[https://www.illinois.gov/about/PublishingImages/seal.gif] Office of the Governor Bruce Rauner Friday, May 22, 2015 ICYMI: The Associated Press Below is an excerpt from a story from The Associated Press: Gov. Bruce Rauner plans to introduce legislation Friday to advance a scaled-back version of the pro-business agenda he's been pushing across Illinois for months, setting up another potential showdown with Democrats who've criticized him for not putting his priorities in writing as the end of...

Rail News: Federal Legislation & Regulation APTA: MAP-21 extension bill falls short of infrastructure needs   The U.S. House of Representatives yesterday passed a two-month extension to MAP-21, the federal government's surface transportation funding legislation that was set to expire May 31. The extension would maintain the program's current funding levels for public transportation, roads, bridges and rails. Congressional leaders indicated that the extension is intended to provide...

BLET marks 152nd anniversary today http://www.ble-t.org/pr/news/newsflash.asp?id=5708 CLEVELAND, May 8 — The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen proudly celebrates its 152nd anniversary today. The union was founded as the Brotherhood of the Footboard on May 8, 1863 in Marshall, Mich. In 1864, the union changed its name to Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers (BLE), the name it retained for 140 years until merging with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters on Jan. 1, 2004, when...

Call 217.544.4014 For More Information On These And Other Legislative Issues Important To Working People - Alton Tuesday, April 28, the Greater Madison County Federation of Labor AFL-CIO will hold their annual Workers’ Memorial Day services at the Workers Memorial Statue located in the Gordon F. Moore Community Park, Highway 140 and Park Rd, Alton. Services will begin at 7:00 PM. Contact Rick Wieckhorst at 618-254-1395 or Dean Webb at 618-259-8558. Bloomington Tuesday, April 28,...

Railroad Unions Advancing Two-Person Crew Legislation To Protect Safety CLEVELAND, April 17 — Continuing a cooperative effort to promote safety in the railroad industry, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) and the Transportation Division of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers International Association (SMART) have jointly announced that legislation requiring at least two crew members on all freight trains in the U.S. has...

INDOT, FRA Reach Deal To Keep Hoosier State Line Running.  INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Department of Transportation and the Federal Railroad Administration reached an understanding of the clear lines of accountability for passenger rail safety and accessibility between Indianapolis and Chicago, allowing Indiana to implement long-term improvements to the daily service.   INDOT Commissioner Karl Browning met in Indianapolis with FRA staff last week to discuss the roles and responsibilities...

Link to tomorrows hearing: http://www.ilga.gov/senate/audvid.aspHearing Notice For Transportation - Chicago to Rockford Amtrak Route Hearing Scheduled for Feb 25, 2015 Chairperson Martin Sandoval Vice-Chairperson Steve Stadelman Minority Spokesperson Karen McConnaughay Scheduled Date: Feb 25, 2015 2:00PM Location: - Zeke Giorgi Building 200 S. Wyman Rockford, IL Posting Date: Feb 19, 2015 1:40PM Subject Matter: Chicago to Rockford Amtrak Route Secretary of the Senate: Tim Anderson -- Note:...

Senate passes bill approving Keystone XL oil pipeline. AP AP reports that on Thursday, the Senate passed a “bipartisan” bill to approve the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline on a 62-36 vote. Nine Democrats joined 53 Republicans to back the bill. It’s the first time that such legislation has cleared the Senate, but, “the vote was short of the threshold needed to override a veto, and the legislation still must be reconciled with the version the House passed.”