U.S. Chamber urges Congress to avert rail strike, extend Boeing 737 MAX deadline

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday urged Congress to take action on a number of issues before ending work for the year, including preventing a potential rail strike and extending a deadline for the Boeing 737 MAX 7 and 10 to get certified.

The largest U.S. business group noted that three rail unions have rejected a rail contract. "A rail strike would be catastrophic for our economy, costing $2 billion per day and imposing enormous challenges to businesses, local communities, and commuters," the Chamber letter said.

The Chamber also backed Boeing efforts to seek a waiver of a December deadline imposing a new safety standard for modern cockpit alerts for the MAX 7 and MAX 10.