Local, state leaders call on Congress to support federal investment in freight rail

Hundreds of local, state and national leaders from 48 states and the District of Columbia are urging Congress to prioritize investment in freight rail in the upcoming surface transportation reauthorization bill.

In a group letter coordinated by national nonprofit GoRail, the leaders asked House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee members to consider the role freight-rail systems have in the U.S. economy as federal lawmakers prepare legislation to reauthorize federal spending on surface transportation programs. The existing law, the Infrastructure and Investment Jobs Act of 201, expires on Sept. 30, 2026. The group letter was signed by state legislators, mayors, county commissioners, business leaders, economic development officials and former U.S. transportation secretaries of transportation, GoRail officials said in a press release.

"Freight railroads are essential to the nation with freight demand expected to rise 50% by 2050," the letter states.

The letter signers urge Congress to support performance-based and data-driven safety regulation; increased funding for grant programs such as the Grade Crossing Elimination Program; restoration of the Highway Trust Fund via a user-pays model; rejection of economic re-regulation that could stifle private rail investment; and expansion of competitive grant programs that improve supply chain resilience.