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S. 1233: Rail Shipper Fairness Act of 2017

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S. 1233: Rail Shipper Fairness Act of 2017

115th Congress · introduced 2017-05-25 · Transportation and Public Works · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2017-05-25 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Sen. Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Rail Shipper Fairness Act of 2017

Plain summary

Rail Shipper Fairness Act of 2017 This bill amends federal transportation law to: (1) require rail transportation service to be efficient and reliable based on a shipper's reasonable service requirements, and (2) expand enumerated U.S. transportation policies to provide for and promote the protection of the shipping public. The Surface Transportation Board (STB) may: issue emergency service orders that include rail carrier shipments moving under contract if such shipments are part of a regional service order; and require reports, service plans, or other documents that cover shipments moving under contract. Rail carriers shall be liable for damages or equitable relief as a result of inadequate or deficient service. Civil penalties for rail carriers who violate certain federal requirements are increased from $5,000 to $25,000 per violation. The bill allows shippers to obtain rates to or from any interchange points within 100 miles of two or more rail carriers (i.e., competitive switching). The STB shall initiate a rulemaking proceeding to develop a market-based revenue methodology for determining the reasonableness of challenged rail rates. A rail carrier must compute fuel surcharges in accordance with changes in actual fuel prices, rather than using an index. The STB must: (1) suspend collection of rate increases in stand-alone cost cases while a rate case is pending, and (2) replace its revenue adequacy test for rail carriers with a formula for calculating a carrier's cost of capital.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Rail Shipper Fairness Act of 2017

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI] · 1 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI] reported raising $3.5 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)
Bill
A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Rulemaking
The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong115-s1233 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong115 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong115