They are taking part in Railroad Day on Capitol Hill—a 25-plus-year tradition—and slated to meet with 304 offices “to ensure Congress understands their perspective when considering important legislation including Surface Transportation reauthorization, tax, and annual appropriations,” reported the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) one of the participating associations, which also include AAR, NRC, REMSA, RSSI, RTA, RSI, and GoRail.
Though their specific interests are varied, all will be urging congressional representatives to keep their commitment to the most efficient land mode.
They will be calling upon Congress to:
- Maintain and extend tax policies that incentivize private investment in infrastructure, such as the 45G tax credit and corporate SALT deductions.
- Restore the Highway Trust Fund (HTF) to a user-based system and oppose increases to truck size and weight limits.
- Advance permitting reforms that provide greater transparency and predictability while ensuring timely, focused environmental reviews.
- Guarantee full and consistent funding for safety-enhancing rail grant programs, including the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI), Railroad Crossing Elimination (RCE), and Section 130 programs.
“This time-honored tradition, which has continued without interruption including online through the COVID years, is bringing 327 citizen lobbyists to Washington today to exercise their first Amendment right to petition their government and tell their story,” ASLRRA President Chuck Baker said. “With important legislation being taken up in the coming months, it is the right time to educate lawmakers about the actions they can take to ensure that the nation’s freight rail system continues to be a growth engine, delivering safe and efficient service for tens of thousands of energy, agriculture, manufacturing, and industrial customers across the nation.”
“In the coming weeks, Congress will be taking up FY26 Appropriations, a tax bill, and beginning to outline priorities for a Surface Transportation bill reauthorization,” Baker noted. “Railroad Day on Capitol Hill is an opportune time for our industry to put a face on the entities that their actions will impact, making connections that will be invaluable to the industry and to Congress as it considers legislation that will produce powerful outcomes for the public.”
