For Immediate Release:    
www.railcure.org

Rockefeller Chairmanship a Good Sign for Consumers, CURE Says

Washington, D.C. (Dec. 16, 2008) — Glenn English, Chairman of Consumers United for Rail Equity (CURE), made the following statement in response to the announcement that Sen. John D. Rockefeller, IV (D-WV) was named Chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee for the 111th Congress:
 
“On behalf of rail customers everywhere, we congratulate Senator Rockefeller on being named as chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee.  As a champion for American consumers, Sen. Rockefeller has taken a leadership role in promoting fair and reasonable policies for many industries, including particularly the rail industry.  We know he will have many important issues to tackle in his committee next year.  We look forward to his continued support of legislation to reform and improve the practices of the Surface Transportation Board and to end the railroad antitrust exemption. American consumers can expect strong leadership from Chairman Rockefeller, especially in including these important bills as part of the Committee’s agenda, and the Chairman can count on our strong support as well.” 

“We look forward to working with the Chairman, as well as the ranking minority member and all members of the committee, to help bring about legislation to restore fairness in the freight rail markets and to eliminate the railroads’ hidden tax on American consumers.”

Editors Note:  Sen. Rockefeller is the author the Railroad Competition and Service Improvement Act (S. 953), which would reform the Surface Transportation Board to make it more responsive to the needs of consumers, address rail service problems and conform the captive rate challenge process as much as possible to similar processes of the state public service commissions and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.  Sen. Rockefeller is also an original cosponsor of the Railroad Antitrust Enforcement Act (S. 772), which would place the railroads under the same antitrust laws all other U.S. companies must observe.

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Consumers United for Rail Equity (CURE) represents a wide variety of rail customers including public utilities, rural electric co-ops, agriculture groups, as well as chemical, ethanol, cement, forest and paper companies, and other manufacturers.

For more information about CURE visit: www.railcure.org