12-08-2001

TRANSPORTATION: Senate OKs Railroad Bill, Minus Add-Ons

The Senate on December 5 approved a bill, 90-9, allowing the federal
railroad pension system to invest about $15 billion in federal dollars in
private securities, despite objections from some fiscal conservatives over
the accounting procedures. Majority Leader Thomas A. Daschle, D-S.D.,
called up the railroad bill for debate in a display of hardball politics
as Republicans were stalling a Democratic economic stimulus bill. GOP
leaders complained that Daschle should have kept the focus on essential
wartime measures. But the railroad bill had 75 co-sponsors and was backed
by the rail industry and by labor groups, making it difficult for
Republican leaders to persuade their rank and file to oppose it. Minority
Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., tried to thwart Daschle by attaching the
Republicans' energy bill and a six-month moratorium on human cloning, but
the Senate easily defeated Lott's effort on a procedural vote.


Geoff Earle/CongressDaily

National Journal