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Read. Follow. Verify.Senate Hearing on Freight Rail Reform and STB Oversight
Record date · January 1, 2017
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What This Bill Does
This Senate Commerce Committee field hearing examined the implementation of the 2015 Surface Transportation Board (STB) Act. The hearing focused on how the new law addresses long-standing issues with rail efficiency, rate dispute resolution, and the agency's ability to investigate systemic problems.
The hearing evaluates how federal oversight changes affect the cost and reliability of shipping goods by rail, which is critical for South Dakota's agricultural and energy sectors that rely on rail to reach national markets.
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Agricultural producers
These businesses rely on rail to transport products to market and are impacted by rail efficiency and shipping costs.
Energy suppliers
These companies depend on freight rail to transport fuel and energy resources.
Surface Transportation Board
The agency is subject to new regulatory authorities and structural changes mandated by the 2015 Act.
Key Facts
- The Surface Transportation Board (STB) had not been reauthorized or reformed since its creation in 1996 prior to the 2015 Act.
- Approximately 40 percent of U.S. freight ton-miles are moved by rail.
- South Dakota originates three times as many rail cars as it terminates, making the state highly dependent on rail for economic growth.
- Prior to the 2015 Act, the STB lacked authority to proactively investigate issues of regional or national significance.
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- Rate disputes before the STB previously cost over $5 million and took more than three years to resolve.
- The STB's previous three-member structure hindered communication between members due to quorum requirements.
- The hearing was held on August 11, 2016, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Surface Transportation Board?
Why was the 2015 Reauthorization Act necessary?
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News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceFull breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Shift to Proactive Oversight
The 2015 Act marked a transition for the STB from a reactive body to one with the authority to proactively investigate systemic rail issues.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.govinfo.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance60How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy20Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz15Current news / social attention level
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