Policy

The integration of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), or “drones,” into our nation’s airspace has received much attention in recent months. Striking the right balance between the absolute necessity of maintaining existing safety levels in the National Airspace System (NAS), the potential value of UAS to the economy, and the need for regulations that encompass the […]

Since the last rewrite of federal railroad safety laws in 2008, an increased number of hazards identified by both employees and government agencies, coupled with significant growth in the industry, has put a spotlight on the need for legislative action to impose needed safety reforms. Congress must move forward on the expired Rail Safety Improvement […]

The United States Postal Service (USPS) and its dedicated workforce have been serving our country and keeping our economy moving for over two centuries. But despite its popularity among the overwhelming majority of Americans, USPS faces unprecedented challenges and fiscal difficulties, most of which are a product of bad decisions and missed opportunities in Washington. […]

U.S. air carriers and their employees cannot be forced to compete with foreign airlines that seek to gain an economic advantage by violating the very air transport agreements that allow them to enter the U.S. marketplace in the first place. That is why transportation labor has waged an aggressive effort to stop Norwegian Air International’s […]

For six decades, the United States has played a leading role in helping to alleviate global hunger through the Food for Peace Program. This history of success stems in part from the program’s dual mission of distributing food aid to people in need while simultaneously supporting an American maritime industry capable of meeting our military’s […]

Few transportation safety issues have as far-reaching effects as the transport of hazardous materials and toxic chemicals. Strong laws and regulations surrounding the movement of these materials are essential to protecting not only workers but also the public and local communities who are risk when an accident occurs. Congress and the administration must address the […]

The U.S. aviation industry plays a central role in our national economy. Two million passengers fly on 70,000 flights every single day in America. The industry supports almost 12 million jobs and over $1.5 trillion in total economic activity, and accounts for 5.4 percent of our GDP. In other words, our aviation sector is a […]

Transportation labor has been a leader in insisting on sustainable investment in Amtrak’s national network. Throughout the history of Amtrak, whose creation in 1971 followed the bankruptcy of private passenger rail operations, the passenger railroad company has been chronically underfunded. Even worse, for four decades too many politicians have attempted to shutdown Amtrak through bankruptcy […]

Intercity bus transportation has grown rapidly in the last several years, offering Americans additional travel options as routes expand across the country. But this growth must not come at the expense of passenger and public safety, a fear that has become magnified by an influx of poorly regulated new entrants that have flooded the intercity […]

This important legislation funds and sustains a key component of our national transportation system, and we commend Chairman Shuster, Ranking Member DeFazio, Subcommittee Chairman Denham and Subcommittee Ranking Member Capuano for their leadership in crafting this bipartisan, compromise legislation. We also ask that you oppose any amendments that would compromise the integrity of the national passenger rail network, or that undermines the bipartisan compromise reached in this bill.