Focus at Four: Expert discusses Senate rail vote, U.S. Economy

BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) - The United States Senate passed a bill Thursday to avert a strike by American rail workers avoiding a potentially catastrophic blow to the U.S. economy.

Raymond Robertson, a trade and economic policy expert from the Texas A&M Bush School of Government and Public Policy joined First News at Four to discuss the deal, and the other areas of the economy, like falling gas prices, interest rates, and inflation.

Robertson said a strike from the rail workers would have far-reaching impacts. “Number one, about 30 percent of our goods are being transported by train. So if that stops it puts a lot of things at risk and almost three-quarter of a million jobs would also have been at risk. So it really would have put a chokehold on the economy, potentially also, even raising prices.”

Click the video above to watch the entire interview.