House Reauthorizes and Reforms Surface Transportation Board

Press Release

Congressman Kevin Cramer announced today the U. S. House of Representatives passed S. 808, the Surface Transportation Board Reauthorization Act of 2015. The legislation reauthorizes and reforms the Surface Transportation Board (STB), the nation's rail economic regulator, by granting the STB more investigative powers, increasing funding, and also increasing the board membership from the current three to five. The bill unanimously passed the U.S. Senate on June 18.

"North Dakota's rail customers have endured delays in shipping their products to market," said Cramer. "This legislation brings transparency and certainty to those who have been negatively impacted by these delays. It will also boost competition in the rail industry as well as increasing efficiency in the shipping of their products."

The reforms to the STB are supported by many agriculture and business groups.

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