CURE Press Release Supporting Surface Transportation Board Reauthorization Act of 2015
For Immediate Release: March 19, 2015
Contact:
Ann Warner
202-465-8716
WASHINGTON, D.C. – David Sauer, President of Consumers United for Rail Equity (CURE), praised today’s introduction of bipartisan legislation reauthorizing the Surface Transportation Board (STB) for the first time in the agency’s 20-year history.
“On behalf of CURE’s members and all freight rail shippers, I thank Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune (R-SD) and Ranking Member Bill Nelson (D-FL) for introducing the Surface Transportation Board (STB) Reauthorization Act of 2015 (S.808), said Sauer, who is chief operating officer and senior vice president of Dakota Gasification Company (Dakota Gas), Bismarck ND, a subsidiary of Basin Electric Power Cooperative.
CURE is a national coalition representing freight rail shippers. Through a growing coalition of industries and associations, CURE is working to educate the public on the impacts to consumers from railroad practices.
The legislation is similar to a bill sponsored by Thune and then-Commerce Committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller (D-WV). It was approved by the Committee in September 2014.
“The STB Reauthorization Act would improve how the STB works by making it a more timely, efficient, and equitable regulatory agency. We strongly support this bill’s passage,” Sauer said. “This reasonable and necessary legislation would provide needed protections to rail freight shippers without any negative impact on the U.S. railroad industry while enhancing our ability to meet our customers’ needs.”
CURE is actively encouraging lawmakers to cosponsor the Thune-Nelson legislation.
ABOUT CURE
The mission of CURE, and its successor organization, is to obtain changes in Federal law and policy that will provide all freight shippers with reliable rail service at competitive prices.
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