[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 161 (Tuesday, October 23, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2206]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            FEDERAL RAILROAD SAFETY IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2007

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. SILVESTRE REYES

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, October 17, 2007

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2095) to 
     amend title 49, United States Code, to prevent railroad 
     fatalities, injuries, and hazardous materials releases, to 
     authorize the Federal Railroad Safety Administration, and for 
     other purposes:

  Mr. REYES. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 2095 
the Federal Railroad Safety Improvement Act of 2007. This bill, 
introduced by my colleague Chairman James L. Oberstar, provides a long-
overdue reauthorization and reorganization of the Federal Railroad 
Administration. I am proud to count myself as a cosponsor of this 
legislation.
  My district of El Paso has a rich history with the railroad industry. 
Following the arrival of the railroads in 1881, El Paso experienced 
enormous economic growth due in part to the railroad connections in the 
area. Today, my city's connections to the industry persist, and 
hundreds of my constituents go to work in the rail yards and along the 
tracks every day. Rail workers and the Americans who live near rail 
operations deserve the highest level of safety, and the Federal 
Railroad Safety Improvement Act provides just that.
  Roughly 40 percent of all train accidents are the result of human 
factors, and, of this startling number, one in four results from 
fatigue. This bill will set new hours-of-service for our railroad 
workers and will help ensure they follow proper rest and shift periods. 
Under the proposed measures, personnel would receive at least 10 hours 
of rest per 24-hour period and would ultimately be limited to no more 
than 12 consecutive hours of shift work. The bill would also nearly 
double the number of rail safety inspection and enforcement staff. 
These changes would hopefully reduce the number of accidents caused by 
human error and fatigue and would help ensure safer working conditions 
for the approximately 1,100 rail workers of El Paso and across the 
United States.
  In addition, H.R. 2095 would reorganize the Federal Railroad 
Administration (FRA) and rename it the Federal Railroad Safety 
Administration (FRSA). Over the 4-year period from 2007 to 2011, the 
FRSA would authorize $1.1 billion for general expenses and grant 
programs. This legislation has taken into account many of the safety 
investigations and recommendations of the Department of Transportation, 
especially regarding human fatigue, defective tracks, and railroad 
crossings. With the reauthorization of this funding, I am confident 
that great strides will be made to improve the safety of the railroad 
industry in the United States.
  Mr. Chairman, I ask that my colleagues join me in supporting this 
important legislation so that substantial improvements in Federal 
railroad safety can be made nationwide.

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