WASHINGTON, December 3, 2015 – API President and CEO Jack Gerard applauded the Congressional passage of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act that will enhance the oil and natural gas industry’s ability to safely transport the fuels consumers want and need.

“Investing in a modern safe infrastructure system to support our energy renaissance will benefit all Americans, enhance our energy security and allow the U.S. to better compete in an increasingly global energy economy,” said Gerard.

“The bipartisan legislation makes key improvements to tank cars carrying crude oil by modifying the final Department of Transportation’s tank car rule released earlier this year. Safety is our industry’s number one priority and we are always looking for new ways to reach our goal of zero incidents.”

The legislation requires all cars moving flammable liquids to now include elements such as top fittings protection and thermal blankets that are intended to mitigate the consequences of a derailment.

API thanked the bipartisan leadership in both houses – Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Reps. Bill Shuster (R-Pa.), Jeff Denham (R-Calif.), Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.), and Michael Capuano (D-Mass.) – for moving this bill to the president’s desk.

API is the only national trade association representing all facets of the oil and natural gas industry, which supports 9.8 million U.S. jobs and 8 percent of the U.S. economy. API’s more than 625 members include large integrated companies, as well as exploration and production, refining, marketing, pipeline, and marine businesses, and service and supply firms. They provide most of the nation’s energy and are backed by a growing grassroots movement of more than 25 million Americans.