Vicente Gonzalez: “I'm glad that the chairman of the committee pointed out that this is an ongoing issue. In 2004, 2007, when it was…”

“I'm glad that the chairman of the committee pointed out that this is an ongoing issue. In 2004, 2007, when it was requested, it may have been denied, but in San Antonio, we've had such a rash of accidents for the past 5 years that finally railroad safety came to the forefront and we are recognizing some progress. Let's not go backward and allow these waivers. When the FRA denied the UP waiver in 2004, it did so because they found that documentation on employee training was insufficient and unsatisfactory. When they withdrew their request in 2007, the company spokesman commented that the political climate was wrong for them to push for the waiver. But let us make sure that the political climate remains unfavorable and that common sense will prevail and only so if we pass this amendment, and I urge all my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the Napolitano amendment.”