[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 136 (Thursday, October 11, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10641-S10645]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. HOLLINGS (for himself, Mr. Biden, Mr. Breaux, Mr. Cleland, 
        Mr. Schumer, Mr. Kerry, Mr. Rockefeller, Mr. Carper, Mr. 
        Jeffords, and Mr. Durbin):
  S. 1530. A bill to provide improved safety and security measures for 
rail transportation, provide for improved passenger rail service, and 
for other purposes; to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation.
  Mr. HOLLINGS. Mr. President, one month ago today, the United States 
was attacked by terrorists who hijacked airplanes and used them as 
weapons against the World Trade Center, Pentagon and another unknown 
target which was crashed into a field in Pennsylvania. After the 
Federal Aviation Administration grounded the airlines following the 
terrorist attacks, travelers flocked to Amtrak. Whether people had to 
travel for business, to help with rescue efforts, or just to get home, 
Amtrak kept our American citizens moving during a time of national 
emergency.
  The situation not only proved that Amtrak works, but that Amtrak is a 
critical part of our transportation infrastructure during a national 
emergency. Now that airlines have reduced their flights on the East 
Coast and throughout the country, more of the passenger burden has 
fallen on Amtrak, which carries 35,000 passengers along the Northeast 
Corridor everyday. Even the U.S. Postal Office carried 237 extra 
carloads of mail in the days following the terrorist attacks.
  Today I am introducing the Railroad Advancement and Infrastructure 
Law of the 21st Century, or RAIL-21. In the short run, this bill will 
provide emergency security assistance to Amtrak, a key part of our 
national transportation infrastructure. In the long run, this bill will 
spark the building of important high-speed rail infrastructure in high-
volume corridors across the United States, reducing our dependence on 
air and highway travel.
  In light of the events of September 11, it is important to look at 
the entire transportation system. Transportation security requires a 
balanced and competitive system of transportation alternatives. Three 
weeks ago we found out that our dependence on the aviation system 
almost crippled us. We cannot be overly reliant on any single mode of 
transportation; we need to ensure that we have a balanced system.
  Today we are trying to pass the airline security bill to make airline 
passengers feel safe so they will fly again. We need to make passengers 
feel just as safe when they travel by train. And we need to make sure 
we have transportation alternatives.
  To address Amtrak's immediate concerns, the bill would authorize $3.2 
billion in emergency spending for Amtrak's security and capacity needs. 
The money will pay for more police, surveillance, fencing and lighting 
at the train stations and train yards; life-safety improvements and 
more fire-fighting capacity for tunnels in New York, Baltimore and 
Washington, D.C.;

[[Page S10642]]

and more passenger cars and capacity improvements to meet the growing 
demand for train service.
  RAIL-21 would reauthorize Amtrak for one year with $1.2 billion for 
capital and operating expenses. The bill would allow Amtrak to continue 
its GSA vehicle lease agreements and would suspend Amtrak's redemption 
requirements for common stock until the end of FY2004.

  Additionally, the bill would remove the operational self-sufficiency 
requirement passed three years ago. Let me talk about that for a 
moment. There is no truly national passenger train service in the world 
that makes a profit. Requiring Amtrak to do so has forced the railroad 
to short-change critical infrastructure investments in order to meet a 
questionable economic model. We must free Amtrak from this requirement 
so they can go back to running a passenger railroad with modern and 
safe equipment, not juggling bond payments and taking out mortgages on 
Penn Station just to meet an impossible self-sufficiency deadline.
  Nations invest in passenger rail service because it increases the 
opportunities to travel and thus a Nation's quality of life. Rail 
service also reduces car congestion and pollution. And we saw last 
month that, during a national emergency, having a viable, operating 
national train system can be a strategic asset.
  Kenneth Mead, the Inspector General for the Department of 
Transportation, has said the drive for self-sufficiency has forced 
Amtrak to spend money on quick projects that improve the short-term 
bottom line while cutting back on maintenance and investments.
  Those who want Amtrak to operate without Federal assistance, 
ultimately forcing the railroad's passengers onto cars, buses and 
airplanes, always cry that we should not ``subsidize'' Amtrak. But we 
subsidize the building of roads and highways with tax dollars. We 
subsidize the building of airports and pay flight controllers with tax 
dollars. We consider those subsidies to be worthwhile investments in 
our economy and our quality of life. We must make the same investment 
that other countries make it passenger rail service.
  While that argument should stand on its own, here's something the 
highway and airplane crowd can take to the bank: moving more short-haul 
travelers to rail service reduces congestion on our already overcrowded 
highways and eases congestion at airports, allowing airlines to focus 
on more-profitable, long-distance routes. Investing in passenger rail 
improves conditions for highway and airport users at a fraction of the 
cost per mile traveled.
  According to some experts, Amtrak has reduced air traffic congestion 
out of Philadelphia's airport by 50 flights a day. Rail service between 
New York and Washington carries enough passengers to fill 121 airline 
flights per day. Now, with reduced flights out of East Coast airports, 
it makes more sense to look at Amtrak not only as a transportation 
alternative, but as a transportation mainstay for regional corridors 
all over the U.S.
  Amtrak has been severely under-capitalized since its inception in 
1971. We would not be talking about many of these problems with Amtrak 
if it had been given the proper seed money for capital and annual 
funding from the very beginning.
  And that leads me to the second part of this bill, in which we look 
to passenger rail's long-term future. The passenger railroad system 
that has worked on the Northeast Coast can work in other high-
congestion areas of the country: the South, the Midwest, California and 
the Northwest.
  Thirty years ago, those areas did not have the population to support 
high-speed intercity rail. But today those areas are growing by leaps 
and bounds. As the highways in those areas clog up and the planes run 
three hours late, their governors, many of them Republicans, are asking 
us for help to build high speed rail.
  RAIL-21 authorizes $35 billion in direct loans and loan guarantees 
for passenger rail, freight rail, and rail security enhancements. The 
criteria for these loans will replace language contained three years 
ago in TEA-21.
  TEA-21 directed the Department of Transportation to establish a 
program to replace the old Title V loan guarantee program which was 
used to build, rehabilitate or upgrade primarily short line railroads. 
On September 5, 2000, the DOT issued a final rule on the Railroad 
Rehabilitation and improvement Financing Program (RRIF) to provide 
direct loans and loan guarantees to State and local governments, 
government sponsored authorities and corporations, railroads, and joint 
ventures that include at least one railroad.
  Eligible projects for RRIF include: 1. acquisition, improvement or 
rehabilitation of intermodal or rail equipment of facilities (including 
tracks, components of tracks, bridges, yards, buildings, and shops), 2. 
the refinancing of outstanding debt incurred for these purposes; 3. 
development or establishment of new intermodal or railroad facilities, 
4. and security purposes.
  RAIL-21 eliminates much of the bureaucratic red tape that has delayed 
any TEA-21 loans or loan guarantees from being issued.
  Under RAIL-21, Class 1 railroads, regional railroads, short lines, 
and passenger projects would be eligible for loans and loan guarantees. 
The bill would set aside $7 billion of the loans and loan guarantees 
for short lines.
  RAIL-21 also establishes a $350 million grant program for 
rehabilitating, preserving or improving railroad tracks for regional 
and short line railroads. Short line railroads have saved tens of 
thousands of miles of light density rail line from abandonment. In 
1980, there were 220 short line railroads in the U.S. Today there are 
over 500 short line railroads, due in part to the mergers and 
streamlining of Class I operations which encouraged the larger 
companies to sell off their little-used or abandoned branch lines. 
Short line and regional railroads are an important and growing 
component of the railroad industry. Today they operate and maintain 29 
percent of the American railroad industry's route mileage and account 
for 9 percent of the rail industry's freight revenue and 11 percent of 
railroad employment.
  These line railroads employ approximately 25,000 workers, serve 
thousands of local and rural shippers, and are often the only 
connection these shippers have to the national rail network. To 
survive, this infrastructure needs to be upgraded in order to move the 
heavier cars that are currently being moved by the Class I railroads. 
The revenues of the smaller railroads are not sufficient to get the job 
done.
  Since 1982, the short lines and regional railroads have maintained 
the track in rural areas where rail service would have been abandoned 
by the Class I railroads. Because of their relatively low traffic 
levels, the Class I railroads could not afford to invest in this 
infrastructure and, as a result, allowed these lines to slowly 
deteriorate. With a lower cost structure and more flexible service, 
short line companies that bought the track have been able to keep them 
going. However, the revenue is still not high enough to make up for 
past years of neglect.
  Today, two factors have combined to bring this situation to a head. 
First, the advent of the heavier 286,000-pound cars that are becoming 
the standard of the Class I industry require substantially higher 
investment in the track. Second, as the Class I industry puts a greater 
premium on speed and precisely scheduled operations, the short line 
railroads must meet these higher standards or be cut off from the 
national system.
  This legislation does not create a long-term program to fix this 
problem, but instead it creates a one-time fix for this problem. While 
these small railroads have enough traffic to operate profitably on an 
ongoing basis, they do not earn enough to make the large capital 
investment required by the advent of the 286,000-pound cars or the need 
to significantly increase speed. This legislation would authorize a 
program that could provide grants to the nation's smaller railroads to 
help them make the improvements needed to stay in business and continue 
to serve small shippers.
  RAIL-21 also would authorize $50 million in matching grants annually 
during FY02 through FY04: $25 million would be available for security 
and technology research and development; $25 million would be available 
for corridor planning and acquisition of rolling stock, with preference 
given to designated corridors.
  RAIL-21 identifies existing high-speed corridors for priority 
consideration. Many of these corridors are in

[[Page S10643]]

the South, Midwest and California where people are now driving cars or 
taking airplanes on trips of 200 miles or less. In these areas, like 
the East Coast, travelers could take a high-speed train instead, and 
arrive about the same time.
  But right now they don't have that option. Therefore, we have a 
problem here: They can't use it if we don't build it.
  We built high speed rail on the East Coast, and the people have used 
it. If we build rail corridors around Chicago and the Midwestern 
cities, they will use it. If we build rail lines in the South from 
Washington, D.C. through the Carolinas to Atlanta and Florida, they 
will ride it. If we build a corridor in California from San Diego to 
Sacramento, they will ride it.
  This bill does not only support Amtrak. It is intended for commuter 
rail, freight railroads, and short line operators. That's what many 
Senators, governors and constituents have asked for.
  In the long term, travel in the United States will outpace the 
ability of airports and highways to handle the volume. With the tighter 
security checks at the airports, it will be faster to make trips of 
200-300 miles by train than by air. More train travel will reduce 
congestion at our most crowded airports and our most gridlocked 
Interstate highways.
  I am pleased my colleagues have joined with me to introduce this 
bill, which we hope to move quickly. Modernizing Amtrak now will create 
jobs in the short run to stimulate our economy. And by modernizing our 
transportation infrastructure, high-speed rail corridors will play a 
key role in our long-term prosperity.
  I would ask that the text of my bill and a summary of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                                S. 1530

       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 ``Railroad Advancement and 
     Infrastructure Law for the 21st Century''.

     SEC. 2. 1-YEAR EXTENSION OF AUTHORIZATION.

       (a) In General.--Section 24104(a) of title 49, United 
     States Code, is amended--
       (1) by striking ``and'' in paragraph (4);
       (2) by striking ``2002,'' in paragraph (5) and inserting 
     ``2002; and''; and
       (3) by inserting after paragraph (5) the following:
       ``(6) $1,200,000,000 for fiscal year 2003,''.
       (b) Repeal of Self-sufficiency Requirements.
       (1) Title 49 amendments.--Chapter 241 of title 49, United 
     States Code, is amended--
       (A) by striking the last sentence of section 24101(d); and
       (B) by striking the last sentence of section 24104(a).
       (2) Amtrak reform and accountability act amendments.--Title 
     II of the Amtrak Reform and Accountability Act of 1997 (49 
     U.S.C. 24101 nt) is amended by striking sections 204 and 205.
       (3) Common stock redemption date.--Section 415 of the 
     Amtrak Reform and Accountability Act of 1997 (49 U.S.C. 24304 
     nt) is amended by striking subsection (b).
       (c) Lease arrangements.--Amtrak may obtain services from 
     the Administrator of General Services, and the Administrator 
     may provide services to Amtrak, under section 201(b) and 
     211(b) of the Federal Property and Administrative Service Act 
     of 1949 (40 U.S.C. 481(b) and 491(b)) for fiscal year 2002 
     and each fiscal year thereafter until the fiscal year that 
     Amtrak operates without Federal operating grant funds 
     appropriated for its benefit, as required by sections 
     24101(d) and 24104(a) of title 49, United States Code.

     SEC. 3. EMERGENCY AMTRAK ASSISTANCE.

       (a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated to 
     the Secretary of Transportation for the use of Amtrak for the 
     2-year period beginning on the date of enactment of this 
     Act--
       (1) $471,000,000 for systemwide security upgrades, 
     including hiring and training additional police officers, 
     canine-assisted security units, and surveillance equipment;
       (2) $998,000,000 to be used to complete New York tunnel 
     life safety projects and rehabilitate tunnels in Washington, 
     D.C., and Baltimore, Maryland;
       (3) $949,000,000 for bridges, track, power, and station 
     improvements to increase capacity and improve reliability of 
     rail passenger transportation in the Northeast Corridor;
       (4) $656,000,000 for equipment, including--
       (A) the overhauling and returning of 45 passenger cars and 
     5 locomotives to service,
       (B) the upgrading and overhauling of 231 passenger cars and 
     33 locomotives, and
       (C) the purchase of 10 new trainsets,
     of which sum at least 25 percent shall be used for operations 
     outside the Northeast Corridor (unless the Secretary 
     determines that demand for such operations outside the 
     Northeast Corridor is less than 25 percent); and
       (5) $77,000,000 for incremental operating costs, including 
     reservation centers, overtime compensation, and mechanical 
     terminals (net of incremental revenues).
       (b) Availability of Funds.--Amounts appropriated pursuant 
     to subsection (a) shall remain available until expended.
       (c) Coordination with Existing Law.--Amounts made available 
     to Amtrak under this section shall not be considered to be 
     Federal assistance for purposes of part C of subtitle V of 
     title 49, United States Code.

     SEC. 4. REHABILITATION, IMPROVEMENT, AND SECURITY FINANCING.

       (a) Definitions.--Section 102(7) of the Railroad 
     Revitalization and Regulatory Reform Act of 1976 (45 U.S.C. 
     802(7)) is amended to read as follows:
       ``(7) `railroad' has the meaning given that term in section 
     20102 of title 49, United States Code; and''.
       (b) General Authority.--Section 502 of the Railroad 
     Revitalization and Regulatory Reform Act of 1976 (45 U.S.C. 
     822) is amended--
       (1) by striking ``Secretary may provide direct loans and 
     loan guarantees to State and local governments,'' in 
     subsection (a) and inserting ``Secretary shall provide direct 
     loans and loan guarantees to State and local governments, 
     interstate compacts entered into under section 410 of the 
     Amtrak Reform and Accountability Act of 1997 (49 U.S.C 24101 
     nt),'';
       (2) by striking ``or'' in subsection (b)(1)(B);
       (3) by redesignating subparagraph (C) of subsection (b)(1) 
     as subparagraph (D); and
       (4) by inserting after subparagraph (B) of subsection 
     (b)(1) the following:
       ``(C) to acquire, improve, or rehabilitate rail safety and 
     security equipment and facilities; or''.
       (c) Extent of Authority.--Section 502(d) of the Railroad 
     Revitalization and Regulatory Reform Act of 1976 (45 U.S.C. 
     822(d)) is amended--
       (1) by striking ``$3,500,000,000'' and inserting 
     ``$35,000,000,000'';
       (2) by striking ``$1,000,000,000'' and inserting 
     ``$7,000,000,000''; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following new sentence: ``The 
     Secretary shall not establish any limit on the proportion of 
     the unused amount authorized under this subsection that may 
     be used for 1 loan or loan guarantee.''.
       (d) Cohorts of Loans.--Section 502(f) of the Railroad 
     Revitalization and Regulatory Reform Act of 1976 (45 U.S.C. 
     822(f)) is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (2)--
       (A) by striking ``and'' at the end of subparagraph (D);
       (B) by redesignating subparagraph (E) as subparagraph (F); 
     and
       (C) by adding after subparagraph (D) the following new 
     subparagraph:
       ``(E) the size and characteristics of the cohort of which 
     the loan or loan guarantee is a member; and''; and
       (2) by adding at the end of paragraph (4) the following: 
     ``A cohort may include loans and loan guarantees. The 
     Secretary shall not establish any limit on the proportion of 
     a cohort that may be used for 1 loan or loan guarantee.''.
       (e) Conditions of Assistance.--Section 502 of the Railroad 
     Revitalization and Regulatory Reform Act of 1976 (45 U.S.C. 
     822) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (f)(2)(A), by inserting ``, if any'' 
     after ``collateral offered''; and
       (2) by adding at the end of subsection (h) the following:

     ``The Secretary shall not require an applicant for a direct 
     loan or loan guarantee under this section to provide 
     collateral. The Secretary shall not require that an applicant 
     for a direct loan or loan guarantee under this section have 
     previously sought the financial assistance requested from 
     another source. The Secretary shall require recipients of 
     direct loans or loan guarantees under this section to apply 
     the standards of section 22301(f) and (g) of title 49, United 
     States Code, to their projects.''.
       (f) Time Limit for Approval or Disapproval.--Section 502 of 
     the Railroad Revitalization and Regulatory Reform Act of 1976 
     (45 U.S.C. 822) is amended by adding at the end the following 
     new subsection:
       ``(i) Time Limit for Approval or Disapproval.--Not later 
     than 180 days after receiving a complete application for a 
     direct loan or loan guarantee under this section, the 
     Secretary shall approve or disapprove the application.''.
       (g) Fees and Charges.--Section 503 of the Railroad 
     Revitalization and Regulatory Reform Act of 1976 (45 U.S.C. 
     823) is amended--
       (1) by adding at the end of subsection (k) the following: 
     ``Funds received by the Secretary under the preceding 
     sentence shall be credited to the appropriation from which 
     the expenses of making such apprasals, determinations, and 
     findings were incurred.''; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
       ``(l) Fees and Charges.--Except as provided in this title, 
     the Secretary may not assess any fees, including user fees, 
     or charges in connection with a direct loan or loan guarantee 
     provided under section 502.''.
       (h) Substantive Criteria and Standards.--Not later than 30 
     days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
     Secretary of Transportation shall publish in the Federal 
     Register and post on the Department of Transportation web 
     site the substantive criteria and standards used by the 
     Secretary to

[[Page S10644]]

     determine whether to approve or disapprove applications 
     submitted under section 502 of the Railroad Revitalization 
     and Regulatory Reform Act of 1976 (45 U.S.C. 822).

     SEC. 5. CAPITAL GRANTS FOR RAILROAD TRACK.

       (a) Amendment.--Chapter 223 of title 49, United States 
     Code, is amended to read as follows:

            ``CHAPTER 223--CAPITAL GRANTS FOR RAILROAD TRACK

``Sec.
``22301. Capital grants for railroad track.

     ``Sec. 22301. Capital grants for railroad track

       ``(a) Establishment of Program.--
       ``(1) Establishment.--The Secretary of Transportation shall 
     establish a program of capital grants for the rehabilitation, 
     preservation, or improvement of railroad track (including 
     roadbed, bridges, and related track structures) of class II 
     and class III railroads. Such grants shall be for 
     rehabilitating, preserving, or improving track used primarily 
     for freight transportation to a standard ensuring that the 
     track can be operated safely and efficiently, including 
     grants for rehabilitating, preserving, or improving track to 
     handle 286,000 pound rail cars. Grants may be provided under 
     this chapter--
       ``(A) directly to the class II or class III railroad; or
       ``(B) with the concurrence of the class II or class III 
     railroad, to a State or local government.
       ``(2) State cooperation.--Class II and class III railroad 
     applicants for a grant under this chapter are encouraged to 
     utilize the expertise and assistance of State transportation 
     agencies in applying for and administering such grants. State 
     transportation agencies are encouraged to provide such 
     expertise and assistance to such railroads.
       ``(3) Interim regulations.--Not later than December 31, 
     2001, the Secretary shall issue temporary regulations to 
     implement the program under this section. Subchapter II of 
     chapter 5 of title 5 does not apply to a temporary regulation 
     issued under this paragraph or to an amendment to such a 
     temporary regulation.
       ``(4) Final regulations.--Not later than October 1, 2002, 
     the Secretary shall issue final regulations to implement the 
     program under this section.
       ``(b) Maximum Federal Share.--The maximum Federal share for 
     carrying out a project under this section shall be 80 percent 
     of the project cost. The non-Federal share may be provided by 
     any non-Federal source in cash, equipment, or supplies. Other 
     in-kind contributions may be approved by the Secretary on a 
     case by case basis consistent with this chapter.
       ``(c) Project Eligibility.--For a project to be eligible 
     for assistance under this section the track must have been 
     operated or owned by a class II or class III railroad as of 
     the date of the enactment of the Railroad Advancement and 
     Infrastructure Law for the 21st Century.
       ``(d) Use of Funds.--Grants provided under this section 
     shall be used to implement track capital projects as soon as 
     possible. In no event shall grant funds be contractually 
     obligated for a project later than the end of the third 
     Federal fiscal year following the year in which the grant was 
     awarded. Any funds not so obligated by the end of such fiscal 
     year shall be returned to the Secretary for reallocation.
       ``(e) Additional Purpose.--In addition to making grants for 
     projects as provided in subsection (a), the Secretary may 
     also make grants to supplement direct loans or loan 
     guarantees made under title V of the Railroad Revitalization 
     and Regulatory Reform Act of 1976 (45 U.S.C. 822(d)), for 
     projects described in the last sentence of section 502(d) of 
     such title. Grants made under this subsection may be used, in 
     whole or in part, for paying credit risk premiums, lowering 
     rates of interest, or providing for a holiday on principal 
     payments.
       ``(f) Employee Protection.--The Secretary shall require as 
     a condition of any grant made under this section that the 
     recipient railroad provide a fair arrangement at least as 
     protective of the interests of employees who are affected by 
     the project to be funded with the grant as the terms imposed 
     under section 11326(a), as in effect on the date of the 
     enactment of the Railroad Advancement and Infrastructure Law 
     for the 21st Century.
       ``(g) Labor Standards.--
       ``(1) Prevailing wages.--The Secretary shall ensure that 
     laborers and mechanics employed by contractors and 
     subcontractors in construction work financed by a grant made 
     under this section will be 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 et 
     seq.). The Secretary shall make a grant under this section 
     only after being assured that required labor standards will 
     be maintained on the construction work.
       ``(2) Wage rates.--Wage rates in a collective bargaining 
     agreement negotiated under the Railway Labor Act (45 U.S.C. 
     151 et seq.) are deemed for purposes of this subsection to 
     comply with the Act of March 3, 1931 (known as the Davis-
     Bacon Act; 40 U.S.C. 276a et seq.).
       ``(h) Study.--The Secretary shall conduct a study of the 
     projects carried out with grant assistance under this section 
     to determine the public interest benefits associated with the 
     light density railroad networks in the States and their 
     contribution to a multimodal transportation system. Not later 
     than March 31, 2003, the Secretary shall report to Congress 
     any recommendations the Secretary considers appropriate 
     regarding the eligibility of light density rail networks for 
     Federal infrastructure financing.
       ``(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are 
     authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of 
     Transportation $350,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2002 
     through 2004 for carrying out this section.''.
       (b) Conforming Amendment.--The item relating to chapter 223 
     in the table of chapters of subtitle V of title 49, United 
     States Code, is amended to read as follows:

``223. CAPITAL GRANTS FOR RAILROAD TRACK.......................22301''.

     SEC. 3. HIGH-SPEED RAIL CORRIDOR PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT.

       (a) Corridor Planning and Development.--
       (1) Amendments.--Section 26101 of title 49, United States 
     Code, is amended--
       (A) in the section heading, by inserting ``and 
     development'' after ``planning'';
       (B) by inserting ``and Development'' in the heading of 
     subsection (a) after ``Planning'';
       (C) by inserting ``and development'' after ``corridor 
     planning'' each place it appears'';
       (D) by striking ``improvements.'' in subsection (b)(1) and 
     inserting ``improvements, or if it is an activity described 
     in subparagraph (M) or (N)'';
       (E) by striking ``and'' at the end of subparagraph (K) of 
     subsection (b)(1);
       (F) by striking ``partnerships.'' in subparagraph (L) of 
     subsection (b)(1) and inserting ``partnerships;''; and
       (G) by adding at the end of subsection (b)(1) the 
     following:
       ``(M) the acquisition of locomotives, rolling stock, track, 
     and signal equipment; and
       ``(N) security planning and the acquisition of security and 
     emergency response equipment.''; and
       (H) by inserting ``and development'' after ``planning''in 
     subsection (c)(2).
       (2) Conforming amendment.--The item relating to section 
     26101 in the table of sections of chapter 261 of title 49, 
     United States Code, is amended by inserting ``and 
     development'' after ``planning''.
       (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 26104 of 
     title 49, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:

     ``Sec. 26104. Authorization of appropriations

       ``(a) Fiscal Years 2002 Through 2009.--There are authorized 
     to be appropriated to the Secretary--
       ``(1) $25,000,000 for carrying out section 26101; and
       ``(2) $25,000,000 for carrying out section 26102,
     for each of the fiscal years 2002 through 2009.
       ``(b) Funds To Remain Available.--Funds made available 
     under this section shall remain available until expended.''.
       (c) Designated High-speed Rail Corridors.--The Secretary of 
     Transportation shall give priority in allocating funds 
     authorized by section 26104 of title 49, United States Code, 
     to the following High-Speed Rail Corridors:
       (1) California Corridor connecting the San Francisco Bay 
     area and Sacramento to Los Angeles and San Diego.
       (2) Chicago Hub Corridor Network with the following spokes:
       (A) Chicago to Detroit.
       (B) Chicago to Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN., via Milwaukee, 
     WI.
       (C) Chicago to Kansas City, MO., via Springfield, IL., and 
     St Louis, MO.
       (D) Chicago to Louisville, KY., via Indianapolis, IN., and 
     Cincinnati, OH.
       (E) Chicago to Cleveland, OH., via Toledo, OH.
       (F) Cleveland, OH., to Cincinnati, OH., via Columbus, OH.
       (3) Empire State Corridor from New York City, NY., through 
     Albany, N.Y. to Buffalo, N.Y.
       (4) Florida High-Speed Rail Corridor from Tampa through 
     Orlando to Miami.
       (5) Gulf Coast Corridor from Houston TX., through New 
     Orleans, LA., to Mobile, AL., with a branch from New Orleans, 
     through Meridian, MS., and Birmingham, AL., to Atlanta, GA.
       (6) Keystone Corridor from Philadelphia, PA., through 
     Harrisburg, PA., to Pittsburgh, PA.
       (7) Northeast Corridor from Washington, D.C., through New 
     York City, N.Y., New Haven, CT., and Providence, R.I., to 
     Boston, MA.
       (8) New England Corridor from Boston, MA., to Portland and 
     Auburn, ME., and from Boston, MA., through Concord, N.H., and 
     Montpelier, VT., to Montreal, P.Q.
       (9) Pacific Northwest Corridor from Eugene, OR., through 
     Portland, OR., and Seattle, WA., to Vancouver, B.C.
       (10) South Central Corridor from San Antonio, TX., through 
     Dallas/ Fort Worth to Little Rock, AK., with a branch from 
     Dallas/Fort Worth through Oklahoma City, OK., to Tulsa, OK.
       (11) Southeast Corridor from Washington, D.C., through 
     Richmond, VA., Raleigh, N.C., Columbia, S.C., Savannah, GA., 
     and Jesup, GA., to Jacksonville, FL., with a branch from 
     Raleigh, N.C., through Charlotte, N.C., and Greenville, S.C., 
     to Atlanta, GA., a branch from Richmond, to Hampton Roads/
     Norfolk, VA., and a connecting route between Atlanta, GA., to 
     Jesup, GA.
                                  ____


  Summary of Railroad Advancement and Infrastructure Law of the 21st 
                            Century, RAIL-21

       RAIL-21 does the following:

[[Page S10645]]

              Extends Amtrak's Authorization for One Year

       Reauthorizes Amtrak for one additional year (through FY 
     2003);
       Allows Amtrak to continue lease arrangements with GSA (See 
     amendment No. 3958 to FY 2001 Ag Approps in support 72-24);
       Eliminates Amtrak's operating self sufficiency requirement;
       Suspends Amtrak's redemption requirements for common stock 
     until the end of FY 2003; and
       Authorizes Amtrak to be funded at $1.2 billion for capital 
     and operating expenses annually during FY 2003.


            Provides Emergency Security Spending for Amtrak

       Authorizes $3.2 billion in emergency spending for Amtrak's 
     security and capacity needs to be used for:
       Added police, surveillance, fencing and lighting;
       Accelerated life-safety improvements of tunnels in New 
     York, Baltimore and Washington, D.C., will provide emergency 
     access and egress and enhance fire fighting capacities; and
       Added passenger cars and capacity improvements to meet 
     greater demand (Amtrak is required to make 25% of such 
     equipment available to corridors outside of the Northeast 
     Corridor).


          Authorizes $35 B in direct loans and loan guarantees

       Authoizes $35 billion for freight rail, passenger rail and 
     rail security enhancement projects;
       Class I railroads, regional railroads, short lines and 
     passenger projects are eligible; and
       $7 billion would be set aside for short lines.


      Establishes a capital grant program for Short Line Railroads

       Authorizes $350 million for rehabilitating, preserving or 
     improving railroad track for regional and short line 
     railroads.


               Reauthorizes the Swift High Speed Rail Act

       Authorizes $50 million in matching grants annually during 
     FY 02 through FY 04;
       $25 million is available for corridor planning and 
     acquisition of rolling stock, with preference given to 
     designated corridors (see attached information); and
       $25 million is available for security and technology 
     research and development.


                  Designated High-Speed Rail Corridors

       California Corridor connecting the San Francisco Bay area 
     and Sacramento to Los Angeles and San Diego.
       Chicago Hub Corridor Network with the following spokes:
       Chicago to Detroit.
       Chicago to Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN, via Milwaukee, WI.
       Chicago to Kansas City, MO, via Springfield, Il, and St. 
     Louis, MO.
       Chicago to Louisville, KY, via Indianapolis, IN, and 
     Cincinnati, OH.
       Chicago to Cleveland, OH, via Toledo, OH.
       Cleveland, OH, to Cincinnati, OH, via Columbus, OH.
       Empire State Corridor from New York City, NY, through 
     Albany, NY to Buffalo, NY.
       Florida High-Speed Rail Corridor from Tampa through Orlando 
     to Miami.
       Gulf Coast Corridor from Houston TX, through New Orleans, 
     LA, to Mobile, AL, with a branch from New Orleans, through 
     Meridian, MS, and Birmingham, AL, to Atlanta, GA.
       Keystone Corridor from Philadelphia, PA, through 
     Harrisburg, PA, to Pittsburgh, PA.
       Northeast Corridor from Washington, DC, through New York 
     City, NY, New Haven, CT, and Providence, RI, to Boston, MA.
       New England Corridor from Boston, MA, to Portland and 
     Auburn, ME, and from Boston, MA, through Concord, NH, and 
     Montpelier, VT, to Montreal, PQ.
       Pacific Northwest Corridor from Eugene, OR, through 
     Portland, OR, and Seattle, WA, to Vancouver, BC.
       South Central Corridor from San Antonio, TX, through 
     Dallas/Fort Worth to Little Rock, AK, with a branch from 
     Dallas/Fort Worth through Oklahoma City, OK, to Tulsa, OK.
       Southeast Corridor from Washington, DC through Richmond, 
     VA, Raleigh, NC, Columbia, SC, Savannah, GA, and Jesup, GA, 
     to Jacksonville, FL, with a branch from Raleigh, NC, through 
     Charlotte, NC, and Greenville, SC, to Atlanta, GA, a branch 
     from Richmond, to Hampton Roads/Norfolk, VA, and a connecting 
     route between Atlanta, GA, to Jesup, GA.
                                 ______