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Lawmakers Talk Federal Safety Standards For Metro

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Metro will soon be on the receiving end of new federal safety standards.
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Metro will soon be on the receiving end of new federal safety standards.

The first ever federal safety standards for Metro could go into effect within the next year, after local lawmakers proposed a set of regulations on this week

Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) introduced the bill in response to the 2009 Metro crash on the Red Line in Fort Totten, which killed 9 people. The proposed standards, which will include guidelines for crashworthiness and improved evacuation measures in case of an emergency, will also include recommendations made by the National Transportation Safety Board. The law will also provide funding to hire and train new staff responsible for improving safety.

Mikulski says the legislation is overdue, especially in light of ongoing problems such as this weekend

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