Recognizing the 150th anniversary of the founding of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, and congratulating the members and officers of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen for the union's many achievements.

Whereas the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen is the oldest rail union in North America; Whereas the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen was founded on May 8, 1863, as the Brotherhood of the Footboard, a secret, fraternal labor organization, and its first meetings were held in secret for fear of reprisals; Whereas the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen began to thrive despite the climate into which it was born; Whereas the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen has grown from its original 13 members to 55,000 active and retired members located throughout the United States; Whereas the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen’s members have contributed, both directly through their railroad activity and in their private capacities, to the war effort in all of the wars of the United States since its founding; Whereas the efforts of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen to improve rail safety for both their members and the public have resulted in a dramatic decrease in the number of railroad accidents in the years since the union’s inception; Whereas the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen enlarged its membership ranks to include other rail employees; Whereas the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers merged with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters effective January 1, 2004, becoming the founding member of the Teamsters Rail Conference, and was renamed the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen; Whereas in addition to providing representation for its members, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen aggressively participates in the labor movement with other unions and organizations to promote the interests of working men and women and their families; Whereas the 55,000 men and women of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen are highly trained professionals, and it is through their professionalism, perseverance, and dedication that the railroad industry, the lifeblood of the United States economy, runs smoothly and safely 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year; Whereas the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, working with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, is an extraordinary union whose leadership continues to work hard every day, just as it did in 1863, to protect members’ health and safety, to guard their financial interests, to give them an effective voice on the job, and to ensure dignity, respect, and security for railway workers in the workplace; and Whereas the efforts of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen deserve the attention and admiration of the people of the United States: Now, therefore, be it That the House of Representatives— (1) recognizes the 150th anniversary of the founding of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen; (2) congratulates the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen for its many achievements and the strength of its membership; (3) recognizes the tremendous contributions made by the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen to the structural development and building of the United States and for the many improvements in the well-being of tens of thousands of workers; and (4) expects that the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen will continue its outstanding work and will have an even greater impact in the 21st century and beyond, and will further enhance the standard of living and improve the work environment for rail workers and other laborers for generations to come.

Summary: Recognizes the 150th anniversary of the founding of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen.