Washington, DC.

The House Appropriations Committee met Tuesday, June 9, to markup the FY27 Labor, Health, and Human Services Bill. This bill provides funding for two key agencies that affect railroad workers, the National Mediation Board (NMB) and the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB).

For the NMB, the committee passed $15.113m, which is the same amount of funding received in FY26 and $807,000 more than what the NMB requested for FY27.

Alongside the Bill, the Committee issued their Report detailing why they made funding decisions for specific agencies. As regards NMB, the Committee included,

The National Mediation Board coordinates labor-management relations within the U.S. railroads and airlines industries. The Committee notes an increase in recent years of a case back-log at the Office of Arbitration due to the Board decreasing the budget line item allocated to arbitrator salaries and expenses. The Committee further notes the negative effect the case backlog has on the prompt and orderly handling of disputes under the Railway Labor Act. The Committee urges the Board to reduce the case backlog by restoring funding for arbitrator salaries and expenses.

This language shows clear Congressional intent that the NMB utilize their additional appropriations to cut down on the backlog of arbitration cases at the NMB. This means that more railroad workers will have their arbitration cases heard in a prompt and orderly manner.

“The backlog at the NMB has been a longstanding and vexing frustration for BMWED members and all railroaders, who must endure years of delays that exacerbate a worrisome time with their livelihoods in limbo,” BMWED President Tony D. Cardwell said. “It is long past time for Congress to truly fund the arbitration process and provide timely adjudication of these cases. These are real people, with families to feed and bills to pay, and the current backlog is frustrating and unfair. I am glad to see this bill advance through committee and our Union will continue pushing to see that the funding comes through.”

We thank the Committee for recognizing the important role the NMB plays in resolving disputes over grievances and discipline. After passing the Committee, the Bill will be considered by the full House of Representatives at a future date.