,i  #aaeth ,,congress  #ast ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #ihh  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of   
,,representatives  ,february #i1        
#bjag,mr4 ,ellison introduced the       
following bill2 which was referred to   
the ,committee on ,transportation and   
,infrastructure  ,a ,,bill  ,to provide 
for a study by the ,transportation      
,research ,board of the ,national       
,academies on the impact of diverting   
certain freight rail traffic to avoid   
urban areas1 and for other purposes4    
#a4 ,study on impact of diverting       
certain freight rail to avoid urban     
areas  7a7 ,in general ,not later than  
#c months after the date of enactment of
 this ,act1 the ,secretary of           
,transportation shall make appropriate  
arrangements with the ,transportation   
,research ,board of the ,national       
,academies under which the ,board shall 
conduct a study on the cost and impact  
of rerouting freight rail traffic       
containing hazardous material to avoid  
transportation of such hazardous        

material through urban areas4  7b7      
,contents of study ,the study described 
under subsection 7a7 shall include--    
7#a7 the benefits of rerouting freight  
rail traffic containing hazardous       
material to alternate railroad routes   
that avoid urban areas1 including       
benefits to the health and safety of the
 individuals living in such urban areas2
  7#b7 the benefits of construction of  
alternative railroad routes that avoid  
urban areas for transportation of       
freight rail containing hazardous       
material2  7#c7 the logistical          
feasibility of the actions described in 
paragraphs 7#a7 and 7#b72 and  7#d7 the 
costs of taking the actions described in
 paragraphs 7#a7 and 7#b74  7c7 ,report 
,in entering into an arrangement under  
subsection 7a71 the ,secretary shall    
request that the ,board transmit to     
,congress a report on the results of the
 study not later than #ba months after  
the date of enactment of this ,act4  7d7
 ,definitions  7#a7 ,hazardous material 

,the term hazardous material has the    
meaning given such term in section #eajb
 of title #di1 ,united ,states ,code4   
7#b7 ,urban area ,the term urban area   
means an urban area1 as designated by   
the ,bureau of the ,census1 with a      
population of greater than #cj1jjj4  7e7
 ,authorization of appropriations ,there
 are authorized to be appropriated      
#hej1jjj to carry out this ,act4