§718 Review by Congress

Summary

The Association’s Board must send the final system plan to both Houses of Congress and to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. If neither House passes a resolution disapproving the plan during the first 60 consecutive calendar days of Congress after it gets the plan, the plan is treated as approved. If either House disapproves within that 60-day period, the Association, with help from the Secretary and the Office, must prepare a revised plan and send it back to Congress for the same 60-day review. For counting the 60 days, a session only ends with an adjournment sine die, and days when either House is out for more than three days to a set date are not counted. The supplemental report dated September 18, 1975, and the errata supplement dated December 1, 1975, are treated as if they were part of the final plan, and the plan is approved as changed by them. The Association may, if a State asks, make further designations of rail properties in reorganization if those changes will likely improve service and won’t hurt the Corporation’s profitability; those changes must be made before the plan goes to the special court and cannot be reviewed by any court. Within 20 days after February 5, 1976, the Association may also modify or add designations by notifying Congress and publishing notice if needed to implement the plan, offer properties to profitable railroads, or let the Corporation serve isolated lines; such additions must meet required conditions, will end 30 days after February 5, 1976 unless a profitable railroad accepts them in writing sooner, and are not subject to court review. Labor agreements under section 778 may be renegotiated if needed to carry out these designations.