BNSF RAILWAY

Railroads

HR1,2701/S4 - These bills were signed into law last year. They were designed to enhance rail security and implement allof the recommendations of the bipartisan 9/11 Commission. They also clarified the scope of Federal preemption for RRs and modified the backroung check process for RR employees and contractors. Lobbying efforts were primarily directed at Congressional oversight of the implementation of this new law.

TargetedSENATE · HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Transportation

HR 1650/S 772 - Repeals several antitrust exemptions for the RR industry and transfers merger authority from the Surface Transportation Board to the Dept of Justice and the FTC. HR 1116,2125/S953 - Proposes to regulate RR rates and grants new regulatory authority to the Federal Govt. and the Surface Transportation Board in order to restrict RR pricing authority.

TargetedSENATE · HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Taxation/Internal Revenue Code

HR 1650/S772 - Provides a tax credit for certain freight rail capital expenditures in order to encourage RRs to increase their rail capacity and seeks to achieve modal equity by placing capital cost recovery of rail infrastructure on the same basis as other modes of transportation.