Blumenthal Statement on House Bill to Extend PTC Deadline

(WASHINGTON, DC) – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), member of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, released the following statement on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s legislation to extend the deadline for railroads to implement Positive Train Control (PTC) technology:

“Any Congressional action on PTC must ensure that railroads move swiftly and vigorously to install it without needless delay. It has been more than 45 years since the National Transportation Safety Board first urged railroads to implement positive train control – an unacceptable delay in implementation of this critical, life-saving technology that has allowed numerous, preventable tragedies. Instead, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s bill provides a blanket extension to 2018, a troubling move considering that some railroads are on track to meet the current deadline. Extensions should be granted only to railroads that have demonstrated diligent, good faith efforts to meet the mandate. Only by holding railroads’ feet to the fire will this critical, life-saving technology finally be implemented.”

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