For Immediate Release:         
 www.railcure.org                   

Thirteen Groups Rally Behind Rail Reform Bill
Coalition of Consumer Groups, Regulators, Rail Customers Call for End to Railroad Antitrust Exemptions

Washington, D.C. (July 16, 2008) — An unprecedented coalition of thirteen organizations representing consumers, state regulators and rail customers has joined forces to call for an end to the railroads’ special exemptions from antitrust law. The groups are calling on Congress to pass the Railroad Antitrust Enforcement Act - H.R. 1650 in the House and S. 772 in the Senate.

These thirteen groups have come together to support passage of the Railroad Antitrust Enforcement Act:

- Consumer Federation of America
- National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners
- National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates
- National Rural Electric Cooperative Association
- American Corn Growers Association
- Consumers United For Rail Equity
- Western Coal Traffic League
- Edison Electric Institute
- Alliance for Rural America
- American Agriculture Movement, Inc.
- American Chemistry Council, Inc.
- American Forest & Paper Association
- American Public Power Association

“A line has been drawn in the sand, and it’s pretty clear where most of America stands,” said Bob Szabo, Executive Director of Consumers United for Rail Equity (CURE). “We’re all together – the consumers, the regulators, the businesses, and the farmers – speaking with one voice to call on Congress to protect American consumers from the hidden tax of freight rail overcharges. Standing alone on the other side are the big four railroads who control more than 90 percent of the rail traffic in this country.”

The legislation the groups have rallied behind - the Railroad Antitrust Enforcement Act - would end the railroads’ exemption from antitrust law, to which virtually all other U.S. businesses must adhere. This exemption allows railroads to avoid competition and therefore keep their shipping rates artificially and unfairly high, creating higher prices for U.S. consumers.

“Behind this impressive list of organizations are millions of consumers who must pay more for their everyday goods that are shipped by rail,” said Szabo. “These consumers are being unfairly hit by a secret railroad tax, and they are speaking out with one loud voice to call on Congress to remove this hidden tax, put some fairness back into the system and have the railroads live under the same antitrust laws as everyone else.” The Railroad Antitrust Enforcement Act has passed both the House and Senate Judiciary Committees by a bipartisan voice vote. It awaits action by the full House and Senate.

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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