Press Releases

Congressmen Bob Goodlatte (VA-06) and Morgan Griffith (VA-09) issued the following statement today reacting to the news that Norfolk Southern Corp. will be closing its office building in Roanoke, impacting the jobs of all 500 employees working there:

“Norfolk Southern came to our region more than 130 years ago with the primary purpose of moving mineral resources.   We are saddened by today’s news, and are committed to fighting to do what we can in Washington to keep and grow jobs in our region.  Thankfully Norfolk Southern will continue to have a large presence in the Roanoke region, with approximately 1,200 positions unaffected by today’s news.”

“There wouldn't be a Roanoke City if the Norfolk and Western Railway had not chosen Big Lick as their headquarters.  In fact, the citizens even offered to name their new town after the president of Norfolk and Western, Mr. Frederick Kimball.  Mr. Kimball humbly declined, but there is no question that he and Norfolk and Western contributed significantly to the development of our region.  While saddened by this announcement, we appreciate that Norfolk Southern will continue to have a considerable role in the Roanoke Valley.”

“Norfolk Southern, a company that has boasted in the past that coal is its specialty, doesn’t cite the Obama Administration’s war on coal among its reasons for closing its Roanoke office building, but it was reported just yesterday that the company’s coal revenue fell 15 percent.  Accordingly, it is our belief that the anti-coal policies of this Administration and its Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are a factor.  The Administration’s direct attack is launched at the coal industry, but the ripple effect of their policies hits those supporting the coal industry, such as Norfolk Southern Corp.”