In the News

Congressman Gerry Connolly, who serves as Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Government Operations, which together with the Subcommittee on Transportation and Public Assets, is holding an oversight hearing this Friday, “D.C. Metro: Is There a Safety Gap?”, issued the following statement on the National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) issuance of 6 urgent recommendations regarding the ventilation system as a result of the January 12 arcing event on the Metro’s Yellow Line:

“I commend the National Transportation Safety Board for taking swift action to issue these six urgent recommendations aimed at ensuring Metrorail’s ventilation system is in good working order and that transit systems across the Nation are learning from the January 12 incident to ensure that their respective systems are properly functioning, and that their personnel are well-trained to operate them in emergencies.

“Further, while I strongly concur with these NTSB recommendations, I would also note that I am disappointed that they are even necessary. Frankly, it is stunning that WMATA would need the NTSB to remind it that the Metrorail system should have a ventilation system that is in good working order, ventilation procedures, and finally, training for its employees on said procedures.

“As Ranking Member of the Government Operations Subcommittee that is holding Friday’s WMATA safety oversight hearing, I plan to carefully examine precisely why the ventilation system failed, what needs to be done to ensure full implementation of the NTSB recommendations, and explore whether the ventilation system failure is a canary in a coal mine indicating other system weaknesses that must be rapidly addressed.”     

Hearing Details:

House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

Subcommittee on Government Operations & Subcommittee on Transportation and Public Assets

“D.C. Metro: Is There a Safety Gap?”

Friday, February 13, 2015

9:00 a.m.

2154 Rayburn House Office Building