I’m trying to track this one down, but a commenter noted under a prior post that they believe Dr. Annette Bosworth may be set to be the Legislature’s Doctor of the Day on February 3rd.
I’ve been trying to confirm this, but has anyone else heard? If so, drop me a note.
Noem Questions U.S. Trade Representative on Agriculture Interests
Rep. Kristi Noem questioned U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman about agriculture interests involved in ongoing trade negotiations during yesterday’s Ways and Means Committee hearing.
YouTube clip: http://youtu.be/gFwKS5gIa_Y
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Thune Holds Commerce Committee Hearing on Freight Rail Challenges
“As 2013 and 2014’s freight rail delays and service challenges highlighted, rail service is absolutely critical to our nation’s economy…Thankfully, this winter’s relatively mild weather and better service have provided some improvements, but there’s still work to be done.”
WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, today held his second hearing as chairman entitled, “Freight Rail Transportation: Enhancing Safety, Efficiency, and Commerce.” The hearing focused on challenges facing our nation’s freight rail network created by higher demand, pending and proposed rules and regulations, and infrastructure needs. Today’s hearing continued Thune’s work to improve freight rail service for ag producers and shippers and prevent future rail service disruptions from occurring.
Thune also invited Dave Brown, Chief Operating Officer of Genesee and Wyoming, parent company to South Dakota’s Rapid City, Pierre, and Eastern line (RCP&E), to testify before the hearing. Dave spoke about the opportunities and challenges that RCP&E and other shortline railroads face. Video of Mr. Brown’s statement is available here.
Last Congress, the Commerce Committee held various rail related hearings, including a hearing on the rail service challenges facing shippers across the country, which included agriculture producers in South Dakota who struggled with access to reliable freight rail service during a record harvest. In addition, on September 17, 2014, the Commerce Committee passed the bipartisan Surface Transportation Board (STB) reform bill that Senator Thune and former Commerce Committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller (D-W.V.) introduced to institute common-sense reforms regarding how the STB works and to address rate disputes and service complaints. For a complete outline of Thune’s work to address last year’s rail service backlog, visit his website.
Video of Thune’s opening statement is here and text is below:
“As 2013 and 2014’s freight rail delays and service challenges highlighted, rail service is absolutely critical to our nation’s economy. South Dakota farmers scrambled to find rail cars and watched as rail turn times worsened, delaying shipments and creating grain storage challenges for the record breaking wheat, corn, and soybean crops.
“However, those delays were not just limited to the north central United States, they also extended across the country and impacted every shipping sector and industry.
“Thankfully, this winter’s relatively mild weather and better service have provided some improvements, but there’s still work to be done.
“I am pleased that Genesee and Wyoming, the parent company of South Dakota’s Rapid City, Pierre, and Eastern Railroad (RCP&E) has joined us for today’s hearing. I look forward to hearing from Dave Brown, the Chief Operating Officer of Genesee and Wyoming, which is the largest Class II railroad in the country with over 100 shortline and regional railroads, about the opportunities and challenges the RCP&E and other shortline railroads face.
“From automobiles, to coal, to ethanol, to agriculture, rail service moves goods from farm and factory to consumer marketplaces across the country and across the globe. The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) notes that freight rail moves roughly 40 tons per person each year. As a nation, we rely on cost efficient, timely service to move food, consumer products, and energy resources on a daily basis.
“The private infrastructure that makes up our nation’s freight rail system is costly, as old tracks and equipment require ongoing maintenance and investment. Our nation’s railroads continue to invest in new track, sidings, locomotives, and car resources with the goal of serving their customers. Class I railroads and shortlines alike face increasing demands for prompt, reliable, and safe service.
“In 2014 freight traffic increased nearly five percent over 2013 levels, and we should seek solutions that foster an even stronger freight rail network to meet this increasing demand.
“The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has proposed or finalized over 15 new freight rail safety rules since the passage of the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008, and many of these regulations will take effect in 2015.
“Not only is the Positive Train Control (PTC) mandate looming, with its December 31st deadline, but the DOT has announced that it expects a crude-by-rail regulation to be published around May of this year.
“Although the PTC deadline is quickly approaching, it remains unattainable. Through the end of 2014, railroads have invested over $5 billion in PTC, and they expect to spend billions more in the coming years.
“They have begun installation of the radio towers, locomotive technology, and other PTC infrastructure, but full compliance with the statutory requirements cannot be achieved by the end of this year. The FRA and the Government Accountability Office have documented the immense technical and programmatic challenges with implementing PTC.
“As a result of these challenges, the DOT has reported that the deadline will not be met and has offered a proposal to ensure the benefits of PTC are realized. I look forward to working with my colleagues on a legislative fix to ensure that we can set a more realistic implementation timeline for this important safety improvement.
“I am also closely monitoring the proposed crude-by-rail requirements.
“I have expressed concerns to the Office of Management and Budget as well as the DOT about the unintended harms that could result from the proposed rule. The DOT estimates its proposed crude-by-rail rule could cost nearly $6 billion, and it acknowledges the rule would increase network delays and out-of-service time for rail equipment.
“Without question, we must improve the safety of our nation’s rail system, but I am concerned about the unattainable deadlines the rule proposes. Like the PTC mandate, there are very real impacts when federal agencies set unreasonable and, many times, unachievable deadlines.
“Among other things, the DOT issued this proposed rule without analyzing the potential tank car shop capacity needed to retrofit or replace over 100,000 DOT-111 tank cars. Shippers have raised concerns about a tank car shortage, with a disruption in energy supply transportation, if DOT finalizes this rule with an unattainable deadline. I look forward to working with my colleagues, stakeholders, and the Secretary of Transportation on a realistic timeline for such a phase-out.
“While safety can and should be improved, we certainly do not need to build in system-wide delays and congestion like we have witnessed during the past year and a half.
“Our transportation network connects port to rail to truck. Delays, burdensome regulations, and failing infrastructure disrupt our nation’s economy and cost jobs. So, we must work together to find workable solutions.
“In addition, we must ensure that the Surface Transportation Board, which is tasked with resolving railroad rate and service disputes and reviewing proposed railroad mergers, can provide effective and efficient oversight of the rail industry.
“This committee has a great deal of work to do in addressing freight rail service and safety in addition to passenger rail reauthorizations. I hope members will bring forward thoughtful solutions as we address these challenges.”
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Rounds Introduces SDDOT Secretary Bergquist as Witness at Senate EPW Hearing
WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, today introduced South Dakota Transportation Secretary Darin Bergquist as a witness at an EPW hearing to discuss America’s transportation needs.
“I’ve known Darin for years and I had the opportunity to actually appoint him as Secretary of Transportation when I was Governor,” said Rounds. “I can share with you that he has seen the ins and outs of trying to work with limited funding and in a rural state in which there’s always a challenge in how you take the dollars and spread them out, and literally deliver the best you can.”
Rounds went on to emphasize the importance of passing a long-term transportation bill that recognizes the needs of rural states as well as urban ones.
“The federal highway program is vital to making sure South Dakota has the funds that we need to manage our state’s highways and bridges, thereby providing for economic growth so that all South Dakotans can travel safely.”
I had forgotten about this, until a correspondent had brought it up.
So, why is access to the Capitol tunnels tightly controlled? It sounds as if they’re not tunnels of transit, but tunnels of naughtiness.
Doesn’t anyone remember why they always get closed? Illicit sexual rendezvous. And, the tunnels were a known benefit of being a DOT or Capitol employee. After the no smoking rule got put in place, it became the indoor smoking place to go.
Smoking and Sin.
Maybe the state should keep them off limits.
Two Republican members of the State House of Representatives today took a disagreement over the killing of one member’s bill public via facebook today, with accusations being leveled regarding “secret meetings” and the other being called “a petulant child” and “grandstanding.”
But, read for yourself:
Can’t we just all get along? Hug it out guys.
Delegation Meets with Foxx, Huerta to Outline Powder River Expansion Timeline
WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and Rep. Kristi Noem (R-S.D.) today met with U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx and Federal Aviation (FAA) Administrator Michael Huerta to reiterate the importance of finalizing the Powder River Training Complex (PRTC) expansion.
“We had a productive meeting today and underscored to the secretary and administrator the importance of finalizing this expansion,” said the delegation. “This project has been nine years in the making, with the FAA having coordinated with the Air Force for nearly five of those. We were pleased to hear that the FAA will prioritize the review of the expansion, and we will continue to stay in close contact with the FAA as it moves forward. It is time to finalize this training space, which will increase national security, save taxpayer dollars, and ensure that our airmen and women have the training they need to come home safely after defending our nation abroad. We appreciate the FAA’s efforts to realize these benefits.”
On January 16, 2015, the Air Force announced that it finalized its Record of Decision to approve the PRTC. Now that the Air Force has completed its portion of the process, the FAA will complete its review before the training airspace can be utilized.
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Senate Bill 111
Sponsors: Senators Parsley, Buhl O’Donnell, Haverly, Hunhoff (Bernie), Olson, Omdahl, and Sutton and Representatives Wollmann, Bartling, Bolin, Feickert, Gibson, Johns, McCleerey, Otten (Herman), Rasmussen, Ring, Romkema, Schoenfish, and SchremppPurpose: repeal the provision that invalidates absentee ballots cast by voters who died before the date of the election.
I notice there’s a disproportionate number of Democrats who who want the votes of dead people to count in elections.
Every year, there are bills introduced that leave you asking “really?” This would be an example:
SENATE BILL NO. 105
Introduced by: Senators Olson, Bradford, Brown, Buhl O’Donnell, Cammack, Curd, Ewing, Frerichs, Greenfield (Brock), Haggar (Jenna), Haverly, Heineman (Phyllis), Heinert, Holien, Hunhoff (Bernie), Jensen (Phil), Lederman, Monroe, Novstrup (David), Otten (Ernie), Parsley, Peters, Peterson (Jim), Rampelberg, Rave, Soholt, Solano, Sutton, Tidemann, Vehle, and White and Representatives Gosch, Anderson, Beal, Bolin, Bordeaux, Brunner, Campbell, Craig, Deutsch, Feickert, Gibson, Greenfield (Lana), Haggar (Don), Harrison, Haugaard, Heinemann (Leslie), Hickey, Hunhoff (Jean), Hunt, Johns, Kaiser, Klumb, Latterell, Marty, May, McCleerey, Mickelson, Otten (Herman), Partridge, Peterson (Kent), Rasmussen, Ring, Romkema, Rounds, Rozum, Russell, Schaefer, Schoenfish, Sly, Stalzer, Stevens, Tulson, Verchio, Westra, Wiik, Wink, and Wollmann
FOR AN ACT ENTITLED, An Act to provide Legislators access to the state capitol complex tunnel system.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA:
Section 1. That chapter 2-4 be amended by adding thereto a NEW SECTION to read as follows:Each member of the Legislature has access to all public buildings through the capitol complex tunnel system during regular business hours throughout the regular legislative session. The Bureau of Administration shall provide to the Legislative Research Council a tunnel access card for each Legislator for distribution no later than the first day of each regular Legislative session. The Bureau of Administration may charge the Legislative Research Council the usual and customary charge for the tunnel access cards. The Legislative Research Council shall pay any charges for the tunnel access cards from funds appropriated to the Legislature.
31 Senators and 47 Representative sponsoring a measure that the state issue all legislators keycards to the tunnel system that runs from the State Capitol to two or three buildings immediately adjacent to the Capitol, with said tunnels originally constructed for heat pipes. (They have similar steam pipe tunnels at SDSU, which are far more extensive, and cool as they spider across campus.)
But I’m still forced to ask – Really? Having worked in the State Capitol Complex for a good number of years, I can personally attest to the fact that between going down the stairs, and up the stairs, all you’re really saving is the effort to put on a coat to go across the street…. For a trip that probably takes you less time.
And the last I knew, South Dakota fresh air never hurt anyone.
Noem’s Human Trafficking Provision Passes U.S. House
Washington, D.C. – Rep. Kristi Noem’s bipartisan Human Trafficking Prevention, Intervention, and Recovery Act was passed today by the U.S. House of Representatives.
“Human trafficking is happening in our backyard and we must address it,” said Rep. Noem. “The legislation passed today targets trafficking from multiple angles. First, I’m hopeful my bill will give caregivers, state law enforcement officers, and others the tools they need to prevent trafficking in our communities. And when prevention efforts fail, my hope is that this legislation gives us more information about how to intervene while also diverting critical resources to creating safe places for survivors to escape to.”
The bipartisan Human Trafficking Prevention, Intervention, and Recovery Act (H.R.350) would launch a review to look into federal and state trafficking prevention activities. This will help us identify best practices to stop human trafficking. It also requires an inventory of existing federal anti-trafficking efforts to make sure all federal agencies and programs work together and that federal resources are being targeted where needed. Finally, the legislation improves an existing Department of Justice grant, ensuring that the grant is open to shelters and facilities looking to provide housing for survivors.
This legislation was first introduced by Rep. Noem in the 113th Congress to help give shelters, law enforcement officers, and caregivers more resources to address the human trafficking crisis. While the legislation passed the House late last year, the Senate failed to consider the legislation. Rep. Noem reintroduced the legislation at the beginning of this Congress with California Democrat Rep. Doris Matsui.