,,ii  #aacth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #bdgh  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,june #ag1     
#bjad ,ms4 ,collins 7for herself and    
,mrs4 ,murray7 introduced the following 
bill2 which was read twice and referred 
to the ,committee on ,commerce1         
,science1 and ,transportation  ,a ,,bill
  ,to authorize the ,secretary of       
,transportation to partner with industry
 to strengthen the safety culture and   
safety practices of short line and      
regional freight railroads4  #a4 ,short 
title  ,this ,act may be cited as the   
,short ,line ,railroad ,safety          
,enhancement ,act of #bjad4  #b4        
,findings ,congress makes the following 
findings3 7#a7 ,the use of new oil      
recovery techniques1 particularly in    
regions without a sufficient number of  
developed pipeline networks1 has led to 
rapid growth in the transportation of   
crude oil by rail4  7#b7 ,recent        
accidents in ,north ,america involving  
trains carrying crude oil1 such as the  

,july #bjac tragedy in ,lac-,megantic1  
,quebec1 have brought the need for      
enhanced safety into focus4  7#c7 ,short
 line and regional railroads have       
workforces and resources that are much  
smaller than large ,class ,i railroads1 
but these railroads are expected to     
handle the same commodities safely4     
7#d7 ,cooperative safety reviews1       
assessments1 and training approaches can
 enhance safety by fostering an enhanced
 safety culture4 ,cooperation between   
industry and the ,federal ,railroad     
,administration's ,research and         
,development ,program would enhance rail
 safety with respect to the             
transportation of crude oil by rail and 
in all other areas of rail              
transportation4  #c4 ,short line and    
regional railroad safety grants ,section
 #bjajh of title #di1 ,united ,states   
,code1 is amended by adding at the end  
the following3  7d7 ,short line and     
regional railroad safety training       
initiative  7#a7 ,grants authorized ,the

 ,secretary may award grants to private 
or nonprofit organizations involved in1 
or affiliated with1 transportation by   
,class ,,ii and ,class ,,iii railroads4 
7#b7 ,use of funds ,grant funds awarded 
under this subsection shall be used for 
research1 development1 evaluation1 and  
training efforts that are designed to   
enhance rail safety practices and safety
 culture4  7#c7 ,authorization of       
appropriations  7,a7 ,fiscal year #bjae 
,there is authorized to be appropriated 
to the ,secretary #b1jjj1jjj for fiscal 
year #bjae for grants under this        
subsection4  7,b7 ,fiscal years #bjaf   
through #bjai ,there are authorized to  
be appropriated to the ,secretary such  
sums as may be necessary for each of the
 fiscal years #bjaf through #bjai for   
grants under this subsection4  7,c7     
,availability ,amounts appropriated     
pursuant to this paragraph shall remain 
available until expended4  4