[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 43, Number 48 (Monday, December 3, 2007)]
[Pages 1539-1540]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Executive Order 13452--Establishing an Emergency Board To Investigate 
Disputes Between the National Railroad Passenger Corporation and Certain 
of Its Employees Represented by Certain Labor Organizations

November 28, 2007

    Disputes exist between National Railroad Passenger Corporation 
(Amtrak) and certain of its employees represented by certain labor 
organizations. The labor organizations involved in these disputes are 
designated on

[[Page 1540]]

the attached list, which is made a part of this order.
    The disputes have not heretofore been adjusted under the provisions 
of the Railway Labor Act, as amended (45 U.S.C. 151 et seq.) (RLA).
    In the judgment of the National Mediation Board, these disputes 
threaten substantially to interrupt interstate commerce to a degree that 
would deprive sections 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 RLA (45 U.S.C. 160), it is hereby ordered as follows:
    Section 1. Establishment of Emergency Board (Board). There is 
established, effective 12:01 a.m. eastern standard time on December 1, 
2007, a Board of five members to be appointed by the President to 
investigate and report on these disputes. No member shall be pecuniarily 
or otherwise interested in any organization of railroad employees or any 
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 disputes within 30 days of its creation.
    Sec. 3. Maintaining Conditions. As provided by section 10 of the 
RLA, from the date of the creation of the Board and for 30 days after 
the Board has submitted its report to the President, no change in the 
conditions out of which the disputes arose shall be made by the parties 
to the controversy, except by agreement of the parties.
    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.
    Sec. 5. Expiration. The Board shall terminate upon the submission of 
the report provided for in section 2 of this order.
                                                George W. Bush
 The White House,
 November 28, 2007.

 [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 8:57 a.m., November 29, 
2007]

Note: This Executive order and its attached list were published in the 
Federal Register on November 30.