Sen. Lott to chair Surface Transp. Cmte

[Anonymous]

Lott appointed subcommittee chair

Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss.) has been appointed chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation-Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Subcommittee. The subcommittee has responsibility for automobiles, trucks, railroads, Amtrak, maritime and ports, driver safety, transportation of hazardous materials, pipelines, and transportation research.

Lott said he "welcomed the responsibility of overseeing improvements in the administration of highway, rail and maritime transportation and safety. One of our first priorities will be the reauthorization of the trucking and automobile safety titles in the overdue highway bill. It's vital that these programs have the stability of being renewed in a multi-year reauthorization so that the states can
get to work on their implementation."

Lott also said the subcommittee will be looking at freight rail and railroad safety issues "early in this Congress."

From Railway Age

[Anonymous]

This should be interesting. Lott has been a friend to the rails in Mississippi.

LC

[Anonymous]

One thing will be seen, a certian dignity and honor due to the chair. Whoh be to anyone that should challenge the man on that turff.

[mucable]

Hmmm...Do you think we can get the Sunset upgraded to a daily train now?

[MP57313]

QUOTE: Originally posted by piouslion

One thing will be seen, a certian dignity and honor due to the chair.

Yes; he is a long time supporter of passenger rail. Amtrak does have some friends in the (R) column.

[BaltACD]

QUOTE: Originally posted by mucable

Hmmm...Do you think we can get the Sunset upgraded to a daily train now?

Only if you can get several hunded million dollars to CSX to upgrade the line from Jacksonville to New Orleans, where the 3 day a week operation of the Sunset creates many operational problems.

[Modelcar]

....It is a ray of hope for rail passenger operations. I don't know how he will act up against the President's zero'ing out of the budget for Amtrak operations....But it is a ray of hope. He and Kay B. Hutchison have been supporters. Along with others on the other side of the asle.