Congress prepares to act after Biden calls on Capitol Hill to 'immediately' pass legislation to avert rail shutdown - CNN

CNN  — 

Democratic leaders accidental they could enactment arsenic soon arsenic this week aft President Joe Biden connected Monday called connected Congress to walk authorities “immediately” to avert a obstruction shutdown by officially adopting a September tentative statement approved by labour and absorption leaders.

“I americium calling connected Congress to walk authorities instantly to follow the Tentative Agreement betwixt railroad workers and operators – without immoderate modifications oregon hold – to avert a perchance crippling nationalist obstruction shutdown,” Biden said successful a statement.

“This statement was approved by labour and absorption negotiators successful September,” Biden continued. “On the time that it was announced, labour leaders, concern leaders, and elected officials each hailed it arsenic a just solution of the quality betwixt the hard-working men and women of the obstruction freight unions and the companies successful that industry. … Since that time, the bulk of the unions successful the manufacture person voted to o.k. the deal.”

A obstruction onslaught could go a world arsenic aboriginal arsenic December 9, causing shortages, spiking prices and halting mill production. It could besides disrupt commuter obstruction services for up to 7 cardinal travelers a time and the proscription of 6,300 carloads of nutrient and workplace products a day, among different items, according to a postulation of concern groups.

Additionally, a freight obstruction onslaught could outgo the US system $1 cardinal successful its archetypal week alone, according to a caller investigation from the Anderson Economic Group.

While the railroads accidental they are hopeful of reaching caller deals, they person truthful acold rejected the demands that national negotiators accidental their members want. A erstwhile onslaught menace successful September risked causing greater problems with goods slated for vacation sales, but that onslaught menace was averted by an 11th-hour tentative labour deal.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat from California, said Monday the House volition instrumentality up this week authorities to avert a imaginable obstruction strike.

“This week, the House volition see authorities adopting the Tentative Agreement reached successful September aft months of hard-fought negotiations,” Pelosi said successful a statement.

Following House passage, Senate enactment could hap aboriginal this week oregon next, respective Senate sources said.

The Senate is expected to person the votes to break a filibuster on the measure to avert a imaginable railway strike, according to those sources. There are apt to beryllium astatine slightest 10 Republicans who volition ballot with astir Senate Democrats to flooded a 60-vote threshold.

The lone question is however rapidly the measure tin travel to the level since immoderate legislator tin object, dragging retired the process and delaying a speedy vote. Sources are watching Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders intimately to spot if helium upends an effort to get a speedy vote. A Sanders spokesperson declined to comment.

Congress tin enforce a declaration connected some parties oregon widen a dialog “cooling-off period” to support the railroads moving and avert disruptions to interstate commerce nether the Railway Labor Act of 1926. The main crux of the quality betwixt the railroads and their workers revolves astir clip disconnected rules.

Calling himself a “proud pro-labor President,” Biden said successful his Monday statement, “I americium reluctant to override the ratification procedures and the views of those who voted against the agreement. But successful this lawsuit – wherever the economical interaction of a shutdown would wounded millions of different moving radical and families – I judge Congress indispensable usage its powers to follow this deal.”

A obstruction shutdown, Biden warned, would “devastate the economy.”

Ian Jefferies, the president and CEO of the Association of American Railroads, said successful a connection Monday evening, “No 1 benefits from a obstruction enactment stoppage – not our customers, not obstruction employees and not the American economy.”

“Now is the due clip for Congress to walk authorities to instrumentality the agreements already ratified by 8 of the 12 unions. A wide signifier of ratified agreements has been established and Congressional enactment to forestall a enactment stoppage successful this mode is appropriate,” Jefferies said.

“These agreements volition yet boost mean worker compensation and benefits to much than $160,000.”

Earlier Monday, White House property caput Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden has been “directly involved” successful efforts to resoluteness the ongoing obstruction national quality which could pb to a obstruction shutdown – successful opposition with comments from Biden himself, who told reporters successful Nantucket implicit the play helium has “not straight engaged” with railway and labour negotiators.

This communicative has been updated with further accusation Monday.