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Category: Leadership

Home>News>Leadership

Amtrak, transportation benefit from omnibus spending bill

March 23, 2018 WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congress passed and President Trump signed into law Friday a bipartisan spending agreement also known as the “omnibus” spending bill that provides a massive boost toward several of our union’s priorities, including transportation infrastructure projects, th [...]
  • Tags Amtrak, Congress, John Risch, NMB, Railroad Retirement Board, transportation spending bill, Washington D.C.
New FRA Administrator Ron Batory, left, and SMART Transportation Division National Legislative Director John Risch pose Feb. 28 after Batory's swearing-in ceremony.

Batory sworn in as FRA administrator; Martinez takes helm of FMCSA

February 28, 2018 After months of waiting, Ronald L. Batory was sworn in on Feb. 28 as the new administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). “This day could not have happened soon enough,” Batory said in remarks delivered during the ceremony administered by Department [...]
  • Tags Federal Railroad Administration, FMCSA, Ron Batory

SMART TD announces two-person crew bill has been introduced in U.S. Senate

January 31, 2018 Washington, D.C. (January 31, 2018) – SMART Transportation Division announced today the introduction of the Safe Freight Act (S.2360) by U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp (D-North Dakota), which would require two crew members — one certified locomotive engineer and one certified co [...]
  • Tags freight rail safety, Heidi Heitkamp, S.2360, two person crew

How did your member of Congress score in 2017?

January 23, 2018 By John Risch, National Legislative Director Last year, SMART Transportation Division tracked 10 votes and two bills in the U.S. House of Representatives that directly impacted our members, families and retirees. These votes ranged from federal funding for Amtrak and Essentia [...]
  • Tags Congress, congressional score card, representative votes, votes

COLORADO MEMBERS: Your testimony is needed to fight Right to Work For Less bill

January 18, 2018 SMART Transportation Division Colorado State Legislative Director Carl Smith reports that legislators in his state are again considering a Right to Work For Less bill. This is the second time in two years that politicians are attempting to undermine the right to union represe [...]
  • Tags call to action, colorado, Colorado State Legislative Director Carl Smith, right-to-work for less

Tentative agreement reached by SMART TD with Amtrak

January 12, 2018 SMART Transportation Division General Chairpersons Dirk Sampson (GO 769), Robert Keeley (GO 342) and Fran Ariola (GO 663) announced today that they have reached a tentative agreement with Amtrak on behalf of their members employed by the passenger railroad. The chairpersons c [...]
  • Tags Amtrak, tentative agreement

Make your hotel reservations for 2018 SMART TD regional meetings

December 21, 2017 Reservations are now open for both the Seattle, Wash., and Hollywood, Fla., regional meetings. Click here to learn how to make hotel reservations for the Seattle meeting.   Click here to learn how to make hotel reservations for Hollywood, Fla. SaveSave
  • Tags 2018 regional meetings, Hollywood, Hollywood Florida, Seattle, Seattle Washington

CALL SENATORS: Tax bill could wipe out RRB unemployment/sick fund

December 19, 2017 The Republican tax bill that is being voted on today has the potential to wipe out Railroad Retirement Board-administered unemployment and sickness benefits. This is your last chance to call and tell your senators to VOTE NO. A call to action posted by SMART Transportation Di [...]
  • Tags RRB, RRB unemployment benefits, tax bill

SMART TD President’s statement on Washington derailment

December 19, 2017 NORTH OLMSTED, Ohio (Dec. 19) — SMART Transportation Division is assisting as the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) conducts its investigation and offers its sincere condolences to the victims and families of those affected by the Dec. 18 Amtrak Cascades derai [...]
  • Tags Amtrak, Amtrak Cascades, Amtrak derailment, John Previsich, NTSB, passenger train safety, Rail Safety Task Force, Washington state

ACTION NEEDED: Tax bill takes away from unemployment fund

December 14, 2017 The Republican tax bill would result in millions of dollars in cuts to the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund and take funds away from out-of-work employees. Tell your senators and representatives to VOTE NO. Next week, the House and Senate are expected to vote on a t [...]
  • Tags federal cuts, John Risch, RRB, SMART TD Legislative Action Center, tax bill, unemployment, Washington D.C.

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