Norton & Regional Members Co-Sponsor Bill for National Subway Safety Standards (7/24/09)

Norton and Regional Members Co-Sponsor Bill for National Subway Safety Standards to Avoid Future Tragedies

July 24, 2009

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Following the first Congressional hearing on the Metro collision that occurred June 22, the Office of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today said Norton joined regional Members to co-sponsor the National Metro Safety Act, establishing national safety standards for transit agencies operating subway systems. The bill, also introduced in the Senate, authorizes the U.S. Transportation Secretary to establish standards of crashworthiness, emergency access and egress, event recorders, and hours of service. Congresswoman Norton is one of the original co-sponsors of this bill.

Norton said, "At our hearing on Metro, we found that, despite the National Safety Transportation Board's recommendations, public transportation systems had no national safety standards or regulations, although similar rail transportation has long been regulated to assure at least some safety standards in every state. We are pleased to see that we got the first $150 million for Metro through the House yesterday, but no amount of money will ever be enough to offset safety standards and regulations that can prevent tragedies like the June 22 Metro collision."