Reps. Bustos, Kind Include Rail Safety Funding in Year End Budget

Will give Rural Emergency Responders increased tools to respond to derailments
Tweet

Washington, DC – December 21, 2015 – (RealEstateRama) – U.S. Rep. Cheri Bustos and U.S. Rep. Ron Kind announced that their request for increased funding for rail safety was included in the year end spending bill. The bill is expected to come to the House floor for a vote on Friday.

“I fought to increase funding for emergency response equipment because we have an obligation to protect families in communities along rail lines,” said Congresswoman Cheri Bustos. “Last March in Galena, we saw how important it is for first responders to have immediate access to the tools they need to prevent an accident from becoming a full scale disaster. While I would have preferred to have seen additional funding for emergency response equipment, this is an encouraging step in the right direction and I will continue to fight for more resources for our communities.”

“I am pleased to see that Congress has taken Rep. Bustos’ and my recommendation to increase funding for rail safety measures. During a derailment or spill a quick response time and access to the proper tools saves lives and property,” Congressman Kind stated. “While this increase in funding is a step in the right direction I would have liked to have seen additional funding. Going forward I will continue to work on measures to ensure our first responders have the tools they need to respond to emergencies.”

The 2016 budget contains funding for the various transportation safety programs and agencies within DOT. This includes a $300,000 increase for the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration. Find a copy of the letter here.