On behalf of the nation’s 600-plus small business short line freight railroads, the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) appreciates the House T&I Committee’s bipartisan work to advance a surface transportation reauthorization bill, the BUILD America 250 Act. Short lines are encouraged by some provisions in the bill and look forward to continuing to work with Congress to improve others as the legislation advances. As a first draft, the BUILD America 250 Act has some welcome provisions that will enhance safety, capacity, and reliability for short lines, including a robust authorization of the successful CRISI program and a continuation of funding for the Section 130 grade crossing program. However, if the final legislation provides only an authorization for CRISI without the guaranteed funding included under the IIJA, it will represent a step backward for short line rail investment. Beyond that, during the House T&I Committee markup, we were disappointed to see an amendment accepted to increase truck weights to 91,000 pounds in some states through a 10-year pilot program. Heavier trucks would shift freight from the safer and more sustainable rail network onto the more dangerous and already overburdened and heavily subsidized highway network. Additionally, the Committee adopted a broad Railway Safety Act amendment. While short line railroads were not directly targeted, these provisions would nonetheless impose costly and inflexible mandates on the rail network if passed into law. At a time when the public is concerned with rising costs, these amendments do not serve our nation well.…
