AAR President and CEO Statement on Trump Administration Executive Order Regarding Regulation and Regulatory Costs

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Jan. 31, 2017 — Edward R. Hamberger, president and CEO of the Association of American Railroads (AAR), issued the following statement on Monday’s Executive Order by the Trump Administration, “Reducing Regulation and Controlling Regulatory Costs.”

“The freight rail industry is pleased to see continued discourse and action regarding our nation’s regulatory system. Regulators too often today lose sight of clearly defined end goals that would ultimately benefit the general population. We ought to propose more desired results and less prescribed means to that end.

We believe that a more nimble regulatory structure will foster greater economic growth and we are excited to partake in this important effort to improve the regulatory system.

That is why the freight rail industry continues to offer principles for reform, including that rules should be based on a demonstrated need, as reflected in current and complete data and sound science; and non-prescriptive regulatory tools, like performance-based regulations, should be deployed wherever possible to align the interests of the regulator and the industry, and to foster and facilitate innovation to achieve well-defined policy goals.”

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For more information contact: AAR Media Relations at media@aar.org or 202-639-2345.

About AAR: The AAR is the world’s leading railroad policy, research and technology organization focusing on the safety and productivity of rail carriers. AAR members include the major freight railroads of the U.S., Canada and Mexico, as well as Amtrak.