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STB Announces Settlement in Longstanding Amtrak and Canadian National Dispute
WASHINGTON, Sept. 17 -- The U.S. Department of Transportation's Surface Transportation Board issued the following news release:
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STB Announces Settlement in Longstanding Amtrak and Canadian National Dispute
09/16/2026
The Surface Transportation Board (Board) today announced it has granted a joint motion from the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) and Canadian National Railway (CN) to dismiss Amtrak's longstanding complaint regarding the terms and compensation for Amtrak's use of CN's facilities and services. This milestone follows years of sustained Board involvement that
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WASHINGTON, Sept. 17 -- The U.S. Department of Transportation's Surface Transportation Board issued the following news release:
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STB Announces Settlement in Longstanding Amtrak and Canadian National Dispute
09/16/2026
The Surface Transportation Board (Board) today announced it has granted a joint motion from the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) and Canadian National Railway (CN) to dismiss Amtrak's longstanding complaint regarding the terms and compensation for Amtrak's use of CN's facilities and services. This milestone follows years of sustained Board involvement thatenabled Amtrak and CN to reach a mutually beneficial settlement agreement.
The Board commends the determination and collaboration demonstrated by Amtrak and CN in reaching this resolution. Amtrak's original complaint, filed in 2013, led to years of extensive discovery and numerous pleadings filed with the Board.
In 2019, the Board issued interim findings and ordered Board sponsored mediation, which concluded without settlement in early 2020. Both parties continued to submit additional pleadings, culminating in a technical conference with Board staff in March 2025. Throughout this process, the Board granted several joint requests for extensions, enabling Amtrak and CN to pursue intensive negotiations.
These efforts have now resulted in a mutually beneficial agreement resolving all issues before the Board, allowing the Board to dismiss this proceeding.
Today's outcome underscores the Board's commitment to encouraging voluntary, private settlements and highlights the value of negotiated solutions. The Board continues to offer robust alternative dispute resolution services in lieu of litigation. For more information, visit the Board's Litigation Alternatives webpage here (https://www.stb.gov/resources/litigation-alternatives/).
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Original text here: https://www.stb.gov/news-communications/latest-news/pr-26-22/
SEC Commissioner Uyeda Issues Remarks on the Proposed Rescission of Rule 14a-8 and Proposed Proxy Solicitation Modernization
WASHINGTON, Sept. 17 -- The Securities and Exchange Commission issued the following remarks by Commissioner Mark T. Uyeda:
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Statement on the Proposed Rescission of Rule 14a-8 and Proposed Proxy Solicitation Modernization
Sept. 16, 2026
Today, the Commission proposes to rescind Rule 14a-8, which leaves determination about whether a shareholder proposal may be properly placed on a proxy statement to the states, companies, and shareholders. The Commission also proposes to amend Rule 14a-4 to expand the circumstances under which a company may exercise discretionary voting authority on certain
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WASHINGTON, Sept. 17 -- The Securities and Exchange Commission issued the following remarks by Commissioner Mark T. Uyeda:
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Statement on the Proposed Rescission of Rule 14a-8 and Proposed Proxy Solicitation Modernization
Sept. 16, 2026
Today, the Commission proposes to rescind Rule 14a-8, which leaves determination about whether a shareholder proposal may be properly placed on a proxy statement to the states, companies, and shareholders. The Commission also proposes to amend Rule 14a-4 to expand the circumstances under which a company may exercise discretionary voting authority on certainproposals./1 Lastly, the Commission proposes amendments that would modernize certain rules related to proxy solicitations./2
In framing today's proposals, the federal securities laws authorize the Commission to regulate the dissemination of financial and business information by public companies, including disclosure for proxy solicitations in connection with shareholder meetings. Absent limited exceptions mandated by Congress,/3 the federal securities laws do not provide broad authority for the Commission to regulate the corporate governance and internal affairs of a corporation, which have long been the domain of the states.
Instead, the Commission's primary mission is to ensure that investors are provided material information when making investment and voting decisions. Oversight of corporate governance is left to state law, which generally provides flexibility for corporations and their boards of directors to select specific provisions through their charters and bylaws. Indeed, the courts have also ruled against "back door" attempts by the Commission to regulate corporate governance indirectly through exchange listing standards./4 Despite many opportunities to do so over the years, congressional efforts to federalize corporate law have never come to fruition./5
Thus, despite over eight decades of existence, to the extent that Rule 14a-8 created a federal right to place a proposal before a shareholder meeting, I find the legal authority for the Commission to mandate such act was lacking. Moreover, in more recent years, Rule 14a-8 has often served as a tool of special interests to advance political agendas unrelated to the business of a specific company.
As today's proposing release notes, the number of shareholder proposals in recent years has continuously increased, while often garnering only minimal voting support. Rule 14a-8 was not intended "to burden the proxy solicitation process by requiring the inclusion" of proposals submitted by a few proponents that are "unrelated to the general interests of shareholders as shareholders."6
Recent trends are troubling: Rule 14a-8 has been co-opted to advance the agendas of various political interests--acting without any fiduciary duty to a corporation or its shareholders--at the expense of the millions of investors that directly and indirectly own public companies. These political interests use Rule 14a-8 as leverage in order to achieve objectives that often are not materially relevant to a public company. Often, the mere threat of submitting a shareholder proposal under Rule 14a-8 is enough for a public company to negotiate certain concessions to the would be proponent in order to avoid a shareholder proposal.
One recent study conducted by the SEC notes that the number one reason for an investor to buy an investment is: "future growth of the investment [being] strong."7 Unfortunately, it is these investors who ultimately pay for the costs associated with these frequent niche topics submitted under Rule 14a-8 as shareholder proposals. Management and boards spend significant amounts of time and energy responding to shareholder proposals, which creates a tremendous opportunity cost that can be detrimental to the company as a whole.
Today's proposal would return the question of what matters may be properly brought before a shareholder meeting to the states, companies, and boards of directors to determine whether a proposal should be included in the proxy statement. In a post-Rule 14a-8 landscape, where the existing substantive bases for exclusions are removed, one possible outcome is that the scope of permissible proposals could be significantly broadened if neither state law nor company bylaws place any restriction on matters that may be submitted for a shareholder vote. That, however, is a matter for others, not the Commission, to decide. Shareholders, or potential shareholders, have a lot of influence when it comes to corporate governance; if shareholders refrain from investing in companies with sub-optimal corporate governance arrangements, then those companies will suffer from having a higher cost of capital.
The Commission also is proposing to amend Rule 14a-4 to expand the circumstances under which a company may exercise, with respect to proxies it receives, discretionary voting authority on proposals that will be presented at a shareholder meeting but not included in the company's proxy materials. In tandem with this proposed amendment, Rule 14a-4 as proposed would provide shareholders with the means to prevent the company from exercising such authority with respect to their individual shares. These changes would provide companies with increased flexibility, and shareholders with greater control, with respect to shareholder proposals for which a company may seek discretionary voting authority.
In addition to the proposed Rule 14a-8 rescission and the Rule 14a-4 amendments, the Commission also proposes changes aimed at modernizing our proxy solicitation rules to ensure that shareholders receive timely, accurate information through channels that reflect how investors communicate and access data today, rather than relying on frameworks built for a paper-based era. Eliminating duplicative or outdated requirements reduces unnecessary compliance costs for issuers and intermediaries. The Commission should be regularly revisiting its own rulebook to assess whether its regulatory framework keeps pace with evolving markets, technology, and investor needs rather than growing stale.
Today's proposals represent a comprehensive effort at refocusing and modernizing our rulebook as it relates to shareholder voting, and I look forward to hearing the views of market participants.
I thank the staff of the Divisions of Corporation Finance, Investment Management, and Economic and Risk Analysis as well as the Offices of the General Counsel and the Chief Accountant for their work on these proposals.
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1/ Rescission of Rule 14a-8's Federal Regulation of Shareholder Proposals and Amendments to Rule 14a-4, Release No. 34-106383, available at https://www.sec.gov/rules/proposed/2026/34-106383.pdf.
2/ Proxy Solicitation Modernization, Release No. 33-11439, available at https://www.sec.gov/files/rules/proposed/2026/33-11439.pdf.
3/ See, e.g., Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, Pub. L. No. 111-203, 124 Stat. 1376 (2010).
4/ See, e.g., Business Roundtable v. SEC, 905 F.2d 406 (D.C. Cir. 1990).
5/ Supra n. 1 at 52, see also Louis Loss, Joel Seligman, and Troy Paredes, Securities Regulation 1.C (6th Edition 2018).
6/ See Proposed Amendments to Rule 14a-8 Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 Relating to Proposals by Security Holders, Release No. 34-19135 (Oct. 14, 1982) [47 FR 47420, note 8 (Oct. 26, 1982)].
7/ See generally U.S. Sec. & Exch. Comm'n, Off. of the Inv. Advoc., Perspectives on Investing in the U.S.: Insights from THRIVE July 2024 at 8, (April 2025).
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Original text here: https://www.sec.gov/newsroom/speeches-statements/uyeda-statement-proposed-rescission-rule-14a-8-proposed-proxy-solicitation-modernization-091626
NTSB Recommends Fully Electronic Tolling After Deadly Ohio Toll Plaza Crash
WASHINGTON, Sept. 17 -- The National Transportation Safety Board issued the following news release:
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NTSB Recommends Fully Electronic Tolling After Deadly Ohio Toll Plaza Crash
WASHINGTON (September 16, 2026) - The National Transportation Safety Board said Wednesday that a 2024 crash at a toll plaza on Interstate 80 near Swanton, Ohio, could have been avoided if the turnpike used fully electronic tolling and provided clearer information about toll payment options.
The crash occurred on Aug. 15, 2024, at the Swanton Township Toll Plaza on the Ohio Turnpike. An SUV was traveling in the left
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WASHINGTON, Sept. 17 -- The National Transportation Safety Board issued the following news release:
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NTSB Recommends Fully Electronic Tolling After Deadly Ohio Toll Plaza Crash
WASHINGTON (September 16, 2026) - The National Transportation Safety Board said Wednesday that a 2024 crash at a toll plaza on Interstate 80 near Swanton, Ohio, could have been avoided if the turnpike used fully electronic tolling and provided clearer information about toll payment options.
The crash occurred on Aug. 15, 2024, at the Swanton Township Toll Plaza on the Ohio Turnpike. An SUV was traveling in the leftlane of the high-speed toll lanes when it suddenly slowed and moved across the path of a truck-trailer while attempting to enter the low-speed manual toll booth lanes on the right side of the toll plaza. The truck struck the SUV from behind and overturned. As a result of the crash, two passengers in the SUV died, the driver and another passenger were seriously injured, and the driver of the truck was seriously injured. Sulfonic acid carried by the truck also spilled following the rollover, but no injuries were reported from exposure to the chemicals.
As a result of the investigation, the NTSB is recommending that the Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission permanently close low-speed tolling lanes and implement fully electronic tolling at its toll plazas. The NTSB also recommended that the Federal Highway Administration adopt guidance on the safety benefits of fully electronic tolling.
NTSB investigators determined that the toll plaza's hybrid design, which combines high-speed electronic tolling lanes with separated low-speed manual tolling lanes, increased the risk of a severe crash by creating conditions that encourage last-minute sudden lane changes and large speed differences between vehicles. Video of the Swanton toll plaza over a three-week period showed 1,099 similar last-minute lane changes -- an average of 52 per day -- with vehicles illegally traveling through the marked area between the high-speed and low-speed tolling lanes. Illinois and Pennsylvania have already implemented fully electronic tolling on their portions of the Interstate 80 turnpike.
"This crash shows the deadly safety consequences of mixing high-speed electronic tolling with low-speed manual tolling lanes," said NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy. "We encourage the Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission to implement fully high-speed electronic tolling, as states like Pennsylvania and Illinois have, and permanently close the low-speed lanes to make the roadway safer for everyone."
The investigation also found that emergency responders were delayed because they lacked direct access to the toll road. While this delay would not likely have changed the survivability of the crash, it does present risks for future crashes. The NTSB recommends the turnpike commission evaluate the need for additional emergency access points at toll plazas and construct them where appropriate.
Investigators also found that vehicle occupants were not wearing seat belts, which could have prevented their injuries and death. As a result, the NTSB is reiterating a 2014 recommendation to Ohio requiring the enforcement of seatbelt use for all vehicle occupants.
Following its investigation, the NTSB issued recommendations to the Federal Highway Administration, the state of Ohio, the Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission, Springfield Township and the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association. Those recommendations and the full report are available on the NTSB's website. The investigation page contains the report and the investigation docket.
To report an incident/accident or if you are a public safety agency, please call 1-844-373-9922 or 202-314-6290 to speak to a Watch Officer at the NTSB Response Operations Center (ROC) in Washington, DC (24/7).
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Original text here: https://www.ntsb.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/NR20260916.aspx
Justice Department Sues San Jose for Unconstitutional $1600 Firearm Permit Fee
WASHINGTON, Sept. 17 -- The U.S. Department of Justice issued the following news release:
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Justice Department Sues San Jose for Unconstitutional $1600 Firearm Permit Fee
September 16, 2026
Today, the Justice Department filed suit against the City of San Jose, California, and the San Jose Police Department for charging private individuals unreasonable fees to exercise their Second Amendment right to lawfully carry a firearm. At nearly $1,600 per license, the City's application fee to carry a firearm is the highest in the nation.
Indeed, San Jose's fee towers over those imposed by the
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WASHINGTON, Sept. 17 -- The U.S. Department of Justice issued the following news release:
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Justice Department Sues San Jose for Unconstitutional $1600 Firearm Permit Fee
September 16, 2026
Today, the Justice Department filed suit against the City of San Jose, California, and the San Jose Police Department for charging private individuals unreasonable fees to exercise their Second Amendment right to lawfully carry a firearm. At nearly $1,600 per license, the City's application fee to carry a firearm is the highest in the nation.
Indeed, San Jose's fee towers over those imposed by thecountry's biggest cities. New York, Washington, D.C., Boston, and Chicago all charge a small fraction of San Jose's fee. The Supreme Court has held that "exorbitant fees" such as San Jose's violate the Second Amendment because they deny ordinary citizens their right to carry firearms for self-defense.
"All law-abiding Americans have a constitutional right to bear arms for self defense. This right is not a luxury reserved for a privileged few, but a fundamental element of our republic," said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon. "You don't need a law degree to recognize that charging a fee several times higher than the cost of the firearm itself is illogical, and an unconstitutional attempt to impede Americans' Second Amendment rights."
The Civil Rights Division's Second Amendment Section enforces the Second Amendment, the Police Pattern or Practice Act (34 U.S.C. Sec. 12601), and Executive Order 14206.
If you are a current or prospective gun owner and believe that a state or local government has infringed your right to keep or bear arms, please submit a complaint through https://www.justice.gov/crt/second-amendment-section.
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Original text here: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-sues-san-jose-unconstitutional-1600-firearm-permit-fee
Inter-American Development Bank: 'Fiscal Implications of Population Aging in Chile'
WASHINGTON, Sept. 17 (TNSLrpt) -- The Inter-American Development Bank issued the following white paper in September 2026 entitled "Fiscal Implications of Population Aging in Chile."
Here are excerpts:
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Abstract
This paper studies the long-term macroeconomic and fiscal implications of population aging in Chile using a semi-structural, multi-sector macro-fiscal model that links demographic dynamics, labor market behavior, sectoral production, fiscal revenues, age-related public expenditures, and government debt.
Beyond the application to Chile, the contribution lies in the integrated nature
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WASHINGTON, Sept. 17 (TNSLrpt) -- The Inter-American Development Bank issued the following white paper in September 2026 entitled "Fiscal Implications of Population Aging in Chile."
Here are excerpts:
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Abstract
This paper studies the long-term macroeconomic and fiscal implications of population aging in Chile using a semi-structural, multi-sector macro-fiscal model that links demographic dynamics, labor market behavior, sectoral production, fiscal revenues, age-related public expenditures, and government debt.
Beyond the application to Chile, the contribution lies in the integrated natureof the framework, which allows for a consistent analysis of how demographic change propagates through the economy to affect fiscal sustainability.
Chile provides a particularly relevant case given the speed of its demographic transition, the growing importance of publicly financed pension benefits, and the central role of consumption taxation, as well as a production structure in which mining plays a key role in shaping fiscal capacity.
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View full text here: https://publications.iadb.org/en/fiscal-implications-population-aging-chile
[Category: IADB]
FMC Dismisses Samsung Complaint Following Approved Settlement
WASHINGTON, Sept. 17 -- The Federal Maritime Commission issued an Initial Decision Dismissing Complaint with Approved Settlement Agreement (Docket No. 26-06).
Administrative Law Judge Linda S. Harris Crovella granted a motion by Samsung Electronics America, Inc. to dismiss its verified complaint against Wan Hai Lines, Ltd. with prejudice.
The action follows confirmation from Samsung Electronics America Inc. that Wan Hai Lines Ltd. paid the agreed settlement amounts after the substantive terms of the settlement agreement received approval in August 2026.
-- Vidhi Gianani, Targeted News Service
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WASHINGTON, Sept. 17 -- The Federal Maritime Commission issued an Initial Decision Dismissing Complaint with Approved Settlement Agreement (Docket No. 26-06).
Administrative Law Judge Linda S. Harris Crovella granted a motion by Samsung Electronics America, Inc. to dismiss its verified complaint against Wan Hai Lines, Ltd. with prejudice.
The action follows confirmation from Samsung Electronics America Inc. that Wan Hai Lines Ltd. paid the agreed settlement amounts after the substantive terms of the settlement agreement received approval in August 2026.
-- Vidhi Gianani, Targeted News Service
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Samsung Electronics America Inc. is based in Ridgefield Park, New Jersey.
Wan Hai Lines Ltd. is based in Taipei, Taiwan.
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URL: Samsung Electronics America Inc.
URL: Wan Hai Lines Ltd.
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Original text here: https://www2.fmc.gov/readingroom/docs/26-06/(18)%2026-06%20Initial%20Decision%20Dismissing%20Complaint%20with%20Approved%20Settlement%20Agreement.pdf/
CISA Guidance Helps Critical Infrastructure Detect, Observe and Impede Malicious Cyber Activity
WASHINGTON, Sept. 17 -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued the following news release:
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New CISA Guidance Helps Critical Infrastructure Detect, Observe and Impede Malicious Cyber Activity
Provides Practical Approaches to Implementing Cyber Decoy Strategies Aligned to MITRE Engage and ATT&CK Frameworks
September 16, 2026
WASHINGTON - Today, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released guidance that helps critical infrastructure owners and operators implement realistic decoy systems and information assets
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WASHINGTON, Sept. 17 -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued the following news release:
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New CISA Guidance Helps Critical Infrastructure Detect, Observe and Impede Malicious Cyber Activity
Provides Practical Approaches to Implementing Cyber Decoy Strategies Aligned to MITRE Engage and ATT&CK Frameworks
September 16, 2026
WASHINGTON - Today, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released guidance that helps critical infrastructure owners and operators implement realistic decoy systems and information assetsto quickly detect and disrupt malicious activity occurring in their networks, which will ultimately improve their cyber defenses. Using Cyber Decoys to Strengthen Detection and Response is the first guide from CISA that offers a detailed explanation of the defensive cyber decoy process.
Many organizations struggle to detect adversaries who use legitimate credentials, native tools, and living off the land techniques to conduct discovery, move laterally, and access data. In this guide, CISA encourages critical infrastructure organizations to incorporate cyber decoy capabilities alongside existing Zero Trust models. Cyber decoy strategies operate on the expectation that malicious actors may eventually gain some level of access. By placing decoys within internal networks and systems, especially in high-value areas, organizations can enable defenders to:
* Detect adversaries operating within the environment early in the intrusion lifecycle;
* Gather and analyze information taken from intrusions and attempted intrusions;
* Allocate defensive resources more effectively based on observed adversary behaviors;
* Reduce mean time to detection (MTTD) by generating high-fidelity alerts.
"Cyber decoys used in a proactive cyber defense strategy help make critical infrastructure networks unfriendly places for adversaries and enhance resilience to compromise, even against living-off-the-land techniques," said CISA Acting Executive Assistant Director for Cybersecurity Chris Butera. "With this guide, CISA is raising awareness of cyber decoy techniques and enabling any defensive team regardless of skill level to understand the value and steps to implementing decoy operations. CISA encourages critical infrastructure organizations to review this guide and implement a cyber decoy strategy."
To effectively use this guide, cyber defenders should have a basic understanding of the MITRE ATT&CK (R) Matrix and common enterprise security controls and tools. The guide provides a practical approach to designing and implementing decoy strategies by leveraging the MITRE ATT&CK(R) knowledge base and the MITRE Engage(TM) framework.
For more information, please visit Cybersecurity Best Practices (https://www.cisa.gov/topics/cybersecurity-best-practices).
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About CISA
As the nation's cyber defense agency and national coordinator for critical infrastructure security, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency leads the national effort to manage, uncover, and reduce risk to our digital and physical infrastructure Americans rely on every hour of every day.
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Original text here: https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/news/new-cisa-guidance-helps-critical-infrastructure-detect-observe-and-impede-malicious-cyber-activity
