Bennie Thompson: “Mr. Chairman, as I noted earlier, H.R. 1401 is an important milestone in protecting our Nation's rail and public…”

“Mr. Chairman, as I noted earlier, H.R. 1401 is an important milestone in protecting our Nation's rail and public transportation systems. Since its introduction, however, Chairman Oberstar and Chairman Waxman have worked with me to improve the bill and satisfy a number of concerns they had. I am proud that my colleagues and I were able to put aside jurisdictional squabbles that plagued our committees in the past two Congresses. By working together, we came up with compromise language that is good for the Nation and good for Congress. I want to thank Chairman Waxman for the assistance he and his staff gave me on improving whistleblower protections for transportation workers. The manager's amendment strengthens the protections for Federal employees and contractors. As revised, the protections more closely resemble those found in H.R. 985, the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act. Members may recall that H.R. 985 overwhelmingly passed the House 2 weeks ago. I also have worked closely with Chairman Oberstar to clarify the roles and responsibilities of the Departments of Homeland Security and Transportation under this bill.”