Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia Calls for Thorough Review of Proposed Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern Merger

HOUSTON, T.X. - Today, Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia (D-TX-29) sent a letter to the Surface Transportation Board (STB) raising concerns about the proposed merger between Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern, urging the Board to conduct a robust, transparent review focused on community impacts, safety, and competition.

In the letter, Garcia specifically calls on the STB to thoroughly evaluate how the merger could affect blocked rail crossings, neighborhood safety, traffic disruptions, consumer and passenger rail service, and costs driven by reduced competition, particularly in Harris County and Houston's East End, one of the busiest rail corridors in the country.

"Railroads are important to our economy, but families should not pay the price," said Congresswoman Garcia. "The Surface Transportation Board must make sure this merger does not make blocked crossings worse, reduce safety, or raise costs because of less competition. My constituents deserve a process that is open, careful, and focused on the public interest."

Garcia represents Texas's 29th Congressional District, where freight rail is central to the local economy but already creates daily disruptions for residents living near rail lines. Federal data compiled by the Federal Railroad Administration shows TX-29 has the highest number of reported blocked railroad crossings in the nation.

The proposed merger would create the first coast-to-coast freight railroad in the United States. The merger proposal was officially filed on the morning of December 19th. However, because an official comment period has not been announced, Garcia submitted her letter in advance to ensure community concerns are on the record early in the process.

Read the full letter HERE.