{"id":56987,"date":"2021-08-04T16:57:22","date_gmt":"2021-08-04T20:57:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.smart-union.org\/?p=56987"},"modified":"2021-12-21T15:34:17","modified_gmt":"2021-12-21T15:34:17","slug":"nld-hynes-contact-congress-to-have-rule-of-2-included-in-bill","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.smart-union.org\/nld-hynes-contact-congress-to-have-rule-of-2-included-in-bill\/","title":{"rendered":"NLD Hynes: Contact Congress to have Rule of 2 included in Senate infrastructure bill","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"

You\u2019ve probably heard in the news over the past few days that the U.S. Senate has agreed on a new bipartisan infrastructure package. This article is to provide facts, highlight the ongoing differences between the House\u2019s infrastructure bill and the Senate\u2019s infrastructure bill, show where we stand and what can be done to step up as we fight for public and worker safety and for the Rule of 2 \u2014 a certified conductor and engineer in the cab of freight locomotives.<\/p>\n

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  1. The bipartisan infrastructure bill is a product of the Senate, where a bill needs a simple majority to pass \u2014 that means 51 votes. However, unless a bill has 60 senators in solid support, it is vulnerable to a filibuster by any who oppose the bill and thus cannot pass. This bipartisan bill has been a big deal in the news because something is being done about the nation\u2019s infrastructure as some senators from both parties came up with a bill by working together after a long, long period of partisan gridlock on Capitol Hill. Let\u2019s remember that this Senate bill has only been in existence since last Sunday, Aug. 1 \u2014 about three days \u2014 and things can change quickly.<\/li>\n
  2. While the news of this Senate bill is good in some ways because of its increased funding for Amtrak and transit and protections of bus members, the bill lacks the two-person crew provision that appeared in the INVEST in America Act that we worked to get passed by the U.S. House in July<\/a>.<\/li>\n
  3. The House gets a chance to make additions, subtractions, and changes to anything the Senate passes in what is known as the conference process. Be assured that our allies in the House will fight to have portions of their bill reinstated that were left out of this Senate bill, but, as it was when we first passed two-person crew legislation out of the House in 2020<\/a>, the divided Senate remains an obstacle. Already, we have come farther than we did last year, and this is thanks to involvement from our membership as well as how we improved conditions for success in November 2020.<\/li>\n
  4. So the door is NOT CLOSED <\/strong>on a legislative solution from Congress coming through with this bill. A senator could amend the bill to add the two-person crew provision before a vote. The conference process also takes time, and we have strong allies in the U.S. House in Transportation Chairman Peter DeFazio and Rail Subcommittee Chairman Donald Payne who worked to get the 2PC provision in the INVEST Act both times it passed the House. But it\u2019s not DeFazio, Payne or the U.S. representatives who already voted in favor of the INVEST Act\u2019s two-person crew provisions<\/a> that we need to convince. Republican senators who helped to craft the \u201cbipartisan\u201d Senate bill didn\u2019t include the provision in accordance with the wishes of their railroad industry allies.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

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    \nSo what can you do to help?
    \nWe need to be loud and persistent. We need all of you to help. With the work being done right now in Washington D.C. on the legislative, and later this year, on the regulatory channel, now is the time to mobilize across the nation to step up and get the Rule of 2 across the finish line. Red state, blue state, purple state, north, south, east and west. We need to call. We need to email. Share the image above on social media. We need to explain to people in Congress, especially senators:<\/strong><\/p>\n