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Jun 25, 2015
The U.S. Senate late last week approved S. 808, a bill to reauthorize and reform the Surface Transportation Board (STB), which oversees the railroad industry. The bill, sponsored by Sen. John Thune (R-SD) and strongly supported by the American Soybean Association (ASA), would expand the STB and give it new authority to initiate and investigate freight-rail industry issues.
The measure passed the Senate by unanimous consent, but it is unclear if or when the House will act on the bill. The bipartisan bill would increase the number of board members from three to five, require the agency to report to Congress every three months on regulatory proceedings and promote greater use of voluntary arbitration to more efficiently settle disputes between freight railroads and shippers.
The bill is supported by ASA and other agricultural groups. While the Association of American Railroads, has opposed similar legislation in previous years it has thus far not mounted strong public opposition to S. 808.
