Congresswoman Edwards' and Washington Area Metro Region Members Reintroduce the National Metro Safety Act of 2011

Press Release

Congresswoman Donna F. Edwards (MD-4) and Members of the Washington area metro region's House delegation today reintroduced the National Metro Safety Act of 2011. The bill will direct the US Department of Transportation, in consultation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), to establish federal safety standards for heavy rail systems across the country. The bill incorporates several guidelines the NTSB has advocated for years, including the establishment of minimum standards for the structural crash worthiness of heavy rail passenger cars, emergency access and egress, event recorders, and hours of service. Representatives Chris Van Hollen (MD-8), Steny Hoyer (MD-5), James P. Moran (VA-8), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), Frank Wolf (VA-10), and Gerald E. Connolly (VA-11) joined Congresswoman Edwards in introducing this legislation.

"Thousands of my constituents, and the 7 million Americans who board rail each day, deserve to know they are commuting safely," said Congresswoman Edwards. "The National Metro Safety Act of 2011 will establish federal safety standards for heavy rail systems that are already in place for other forms of public transportation. Witnessing the rail accidents that occur each year, it is clear that these safety standards are overdue and critical to ensuring the safety of passengers. I thank Sen. Mikulski for her leadership on this issue in the Senate, and I am proud to join her in this effort."

"Riding Metro should not be a hazard to your health," said Rep. Moran. "We need these long overdue safety standards to ensure that the millions of Americans who use our transit railways do so with the confidence that avoidable accidents won't occur."

"Public transportation rail systems throughout our nation are responsible for moving millions of passengers every day. Ensuring that those rail systems -- including the second largest system here in the Washington Metro area -- can provide safe and reliable service for their passengers should remain a top priority for Congress. I want to thank Congresswoman Edwards for introducing the National Metro Safety Act of 2011, and for her leadership on this important issue. I am pleased to join her as a cosponsor of this critical legislation," said Representative Hoyer.

"Establishing national safety standards for mass transit systems, like Metro here in the National Capital Region, is long overdue. The two year anniversary of the worst crash in Metro's history is fast approaching, and we must honor the memories of Jeanice McMillan, a Northern Virginia resident who was operating one of the trains, and the eight others who died in that tragedy," Congressman Connolly said. "I know Sec. LaHood shares our sense of urgency, and I hope the new leadership of the House will realize the value of investing in Metro and other transit systems across the country to keep our people and our economy moving."

"Safety needs to be priority one," said Rep. Frank Wolf (VA-10).

"I am proud to join with Congresswoman Edwards and other members from the Washington, DC region to introduce the National Metro Safety Act. Millions of Americans rely on transit every day, yet there are no safety standards for these systems. This important bill gives the FTA the authority it needs to implement recommendations of the NTSB and ensure that transit, like every other mode of transportation, meets a uniform benchmark for safety," said Congressman Chris Van Hollen (D-MD).

"We will never know whether the tragic 2009 Metro accident that took the lives of nine residents, seven of them from the District, could have been prevented. We do know that the Metro collision is an urgent call for national safety standards for the one form of major transportation without safety guidance," said Representative Norton.