Senate committee advances bill to develop passenger rail lines

WASHINGTON — The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation voted to pass the Surface Transportation Investment Act, which includes a bipartisan bill that U.S. Sens. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) and John Thune (R-S.D.) introduced to improve a loan program used to help develop passenger and short line railroads in New Hampshire and across the country.

The bipartisan legislation would streamline the Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing Loan program application process, making it easier for businesses and communities to apply, while also making the program more flexible to better support a wider range of local transportation projects.