Advocacy

A Strong Rail Transportation Network Is

the Foundation for a Strong Economy

  • Member companies generate more than 100,000 jobs
  • Supply, build and maintain freight, public transit and industrial rail networks
  • Advocate for a robust railway system
View our Infrastructure Act
(IIJA) Resources

Keeping the U.S. Economy Moving

The railway construction and maintenance industry keeps the U.S. economy moving ahead by facilitating the safe, reliable and efficient transportation of goods and people by rail.
  • To encourage investment in U.S. railway infrastructure and related job growth, the NRC advocates on the federal, state and local levels on behalf of our more than 400 member contractors and suppliers.
  • The NRC informs members through ongoing updates on federal and state transportation infrastructure spending and regulatory issues and coordinates participation on pending legislation and policies.
  • The NRC also facilitates participation in Railroad Day on Capitol Hill and regional grassroots initiatives with access to legislators, policy makers and other railway decision makers to promote a strong industry.

Participate in Railroad Day
on Capitol Hill

Learn more about Railroad Day
on May 17, 2023

Legislative and Policy Priorities

Here are the NRC legislative and policy priorities for 2022:
  • Balanced Freight Rail Regulatory Framework – The NRC supports maintaining the market-based regulatory framework for freight railroads overseen by the Surface Transportation Board (STB). This balanced approach protects rail customers by providing an approach to address services concerns while allowing freight railroads to manage their assets and pricing without overt government intervention.
  • Truck Size and Weight Limits – The NRC supports maintaining existing federal truck size and weight maximums to help control damage trucks cause to our highway infrastructure.
  • Increased Investment in Infrastructure – A strong rail infrastructure is critical to the vitality of our nation’s economy. The NRC supports full funding and streamlined implementation of the IIJA/BIL to improve efficiencies, safety and environmentally friend freight transportation. These funds will also help stimulate additional infrastructure investment by states, localities and private sector partners.
  • THUD Appropriations Accounts for Rail Infrastructure Investment - The NRC supports THUD Appropriations accounts that provide for robust rail infrastructure investment to improve rail safety, efficiency, reliability, and rail access to ports, including FRA and Intercity Passenger Rail, FTA New Starts, and the USDOT BUILD & INFRA Discretionary Grant programs
  • Environmental Policy and Streamlining – The NRC supports efforts to speed up the federal permitting and review processes in order to deliver critical infrastructure projects without delays and on reasonable timeframes. NEPA and other processes involving multiple federal agencies and levels of government still cause too many delays and unnecessary duplication which prevents many worthy projects from getting the green light. With the increase in federal infrastructure funding included in the IIJA/BIL, it is more important than ever that projects get built and the benefits that result from them become a reality in a timely fashion.

Hold a Grassroots event at Your Facility or Project Site

Grassroots events help you tell your railroad story and build a relationship with your elected officials. Check out the NRC-REMSA Grassroots Video to learn more about the benefits of grassroots events and to see highlights from past events.  

Inquire about scheduling
a grassroots event

Looking for Some Guidelines on Contacting Your Elected Official?

Here Are Some Tips and a Sample Letter

What our members say…

As Chair of the new NRC Policy and Legislative Committee, I see opportunities for us to make a greater impact on the future. Our committee is exploring new ways to participate while further examining issues that affect our member companies. We realize not everyone can attend events, such as Railroad Day, so will be offering other opportunities for employees of our member companies to get involved.

Curtis Bilow

Vice President, Business Development

Ames Construction Co.

KeeP up on our latest news

National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association, Inc.

80 M St. SE, Washington, DC 20003
Phone: 202.975.0365

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