Unfortunately, the small railroad revenue is insufficient 
to get the job done.
  Today, our Nation's short line railroads need help to make the 
capital investment required to maintain and rebuild rail service 
between rural and urban America. This is why I introduced H.R. 876, the 
Local Railroad Rehabilitation and Investment Act. This legislation has 
enjoyed bipartisan support with, currently, 178 cosponsors. H.R. 876 
provides a $10,000-per-mile tax credit as an offset for rehabilitation 
investments needed to maintain and strengthen local rail service. This 
temporary incentive program provides a valuable tool for our railroads 
to rebuild and improve as they work to meet our Nation's increasing 
shipping needs.
  Short line railroads play an important role in my home State of 
Kansas. Kansas ranks second in the Nation in the amount of farm 
products it ships out of State by rail. These railroads keep our 
farmers and small businesses connected to a national rail network. 
However, since 1980, approximately 2,500 miles of short line rail in 
Kansas have been abandoned.
  In my State alone, the loss of short line railroads would add nearly 
$50 million in annual repair costs to the State's highway system. The 
loss of short line rail service could also add over $20 million to the 
annual cost of transporting and handling the State's wheat harvest, 
which would result in an annual net decline in farm income of over $17 
million. Nearly every State and every congressional district would 
experience similar consequences without short line rail service.
  Congress should have a strong interest in preserving the freight 
connection between rural and urban America, because once track is 
abandoned, odds are it will never be replaced. In today's world, a 
disruption of the network that carries our food, raw materials, and the 
fuel for our power plants can be ill afforded. Tens of thousands of 
jobs in agriculture, manufacturing, refining, and mining in almost 
every congressional district depend upon this service. I urge my 
colleagues to join me in cosponsoring this vital transportation 
infrastructure legislation, and I ask the leadership of this Congress 
to bring this bill forward.

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