Duncan to Chair Special Transportation Panel

Press Release

U.S. Rep. John J. Duncan, Jr. (R-Tenn.) will chair a special panel tasked with examining the current state of freight transportation in the United States and how improving freight transportation can strengthen the U.S. economy.

The "Panel on 21st Century Freight Transportation" is scheduled to hold its first hearing on April 24, 2013, and serve for a period of six months.

The announcement was made this morning by Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Bill Shuster (R-PA) and Ranking Member Nick J. Rahall, II (D-WV).

"In the past, the conversation about freight transportation and goods movement has focused only on one specific mode of transportation or another," said Rep. Duncan. "But freight doesn't move just by ship, or by rail car, or by truck. Chances are the goods you buy at the store got on the shelves thanks to all those methods of transportation. Bottlenecks during any leg of that journey from the manufacturer to the market drive up costs. That's why improving the flow of freight across all modes of transportation is so critical to a healthy economy."

"Given that freight transportation cuts across many modes, this panel will play a critical role in providing recommendations on how to improve the efficient movement of goods between highways, ports, inland waterways, railroads, air carriers, and pipelines," said Chairman Shuster. "I am confident Chairman Duncan and the members of the panel will provide the Committee with valuable insights for the improvement of freight transportation and our Nation's economy."

Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) will serve as the panel's ranking member.

Congressman Duncan serves as Vice Chairman of the full Transportation Committee, where he has served since first being elected to Congress in 1988. He is also the former Chairman of the Subcommittees on Aviation, Highways and Transit, and Water Resources.

Additional details about the panel's first hearing on April 24th will be announced at a later date.

The Republican members of the panel are:
John J. Duncan, Jr., TN, Chairman
Gary Miller, CA
Rick Crawford, AR
Richard Hanna, NY
Daniel Webster, FL
Markwayne Mullin, OK

The Democratic members of the panel are:
Jerrold Nadler, NY, Ranking Member
Corrine Brown, FL
Daniel Lipinski, IL
Albio Sires, NJ
Janice Hahn, CA

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