On June 9 in Washington D.C., Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Wash., voted against an amendment that would have halted the implementation of stronger rail safety standards.
The vote, 286-136, defeated an amendment offered to the Transportation Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill that would have defunded the Department of Transportation’s regulations for rail tank car standards, according to a June 10 press release.
A bipartisan majority passed the overall bill on June 9.
“In order for rail to work for Southwest Washington, we have to make sure regulations are keeping up with public safety needs,” Herrera Beutler is quoted in the release. “Fortunately, we were able to avoid a very serious setback to the much-needed rail standards in Congress last night — something I and many others have put a lot of time and effort into finalizing as quickly as possible.”
Herrera Beutler help to write the bill providing $190.37 million to the Federal Railroad Administration Safety and Operations account. The money will go toward at-grade rail crossing improvements, oil by rail safety and positive train control, among other safety efforts.
