Gottheimer’s Bipartisan Rail Safety Bill Passes on House Floor

Today, Congressman Josh Gottheimer’s bipartisan FRA Safety Data Improvement Act, HR 4925, passed the House of Representatives with broad bipartisan support. Gottheimer’s Act, which is cosponsored by Republican Congressman Paul Mitchell (MI-10), passed by a unanimous vote Tuesday evening. It was Gottheimer’s first stand-alone bill to pass the House; Gottheimer’s Amendment to H.R. 1367 to accelerate the hiring of post-9/11 veterans at the Department of Veterans Affairs passed in March 2017. President Trump signed it into law in August 2017.

“Our roads and rails in New Jersey and across our country are literally crumbling — and our rail safety is way behind where it should be. From Administration to Administration, our rail safety too often is the subject of political games and partisan politics. We can’t play partisan games with the safety of our children and family. That’s why my bipartisan FRA Safety Data Improvement Act — my first stand-alone bill to pass the House — brings consistency and the power of big data to help implement rail safety in New Jersey and in our country. Our families deserve no less,” said Congressman Josh Gottheimer.

The FRA Safety Data Improvement Act passed committee in February and codifies safety accountability requirements to prevent shifting in standards from one Administration to the next. It requires a plan and the implementation of recommendations found in a report from the Department of Transportation’s Inspector General. The bipartisan legislation improves and standardizes reporting and training around railway accidents on railroads like Amtrak and NJ Transit. To ensure compliance, the Act also requires the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to update the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Senate Commerce Committee annually on its progress.