Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines & Hazardous Materials

Bill Shuster, Ranking Republican

The Subcommittee oversees the federal programs and policies related to the regulation and safety of the nation’s railroads and the safety of pipelines and transporting hazardous materials.

One of the most important responsibilities of the Subcommittee is writing legislation authorizing the policy, programs, and priorities of federally funded passenger rail programs like Amtrak and the new high-speed rail and intercity passenger rail grants to states. Unfortunately, the Administration’s high-speed stimulus grants, rather than focusing on a few projects, were spread among 78 different projects, many of them slower speed, and neglected Republican provisions in law to invite private sector participation in developing this alternative mode of transportation in the U.S.

The $8 billion in stimulus grants also virtually ignored the one region of the U.S. where high-speed rail makes the most sense and would have the most national benefit – the Northeast Corridor between Washington, New York and Boston. Amtrak’s Acela currently serves this route, but at an average of only 83 mph. With $2.5 billion more in high-speed rail grants to be awarded soon, Committee Republicans will work to ensure that additional funds are allocated to projects that make sense, will minimize costs to taxpayers and will deliver true high-speed rail service. (more information)

Other Current Issues:

Freight Rail: The U.S. has the best freight rail network in the world. With 140,000 miles of track and almost 2 trillion ton-miles of freight carried annually, freight rail is vital to the nation’s economy. In fact, 43 percent of the freight carried each year in the U.S. goes by train, and demand is projected to grow 88 percent in the next 25 years. To meet this growth in demand, rail capacity must grow. However, Democrats continue to consider – and Republicans to oppose – efforts to re-regulate and stifle the industry’s growth and success.

Hazardous Materials Safety: Ensuring the safe transportation of hazardous materials while allowing them to move freely in commerce without undue bureaucratic interference is critical to the economy. Transportation of these goods – which include a variety of everyday items like the batteries in consumer electronics, chemicals used to make drinking water safe, and the fuel we put in our cars – is already remarkably safe. In fact, there are four times as many deaths in the U.S. caused by lightning strikes than hazmat accidents. Republicans continue to fight unnecessary over-regulation of hazmat that would threaten U.S. jobs while attaining no measurable safety benefit.

Pipeline Safety: The Department of Transportation has the responsibility of regulating the safe transportation of natural gas and petroleum products through our nation’s 2.6 million mile network of pipelines. Pipelines in the U.S. are recognized as both the safest and the most economical way of distributing natural gas, home heating oil, gasoline and diesel fuel. In 2006 Congress passed the Pipeline Inspection, Protection, Enforcement and Safety Act of 2006, the federal law that regulates pipeline safety. This law is set to expire on September 30, 2010. Republicans are committed to extending the federal pipeline safety programs in a way that ensures the highest level of safety while still allowing natural gas and petroleum products to be transported in the most efficient manner possible.

Contact the Subcommittee

Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials
592 Ford HOB
Washington, DC 20515
202-226-0727

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