[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1710 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

113th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1710

  To require Amtrak to propose a pet policy that allows passengers to 
transport domesticated cats and dogs on certain Amtrak trains, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           November 14, 2013

Mr. Whitehouse introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
   referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To require Amtrak to propose a pet policy that allows passengers to 
transport domesticated cats and dogs on certain Amtrak trains, 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 ``Pets on Trains Act of 2013''.

SEC. 2. AMTRAK POLICY FOR PASSENGERS TRANSPORTING DOMESTICATED CATS AND 
              DOGS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, Amtrak shall propose a pet policy that allows 
passengers to transport domesticated cats or dogs on certain trains 
operated by Amtrak.
    (b) Pet Policy.--In the proposal required under subsection (a), 
Amtrak shall--
            (1) designate, where feasible, at least one car of each 
        passenger train that is comprised of more than one car in which 
        a ticketed passenger may transport a domesticated cat or dog in 
        the same manner as carry-on baggage if--
                    (A) the cat or dog is contained in a pet kennel;
                    (B) the pet kennel can be stowed in accordance with 
                Amtrak size requirements for carriage of carry-on 
                baggage;
                    (C) the passenger is ticketed for traveling a 
                distance less than 750 miles; and
                    (D) the passenger pays a fee described in 
                subsection (c); and
            (2) allow ticketed passengers to transport domesticated 
        cats or dogs in the same manner as cargo if--
                    (A) the cat or dog is contained in a pet kennel;
                    (B) the pet kennel can be stowed in accordance with 
                Amtrak requirements for cargo stowage;
                    (C) the passenger is ticketed for traveling a 
                distance less than 750 miles;
                    (D) the cargo area is temperature controlled in a 
                manner protective of dog and cat health; and
                    (E) the passenger pays a fee described in 
                subsection (c).
    (c) Fee Collection.--Under the pet policy described in subsection 
(b), Amtrak shall collect a fee for each cat or dog transported by a 
ticketed passenger in an amount that, at a minimum, covers the costs of 
administration of the policy.
    (d) Limitation on Statutory Construction.--
            (1) Service animals.--The proposal required under 
        subsection (a) shall be separate from and in addition to the 
        policy governing Amtrak passengers traveling with service 
        animals. Nothing in this section may be interpreted to limit or 
        waive the rights of passengers to transport service animals.
            (2) Additional train cars.--Nothing in this section may be 
        interpreted to require Amtrak to add additional train cars or 
        modify existing train cars.
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