Congress moves to avert looming rail strike

On Wednesday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill that would bind rail companies and workers to a tentative agreement over wages that was reached between the railroads, labor unions, and the Biden Administration in September.  The bill now moves to the U.S. Senate for a vote, and, if passed there, to President Biden to sign into law. A second bill adding seven days of paid sick leave for workers was also passed in the House though by a much slimmer margin. This urgent congressional action comes just days in advance of a potential shut down of the U.S. rail system on Dec. 9 that would cost the U.S. economy more than $2 billion a day.