[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 32, Number 20 (Monday, May 20, 1996)]
[Pages 852-853]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Executive Order 13003--Establishing An Emergency Board To Investigate 
Disputes Between Certain Railroads Represented by the National Carriers' 
Conference Committee of the National Railway Labor Conference and Their 
Employees Represented by the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes

May 15, 1996

    Disputes exist between certain railroads represented by the National 
Carriers' Conference Committee of the National Railway Labor Conference, 
including Consolidated Rail Corporation (including the Clearfield 
Cluster), Burlington Northern Railroad Co., CSX Transportation Inc., 
Norfolk Southern Railway Co., Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Co., 
Union Pacific Railroad, Chicago & North Western Railway Co., Kansas City 
Southern Railway Co., and their employees represented by the Brotherhood 
of Maintenance of Way Employes. The railroads involved in these disputes 
are designated on the attached list, which is made a part of this order.
    These disputes have not heretofore been adjusted under the 
provisions of the Railway Labor Act, as amended (45 U.S.C. 151 et seq.) 
(the ``Act'').
    In the judgment of the National Mediation Board, these disputes 
threaten substantially to interrupt interstate commerce to a degree that 
would deprive a section of the country of essential transportation 
service.
    Now, Therefore, by the authority vested in me as President by the 
Constitution and the laws of the United States, including section 10 of 
the Act (45 U.S.C. 160), it is hereby ordered as follows:
    Section 1. Establishment of Emergency Board (``Board'').  There is 
established effective May 15, 1996, a Board of three members to be 
appointed by the President to investigate any and all of the disputes 
raised in mediation. No member shall be pecuniarily or otherwise 
interested in any organization of railroad employees or any railroad 
carrier. The Board shall perform its functions subject to the 
availability of funds.
    Sec. 2. Report.  The Board shall report to the President with 
respect to the dispute within 30 days of its creation.
    Sec. 3. Maintaining Conditions. As provided by section 10 of the 
Act, from the date of the creation of the Board and for 30 days after 
the Board has made its report to the President, no change, except by 
agreement of the parties shall be made by the railroads or the employees 
in the conditions out of which the disputes arose.
    Sec. 4. Records Maintenance. The records and files of the Board are 
records of the Office of the President and upon the Board's termination 
shall be maintained in the physical custody of the National Mediation 
Board.

[[Page 853]]

    Sec. 5. Expiration. The Board shall terminate upon the submission of 
the report provided for in sections 2 and 3 of this order.
                                            William J. Clinton
The White House,
May 15, 1996.

[Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 12:06 p.m., May 16, 
1996]

Note: This Executive order was published in the Federal Register on May 
17.