Congressional Activities and Hearings Archive

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee are the two congressional committees with jurisdiction over the laws that govern freight railroads, authorize/set funding levels for the Surface Transportation Board (STB), and establish Federal freight rail policies.

The House and Senate Judiciary committees have jurisdiction of the nation’s anti-trust laws.

The House and Senate Appropriation committees provide the annual appropriations for the STB and related activities.

113th Congress (2013-2014)

  • Judiciary Subcommittee Chair Klobuchar and Environment and Public Works Ranking Member Vitter introduce bill to remove railroad’s special interest antitrust exemption. March 21, 2013

112th Congress (2011-2012)

  • Senate Judiciary Committee votes to end railroad special interest loophole, passes S. 49 by a vote of 14-1. March 3, 2011
  • Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee Report: Railroads plead poverty to protect their monopoly and then charge excessive rates to shippers. September 15, 2010
  • Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee Chairman Rockefeller and Ranking Member Hutchison introduce bill to increase competition in the rail industry. January 25, 2011
  • Judiciary Subcommittee Chairman Kohl and Senator Vitter introduce bill to remove railroad’s special interest antitrust exemption. January 25, 2011

111th Congress (2009-2010)

  • Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee approves S. 2889, the Surface Transportation Boar Reauthorization Act of 2009, by a bipartisan and unanimous vote. December 17, 2009
  • House Judiciary Committee unanimously passes H.R. 233, the Railroad Antitrust Enforcement Act. September 16, 2009
  • Senate Judiciary Committee overwhelmingly passes S.146, the Railroad Antitrust Enforcement Act, by a vote of 14-0. March 18, 2009

110th Congress (2007-2008)

  • Highlights of a House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee hearing on rail competition, with a statement by Chairman James Oberstar(D-MN), and testimony from CURE Chairman Glenn English; Terry Huval, director of Lafayette Utilities Service; and Wayne Hurst, vice president of Idaho Grain Producers Association. September 25, 2007
  

109th Congress (2005-2006)

  • CURE provided testimony for in the following hearings: House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Railroads (April 26, 2006); the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee (May 25, 2006); the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine (June 21, 2006)

108th Congress (2003-2004)