Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 95.djvu/670

 95 STAT. 644

PUBLIC LAW 97-35—AUG. 13, 1981 Sec. 1150. United States Railway Association reports. Sec. 1151. USRA authorization. PART 6—MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS Sec. Sec. Sec. Sec. Sec. Sec. Sec. Sec. Sec. Sec. Sec. Sec. Sec. Sec. Sec. Sec. Sec. Sec.

1152. Judicial review. 1153. Transfer taxes and fees; recordation. 1154. Satisfaction of claims. 1155. Expedited supplemental transactions. 1156. Abandonments. 1157, Amendment to the Railway Labor Act. 1158. Concerted economic action. 1159. Construction and effect of certain provisions. 1160. Labor authorization. 1161. Light density rail service. 1162. Rehabilitation and improvement financing. 1163. Northeast Corridor cost dispute. 1164. Commission proceedings. 1165. Intercity passenger service employees. 1166. Trackage rights. 1167. Technical amendments. 1168. Applicability of other laws. 1169. Effective date.

PART 1—GENERAL PROVISIONS FINDINGS

45 USC 1101. 45 USC 701 note.

SEC. 1132. The Congress finds and declares that— (1) the processes set in motion by the Regional Rail Reorganization Act of 1973 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 theflowof 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 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. PURPOSE

45 USC 1102.

SEC. 1133. It is therefore declared to be the purpose of the Congress in this subtitle to provide for— (1) the removal by a date certain of the Federal Government's obligation to subsidize the freight operations of Conrail;

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