[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 693 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 693

   To designate a rail right-of-way as a corridor for inter-suburban 
                 commuter rail, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 26, 2009

 Mr. Roskam (for himself, Mr. Manzullo, Mrs. Biggert, Mr. Foster, Ms. 
   Halvorson, and Ms. Bean) introduced the following bill; which was 
     referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To designate a rail right-of-way as a corridor for inter-suburban 
                 commuter rail, 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. DESIGNATION OF CORRIDOR FOR INTER-SUBURBAN COMMUTER RAIL.

    (a) Proposed Designation of Corridor for Inter-Suburban Commuter 
Rail and Report.--Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of 
this Act and before designating a rail right-of-way as a corridor for 
inter-suburban commuter rail under subsection (c), the Secretary of 
Transportation shall transmit a report to the Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and 
the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate 
that describes how the proposed corridor meets the qualifications of 
subsection (c) and evaluates the potential benefits and adverse 
effects, if any, of such a designation.
    (b) Review by Congress.--A proposed designation of a rail right-of-
way as a corridor for inter-suburban commuter rail under subsection (c) 
may not become effective until the end of a 30-day period of continuous 
session of Congress following the date of the transmittal of a report 
on the designation under this subsection. For purposes of the preceding 
sentence, continuity of a session of Congress is broken only by an 
adjournment sine die, and there shall be excluded from the computation 
of such 30-day period any day during which either House of Congress is 
not in session during an adjournment of more than 3 days to a day 
certain.
    (c) Corridor Designation.--After the 30-day Congressional review 
period under subsection (b), the Secretary, using the qualifications 
described in this subsection, shall designate a rail right-of-way as a 
corridor for inter-suburban commuter rail. In determining if a rail 
right-of-way qualifies to be designated as a corridor for inter-
suburban commuter rail, the Secretary shall consider the following 
factors for the 5 metropolitan areas in the country with the highest 
population levels:
            (1) The availability of existing rail infrastructure and 
        plans for inter-suburban commuter rail.
            (2) Rail projects that have in the past received Federal 
        authorization and appropriation.
            (3) The potential number of individuals that will be given 
        an alternative to driving.
            (4) The potential for reducing congestion.
            (5) The potential of linking important economic centers 
        such as places of employment, retail centers, educational 
        centers, and civic centers.
            (6) The potential for attracting new businesses and 
        economic development.
            (7) Providing new inter-suburban commuter rail service 
        access.
            (8) The availability of existing rail lines in a 
        traditional hub-and-spoke layout radiating from a central urban 
        area to connect with the corridor for inter-suburban commuter 
        rail.
    (d) Corridor Selection.--Once a rail right-of-way is selected as a 
corridor for inter-suburban commuter rail under this section, the 
Secretary shall--
            (1) provide technical assistance in expediting the 
        completion of inter-suburban commuter rail service; and
            (2) as of the date of the designation of the corridor for 
        inter-suburban commuter rail under this section, prohibit 
        increased usage of such corridor except for the purpose of 
        increasing the availability of inter-suburban commuter rail.
    (e) Definition.--The term ``inter-suburban commuter rail'' means 
the provision of rail service between cities, towns, and villages that 
comprise the suburbs of a large city located in one of the 5 
metropolitan areas in the country with the highest population levels.
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