[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 69 (Thursday, May 16, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E839-E840]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         H.R. 2594 AND TECHNICAL CHANGES TO ICC TERMINATION ACT

                                 ______


                            HON. BUD SHUSTER

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 16, 1996

  Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to announce that H.R. 
2594, the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Amendments Act, is scheduled 
to be considered on the House Floor next week. This bipartisan bill 
improves unemployment and sickness benefits for rail workers, with no 
additional cost to the Federal Government.
  H.R. 2594 was approved by the Transportation and Infrastructure 
Committee by voice vote last November. It is a consensus measure, 
supported by both rail labor and rail management.
  Unemployment and sickness benefits for rail workers are handled under 
a national, employer-financed system that is administered by the 
Railroad Retirement Board. H.R. 2594 makes a number of changes to 
railroad unemployment and sickness benefits that will produce a more 
equitable and up-to-date program.
  The reforms contained in H.R. 2594 will bring the railroad industry 
benefits more into line with the State unemployment benefits that apply 
to all other industries. Daily benefits will be increased from $36 to 
$42. Currently, most States have higher daily benefits than the 
railroad unemployment program. In addition, the waiting period before 
benefits begin to accrue is reduced from 14 days to 7 days. Again, most 
States have a shorter waiting period than under the railroad 
unemployment system. The bill also limits the amount of benefits that 
can be paid based on an individual's outside income, and reduces the 
maximum number of days of extended benefits.
  Because the railroad unemployment system is financed by taxes imposed 
on the railroad industry, the federal taxpayer will not be saddled with 
additional costs as a result of this bill. Thanks to the efforts of our 
colleagues on the Budget Committee, the budgetary impact of the bill 
has been resolved so that we are able to bring the bill to the floor 
under suspension of the rules.
  In the motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 2594, I will also 
include several technical corrections that are necessary to eliminate 
minor drafting ambiguities in the ICC Termination Act, which was 
enacted at the end of 1995. The changes are intended only to restore 
the status of related laws to the way they were at the time of the 
enactment, or to correct purely clerical errors in the text of the ICC 
Termination Act. The text of these technical changes follows.
  One of the technical changes is necessary to carry out the explicitly 
stated intent of the ICC Termination Act that its enactment did not 
``expand or contract coverage of employers or employees under the 
Railway Labor Act.'' 49 U.S.C. 10501(c)(3)(B). The technical correction 
is drafted merely to restore more clearly the exact legal standards for 
coverage under the Railway Labor Act that existed prior to the 
enactment of the ICC Termination Act. Otherwise, the current text of 
the law could cause needless ambiguity and confusion.
  H.R. 2594 will provide for much-needed reform of the railroad 
unemployment system and I urge your support of this legislation.

  Technical Changes to ICC Termination Act To Be Included in H.R. 2594

     SEC. 6. TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS.

       (a) References.--(1) Section 24307(c)(3) of title 49, 
     United States Code, is amended by striking ``Interstate 
     Commerce Commission'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``Surface 
     Transportation Board''.
       (2) Section 24308 of title 49, United States Code, is 
     amended--
       (A) by striking ``Interstate Commerce Commission'' in 
     subsection (a)(2)(A) and inserting in lieu thereof ``Surface 
     Transportation Board''; and
       (B) by striking ``Commission'' each place it appears and 
     inserting in lieu thereof ``Surface Transportation Board''.
       (3) Section 24311(c) of title 49, United States Code, is 
     amended--
       (A) by striking ``Interstate Commerce Commission'' in 
     paragraph (1) and inserting in lieu thereof ``Surface 
     Transportation Board''; and
       (B) by striking ``Commission'' each place it appears and 
     inserting in lieu thereof ``Surface Transpiration Board''.
       (b) Clarifying Amendment.--(1) The first paragraph of 
     section 1 of the Railway Labor Act (45 U.S.C. 151) is amended 
     by inserting ``The term `carrier' includes any express 
     company or sleeping car company subject to subtitle IV of 
     title 49, United States Code, within the meaning of such 
     terms under this section as in effect on December 31, 
     1995.'' after ``in any of such activities.''.
       (2) The amendment made by paragraph (1) is made for the 
     purpose of clarifying the policy stated in section 
     10501(c)(3)(B) of title 49, United States Code, that the 
     enactment of the ICC Termination Act of 1995 did not expand 
     or contract coverage of employees and employers by the 
     Railway Labor Act.
       (c) Title 49.--Title 49, United States Code, is amended--
       (1) in section 13102(10)(A) by inserting after ``her 
     dwelling'' the following: ``and if the transportation is at 
     the request of, and the transportation charges are paid to 
     the carrier by, the householder'';
       (2) in chapter 151 by striking ``CHAPTER 151--GENERAL 
     PROVISIONS'' the second place it appears;
       (3) in chapter 153 by striking ``CHAPTER 153--
     JURISDICTION'' the second place it appears;
       (4) in chapter 157 by striking ``CHAPTER 157--OPERATIONS OF 
     CARRIERS'' the second place it appears;
       (5) in chapter 159 by striking ``CHAPTER 159--ENFORCEMENT: 
     INVESTIGATIONS, RIGHTS, AND REMEDIES'' the second place it 
     appears;
       (6) in the table of sections for chapter 159 by striking 
     the item relating to section 15907;
       (7) in chapter 161 by striking ``CHAPTER 161--CIVIL AND 
     CRIMINAL PENALTIES'' the second place it appears; and
       (8) in section 41309(b)(2)(B) by striking ``common''.
       (d) Title 28.--Section 2342(3)(A) of title 28, United 
     States Code, is amended by striking ``part B or (C)'' and 
     inserting ``part B or C''.
       (e) ICC Termination Act.--Effective December 29, 1995--
       (1) section 308(j) of the ICC Termination Act of 1995 (109 
     Stat. 947) is amended by striking ``30106(d)'' and inserting 
     ``30166(d)''; and
       (2) section 327(3)(B) of such Act (109 Stat. 951) by 
     inserting ``each place it appears'' before ``and inserting in 
     lieu thereof''.
       (f) Armored Car Industry Reciprocity Act of 1993 
     Amendments.--Section 5(2) of

[[Page E840]]

     the Armored Car Industry Reciprocity Act of 1993 (15 U.S.C. 
     5904) is amended by striking ``is'' preceding ``registered''.

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