Congressman Peter Defazio honored with Railroad Achievement Award – American Journal of Transportation

Ranking member of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee recognized for demonstrated commitment to the U.S. rail network

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Association of American Railroads (AAR), in partnership with grassroots advocacy organization GoRail, today honored Congressman Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) with the Railroad Achievement Award, an initiative launched in May 2017. Recognized for his longstanding, bipartisan leadership on issues affecting both freight and passenger railroads, Congressman DeFazio accepted the award at the manufacturing facility of Willamette Valley Company (WVCO). The Railway Engineering-Maintenance Suppliers Association (REMSA), which represents WVCO, as well as eight other Oregon rail manufacturers, coordinated the event.

Freight railroads serve almost every industrial, wholesale, retail and resource-based sector of the economy and provide firm footing for the vast majority of passenger and commuter rail in this nation, said AAR President and CEO Edward R. Hamberger. As the Ranking Member of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, and with an accomplished career in Congress, few leaders understand this fundamental truth more than Congressman DeFazio. His leadership was especially evident in passing the Fixing Americas Surface Transportation (FAST) Act in 2015, the first long-term surface transportation bill in a decade, which included several key railroad provisions, such as Amtrak reauthorization.

The Railroad Achievement Award is given periodically to members of Congress who have shown leadership on policies that help ensure the vitality of railroads in the United States. Award winners like todays have particularly shown an understanding of the distinct role railroads play in the American economy and the need for safe and efficient operations made possible through sustained investment, the organizers said.

Communities and companies all across America benefit from an innovative freight rail industry that invests more than 40 cents of every revenue dollar back into the nations rail network, said GoRail President Russell McGurk. Making this possible are sound public policies and elected leaders like Congressman DeFazio with the foresight to enact and protect those policies.

In prepared remarks introducing Rep. DeFazio, GoRails Nate Kaplan discussed the critical safety enhancements made possible through the FAST Act. Kaplan also pointed to the reauthorization of the Surface Transportation Board (STB) in 2015 and applauded the broad representation of the rail sector at the event, including western rail carriers BNSF Railway and Union Pacific, short line Genesee & Wyoming, Oregon-based rail suppliers and the host, WVCO, a major local employer and international transportation supply and technology company.

Congressman Peter DeFazio has long been a strong advocate of the rail industry, the State of Oregon and especially, Lane County, added John Murray, Vice President of WVCO. Willamette Valley Company is honored to host this award presentation.

It was our pleasure to join our industry counterparts in honoring and thanking Congressman DeFazio for his continued leadership on vital transportation and infrastructure issues, said David Tennent, Executive Director & CEO, REMSA. Today would not have been possible without the leadership of Willamette Valley Company and I wanted to thank them for their efforts on behalf of the rail supply industry. We look forward to continuing to unite railroads and suppliers to advocate for sound, fact-based policies that will continue to create jobs and growth across the United States.

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Congressman Peter Defazio honored with Railroad Achievement Award - American Journal of Transportation