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Read. Follow. Verify.Senate Hearing on Nominations for Transportation and Maritime Oversight Agencies
Record date · January 1, 2016
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What This Bill Does
The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held a hearing on May 6, 2015, to consider the re-nomination of Daniel R. Elliott III to the Surface Transportation Board and Mario Cordero to the Federal Maritime Commission. The hearing also addressed ongoing legislative efforts to reform the Surface Transportation Board through the STB Reauthorization Act of 2015.
This hearing concerns the leadership of two federal agencies that regulate freight rail rates, railroad mergers, and international ocean shipping, directly impacting the cost and efficiency of the U.S. supply chain.
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Freight Railroad Companies
These companies are subject to the regulatory authority of the Surface Transportation Board regarding rates and mergers.
International Shipping Companies
These companies are subject to the oversight of the Federal Maritime Commission regarding ocean transportation practices.
Key Facts
- The Senate Committee held a hearing on May 6, 2015, to review nominations for the Surface Transportation Board (STB) and the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC).
- Daniel R. Elliott III was nominated for the STB, where he has served as Chairman since 2009.
- Mario Cordero was nominated for the FMC, where he has served as Chairman since 2013.
- The STB regulates freight railroads, including rate disputes and mergers.
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- The FMC regulates international ocean transportation and marine terminal operators.
- The STB Reauthorization Act of 2015 (S. 808) was introduced to allow board members to communicate more freely and grant the agency power to initiate its own investigations.
- The proposed STB reform bill requires the agency to maintain a database of pending complaints and issue quarterly reports.
Frequently Asked Questions
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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.
STB Investigative Authority
The hearing highlights a shift toward granting the STB the power to initiate its own investigations rather than only responding to external complaints.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.govinfo.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance40How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy10Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz10Current news / social attention level
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