Daily Caller: A senior Department of Transportation official derided Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer Wednesday for his refusal to confirm the nation’s top railroad safety regulator and suggested the partisan obstruction is placing rail passengers at risk.
Ronald Batory, a 40-year railroad industry veteran, was unanimously approved to lead the Federal Railway Administration by the Senate Commerce Committee in August; but Schumer has since blocked his confirmation twice, in an admitted effort to secure federal funding to revamp a a rail tunnel linking New York and New Jersey.
Deputy Secretary of Transportation Jeff Rosen, who sent a letter to Schumer on Jan. 31 urging him to confirm Batory, told The Daily Caller News Foundation Schumer’s behavior is unacceptable considering the scourge of recent rail accidents.
“He was unwilling to put safety first,” Rosen said of Schumer’s December objection to Batory’s confirmation, which occurred in the immediate aftermath of the tragic Washington State Amtrak derailment that resulted in three dead, 70 injured, and cost over $40 million in repairs.
“At that time, Sen. Thune, who chairs the Commerce committee, said months have gone by and now were dealing with the aftermath of this tragedy, it’s time to confirm Ron Batory, and he asked for unanimous consent,” Rosen recounted, and congressional records confirm. “Senator Schumer stood up and just said ‘I object’ and then he walked away and didn’t elaborate. So he didn’t say when he objected what the grounds were. It’s inexplicable that after those months and after the tragedy he was unwilling to put safety first but he didn’t give the rationale.” more here
Force Biden to ride every Amtrak train, every route.
Schumer gets bit in the ass again.😂
But, but, where’s bi-partisan, establishment Mitch McCONnell, isn’t he supposed to be a leader in the Senate. After all those years being led by Obama, he’s just isn’t able to get the job done without Schumer’s approval.
Shut down Amtrak until the man is appointed
I’m guessing Obutthole’s trillion dollar infrastructure upgrade ran a little short of money when it came to the federal railway administration. Gee, imagine that! All those ‘shovel ready’ jobs must have been short-circuited by the needs and demands of Obunghole’s supporters.
Time to railroad Schmuckles OUT of town… preferably on Amtrak! >:->