Senate to hold rail policy hearing

Senate to hold rail policy hearing    The U.S. Senate’s Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation said it will hold a full committee hearing on the federal role in national rail policy on Wednesday.
   Consumers United for Rail Equity (CURE), a group pushing for rail reform legislation, said the hearing “comes at an important time as momentum continues to build for Congress to enact bipartisan rail reform legislation this year.”
   'This hearing shows the Senate is serious about passing legislation this year to address the problems posed by a lack of competition in the freight rail industry,' said Glenn English, Chairman of CURE. 'American consumers, companies and farmers cannot afford to wait any longer.'
   Last December, the Senate Commerce Committee approved S. 2889, the Surface Transportation Board Reauthorization Act, that its advocates say would strengthen oversight of the freight railroad industry.
   The railroad industry has expressed reservations about some of its provision.
   'This week, President Obama called for $50 billion in spending for transportation infrastructure, much of which would benefit the railroad industry. But before Congress even considers more funding for the freight railroad monopoly, they need to pass meaningful rail reform legislation that would protect consumers from the railroads' monopoly pricing power,' English said.