Freight task force panel named
U.S. Rep. Bill Shuster (R-PA) and U.S. Rep. Nick Rahall II (D-WV) announced the members of a special panel that will be tasked with examining the current state of freight transportation in the U.S. and how improvements might help the U.S. economy.
Shuster is chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and Rahall is ranking member.
“Given that freight transportation cuts across many modes, this panel will play a critical role in providing recommendations on how to improve the efficient movement of goods between highways, ports, inland waterways, railroads, air carriers, and pipelines,” said Shuster. “I am confident Chairman Duncan and the members of the panel will provide the Committee with valuable insights for the improvement of freight transportation and our Nation’s economy.”
The full committee’s vice chairman, Rep. John J. Duncan, Jr. (R-TN), will chair the “Panel on 21st Century Freight Transportation.” Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) will serve as the panel’s ranking member. By the rules of the committee adopted at the beginning of the Congress, the special panel will serve for a period of six months, beginning with its first scheduled hearing on April 24, 2013.
The Republican members of the panel are:
- John J. Duncan, Jr., TN, Chairman
- Gary Miller, CA
- Rick Crawford, AR
- Richard Hanna, NY
- Daniel Webster, FL
- Markwayne Mullin, OK
The Democratic members of the panel are:
- Jerrold Nadler, NY, Ranking Member
- Corrine Brown, FL
- Daniel Lipinski, IL
- Albio Sires, NJ
- Janice Hahn, CA
“Almost all manner of goods sold or produced in this country take a ride on our rails, pass through our ports, wind down our waterways, or travel our highways,” said Ranking Member Rahall. “The smooth movement of cargo across all these modes of transportation is essential in keeping our economy moving which is why this panel’s task of improving the efficiency of our interconnected freight network takes on such importance.”