March 15, 2023

Duckworth, Durbin, Krishnamoorthi, Ramirez Statement on Surface Transportation Board’s Decision to Approve Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern Merger

 

[WASHINGTON, D.C.]—U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), and U.S. Representatives Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-08) and Delia Ramirez (D-IL-03) today released the following statement regarding the U.S. Surface Transportation Board’s (STB) decision to allow Canadian Pacific (CP) to acquire Kansas City Southern (KCS):

“We are deeply disappointed that the Surface Transportation Board has sided with corporations over our constituents in the Chicago region.  As we have repeatedly reminded the STB, the merger will have dramatic impacts on freight traffic in Illinois that will undoubtedly impact the safety, congestion, and livelihood of Illinois communities as well as disrupt Metra’s commuter rail operations that Illinoisans rely on to access jobs, education, and work.

“The Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern merger will require strong and continued oversight by STB.  We will continue to keep a watchful eye on STB to make certain that it is conducting the necessary, proper oversight of the merger to keep CP accountable, and requiring needed mitigation measures to lessen the impact on Illinois communities.”

The lawmakers have sent several letters to STB expressing their opposition to the proposed merger.  In July 2022, Duckworth, Durbin, and Krishnamoorthi penned a letter urging STB to meet directly with Illinoisans to hear how the merger would impact the community.  In February, Duckworth, Durbin, Krishnamoorthi, and Ramirez sent another letter calling on STB to delay a decision on the merger until a more accurate assessment of the impacts of the merger on the Chicago region could be conducted as the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) previously put together relied solely on information provided by CP.  In wake of the Norfolk Southern derailment in Ohio, the four lawmakers again advised against the merger until STB completed a review of the increased traffic of hazardous materials that would result from the merger. 

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