Title 45 › CHAPTER 16 — REGIONAL RAIL REORGANIZATION › SUBCHAPTER II — UNITED STATES RAILWAY ASSOCIATION › § 726
Authorizes the Association to buy up to $1,000,000,000 in the Corporation’s debentures and, after buying those debentures, up to a total of $2,629,000,000 in Series A preferred stock (this includes a $2,300,000,000 regular amount plus up to $329,000,000 subject to appropriations). The money can be used for updating and fixing rail property, buying equipment, refinancing certain debt, and providing working capital. The Finance Committee can stop or limit purchases if the Corporation breaks important promises, fails to meet agreed operating or financial results, or likely cannot become financially self-sustaining without more federal help. Any such committee finding and direction must be sent to Congress within 10 days, and Congress has the first 30 calendar days of continuous session to disapprove; until that review is finished the Association must follow the Finance Committee’s direction. The Association must make an initial debenture investment within 60 days after rail properties are transferred if the Corporation applies in writing at least 30 days beforehand, and must pick six people for the Corporation’s board within 60 days after that transfer. The authority to buy these securities ends October 21, 1986. The securities must follow terms the Association sets, except that the Association won’t get extra shares as dividends, Series A dividends are not cumulative and are paid only when cash is available under the final system plan, and unpaid interest can trigger contingent interest notes. Those notes carry 8 percent interest compounded annually and are payable only if the Corporation goes into bankruptcy, reorganization, or receivership; they rank with the debentures in priority. The Association and its Finance Committee may change or waive terms if needed to meet plan goals, and debentures convert to Series A stock only if both the Board and Finance Committee agree. The Association cannot pay the final $345,000,000 of its authorized investment until the Corporation has an employee stock ownership plan that meets several listed conditions (including transfers of at least $345,000,000 in stock or equivalent value, immediate vesting rules, tax and governance requirements, and approval by the Board, the Association, and the Finance Committee). The United States will indemnify and protect certain covered persons who act in good faith in setting up and running that plan. Up to $3,629,000,000 is authorized to be appropriated for these purchases, and any money the Association gets back must go to the Treasury; funds appropriated before January 14, 1983 may be reappropriated, if provided in appropriation Acts, to help transfer commuter rail services as authorized by law.
Full Legal Text
Railroads, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Legislative History
Reference
Citation
45 U.S.C. § 726
Title 45, Railroads
Last Updated
Sep 23, 2026
Release point: 119-110