U.S. Capitol Building; Capitol Building; Washington D.C.The U.S. House passed a six-year surface transportation reauthorization and reform bill that calls for more than $300 billion in federal funding for highway, transit and rail programs. If approved by the full Congress and signed by President Obama, the bill would become the first long-term transportation law passed since 2005.

The Surface Transportation Reauthorization and Reform Act of 2015 (the STRR Act) was approved by a vote of 363 to 64. It was introduced by the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Bill Shuster (R – Pa.), Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Ranking Member Peter DeFazio (D – Ore.), Highways and Transit Subcommittee Chairman Sam Graves (R – Mo.), and Highways and Transit Subcommittee Ranking Member Eleanor Holmes Norton (D – D.C.).

“The STRR Act provides strong reforms and policies to help us improve America’s transportation system, and now we can get to work on resolving the differences with the Senate bill and carry a final measure over the goal line,” Shuster said in a press release.

Read more from Progressive Railroading.

two-person_crewIt has recently been announced that an attempt may be made to attach language from H.R. 1763, the Safe Freight Act, which is the federal two-person crew bill onto H.R. 3763.

H.R. 3763 is the Surface Transportation Reauthorization and Reform Act of 2015, which was passed by the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Thursday, Oct. 22. This bill contains language extending the PTC implementation deadline to 2018 with an additional two-year extension beyond that date.

Members, friends and family are urged to contact their House Representatives immediately to ask them to co-sponsor and support H.R. 1763, as well as its inclusion to H.R. 3763.

“Now is the time to take action and contact your congressional representatives about co-sponsoring H.R. 1763,” said Alternate National Legislative Director Greg Hynes. “It’s in the best interest of public safety and the safety of our members.”

Click here to search for your House Representatives by state.

Click here to send an email to your representatives, asking for their support of H.R. 1763 for railroaders.

Click here to send an email to your representatives, asking for their support of H.R. 1763 for family members and friends.