[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 23 (Wednesday, February 6, 2019)]
[House]
[Page H1372]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  REQUIRING FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION TO PROVIDE CONGRESSIONAL 
               NOTICE OF COMPREHENSIVE SAFETY ASSESSMENTS

  Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 543) 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.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 543

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

     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 
     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.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton) and the gentleman from Michigan 
(Mr. Mitchell) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia.


                             General Leave

  Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on H.R. 543.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from the District of Columbia?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, on the morning of September 29, 2016, a New Jersey 
Transit train failed to stop, overrode a bumping post at the end of its 
track, and struck a wall of the Hoboken Terminal in Hoboken, New 
Jersey.
  In the wake of this fatal accident, which killed a young mother and 
injured 110 passengers and crew members, it was made public that the 
Federal Railroad Administration had been conducting a so-called ``deep 
audit'' of New Jersey Transit, which was prompted by an increase in 
safety violations.
  This bill requires that the FRA provide appropriate congressional 
notice when the agency initiates and completes a comprehensive safety 
assessment of an intercity or commuter rail passenger system.
  It is important that Members of Congress are informed as soon as 
Federal safety assessments are underway so that we may work on ways to 
provide assistance and oversight for our districts' intercity or 
commuter passenger rail services and inform our constituents of any 
safety issues before accidents like what happened in Hoboken occur 
again.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this 
bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. MITCHELL. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, this bill would improve safety and transparency for 
our Nation's railroads. Our constituents expect no less, by the way.
  It requires notification of proper congressional committees and 
Members of Congress of the initiation of certain safety assessments for 
passenger railroads and rail transit agencies. Further, upon completion 
of those safety assessments, the bill requires the Federal Railroad 
Administration's findings and recommendations be submitted to the 
proper committees and all affected Members of Congress.
  Rail safety is critical to our Nation. When the FRA begins an in-
depth safety assessment of a railroad, it means the agency has 
identified a significant and serious safety problem. Our constituents 
expect us to be advised of that, and, in fact, to keep them informed.
  It is important that the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee 
and affected Members be notified timely both that the investigation is 
underway and what the agency found as a result of it. Doing so can only 
help improve the safety of our passenger and commuter railroads, as 
well as keep our constituents informed.
  The bill passed the committee and the House last year unanimously. I 
certainly hope we can get the Senate to give it considerable concern. I 
thank my colleague, Mr. Sires, for his hard work on this legislation, 
and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Sires), the sponsor of this legislation.
  Mr. SIRES. Madam Speaker, in 2016, in Hoboken, New Jersey, my 
district, a New Jersey Transit commuter train ran past the end of the 
track and into the terminal, killing a young mother and injuring over 
100 passengers and crew members.
  In the wake of this tragedy, it was made public that the Federal 
Railroad Administration had been conducting a deep audit on New Jersey 
Transit for months, prompted by an increase in safety violations. At 
that time, the safety review was not known to relevant Members of 
Congress or the public who relied on New Jersey Transit to take them to 
work and bring them home safely every day.
  Madam Speaker, H.R. 543 is a simple, straightforward piece of 
legislation. When the FRA begins a safety assessment on an intercity or 
commuter passenger rail system, it must notify Members of Congress and 
Senators on committees of jurisdiction or representing the State in 
which the assessment is conducted. The FRA will have 10 business days 
after the assessment begins to notify these parties.
  The FRA will also need to transmit its findings, including any safety 
recommendations, to the relevant parties within 90 days of completion 
of the assessment.
  Madam Speaker, this bill brings us one step closer to ensuring full 
transparency for Federal agencies and helps us ensure that our rail 
transportation infrastructure is safe.
  Mr. MITCHELL. Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers. I reserve 
the balance of my time to close.
  Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, this bill, too, was considered in the 
Republican House. We are considering it here in the Democratic House. I 
certainly hope that the urgency of this bill is apparent.
  I have no further speakers other than the gentleman from New Jersey, 
who knows this issue perhaps best, and I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. MITCHELL. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this 
bill. I urge the Senate to move forward, and I yield back the balance 
of my time
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton) that the House 
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 543.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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