Political Quotes

“as we focus upon the Transportation budget for the upcoming fiscal year, I would like to discuss with you a number of points regarding the Surface Transportation Board [STB] in light of the ICC Termination Act. The statutorily mandated time frames have been complied with in the latest merger. The STB should assign a priority to the handling of old cases. For example, those cases pending more than 3 or 4 years before the effective date of the ICC Termination Act. In addition, the STB's own release as to its recent public vote in the Union Pacific/Southern Pacific merger, it was indicated that considerable weight was given to the managerial judgment of the applicants. Since that application had been pending prior to the effective date of the ICC Termination Act, similar treatment should be given to the other long-pending cases. The STB's policy should be based on the widest perspective as to railroad proposals, be they mergers, constructions, line extensions, or rates, that will benefit area-wide economies in addition to the applicants themselves. Also, the Board should encourage rail proposals compatible with the requirements of appropriate environmental laws and should continue its policy of promoting competition in rail transportation which I believe will benefit the consumer.”