By 60 Plus Association President Saul Anuzis
Oklahoma retirees and seniors are already struggling to pay their bills due to rising consumer costs and inflation. Now, they are facing a new economic headache courtesy of bureaucrats and politicians in Washington, D.C. The culprit this time is the Railway Safety Act, legislation authored, designed, and promoted by organized labor to re-regulate the nation’s freight rail industry. While rail safety is important, this Biden-backed bill seeks all the wrong policy remedies and will end up doing more harm than good. And it will cost you – the American consumer – more of your hard-earned money.
Specifically, the bill seeks to empower and expand the federal bureaucracy by mandating onerous regulations and costly new requirements, such as prescribing crew size and train length. These actions will impede freight rail flexibility and industry innovation and make it more costly and difficult for freight railroads to operate, leading to higher prices for retirees, seniors, and those on fixed incomes.
Freight railroads play a vital role in the economy, transporting goods and products in a clean, efficient, and safe manner. Shippers rely on this network to move goods because they know it is cost-effective, reliable, and safe.
In fact, freight rail remains the safest mode of transportation in the United States, averaging less than one derailment per million miles traveled. Railroads consistently invest tens of billions of dollars each year in safety equipment, technology, and training. Freight rail is also the cleanest mode of transportation. It is more fuel-efficient than trucks, resulting in fewer emissions and less pollution. Moreover, freight cars have the capacity to carry larger loads over longer distances, increasing efficiency while reducing congestion and costs. Manufacturers, retailers, and wholesalers pass on these cost savings to consumers in the form of lower prices, helping to keep them affordable and within reach.
Despite the evident advantages of freight rail in terms of efficiency and reliability, there are still some in Congress looking to impede this innovative industry. Under the guise of safety, they are considering new legislation and regulations, which will inevitably lead to higher prices on consumer goods and staples, from gas to groceries. The Railway Safety Act is just another misguided and misnamed bill from D.C. bureaucrats and politicians – backed by their union allies – to address a perceived “problem” that simply does not exist.
These politicians should know better. Oklahoma retirees and seniors, who are already struggling with inflated costs and prices, simply cannot afford another burden placed on them by politicians coming to the rescue with another bloated and bureaucratic bill.
I urge Oklahomans to contact their representatives in Congress and let them know that you oppose the Railway Safety Act. This bill is bad for Oklahoma, bad for the economy, and bad for consumers and seniors. We need to protect our freight railroads from unnecessary regulation and keep goods and products moving efficiently throughout the supply chain.
Saul Anuzis is president of 60 Plus Association, the American Association of Senior Citizens, a nonprofit advocacy group.
This sentiment completely overlooks the repeated derailments and hazards that led to this bill.
Of all efforts to target, why this?
This is worse than one-sided hooey; it’s just blatant lobbying for corporate interests.