A Congressional panel will hold a hearing in Southern California on Thursday to examine how the region’s unique transportation challenges impact the movement of freight throughout the entire nation.

U.S. Rep. John J. Duncan, Jr. (R-Tenn.), chairman of the Panel on 21st Century Freight Transportation, will hold the field hearing, entitled “How Southern California Freight Transportation Challenges Impact the Nation.” It will be at 1:30 p.m., Pacific time, at Historic Santa Fe Depot in San Bernardino Calif.

This is a special panel of the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and was established earlier this year specifically to make recommendations for the improvement of U.S. freight transportation. 

Members of the panel, in addition to Chairman Duncan, who plan to attend Thursday’s hearing include U.S. Reps. Jerrold Nadler, N.Y. (the panel’s ranking Democrat); Gary Miller, Calif.; Richard Hanna, N.Y.; Daniel Webster, Fla.; Markwayne Mullin, Okla.; Corrine Brown, Fla.; Daniel Lipinski, Ill.; Albio Sires, N.J. and Janice Hahn, Calif.

Witnesses invited to testify at the hearing:

• Mike Fox, President and CEO, Fox Transportation

• Kome Ajise, Deputy Director for Planning and Modal Programs, California Department of Transportation

• Hasan Ikhrata, Executive Director, Southern California Association of Governments

• Marnie O’Brien Primmer, Executive Director, Mobility 21

• Scott Moore, Vice President for Public Affairs, Union Pacific

• Rick Richmond, former Chief Executive Officer, Alameda Corridor-East Construction Authority