Public Law 93-488

93rd Congress, S. J. Res. 250
October 26, 1974

Joint Resolution

To extend the Regional Rail Reorganization Act's reporting date, and for other purposes.

Whereas the Senate and Congress recently enacted major reorganization legislation to prevent economic disaster in the area served by the Penn Central Railroad and six other bankrupt Class I railroads (Regional Rail Reorganization Act of 1973, Public Law 93-236); and

88 STAT. 1464

45 USC 701

Whereas such legislation provided for the immediate establishment of note.
a new entity, the United States Railway Association, to plan such
reorganization and to adopt and release a "preliminary system
plan" within 300 days after the enactment of the legislation, and
to prepare and submit the "final system plan" to the directors of
the Association within 420 days after enactment, pursuant to
a funding authorization not to exceed $26,000,000; and
Whereas, as a result of circumstances not within the control of the
Congress or the United States Railway Association, the Associa-
tion was unable to commence full-scale operations until more than
four months later than was contemplated in the legislation; and
Whereas the Association will not be able to prepare reorganization
plans for an efficient, adequate, safe, and reliable rail transporta-
tion system in the Midwest and Northeast region of the United
States unless it is granted an additional 120 days in which to
adopt the preliminary system plan and an additional 120 days in
which to prepare the final system plan and authorization for
funding for such additional period; and

Whereas such legislation provided a system of rail service continua-
tion subsidies so that shippers and local and State governments
could, on a matching basis with the Federal Government, con-
tinue rail service on selected lines within a State which might
not otherwise continue to be operated; and

Whereas confusion has been engendered by the failure to include in such legislation a definition of which rail services are eligible for such subsidies: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United

States of America in Congress assembled, That (a) section 207(a) (1) Regional Rail of the Regional Rail Reorganization Act of 1973 (87 Stat. 985) is Organization amended by striking the figure "300" in the first sentence thereof and Act, amendsubstituting there for the figure "420".

(b) Section 207 (c) of the Regional Rail Reorganization Act of 1973 (87 Stat. 985) is amended by striking the figure "420" in the first sentence thereof and substituting therefor the figure "540".

ments.

45 USC 717.

(c) Section 214 (c) of the Regional Rail Reorganization Act of 1973 (87 Stat. 985) is amended by striking the figure "$26,000,000" 45 USC 724. and substituting there for the figure "$40,000.000".

(d) Section 402 (c) of the Regional Rail Reorganization Act of

1973 (87 Stat. 985) is amended by inserting "(1)" before the first 45 USC 762. sentence thereof, redesignating paragraphs (1), (2), (3), and (4) as subparagraphs (A), (B), (C), and (D), respectively, and by

adding the following new paragraph:

"(2) Rail freight services eligible for rail service continuation Rail service subsidies pursuant to subsection (b) of this section are—

continuation

"(A) those rail services of railroads in reorganization in the subsidies, region which the final system plan does not designate to be eligibility. continued;

"(B) those rail services in the region which have been at any time during the 5 year period prior to the date of enactment of

45 USC 763.

Ante, p. 1464.

this Act, or which are subsequent to the date of enactment of this Act, owned, leased, or operated by a State agency or a local or regional transportation authority or with respect to which a State, a political subdivision thereof, or a local or regional transportation authority has invested at any time during the 5 year period prior to the date of enactment of this Act, or invests subsequent to the date of enactment of this Act, substantial sums for improvement or maintenance of rail service; and

"(C) those rail services in the region with respect to which the Commission issues a certificate of abandonment effective on or after the date of enactment of this Act.".

(e) The last sentence of section 403 (a) of the Act is amended to read: "Provided, however, That any rail service for which a State agency or local or regional transportation authority receives such loan is no longer eligible for a rail service continuation subsidy pursuant to section 402 of this title.".

Approved October 26, 1974.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 120 (1974):
Oct. 10, considered and passed Senate.
Oct. 15, considered and passed House.

["Regional Rail Reorganization Act of 1973,
P. L. 93-236, 87 Stat. 985, was not printed
in the Interstate Commerce Act as it was
received too late for publication. This
public law is circulated with this Bulletin
to reflect the amendments to P. L. 236.]

GPO 38-139