ms. fleming? >> good morning. mr. chairman, ranking member blunt, other members of the committee, thank you for the opportunity to discuss rail safety. as you heard, 2012 was the safest year in railroad history, and overall rail safety has improved significantly with the accident rate dropping by almost 50% between 2004 and 2012. however, as we heard, recent accidents in connecticut, missouri and maryland demonstrate the need for vigilance and further improvements in rail safety. my statement is based on work currently being performed at the request of this committee and other members of the senate and will cover fra's rail safety oversight including existing and emerging challenges as well as positive train control implementation. our reports will be issued later this fall. fra is charged with regulatory oversight of the safety of u.s. railroads, both passenger and freight. combined the freight and commuter rail systems plus amtrak have about 230,000 employees, over one million cars and 200,000 miles of track in oper

ms. spear -- aye. dr. fleming -- no. mr. barber -- aye. mr. kaufman -- aye. mr. carson -- no. ms. shea porter -- aye. mr. gibson -- no. mr. mcveigh -- aye. mrs. hartzler -- no. kilmore -- aye.ed more mr. castro -- aye, mr. scott -- no. mr. peters -- aye. mrs. robie -- no. mr. brooks -- no. mr. vc -- no. mr. bija nugent -- no. mr. cook -- no. winthrop -- no. mr. jones. >> ayes, 16, no 45. >> little louder. 45. 16, no quite the amendment is not agreed to beard if the chair recognizes the gentleman from for the purpose of offering a motion. >> i moved to adopt the mark as amended. >> the question is on the motion from the gentleman from texas. .hose opposed no the motion is agreed to. >> i knew the canadian reports the bill as amendment favorably to the house with the recommendations that it houses. quite so many in favor will hold this. those opposed no. >> i am sorry to interrupt. of our staffber birthday as well today. [laughter] >> we do not have a song. sing.will you sent an outstanding job for us. likes of you want to quickly sing the republican song. your birthday song, it doe

ms. spear votes aye. dr. fleming? >> no. >> dr. fleming votes no. mr. barber? >> no. >> mr. rber votes no. mr. coffman? >> no. >> mr. coffman votes no. mr. carson? is. >>. no. >> mr. carson votes no. mr.-- [inaudible] >> no. >> ms. shea-porter? >> no. >> ms. shea-porter votes no. mr. gibson? >> no. >> mr. gibson votes no. [applause] hartsler? >> no. >> mrs. hartsler voted no. mr. kilmer? >> no. >> mr. kilmer votes no. dr. heck? >> no. >> dr. heck votes no. mr. castro? >> no. >> mr. castro votes no. mr.-- [inaudible] >> no. >> mr. runyon votes no. ms. duckworth? >> aye. >> ms. duckworth votes aye. mr. scott? >> no. >> mr. scott votes no. mr. peters? >> no. >> mr. peters votes no. mr. lose sew? >> no. >> mr. palazzo votes no. ms. roby? >> yes -- no. >> ms. roby votes no. mr. brooks? mr. brooks? mr. cease si? >> no. >> mr. veasey votes no. mr. nugent? >> no. >> mr. nugent votes no. mr. cook? >> no. >> mr. cook votes no. mr. bridenstine? >> no. >> mr. bridenstine votes no. dr. win stop? >> no. >> miss velour sky? >> no. >> and mr. brooks? mr. palazzo? [inaudible conversations] >>

ms. spear votes aye. >> dr. fleming? >> no. >> dr. fleming votes no. mr. barber? >> no. >> mr. barber votes no. mr. coffman? >> no. >> mr. coffman votes no. mr. carson? >> [inaudible] >> mr. carson votes no. >> ms. shea-porter? >> no. >> ms. shea-porter votes no. mr. gibson? >> no. >> mr. gibson votes no. >> mr. ma thai? >> no. >> mrs. hartsler? >> no. >> mrs. hartsler votes no. dr. hecht? >> no. >> dr. hecht votes no. mr. castro? >> no. >> mr. castro votes no. mr. runyon? >> no. >> mr. runyon votes no. ms. duckworth? >> aye. >> mr. scott? >> no. >> mr. scott votes no. mr. peters? >> no. >> mr. peters votes no. mr. palazzo? >> no. >> mr. mass sow votes no. >> mrs. robe by? >> mr. brooks? >> [inaudible] >> mr. brooks? mr. veasey? >> no. >> mr. veasey votes no. mr. nugent? >> no. >> mr. nugent votes no. mrs. nome? >> no. >> mrs. nome votes no. mr. cook? >> no. >> mr. cook votes no. mr. briden stein? >> no. >> mr. briden stein votes no. dr -- [inaudible] votes no. mrs. velour sky? >> no. >> mrs. v.a. lore sky votes no. [background sounds] [inaudible conversations] >> clerk -- clerk