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 Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill and regional grassroots initiatives with access to legislators, policy makers and other railway decision makers to promote a strong industry.
  • View the NRC Advocacy Flyer for a recap of advocacy activities and priorities.

Participate in Railroad Day
on Capitol Hill

Check back for details about
the 2025 Railroad Day on Capitol Hill

Legislative and Policy Priorities

Here are the NRC legislative and policy priorities for 2024:
  • Safety – On behalf of the rail contractor and supplier community, the NRC is dedicated to helping the railroads by providing solutions to improve safety even further. Freight rail continues to be the safest way to move goods over land and the last decade was the safest ever for U.S. railroads, with mainline and hazmat accident rates at an all-time low. The NRC is reviewing several rail safety bills currently under consideration by Congress. We urge Congress to use data-driven solutions that would effectively increase the safety of the rail network and avoid policy changes that would place unnecessary or excessive mandates on the rail industry that would not enhance rail safety.
  • 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.
  • 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 friendly freight transportation. These funds will also help stimulate additional infrastructure investment by states, localities and private sector partners. The NRC also strongly supports increased opportunities for contracting out and competition within these programs to stretch federal funds further.
  • 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 CRISI, FRA Rail Crossing Elimination (RCE)and Intercity Passenger Rail, FTA New Starts, and the USDOT BUILD, INFRA, and MEGA 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.  

Learn more about Grassroots Events

Looking for Some Guidelines on Contacting Your Elected Official?

Check Here For Some Tips

What our members say…

“The NRC’s advocacy efforts help members cultivate relationships with lawmakers so we can have ongoing dialogue about important rail-related issues. The Members of Congress we've met with are eager to learn more and to exchange ideas with professionals who have first-hand experiences. Those NRC members who have participated have found that their perspectives really resonated with the Members of Congress.”

Kevin Hicks

Senior Vice President and Freight Market Sector Leader

TranSystems

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National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association, Inc.

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

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