[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2066 Introduced in House (IH)]







105th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2066

 To restructure and reform the laws relating to Amtrak, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 25, 1997

 Mr. Oberstar (for himself and Mr. Wise) (both by request) introduced 
      the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
                   Transportation and Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To restructure and reform the laws relating to Amtrak, 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 ``Amtrak Restructuring Act of 1997''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds that--
            (1) intercity rail passenger service is an essential 
        component of a national intermodal passenger transportation 
        system, and the National Railroad Passenger Corporation 
        (Amtrak) must provide a quality transportation product in the 
        form of clean, comfortable, and on-time service to achieve its 
        full potential;
            (2) Amtrak has been forced to significantly cut back its 
        rail passenger system due to cash shortages, and further 
        cutbacks may be required unless Amtrak is able to reduce its 
        costs and increase its revenues;
            (3) to ensure Amtrak's long-term viability as a provider of 
        intercity rail passenger service, all of Amtrak's stakeholders 
        must participate in efforts to reduce Amtrak's costs and 
        increase its revenues;
            (4) additional management flexibility is needed to allow 
        Amtrak to operate in a businesslike manner in order to adjust 
        quickly to meet demand and changing customer needs;
            (5) Amtrak's management and employees are dedicated to 
        providing the high-quality service that Amtrak's customers 
        deserve but additional capital investment is needed to acquire 
        the modern equipment and efficient facilities that are 
        essential to satisfy the demand for superior intercity rail 
        passenger service;
            (6) the establishment of a secure source of capital 
        investment from the Federal Government through the 
        authorizations included in this Act and additional capital 
        funding from State governments and innovative partnerships with 
        the private sector will enable Amtrak to provide the world 
        class service American rail passengers deserve and will help 
        reduce operating costs in the long term;
            (7) the availability of additional capital investment from 
        the Federal Government can and should be used as an incentive 
        to encourage Amtrak to achieve the operating and other 
        efficiencies that are essential to the long-term viability of 
        intercity rail passenger service;
            (8) Amtrak's management should be held accountable to 
        ensure that all capital investment by the Federal Government 
        and State governments is used effectively to improve the 
        quality of service and the long-term financial health of 
        Amtrak;
            (9) Amtrak's management and its employees should use the 
        collective bargaining process to reach equitable agreements 
        that provide a sound basis for improved customer service and 
        that contribute to the long-term viability of the corporation;
            (10) States, local governments, and private parties can and 
        should play an increasingly significant role in supporting 
        cost-efficient intercity rail passenger transportation and in 
        addressing local transportation needs and air quality control;
            (11) State and local governments should have the 
        flexibility to use the Federal transportation funds available 
        to them to support intercity rail passenger service as an 
        essential component of the intermodal transportation network in 
        their States;
            (12) the Secretary of Transportation, as an ex officio 
        member of Amtrak's Board of Directors, should use this position 
        to evaluate Amtrak's costs and revenue elements to ensure that 
        Amtrak provides excellent service to its customers, that Amtrak 
        uses its Federal investment wisely and efficiently, and that 
        Amtrak makes significant and measurable progress in improving 
        the financial performance of intercity rail passenger service; 
        and
            (13) Amtrak's revenues, including assistance provided by 
        Amtrak's State, local, and private sector partners, should 
        cover Amtrak's operating expenses by fiscal year 2002.

                      TITLE I--OPERATIONAL REFORMS

SEC. 101. OPERATION OF INTERCITY RAIL PASSENGER SERVICE.

    Chapter 247 of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) by amending section 24701 to read as follows:
``Sec. 24701. Operation of intercity rail passenger service
    ``(a) By Amtrak.--Amtrak is authorized to provide cost-effective 
intercity rail passenger service on those routes throughout the United 
States where it can serve an important transportation function and it 
can, over the long term, cover the full operating costs associated with 
providing the service through fares and contributions from State and 
local governments or other interested parties. Amtrak's decisions 
regarding the initiation, retention, modification, or elimination of 
intercity rail passenger service shall be made on the basis of 
available financial resources and any agreement Amtrak enters into with 
a State or local government or private entity to support rail passenger 
service shall be made with the understanding that the Federal operating 
subsidy will be eliminated after fiscal year 2001.
    ``(b) By Others With Consent of Amtrak.--A person may provide 
intercity rail passenger transportation over a route over which Amtrak 
provides scheduled intercity rail passenger transportation only with 
the consent of Amtrak.'';
            (2) by amending section 24702 to read as follows:
``Sec. 24702. Route and service changes
    ``(a) Route Adjustments.--Amtrak shall adjust its route structure 
as it deems appropriate applying sound business and transportation 
principles.
    ``(b) Notice of Service Changes.--Prior to implementing a route 
discontinuance that would remove all service on a route or cut service 
by more than half, Amtrak shall provide its employees' representatives, 
affected States, cities, and other interested parties with advance 
notice of at least ninety days in order to enable any of the affected 
parties to provide financial support for the route that would allow for 
continued operation. Amtrak shall provide a written notification to the 
Governor or chief executive officer of each affected State which 
provides information on the costs, revenues, and other appropriate 
considerations in providing the service.
    ``(c) Emergency Situations.--In an emergency, Amtrak may implement 
a route discontinuance with less than ninety days notice but shall in 
any event provide as much notice as possible. An emergency shall exist 
when Amtrak's Board of Directors determines that funds available to 
Amtrak for the fiscal year are not sufficient to meet estimated 
operating costs and significant harm to Amtrak would result if 
immediate action is not taken to reduce costs through route reductions 
and service eliminations.''; and
            (3) by amending the items in the table of sections of such 
        chapter that relate to sections 24701 and 24702 to read as 
        follows:

``24701. Operation of intercity rail passenger service.
``24702. Route and service changes.''.

SEC. 102. AMTRAK COMMUTER.

    (a) Repeal of Chapter 245.--Chapter 245 of title 49, United States 
Code, and the item relating thereto in the table of chapters of 
subtitle V of such title, are repealed.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 24301(f) of title 49, United 
States Code, is amended to read as follows:
    ``(f) Tax Exemption for Certain Commuter Authorities.--A commuter 
authority that was eligible to make a contract with Amtrak Commuter to 
provide commuter rail passenger transportation but which decided to 
provide its own rail passenger transportation beginning January 1, 
1983, is exempt, effective October 1, 1981, from paying a tax or fee to 
the same extent Amtrak is exempt.''.
    (c) Trackage Rights.--The repeal of chapter 245 under subsection 
(a) of this section shall not affect any trackage rights held by Amtrak 
or the Consolidated Rail Corporation.

 SEC. 103. ROUTE AND SERVICE CRITERIA.

    Section 24703 of title 49, United States Code, and the item 
relating thereto in the table of sections of chapter 247 of such title, 
are repealed.

 SEC. 104. TRANSPORTATION REQUESTED BY STATES, AUTHORITIES, AND OTHER 
              PERSONS.

    (a) Repeal.--Section 24704 of title 49, United States Code, and the 
item relating thereto in the table of sections of chapter 247 of such 
title, are repealed.
    (b) State, Regional, and Local Cooperation.--Section 24101(c)(2) of 
title 49, United States Code, is amended by inserting ``, separately or 
in combination,'' after ``and the private sector''.

 SEC. 105. ADDITIONAL QUALIFYING ROUTES.

    Section 24705 of title 49, United States Code, and the item 
relating thereto in the table of sections of chapter 247 of such title, 
are repealed.

 SEC. 106. DISCONTINUANCE.

    Section 24706 of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)(1), by striking ``a discontinuance 
        under section 24704 or 24707(a) or (b) of this title'' and 
        inserting in lieu thereof ``discontinuing service over a 
        route'';
            (2) in subsection (a)(2), by striking ``section 24704 or 
        24707(a) or (b) of this title'' and inserting in lieu thereof 
        ``paragraph (1)''; and
            (3) in subsection (b), by striking ``under section 24704 or 
        24707(a) or (b) of this title'' and inserting in lieu thereof 
        ``as authorized by applicable law''.

SEC. 107. COST AND PERFORMANCE REVIEW.

    Section 24707 of title 49, United States Code, and the item 
relating thereto in the table of sections of chapter 247 of such title, 
are repealed.

 SEC. 108. SPECIAL COMMUTER TRANSPORTATION.

    Section 24708 of title 49, United States Code, and the item 
relating thereto in the table of sections of chapter 247 of such title, 
are repealed.

                      TITLE II--FINANCIAL REFORMS

 SEC. 201. EXEMPTION FROM TAXES.

    Section 24301(l)(1) of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) by inserting ``, and any passenger or other customer of 
        Amtrak or such subsidiary,'' after ``subsidiary of Amtrak'';
            (2) by striking ``or fee imposed'' and all that follows 
        through ``levied on it'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``, fee, 
        head charge, or other charge, imposed or levied by a State, 
        political subdivision, or local taxing authority, directly or 
        indirectly on Amtrak or on travel in intercity rail passenger 
        transportation or on mail or express transportation provided by 
        Amtrak or a rail carrier subsidiary of Amtrak, or on the 
        carriage of persons, mail, or express, or on the sale of any 
        such transportation, or on the gross receipts derived 
        therefrom''; and
            (3) by amending the last sentence thereof to read as 
        follows: ``In the case of a tax or fee that Amtrak was required 
        to pay as of September 10, 1982, Amtrak is not exempt from such 
        tax or fee if it was assessed before April 1, 1997.''.

 SEC. 202. OFFICERS' PAY.

    Section 24303(b) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by 
inserting ``The preceding sentence shall cease to be effective on the 
expiration of a fiscal year during which no Federal operating subsidy 
is provided to Amtrak.'' after ``with comparable responsibility.''.

 SEC. 203. INTERSTATE RAIL COMPACTS.

    (a) Amendment.--Part C of subtitle V of title 49, United States 
Code, is amended by adding a new chapter 251 at the end thereof as 
follows:

                ``CHAPTER 251--INTERSTATE RAIL COMPACTS

``Sec.
``25101. Interstate rail compacts.
``Sec. 25101. 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 and intermodal passenger 
                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) of this section 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 
        to Amtrak);
            ``(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 and State law.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--The table of chapters of subtitle V of 
title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding after the item 
relating to chapter 249 the following new item:

``251. Interstate rail compacts.............................   25101''.

               TITLE III--NORTHEAST CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENTS

 SEC. 301. BOSTON-NEW HAVEN ELECTRIFICATION PROJECT.

    Section 24902(a)(1)(A) of title 49, United States Code, is amended 
by striking ``and 40 minutes''.

 SEC. 302. PROGRAM MASTER PLAN FOR BOSTON-NEW YORK MAIN LINE.

    Section 24903 of title 49, United States Code, and the item 
relating thereto in the table of sections of chapter 249 of such title, 
are repealed.

 SEC. 303. NORTHEAST CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.

    (a) Amendment.--Section 24909 of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended to read as follows:
``Sec. 24909. Northeast Corridor improvements
    ``(a) Capital Improvements.--Amtrak shall make capital improvements 
for the Northeast Corridor improvement program under this title as 
necessary to operate reliable, high-speed rail passenger service, to 
enhance capacity for intercity and commuter passenger service, and as 
otherwise may be necessary to ensure continued reliable high-speed 
service. Amtrak shall acquire train equipment to be used on the 
Northeast Corridor, mitigate environmental impacts related to the 
Northeast Corridor improvement project, and provide adequate parking 
at, and improve Northeast Corridor rail stations.
    ``(b) Rhode Island Third Track.--(1) There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary to make grants to the State of Rhode 
Island, $10,000,000 for each of the fiscal years ending September 30, 
1998, September 30, 1999, and September 30, 2000, and $12,000,000 for 
the fiscal year ending September 30, 2001, to be used to design and 
construct a third track on the Northeast Corridor between Davisville 
and Central Falls, Rhode Island.
    ``(2) The third track shall be designed and constructed with 
sufficient clearance to accommodate double-stack freight cars.
    ``(3) The Secretary shall provide funds to the State of Rhode 
Island to design and construct the third track only to the extent that 
such funds will be matched by the State of Rhode Island or its designee 
on a dollar-for-dollar basis.
    ``(c) Availability of Amounts.--Amounts appropriated under this 
section shall remain available until expended.
    ``(d) Prevailing Wage Standards.--(1) The Secretary of 
Transportation or Amtrak shall ensure that laborers and mechanics, 
employed by contractors and subcontractors in construction work that is 
financed to any extent with Federal funds under this section, are paid 
wages not less than those prevailing on similar construction in the 
locality, as determined by the Secretary of Labor under the Act of 
March 3, 1931 (known as the Davis-Bacon Act; 40 U.S.C. 276a--276a-5). 
The Secretary of Transportation or Amtrak may approve a grant, loan, or 
contract only after being assured that required labor standards will be 
maintained on the construction work. For purposes of this subsection, 
the Secretary of Labor has the same duties and powers stated in 
Reorganization Plan No. 14 of 1950 (eff. May 24, 1950, 64 Stat. 1267) 
and section 2 of the Act of June 13, 1934 (40 U.S.C. 276c).
    ``(2) Wage rates in a collective bargaining agreement negotiated 
under the Railway Labor Act (45 U.S.C. 151, et seq.) are deemed to 
comply with the Act of March 3, 1931 (known as the Davis-Bacon Act; 40 
U.S.C. 276a--276a-5) and paragraph (1) of this subsection.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--The table of sections of chapter 249, 
United States Code, is amended by amending the item relating to section 
24909 to read as follows:

``24909. Northeast Corridor improvements.''.

 SEC. 304. COMMUTER COST SHARING ON THE NORTHEAST CORRIDOR.

    (a) Determination of Compensation.--Section 24904 of title 49, 
United States Code, is amended--
            (1) by striking subsection (b);
            (2) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (b);
            (3) in subsection (b), as so redesignated by paragraph (2) 
        of this subsection--
                    (A) by striking ``Transportation Over Certain 
                Rights-of-Way and Facilities'' in the subsection head 
                and inserting in lieu thereof ``Freight 
                Transportation'';
                    (B) by inserting ``relating to rail freight 
                transportation'' after ``subsection (a)(6) of this 
                section'' in paragraph (1); and
                    (C) by inserting ``to an agreement described in 
                paragraph (1)'' after ``If the parties'' in paragraph 
                (2); and
            (4) by inserting after subsection (b), as so redesignated 
        by paragraph (2) of this subsection, the following new 
        subsection:
    ``(c) Binding Arbitration for Commuter Disputes.--(1) If the 
parties to an agreement described in subsection (a)(6) relating to 
commuter rail passenger transportation cannot agree to the terms of 
such agreement, the parties shall submit the issues in dispute to 
binding arbitration under the rules of the American Arbitration 
Association.
    ``(2) The parties to a dispute described in paragraph (1) may agree 
to use the Surface Transportation Board to arbitrate such dispute and, 
if asked to arbitrate the Surface Transportation Board shall perform 
such function.''.
    (b) Northeast Corridor Cost Dispute.--Section 1163 of the Northeast 
Rail Service Act of 1981 (45 U.S.C. 1111) is repealed.

                        TITLE IV--AUTHORIZATIONS

 SEC. 401. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) Amendment.--Section 24104 of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended to read as follows:
``Sec. 24104. Authorization of appropriations
    ``(a) Operating Grants.--There are authorized to be appropriated to 
the Secretary of Transportation from the Highway Trust Fund (other than 
from the Mass Transit Account), to make grants to Amtrak for operating 
expenses, $344,000,000 for fiscal year 1998, $292,000,000 for fiscal 
year 1999, $242,000,000 for fiscal year 2000, $192,000,000 for fiscal 
year 2001, $142,000,000 for fiscal year 2002, and $142,000,000 for 
fiscal year 2003. Grants in fiscal years 2002 and 2003 shall not be 
made to offset operating losses, other than for payments to the 
railroad retirement and railroad unemployment systems. Such payments in 
fiscal years 2002 and 2003 shall not be considered a Federal operating 
subsidy for the purposes of sections 24701, 24303(b), 24301(e), and 
24305(b), and section 512 of the Amtrak Restructuring Act of 1997.
    ``(b) Capital Investments.--There are authorized to be appropriated 
to the Secretary of Transportation from the Highway Trust Fund (other 
than from the Mass Transit Account) to make grants to Amtrak for 
capital investments, including expenses related to debt service and 
investments in the Northeast Corridor authorized by section 24909(a) of 
this title, $445,450,000 for fiscal year 1998, and $423,450,000 for 
each of the fiscal years 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003.
    ``(c) Supplemental Capital Investments.--(1) There are authorized 
to be appropriated to the Secretary of Transportation from the Highway 
Trust Fund (other than from the Mass Transit Account) to make grants to 
Amtrak for supplemental capital investments, including expenses related 
to debt service and investments in the Northeast Corridor authorized by 
section 24909(a) of this title, $95,000,000 for fiscal year 1999, 
$168,000,000 for fiscal year 2000, $240,000,000 for fiscal year 2001, 
$313,000,000 for fiscal year 2002, and $165,000,000 for fiscal year 
2003.
    ``(2) The Secretary of Transportation may make grants to Amtrak for 
supplemental capital investments under this subsection--
            ``(A) for fiscal year 1999 only if the Secretary determines 
        that Amtrak has taken specific and measurable actions to reduce 
        expenses and increase revenues consistent with a plan to 
        achieve the operating subsidy reductions identified in 
        subsection (a) of this section; and
            ``(B) for fiscal years 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003 only if 
        the Secretary determines, based upon a report from Amtrak's 
        independent auditor, that during the fiscal year which is two 
        years before the fiscal year in which the grant would be made 
        Amtrak's revenues plus the amount of operating assistance 
        authorized for that year under subsection (a) of this section 
        equaled or exceeded Amtrak's operating expenses for that year.
    ``(3) The Secretary of Transportation shall provide the 
appropriations committees of the Senate and the House of 
Representatives, at the time of the submittal of the President's annual 
budget request, the current plan to achieve Amtrak's operating subsidy 
reductions and a report on Amtrak's progress in implementing that plan.
    ``(d) Definition.--As used in this section, the term `capital 
investments' means expenditures that are commonly classified by freight 
or commuter railroads as capital improvements in accordance with the 
current findings of the Financial Accounting Standards Board.
    ``(e) Contract Authority.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
law, approval by the Secretary of Transportation in fiscal year 1999 or 
thereafter of a grant or contract with funds made available by 
subsection (a), (b), or (c) of this section shall be deemed a 
contractual obligation of the United States.
    ``(f) Availability of Appropriations.--Amounts appropriated under 
this section shall remain available until expended.
    ``(g) Limitations on Use.--Amounts appropriated under this section 
may not be used to subsidize operating losses of commuter rail 
passenger or rail freight transportation.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 24304(d) of title 49, United 
States Code, is amended by deleting ``24104(d)'' and by substituting 
``24104''.

                         TITLE V--MISCELLANEOUS

 SEC. 501. WORLD CLASS SERVICE.

    Section 24101(c) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by 
redesignating paragraphs (10) and (11) as paragraphs (12) and (13), 
respectively, and by inserting after paragraph (9) the following:
            ``(10) manage capital investment in such a way as to 
        provide customers with world class service;
            ``(11) treat all passengers with respect, courtesy, and 
        dignity;''.

 SEC. 502. DEFINITIONS.

    Section 24102 of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) by striking paragraphs (2), (3), and (11);
            (2) by redesignating paragraphs (4) through (8) as 
        paragraphs (2) through (6), respectively;
            (3) by inserting after paragraph (6), as so redesignated by 
        paragraph (2) of this section, the following new paragraph:
            ``(7) `rail passenger transportation' means the interstate, 
        intrastate, or international transportation of passengers, mail 
        and express by rail.'';
            (4) in paragraph (6), as so redesignated by paragraph (2) 
        of this section, by inserting ``, including a unit of State or 
        local government,'' after ``means a person''; and
            (5) by redesignating paragraphs (9) and (10) as paragraphs 
        (8) and (9), respectively.

 SEC. 503. STATUS AND APPLICABLE LAWS.

    Section 24301(a)(1) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by 
striking ``rail carrier under section 10102'' and inserting in lieu 
thereof ``railroad carrier under section 20102(2) and a rail carrier 
under chapter 281''.

 SEC. 504. PRINCIPAL OFFICE.

    Section 24301(b) of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in the subsection head, by striking ``and Place of 
        Business'';
            (2) by striking the first sentence;
            (3) by striking ``and place of business'';
            (4) by striking ``of the District of Columbia'' and 
        inserting in lieu thereof ``of the State in which its principal 
        office is located''; and
            (5) by inserting ``For purposes of this subsection, the 
        term `State' includes the District of Columbia. Notwithstanding 
        section 3 of the District of Columbia Business Corporation Act, 
        Amtrak, if its principal office is located in the District of 
        Columbia, shall be considered organized under the provisions of 
        such Act.'' after ``in a civil action.''.

 SEC. 505. FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT.

    Section 24301(e) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by 
adding at the end thereof the following: ``Section 552 of title 5, 
United States Code, shall not apply to Amtrak in any fiscal year for 
which Amtrak receives no Federal operating subsidy.''.

 SEC. 506. CONTRACTING PRACTICES.

    Section 24305 of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:
    ``(b) Below-Cost Competition.--Amtrak shall not submit any bid for 
the performance of services for an amount less than the cost to Amtrak 
of performing such services, with respect to any activity other than 
the provision of intercity rail passenger transportation. For purposes 
of this subsection, the cost to Amtrak of performing services shall be 
determined using generally accepted accounting principles for 
contracting. This subsection shall not apply for any fiscal year for 
which Amtrak receives no Federal operating subsidy.''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(g) Rail and Motor Carrier Passenger Service.--(1) Amtrak and 
motor carriers of passengers are authorized--
            ``(A) to combine or package their respective services and 
        facilities to the public as a means of increasing revenues; and
            ``(B) to coordinate schedules, routes, rates, reservations, 
        and ticketing to provide for enhanced intermodal surface 
        transportation.
    ``(2) The authority granted by this subsection is subject to the 
review of the Surface Transportation Board, and such authority may be 
modified or revoked by the Surface Transportation Board if in the 
public interest.''.

 SEC. 507. ASSISTANCE FOR UPGRADING FACILITIES.

    Section 24310 of title 49, United States Code, and the item 
relating thereto in the table of sections of chapter 243 of such title, 
are repealed.

 SEC. 508. LABOR STANDARDS.

    Section 24312(a) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by 
striking ``, 24701(a) or 24704(b)(2)'' and inserting in lieu thereof 
``or 24701(a)''.

 SEC. 509. RAIL SAFETY SYSTEM PROGRAM.

    Section 24313 of title 49, United States Code, and the item 
relating thereto in the table of sections of chapter 243 of such title, 
are repealed.

 SEC. 510. DEMONSTRATION OF NEW TECHNOLOGY.

    Section 24314 of title 49, United States Code, and the item 
relating thereto in the table of sections of chapter 243 of such title, 
are repealed.

 SEC. 511. ACCESS TO RECORDS AND ACCOUNTS.

    Section 24315 of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)(1) by redesignating subparagraphs 
        (D), (E), (F), (G), and (H) as subparagraphs (E), (F), (G), (H) 
        and (I), and by inserting after subparagraph (C) the following:
                    ``(D) the long-term profit or loss;'';
            (2) in subsection (a) by amending paragraph (2) to read as 
        follows:
            ``(2) provides an update that describes Amtrak's efforts 
        and accomplishments in implementing the Program Master Plans 
        for the Northeast Corridor prepared by the Secretary of 
        Transportation and Amtrak and submitted to the Congress, 
        including a description of completed improvements, ongoing 
        projects and needed future investment, and a description of 
        capital projects undertaken by other Northeast Corridor users; 
        and'';
            (3) in subsection (b) by redesignating paragraph (2) as 
        paragraph (3), and by inserting after paragraph (1) the 
        following:
    ``(2) Amtrak shall include in the report required under paragraph 
(1) projections of the anticipated benefits of the capital projects 
Amtrak proposes to fund with Federal funding and a description of the 
benefits actually realized from all projects previously funded 
beginning with funds provided in fiscal year 1997. The report shall 
include an identification of improvements in the quality of service 
offered by Amtrak, facility improvements that demonstrate a 
productivity gain, equipment improvements that lower operating costs, 
environmental benefits (including air quality and land use benefits), 
enhancements to local transportation needs, enhancements to mobility of 
physically and economically disadvantaged persons, any improvement of 
the revenue-to-cost ratio, any reduced dependence on Federal operating 
support, and reductions in the need for alternative transportation 
investments. To the extent practicable, the benefits addressed in each 
report shall also be expressed as return on invested capital.'';
            (4) in subsection (e), by inserting ``financial or'' after 
        ``Comptroller General may conduct''; and
            (5) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(h) Access to Records and Accounts.--A State shall have access to 
Amtrak's records, accounts, and other necessary documents used to 
determine the amount of any payment to Amtrak required of the State.''.

 SEC. 512. INSPECTOR GENERAL ACT OF 1978 AMENDMENT.

    (a) Amendment.--
            (1) In general.--Section 8G(a)(2) of the Inspector General 
        Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.) is amended by striking ``Amtrak,''.
            (2) Effective date.--The amendment made by paragraph (1) 
        shall take effect on October 1 of the first fiscal year after a 
        fiscal year for which Amtrak receives no Federal operating 
        subsidy.
    (b) Amtrak Not a Federal Entity.--Amtrak shall not be considered a 
Federal entity for purposes of the Inspector General Act of 1978. The 
preceding sentence shall take effect on October 1 of the first fiscal 
year after a fiscal year for which Amtrak receives no Federal operating 
subsidy.

                       TITLE VI--HIGH-SPEED RAIL

 SEC. 601. HIGH-SPEED RAIL TECHNOLOGY IMPROVEMENTS.

    Section 26104 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by 
redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (e) and by inserting after 
subsection (c) a new subsection as follows:
    ``(d) Fiscal Years 1998-2003.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary $19,595,000 for each of the fiscal years 
1998 through 2003, for carrying out section 26102 (including payment of 
administrative expenses related thereto).''.

 SEC. 602. HIGH-SPEED RAIL NOISE REGULATION.

    (a) Amendment.--Chapter 201 of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended by adding a new section at the end thereof as follows:
``Sec. 20154. High-speed rail noise regulation
    ``The Secretary of Transportation, in consultation with the 
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, shall prescribe 
regulations addressing noise emissions from high-speed rail systems, 
including magnetic levitation systems, when operating at speeds greater 
than 150 miles per hour. Regulations issued under this section shall be 
in lieu of railroad-related noise regulations issued pursuant to 
section 17(a) of the Noise Control Act of 1972 (42 U.S.C. 4916(a)) only 
for operation at speeds greater than 150 miles-per-hour.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--The table of sections of chapter 201 of 
title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
following new item:

``20154. High-speed rail noise regulation.''.
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