Railroad Competition and Service Improvement Act of 2007

To amend title 49, United States Code, to ensure competition in the rail industry, enable rail customers to obtain reliable rail service, and provide those customers with a reasonable process for challenging rate and service disputes.

5/3/2007--Introduced.
Railroad Competition and Service Improvement Act of 2007 - Sets forth Surface Transportation Board directives calling for effective competition among rail carriers and reliable rail transportation service for rail customers.
Requires a rail carrier, upon shipper request, to establish rates for transportation and provide requested service between any two points on the carrier's system. Prohibits the Board from issuing a certificate authorizing construction and operation of railroad lines, short line purchases by Class II and Class III rail carriers, or consolidation, merger, and acquisition of control of rail carriers, or exempt from such certificate requirements any person, transaction, or service with respect to such activity, if the activity involves a transfer of interest in a line of railroad, from a Class I rail carrier to a Class II or III rail carrier, and the activity would:
(1) restrict the ability of the Class II or Class III rail carrier to interchange traffic with other rail carriers;
(2) restrict competition of rail carriers in the region affected by the activity in a manner that would violate U.S. antitrust laws; or
(3) require higher per car interchange rates for Class II or Class III rail carriers to interchange traffic with other rail carriers. Prescribes procedures for Board review of any activity alleged to have resulted in a restriction of competition.
Makes mandatory (currently, discretionary) entry by rail carriers into reciprocal switching agreements where the Board finds it is practicable and in the public interest, or where such agreements are necessary to provide competitive rail service. Requires the Board to designate any state or substantial part of a state as an area of inadequate rail competition after making certain findings.
Requires the Board to post rail service complaints on its website.
Sets forth time limits for the Board to act on complaints filed alleging unlawfulness of a new or revised rail rate, rule, or practice.
Establishes the Office of Rail Customer Advocacy.
Grants rail customers access to a Board process for determining rail rate reasonableness in railroad market dominance cases. Requires the Board to submit certain rail rate, service, and other disputes to arbitration. Authorizes the Board to investigate rail carrier violations on its own initiative (under current law, the Board is authorized to investigate only on complaint). Requires the Board (currently, discretionary) to initiate an investigation upon receiving a complaint alleging rail carrier violations.


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Sponsor

• Rep. James Oberstar [D, MN-8]
• and 57 Co-Sponsors
  • Rep. Rodney Alexander [R, LA-5]
  • Rep. Robert Andrews [D, NJ-1]
  • Rep. Richard Baker [R, LA-6]
  • Rep. Tammy Baldwin [D, WI-2]
  • Rep. Robert Berry [D, AR-1]
  • Rep. Jo Bonner [R, AL-1]
  • Rep. Dan Boren [D, OK-2]
  • Rep. Charles Boustany [R, LA-7]
  • Rep. Bruce Braley [D, IA-1]
  • Rep. George Butterfield [D, NC-1]
  • Rep. Barbara Cubin [R, WY-0]
  • Rep. William Delahunt [D, MA-10]
  • Rep. Keith Ellison [D, MN-5]
  • Rep. Trent Franks [R, AZ-2]
  • Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen [R, NJ-11]
  • Rep. E. Scott Garrett [R, NJ-5]
  • Rep. Paul Gillmor [R, OH-5]
  • Rep. Raul Grijalva [D, AZ-7]
  • Rep. Phil Hare [D, IL-17]
  • Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin [D, SD-0]
  • Rep. Rubén Hinojosa [D, TX-15]
  • Rep. Mazie Hirono [D, HI-2]
  • Rep. Tim Holden [D, PA-17]
  • Rep. Rush Holt [D, NJ-12]
  • Rep. Darlene Hooley [D, OR-5]
  • Rep. Bob Inglis [R, SC-4]
  • Rep. William Jefferson [D, LA-2]
  • Rep. Bobby Jindal [R, LA-1]
  • Rep. Steve Kagen [D, WI-8]
  • Rep. Ronald Kind [D, WI-3]
  • Rep. Nicholas Lampson [D, TX-22]
  • Rep. Betty McCollum [D, MN-4]
  • Rep. Michael McNulty [D, NY-21]
  • Rep. Charles Melancon [D, LA-3]
  • Rep. R. Bradley Miller [D, NC-13]
  • Rep. Alan Mollohan [D, WV-1]
  • Rep. Gwen Moore [D, WI-4]
  • Rep. Patrick Murphy [D, PA-8]
  • Rep. Marilyn Musgrave [R, CO-4]
  • Rep. David Obey [D, WI-7]
  • Rep. Ronald Paul [R, TX-14]
  • Rep. Ed Perlmutter [D, CO-7]
  • Rep. Collin Peterson [D, MN-7]
  • Rep. Ted Poe [R, TX-2]
  • Rep. Earl Pomeroy [D, ND-0]
  • Rep. James Ramstad [R, MN-3]
  • Rep. Dennis Rehberg [R, MT-0]
  • Rep. Rick Renzi [R, AZ-1]
  • Rep. Mike Ross [D, AR-4]
  • Rep. Michael Simpson [R, ID-2]
  • Rep. Albio Sires [D, NJ-13]
  • Rep. Victor Snyder [D, AR-2]
  • Rep. Zackary Space [D, OH-18]
  • Rep. Edolphus Towns [D, NY-10]
  • Rep. Mark Udall [D, CO-2]
  • Rep. Timothy Walz [D, MN-1]
  • Rep. Zach Wamp [R, TN-3]
  close

Committees

• House Transportation and Infrastructure
• 1 more
  • House Transportation and Infrastructure
  close

Amendments

This bill has no amendments.

Amendments to H.R.2125

Number	Status	Purpose

Bill Status

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Introduced		Voted on by House		Voted on by Senate		Considered By President		Bill Becomes Law
May 03, 2007

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All Bill Actions

• May 04, 2007: Referred to the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials.
• May 03, 2007: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
• Introduced on May 03, 2007.

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Related Bills:

• S.953

Related Issue Areas:

• Veterans
• Alabama
• Florida
• Mississippi
• 27 more
• Veterans' benefits
• Transportation
• Administrative fees
• Administrative procedure
• Administrative remedies
• Antitrust law
• Business
• Commercial arbitration
• Competition
• Consumer complaints
• Consumers
• Department of Transportation
• Executive departments
• Executive reorganization
• Governmental investigations
• Infrastructure
• Injunctions
• Law
• Railroad engineering
• Railroad freight operations
• Railroad mergers
• Railroad rates
• Railroads
• Surface Transportation Board
• Technology
• Telecommunication
• Web sites

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In the News

September 04, 2007 House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure to Hold Hearing ...

NAWG has worked with shippers from several industries to support HR 2125 and three other pieces of rail legislation, HR 1650, S. 953 and S. 772. ...

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