[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 733 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
104th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 733
To amend title 23, United States Code, to permit States to use Federal
highway funds for capital improvements to, and operating support for,
intercity passenger rail service, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
April 27 (legislative day, April 24), 1995
Mr. Roth (for himself, Mr. Biden, Mr. Jeffords, Mr. Leahy, Mr.
Moynihan, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Chafee, Mrs. Boxer, Mr. Cohen, and Mr.
Lautenberg) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 23, United States Code, to permit States to use Federal
highway funds for capital improvements to, and operating support for,
intercity passenger rail service, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Intercity Rail Infrastructure
Investment Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds that--
(1) intercity passenger rail service is an essential
component of an integrated national transportation system;
(2) Amtrak must lessen its dependence on Federal operating
support and instead enter into more sustaining partnerships
with States, multi-State regions, and localities;
(3) intercity passenger rail service can play a significant
role in reducing traffic congestion, improve national ambient
air quality standards, and lower fuel consumption;
(4) since certain major rail corridors clearly meet the
description of National Highway System principal arterial
routes in section 103(b)(1) of title 23, United States Code, by
serving major population centers, major travel destinations,
and other intermodal transportation facilities, the corridors
should be designated as part of the mapped National Highway
System;
(5) since intercity passenger rail service is often
provided in the same corridor as, or in proximity to, a
designated segment of the National Highway System or will
improve the level of service on a National Highway System
segment, the service should be eligible for funding under
section 103(i) of title 23, United States Code;
(6) States should be given the maximum flexibility in the
use of Federal transportation funds provided under titles 23
and 49, United States Code, to provide--
(A) transportation systems that reflect local
priorities; and
(B) the highest quality most appropriate
transportation services for citizens of the States; and
(7) Federal law should not restrict the rights of States to
use their Federal transportation allocation for intercity
passenger rail service.
SEC. 3. DESIGNATION OF CERTAIN CORRIDORS AS PART OF NATIONAL HIGHWAY
SYSTEM.
Section 103 of title 23, United States Code, is amended by
inserting after subsection (b) the following:
``(c) Rail Lines and Related Facilities.--The National Highway
System as designated pursuant to this section shall include the rail
lines and related facilities owned or used by the National Railroad
Passenger Corporation for the provision of intercity passenger service
between Boston, Massachusetts, and Washington, District of Columbia
(including the rail lines owned by the Corporation between
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and between
New Haven, Connecticut, and Springfield, Massachusetts); between New
York, New York, and Albany, New York; between Albany, New York, and
Buffalo, New York; between Washington, District of Columbia, and
Richmond, Virginia; between Raleigh, North Carolina, and Charlotte,
North Carolina; between Miami, Florida, and Tampa, Florida (through
West Palm Beach, Florida, and Orlando, Florida); between Detroit,
Michigan, and Chicago, Illinois; between Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and
Chicago, Illinois; between St. Louis, Missouri, and Chicago, Illinois;
between San Diego, California, and Sacramento, California (through Los
Angeles, California, and Oakland, California); and between Eugene,
Oregon, and Vancouver, British Columbia (through Portland, Oregon).''.
SEC. 4. INTERSTATE RAIL COMPACTS.
(a) Consent to Compacts.--Congress grants consent to States with an
interest in a specific form, route, or corridor of intercity passenger
rail service (including high speed rail service) to enter into
interstate compacts to promote the provision of the service,
including--
(1) retaining an existing service or commencing a new
service;
(2) assembling rights-of-way; and
(3) performing capital improvements, including--
(A) the construction and rehabilitation of
maintenance facilities;
(B) the purchase of locomotives; and
(C) operational improvements, including
communications, signals, and other systems.
(b) Financing.--An interstate compact established by States under
subsection (a) may provide that, in order to carry out the compact, the
States may--
(1) accept contributions from a unit of State or local
government or a person;
(2) use any Federal or State funds made available for
intercity passenger rail service (except funds made available
for the National Railroad Passenger Corporation);
(3) on such terms and conditions as the States consider
advisable--
(A) borrow money on a short-term basis and issue
notes for the borrowing; and
(B) issue bonds; and
(4) obtain financing by other means permitted under Federal
or State law.
SEC. 5. ELIGIBILITY OF PASSENGER RAIL AS NATIONAL HIGHWAY SYSTEM
PROJECT.
Section 103(i) of title 23, United States Code, is amended by
adding at the end the following:
``(14) Construction of and operational improvements for
intercity passenger rail facilities, operation of intercity
passenger rail trains, and acquisition of rolling stock for
intercity passenger rail service, except that not more than 50
percent of the amount received by a State for a fiscal year
under this paragraph may be obligated for operation.''.
SEC. 6. ELIGIBILITY OF PASSENGER RAIL UNDER CONGESTION MITIGATION AND
AIR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.
The first sentence of section 149(b) of title 23, United States
Code, is amended--
(1) in paragraph (2), by striking ``or'' at the end;
(2) in paragraph (3), by striking the period at the end and
inserting ``; or''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(4) if the project or program will have air quality
benefits through construction of and operational improvements
for intercity passenger rail facilities, operation of intercity
passenger rail trains, and acquisition of rolling stock for
intercity passenger rail service, except that not more than 50
percent of the amount received by a State for a fiscal year
under this paragraph may be obligated for operating support.''.
SEC. 7. ELIGIBILITY OF PASSENGER RAIL FOR MASS TRANSPORTATION FUNDING.
(a) Definition of Mass Transportation.-- Section 5302(a)(7) of
title 49, United States Code, is amended by inserting ``including
intercity passenger rail transportation,'' after ``public''.
(b) Definition of Designated Recipient.--Section 5307(a)(2) of
title 49, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``or'' at the end;
(2) in subparagraph (C), by striking the period at the end
and inserting ``; or'' and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(D) a provider of intercity passenger rail
transportation.''.
(c) Financial Assistance for Other Than Urbanized Areas.--Section
5311(b) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the
end the following:
``(3) Grants for intercity passenger rail service under this
section shall be used to preserve the maximum choice of passenger modes
in areas other than urbanized areas.''.
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