U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., and Roger Marshall, R-Kan., reintroduced the Reliable Rail Service Act on June 28 to help address the unreliable service and high costs of rail shipping for American businesses. The legislation is supported by members of the agriculture industry, labor organizations, energy producers and manufacturers. The original bill debuted in September 2022 but did not move forward.
Rail shippers, including farmers, energy producers and manufacturers, continue to face poor service, significant service disruptions and sky-high prices that are impacting communities and consumers, all while the nation's largest railroads' profits are at record highs, noted the news release from Baldwin.
"Wisconsin farmers, producers and manufacturers rely on rail service to get their 'Made in Wisconsin' products to market, and they shouldn't have to pay sky-high prices for subpar rail service," said Baldwin. "Ensuring our agriculture, energy and manufacturing businesses have reliable rail service will be crucial in leveling the playing field for Wisconsin businesses who depend on rail service and helping cut costs for working families. I'm proud to reintroduce my Reliable Rail Service Act to keep our 'Made in Wisconsin' economy moving forward."
"I frequently hear from Kansans that the service of Class 1 railroads is not living up to the expectations," said Marshall. "These service failures hurt our shippers who use the rail to deliver their products to key export facilities, that's why the Staggers Act of 1980 must be modernized to clearly define railroad's common carrier obligations. The multitude of organizations supporting this bill is a testament to how dire this situation truly is. I'm happy to explore bipartisan solutions with my colleague Senator Baldwin."
Source: dtnpf.com
Photo Credit: istock-imaginegolf
Categories: Wisconsin, Government & Policy