NRC Chairman’s Column –– March 2025

Joe Daloisio Chairman, National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC)

Courtesy of NRC

The Voice of Railway Contractors and Suppliers Came Through Loud and Clear on Capitol Hill 

January 23, 2025, marked some noteworthy firsts. I had the privilege of testifying for the first time before Members of Congress in a congressional hearing. It also was the first time in the NRC’s history that a chairman or any NRC official has testified before Congress. 

It was truly an honor and one of the most memorable experiences of my life. I delivered a five-minute statement and answered questions from Members throughout the hearing before the Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee of the House Transportation & Infrastructure (T&I) Committee. The hearing – entitled “America Builds: Examining America’s Freight and Passenger Rail Network” – featured testimony from four rail industry stakeholders about their priorities for the new Congress and current and potential transportation legislation. 

I’ve been to Capitol Hill and met with Members of Congress before as part of Railroad Day on the Hill and our NRC fly-ins, but this was an entirely different experience that was humbling, a bit intimidating, and exciting. The other witnesses sat at a desk facing subcommittee members in stadium-like, tiered seating looking down at us, surrounded by  CSPAN cameras, microphones and photographers, and staff scurrying around added to the experience.  

I took the responsibility of representing the opinions and experiences of NRC member contractors and suppliers very seriously. Despite my lack of experience in this situation and limited time, the voice of NRC members took center stage.  

Safety is always our top concern, so I made a case for allowing railroads, rail contractors and suppliers the ability to innovate and deploy new safety technologies. “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.” 

I urged lawmakers to improve the efficiency of CRISI and other grant programs. “The speed at which grant agreements have been executed has been way too slow. By the time the construction phase begins, a number of variables, most notably the increase in costs, jeopardizes the successful execution of these important projects. We encourage Congress and the new Administration to deliver grant funding in a responsible but more expedient manner.” 

I also stressed the importance of a competitive bidding process in rail construction and maintenance contracts to get the best return on these investments. “The NRC strongly supports increased opportunities for contracting out and competition within these programs to stretch federal funds further. Increased flexibility for railroads and commuter rail agencies to contract out work will benefit the industry. This is not an attempt to take work from in-house labor forces, rather it is intended to help the industry as a whole perform more work more efficiently.” 

NRC members are always striving to find the most innovative ideas and methods to deliver projects at less cost without compromising safety. “Our member companies are both specialized in and incentivized to accomplish this on a daily basis. Therefore, we would like to strongly urge that all rail construction and maintenance work performed with federal assistance be competitively bid out to the independent railroad construction industry, to the fullest extent possible, to ensure the most efficient use of taxpayer dollars.” 

This opportunity to testify before Congress came as a result of years of work and persistence by NRC staff and our own members. I am particularly grateful to Matt Ginsberg, who leads the NRC’s government relations. Matt’s ongoing relationships on the Hill, along with those by NRC President Ashley Wieland, positioned the NRC as a credible resource for real-world perspectives on rail-related legislation. Their efforts were bolstered by scores of NRC members who participated in Railroad Day on the Hill and held grassroots events at their facilities and jobsites over the years. 

Our work continues on May 7 when we take our case to Washington for the next Railroad Day on the Hill. Your voice is vitally important. Please join us and help us take advantage of every opportunity to get our seat at the table. 

“We aren’t just in this industry. We are this industry!” 

JOE

Members of the Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee heard testimony from four rail industy stateholders on January 23 (l to r):  AAR President & CEO Ian Jefferies, ASLRRA President President Chuck Baker, NRC Chairman Joe Daloisio, and Alternate National Safety and Legislative Director (SMART-TD) Jared Cassity. 

THIS ARTICLE APPEARED IN THE MARCH 2025 ISSUE OF RAILWAY TRACK & STRUCTURES