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Congress is hearing and responding to the chorus of voices from rail customers that are calling for reform of the law that governs the relationship between the railroads and their customers. On April 30, the House Judiciary Committee reported to the full House the Antitrust Enforcement Act of 2007, H.R. 1650, on a bipartisan voice vote. The passage of this legislation marked another important milestone in rail customers’ fight to repeal railroad antitrust exemptions and to increase competition in the rail industry. We applaud Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), lead sponsor of the bill, and Chairman John Conyers (D-MI) for their tireless efforts to move this legislation forward. As a May 11 editorial in the Sheboygan, Wisconsin Press noted “(f)or these mostly small business—and eventually consumers—to be held hostage by an antiquated and patently unfair law is unconscionable. Removing the antitrust exemption would allow federal government review of rail mergers and rate setting. It would also allow state attorneys general to sue for damages for uncompetitive practices. In short, it would make the railroads toe the line. ” The Senate version of the bill (S. 772) passed the Senate Judiciary Committee by a bipartisan voice vote on September 25 and is awaiting action on the Senate floor. Senator Herb Kohl (D-WI), the lead sponsor of the legislation, along with six other senators, sent a letter in February to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) urging him to schedule the bill for Senate floor consideration in 2008. Conversations are ongoing between Senators and with the Senate Majority Leader on the subject of moving S.772 through the Senate in 2008. On the heels of these recent victories, the House Small Business Committee also held a hearing at the beginning of May to examine “Rail Transportation Access for Small Businesses and Family Farmers.” Rail customers testified that the lack of competition within the rail industry combined with a lax oversight agency, the Surface Transportation Board (STB), has created an impossible environment for farmers and small businesses to thrive. This is the first in a series of hearings the committee will hold on rail issues. As these developments indicate, we are continuing to make progress in this Congress. We will continue working with our Congressional champions to educate and alert their colleagues to railroad abuses and help move rail reform legislation in the 110th Congress. Please visit our Web site often to learn more about the issues and initiatives CURE and its members are undertaking to bring fairness and equity to the freight rail system.
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