Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton's interim safety recommendations amendment to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Reauthorization Act of 2010 passed out of committee this morning. Norton's amendment, the National Transportation Safety Board Interim Safety Recommendations Act, introduced in response to the Metro tragedy last summer, clarifies that the NTSB can and should offer cost-effective interim recommendations, as well as its best final recommendations. The Reauthorization Act with Norton's amendment passed out of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and moves to the House Floor. The Reauthorization Act extends the NTSB's oversight functions, which includes conducting investigations of rail systems and offering recommendations to ensure safety. The Congresswoman also announced another congressional hearing on Metro safety in April to address the string of accidents and passenger inconveniences since the Metro tragedy last year and Metro's leadership changes.
The Congresswoman introduced her amendment because in the June 22, 2009 collision, all the fatalities occurred in an older 1000 series car, which was significantly more damaged than the newer 6000 series car that was struck. But only after that collision, when the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 689 suggested that Metro put the 1000 series cars between the newer, more crashworthy 6000 series cars, was that done. The NTSB never made this recommendation, which Norton believes could have saved lives. "The NTSB did not disagree with this interim step at a congressional hearing in July, but it never recommended this, or similar guidance, except for Metro to spend billions of dollars it did not have. Only after the fatal collision did Metro receive the first $300 million installment from Congress and the region. It will be years before all the 1970s vintage cars are replaced, and the safety of riders cannot await funding." Norton said. "The NTSB is an excellent safety agency and makes first-rate recommendations. None of that will be changed because of my amendment. What my amendment does is to encourage the NTSB to offer interim solutions that might save lives while ensuring that NTSB' best final actions it mandates remains its foremost obligation. "
The Norton amendment, based on a bill she introduced last year following a congressional hearing on Metro, comes during major changes at Metro. While Metro is set to name an interim manager tomorrow and to hold public hearings soon on how to close a $160 million budget gap, NTSB is scheduled to report its findings and offer recommendations on the fatal Metro collision by June. The Congresswoman's amendment that passed today urges the NTSB to offer affordable guidance in addition to its final recommendations, when appropriate. "Recommendations short of multi-million dollar upgrades and replacements can save lives," Norton said. "This amendment requires the NTSB to specifically consider recommending interim guidance where appropriate, especially when a transit agency has not secured funds to meet the costly permanent recommendations."