{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://web.archive.org/web/20140620021344/http://www.collins.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=b2f397b8-65f4-4288-a796-d38e50d07c5b", "Senators Collins, Murray Introduce Bill to Increase Safety Resources for Short Line Rail", "2014-06-17", "2014", "2014-06", "Republican", "House", "ME", "Susan Collins", "C001035", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Patty Murray (D-Washington), Ranking Member and Chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee for Transportation, respectively, today introduced a bill that would authorize a new Short Line Rail Safety Institute to enhance the safety practices and culture of short line railroads. There are 550 short line railroad companies that operate over 50,000 miles of track, or nearly one third of the national railroad network.\u00a0\u00a0The tracks can be as short as two miles or up to more than 1,000 miles long. \u00a0\n\u00a0   \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The legislation introduced by Senators Collins and Murray would authorize funding to support grants for research, development, evaluation, and training efforts.\u00a0   \u00a0   \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe horrific derailment that occurred in Lac-Megantic, Quebec, last year \u2013 just 30 miles from the Maine border \u2013 brought to light the importance of ensuring the safe transportation of energy products,\u201d Senator Collins said.\u00a0 \u201cWe must ensure that we are taking the necessary steps to prevent another Lac-Megantic, while not overburdening an industry that has a proven track record of safety.\u201d   \u00a0   \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhether a train is carrying crude oil on a major rail line or on a short, local route through small towns across America, we need to make sure everyone is safe, both on the train and near the tracks,\u201d Senator Murray said.\u00a0 \u201cWe need to have the right policies in place to prevent accidents and respond to emergencies wherever they happen, and establishing a Short Line Rail Safety Institute is a strong step in the right direction.\u201d   \u00a0   \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The new Short Line Rail Safety Institute would:\n \n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Assess the operations and safety programs of short line railroads;\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Develop best practices and work with short lines to implement these practices;\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Provide professional on-site safety training\u00a0 for short line employees;\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Purchase and utilize safety training assets (such as locomotive simulators);\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Assist FRA in implementing its railroad R&D and outreach programs, and tailor such programs for short line railroad operations; and\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Help improve safety culture, including a reduction in the frequency and severity of injuries and incidents, as well as improved compliance with regulatory requirements.\u00a0\n \n\u00a0   \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 On May 15, the two Senators\u00a0sent a letter to U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx\u00a0expressing support for the creation of such an institution.\u00a0   \u00a0   \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAs we discussed when you testified before our Subcommittee, there is no silver bullet to improving rail safety.\u00a0 It is a complicated multi-faceted issue involving prevention, mitigation, and response aspects,\u201d\u00a0the Senators wrote in the May 15 letter.\u00a0 \u201cThe proposed Short Line Railroad Safety Institute could be an important part of the larger solution and would help improve the safe transportation of crude oil and other hazardous materials.\u201d   \u00a0   \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Today\u2019s bill follows\u00a0an April hearing held by Murray and Collins to specifically focus on safety issues related to rail shipment of crude oil.\u00a0 Secretary Foxx, National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Deborah Hersman, Director of the Seattle Office of Emergency Management Barb Graff, and Rangeley, ME, Fire Chief Tim Pellerin, who led emergency response efforts after a train carrying crude oil derailed in Lac-Megantic, Quebec, in 2013, each testified at that hearing.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140620021344/http://www.collins.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=b2f397b8-65f4-4288-a796-d38e50d07c5b"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.7189440075308084, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}