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House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman James Oberstar (D-Minn.) will receive the Dr. Gary Burch Memorial Safety Award, which honors individuals who have significantly enhanced rail passenger safety, according to the National Association of Railroad Passengers.

Sponsored by the family of Burch, who died in a 1991 passenger train derailment in South Carolina, the award will be presented to Oberstar for his work as the primary sponsor of the Railroad Safety Enhancement Act of 2008. The legislation directed the Federal Railroad Administration to “make safety in railroad transportation the highest priority in carrying out its duties,” according to the press release.

The Rail Safety Enhancement Act requires the U.S. Department of Transportation to develop a long-term strategy for improving railroad safety and requires railroads to implement positive train control.