Specifically, just as it is a federal crime to interfere with flight crews, the bipartisan Duckworth-Hoeven bill “would prohibit interfering with intercity and passenger rail crew members by establishing a uniform criminal prohibition against assaulting or intimidating engineers, conductors, onboard personnel, employees performing safety-sensitive functions and other personnel responsible for operations, functions or customer service at a rail station.”
Duckworth was originally inspired to author and introduce this bipartisan bill in 2018 after her constituent, Michael Case, was critically injured in a shooting while performing his duties as an Amtrak conductor.
“No one in America should experience what my constituent Michael Case endured when he was shot and critically injured simply for performing his job as an Amtrak conductor,” said Senator Duckworth. “Congress rightfully recognized decades ago that flight crew members deserved uniform legal protections against assault and intimidation, and it’s past time we grant our passenger rail crew members with the same legal protections that apply to flight crews.”
As a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation (CST), Duckworth has long advocated that every American should receive the dignity and respect they deserve while traveling. Duckworth authored the ASAP Act provisions in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which provide $1.75 billion over a five-year period to help build ramps, install elevators and make other improvements to help ensure our nation’s transit systems are actually, finally usable for those with disabilities.
A broad range of passenger rail stakeholders endorsed the bipartisan Duckworth-Hoeven PRCPA (download below), including SMART Union, Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), Transport Workers Union of America, AFL-CIO (TWU), Transportation Communications Union/IAM (TCU) and the American Association of Railroads (AAR).
TCU National Secretary Treasurer, Greg Kocialski, a 30-year Amtrak veteran stated, “Our members have long sought the same protections afforded airline personnel: that assaulting or intimidating a crew member should and must be a federal offense. We’re confident this legislation will force people to think twice before ruining their own lives, and the lives of our members. I want to thank Senators Duckworth and Hoeven for their leadership in seeking to better protect the health and safety of our members.”
Previously introduced versions of this legislation had limited coverage to the train crews on intercity passenger trains; however, this new version expands coverage to station personnel and commuter railroads.
“Thanks to the continuous efforts of our Legislative Department this new updated version of the bill expands coverage to all of our members in the stations and at commuter railroads,” said TCU National Vice President Nick Peluso, who covers TCU’s commuter railroad employees. “I’m proud of our Legislative team in DC for continuing to fight tooth-and-nail for our members’ interests.”
“I’m glad Senator Duckworth is leading this long-overdue legislation,” said Andre Howard, Local Chair for TCU 2500 based in Chicago, that represents ticket clerks, baggageman, gate agents and RedCaps. “Amtrak is a safe place to work, and our members just want to be able to go to work and do their jobs every day, but like any customer service or hospitality job, sometimes you can have a disorderly customer. Having a federal law to protect our members, just like in the airline industry, is important for how serious these instances can be.”
