[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 160 (Thursday, September 27, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H9138-H9139]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  REQUIRING FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION TO PROVIDE CONGRESSIONAL 
                      NOTICE OF SAFETY ASSESSMENTS

  Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the 
Speaker's table the bill (H.R. 1093) to require the Federal Railroad 
Administration and the Federal Transit Authority to provide appropriate 
Congressional notice of safety audits conducted with respect to 
railroads and rail transit agencies, and ask for its immediate 
consideration in the House.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 1093

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. NOTICE OF SAFETY AUDITS.

       (a) Initial Notice.--Not later than 10 days after beginning 
     a safety audit of a railroad or rail transit agency, the 
     Federal Railroad Administration or the Federal Transit 
     Authority shall notify the Committee on Transportation and 
     Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the 
     Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
     Senate, and each member of Congress representing a State 
     through which the railroad or transit agency operates 
     service, of the beginning of that audit.
       (b) Report.--Not later than 90 days after completion of a 
     safety audit described in subsection (a), the Federal 
     Railroad Administration or the Federal Transit Authority 
     shall transmit to the Committee on Transportation and 
     Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the 
     Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
     Senate, and to each member of Congress representing a State 
     through which the railroad or transit agency operates 
     service, a report describing the results of that audit.


           Committee Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute

  Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Clerk will report the committee 
amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:
       Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the 
     following:

     SECTION 1. NOTICE OF COMPREHENSIVE SAFETY ASSESSMENTS.

       (a) Initial Notice.--Not later than 10 business days after 
     the Federal Railroad Administration initiates a comprehensive 
     safety assessment of an entity providing regularly scheduled

[[Page H9139]]

     intercity or commuter rail passenger transportation, the 
     Federal Railroad Administration shall notify in electronic 
     format the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of 
     the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, 
     Science, and Transportation of the Senate, and each member of 
     Congress representing a State in which the service that is 
     the subject of the assessment being conducted is located, of 
     the initiation of that assessment.
       (b) Findings.--Not later than 90 days after completion of a 
     comprehensive safety assessment described in subsection (a), 
     the Federal Railroad Administration shall transmit in 
     electronic format to the Committee on Transportation and 
     Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the 
     Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
     Senate, and to each member of Congress representing a State 
     in which the service that is the subject of the assessment 
     being conducted is located, its findings of that assessment, 
     including identified defects and any recommendations.
       (c) Definition.--For purpose of this section, the term 
     ``comprehensive safety assessment'' means a focused review of 
     the safety-related processes and procedures, compliance with 
     safety regulations and requirements, and overall safety 
     culture of an entity providing regularly scheduled intercity 
     or commuter rail passenger transportation.

  Mr. DENHAM (during the reading). Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent 
to dispense with the reading.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  The committee amendment was agreed to.
  The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, was read 
the third time, and passed.
  The title of the bill was amended so as to read: ``A bill to require 
the Federal Railroad Administration to provide appropriate 
congressional notice of comprehensive safety assessments conducted with 
respect to intercity or commuter rail passenger transportation.''.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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