FEDERALhearing transcript

Confirmation Hearing for Sarah E. Feinberg, Federal Railroad Administrator

Original title: NOMINATION OF SARAH E. FEINBERG TO BE ADMINISTRATOR, FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

January 1, 2016

transportation railroad safety federal appointments Positive Train Control Senate confirmation

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The Frame

What this does

The Federal Railroad Administration Administrator oversees national rail safety regulations and the implementation of , a critical safety technology required for the nation's rail network.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Railroad Industry

The industry is subject to safety regulations and technology implementation mandates overseen by the FRA Administrator.

General Public

The public relies on the safety and efficiency of the national rail network for passenger travel and the transport of goods.

What changed

Last recorded activity January 1, 2016.

What's next

Next step not available in the current record.

Summary

The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held a hearing to consider the nomination of Sarah E. Feinberg as the Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). The hearing focused on her professional background, her experience as , and her ability to oversee national rail safety and infrastructure.

Key Facts

Sarah E. Feinberg served as the acting FRA Administrator starting in January 2015.
The FRA is responsible for the safety, reliability, and efficiency of the U.S. rail network.
Sarah E. Feinberg previously served as Chief of Staff to Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx (2013-2014).
Sarah E. Feinberg worked as Policy and Crisis Communications Director at Facebook (2011-2013).
Sarah E. Feinberg served as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor to Rahm Emanuel (2009-2010).
Committee members raised questions regarding the nominee's lack of direct railroad industry experience.
The committee discussed the implementation deadline for Positive Train Control (PTC) technology.
The hearing took place on September 17, 2015, in the Russell Senate Office Building.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the role of the Federal Railroad Administration?

The FRA oversees the safe, reliable, and efficient movement of people and goods across the nation's rail network.

What concerns were raised about Sarah E. Feinberg's nomination?

Some committee members and observers expressed concern that her professional background is primarily in communications and policy, rather than having deep expertise in railroad operations or safety.

What is Positive Train Control (PTC)?

PTC is a communications-based system designed to improve rail safety by preventing train-to-train collisions and derailments caused by excessive speed.

Why It Matters

The Federal Railroad Administration Administrator oversees national rail safety regulations and the implementation of , a critical safety technology required for the nation's rail network.

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift90% confidence

Focus on Tech Implementation

The hearing highlights the transition of the FRA's focus toward the mandatory implementation of complex communications-based safety systems like PTC.

Federal Railroad Administration

Connected Entities

personSarah E. Feinberg“Nominee for Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration.”Map →

personAnthony Foxx“Former U.S. Secretary of Transportation.”Map →

personRahm Emanuel“Former White House Chief of Staff.”Map →

organizationFederal Railroad Administration“The federal agency responsible for rail safety and regulation.”Map →

personJohn Thune“Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.govinfo.gov

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance65
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy40
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment15
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz10
Current news / social attention level

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