PRIA, Government Policy, Made Personal

Summary

Congress says the 1973 railroad reorganization failed to produce a self-supporting railroad system in the Northeast and cost taxpayers many billions of dollars more than expected. Rail freight and commuter service in the Northeast and Midwest do not meet the public’s needs or national security needs. Even after billions in federal aid to Conrail and its workers, private rail service that keeps interstate trade moving was not achieved, so the federal government must act to protect that service. Rules protecting employees of bankrupt railroads have caused much higher benefit payments than expected, put too large a burden on taxpayers, and now block better rail service and jobs. Making Conrail pay those costs would ruin its chance to become profitable and hurt its workers, so a new employee protection system must be developed and funded.

Title 45, §1101

Railroads, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

The Congress finds and declares that—

(1)the processes set in motion by the Regional Rail Reorganization Act of 1973 [45 U.S.C. 701 et seq.] have failed to create a self-sustaining railroad system in the Northeast region of the United States and have cost United States taxpayers many billions of dollars over original estimates;

(2)current arrangements for the provision of rail freight and commuter service in the Northeast and Midwest regions of the United States are inadequate to meet the transportation needs of the public and the needs of national security;

(3)although the Federal Government has provided billions of dollars in assistance for Conrail and its employees, the Federal interest in ensuring the flow of interstate commerce through rail service in the private sector has not been achieved, and the protection of interstate commerce requires Federal intervention to preserve essential rail service in the private sector;

(4)the provisions for protection of employees of bankrupt railroads contained in the Regional Rail Reorganization Act of 1973 [45 U.S.C. 701 et seq.] have resulted in the payment of benefits far in excess of levels anticipated at the time of enactment, have imposed an excessive fiscal burden on the Federal taxpayer, and are now an obstacle to the establishment of improved rail service and continued rail employment in the Northeast region of the United States; and

(5)since holding Conrail liable for employee protection payments would destroy its prospects of becoming a profitable carrier and further injure its employees, an alternative employee protection system must be developed and funded.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Regional Rail Reorganization Act of 1973, referred to in pars. (1) and (4), is Pub. L. 93–236, Jan. 2, 1974, 87 Stat. 985, which is classified principally to chapter 16 (§ 701 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

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note set out under section 701 of this title and Tables.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Pub. L. 97–35, title XI, § 1169, Aug. 13, 1981, 95 Stat. 687, provided that: “Except as otherwise provided, the provisions of and the

Amendments

made by this subtitle [subtitle E (§§ 1131–1169) of title XI of Pub. L. 97–35, see

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note set out below] shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this subtitle [Aug. 13, 1981].”

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Pub. L. 97–35, title XI, § 1131, Aug. 13, 1981, 95 Stat. 643, provided that: “This subtitle [subtitle E (§§ 1131–1169) of title XI of Pub. L. 97–35, enacting this chapter, and section 159a, 581 to 590, 727 to 729, 744a, 748, 761 to 769c, and 797 to 797m of this title, amending section 601, 702, 711 to 713, 724, 741, 743, 745, 821, 825, and 829 of this title, repealing sections 771 to 780, 910, and 1006 of this title, and enacting provisions set out as notes under section 744a, 771, and 1101 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Northeast Rail Service Act of 1981’.”

§1101 Congressional Findings and Declarations

Summary

Title 45, §1101

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

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Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Amendments

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Citations & Metadata