To ensure that a national railroad system is maintained or created which is adequate to provide the transportation services needed for the United States economy, and for other purposes.
(Sec. 4) Declares that a rail carrier, corporation, or person participating in the consolidation, acquisition of control, or merger of another rail carrier is exempt from the antitrust laws and from State and local laws governing such transactions to the extent necessary. Subjects the activities of a rail carrier participating in or resulting from such transaction to State and Federal law, after such transaction is completed, to the same extent as any other similarly situated rail carrier that has not participated in or resulted from such transaction.
(Sec. 5) Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) circuitous routing of rail traffic; (2) the revision of certain conditions with respect to the approval of the consolidation, merger, or acquisition of control of rail carriers by the Board; (3) preservation and restoration of railroad service; (4) the sale of certain connecting railroad lines; (5) prohibitions against acts that unreasonably burden or discriminate against interstate commerce to include within such prohibited acts the increase in an assessment on rail transportation property on the basis of improvements directly related to the provision of railroad transportation; (6) the response of a rail carrier to requests for a carrier's rates and other service terms for a movement between any two points on its system or for an entire movement between a point on its system and any other point; (7) prohibitions against rail carrier rate discrimination to declare that a rate discriminates unreasonably against a connecting line if such rate is designed to divert traffic from or to that connecting line to a less direct route or if it excludes traffic from or to that connecting line; (8) restrictions prohibiting a rail carrier from establishing a rate which discriminates against the interchange of traffic as between carriers on any basis except actual cost based on mileage traveled and services rendered; (9) changes from discretionary to mandatory the use of terminal facilities by another rail carrier provided certain conditions are met; (10) the repeal of provisions authorizing a rail carrier, without the approval of the Board, to enter into arrangements for the joint ownership or joint use of spur, industrial, team switching, or side tracks; (11) restrictions prohibiting the Board from charging a fee for the filing of a complaint, protest, or other request for relief in an amount greater than fees charged by Federal district courts for comparable filings; (12) the revision of certain requirements regarding the approval of the consolidation or merger of two or more rail carriers (including arrangements for the protection of the interests of rail carrier employees) by the Board; and (13) restrictions prohibiting the Board from considering evidence of product or geographic competition when making market dominance determinations in rail rate proceedings.
(Sec. 17) Establishes a Federal Railroad Advisory Committee to make recommendations to Congress and the President on the condition and capacity of the present physical plant of the Nation's railway system and the adequacy of that plant to meet the needs of the 21st century.
Authorizes appropriations.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E2427)
Referred to the Subcommittee on Ground Transportation.
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