To amend title 49, United States Code, to eliminate provisions of Federal law that provide special support for, or burdens on, the operation of Amtrak as a passenger rail carrier, and for other purposes.

Summary: Amends Federal transportation law to repeal specified authorities with respect to the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak), eliminating intercity rail passenger transportation (while retaining Amtrak commuter services). 
Repeals a provision which provides for the judicial review of the discontinuance of a route, a train, or transportation, or the reduction in the frequency of transportation by Amtrak. 
Authorizes appropriations in decreasing amounts over four fiscal years. 
Repeals specified laws that apply to Amtrak operations, abolishing the Board of Directors. 
Declares that the United States relinquishes all rights held in any stock, note of indebtedness, or mortgage issued by or entered into with Amtrak. 
Repeals:  (1) certain provisions which require Amtrak to make an agreement to avoid duplicating employee functions; (2) all authority for operation of the Amtrak route system; and (3) all authority for the Northeast Corridor improvement program. 
Prohibits a rail carrier employee whose employment is terminated as a result of a discontinuance of intercity rail passenger service from receiving any wage continuation or severance benefit in excess of six months pay.  Authorizes a rail carrier to require an employee whose position is eliminated as a result of such discontinuance to transfer to any vacant position for which he or she can be made qualified on any part of the rail carrier's system. 
(Sec. 8) Amends the Federal Employers' Liability Act (or Employers' Liability Act) to declare that it shall not apply to common carriers to the extent they provide rail passenger transportation.

SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS.

    Section 24102 of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) by striking paragraphs (1), (2), (3), (6), (7), (10), 
        and (11); and
            (2) by redesignating paragraphs (4), (5), (8), and (9) as 
        paragraphs (1), (2), (3), and (4), respectively.

SEC. 2. ENFORCEMENT.

    Section 24103 of such title is amended--
            (1) by repealing subsection (b); and
            (2) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (b).

SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    Section 24104 of such title is amended to read as follows:
``Sec. 24104. Authorization of appropriations
    ``There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of 
Transportation for the benefit of Amtrak--
            ``(1) $700,000,000 for fiscal year 1998;
            ``(2) $600,000,000 for fiscal year 1999;
            ``(3) $400,000,000 for fiscal year 2000; and
            ``(4) $200,000,000 for fiscal year 2001.
No funds are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for the 
benefit of Amtrak for any fiscal year after fiscal year 2001.''.

SEC. 4. CHAPTER 243 AMENDMENTS.

    Chapter 243 of such title is amended--
            (1) in the table of sections--
                    (A) by striking the items relating to sections 
                24302 through 24315; and
                    (B) by inserting after the item relating to section 
                24301 the following new item:

``24302. Relinquishment of rights to stock, notes, and mortgages.'';
            (2) in section 24301--
                    (A) by repealing subsections (b), (c), (d), (e), 
                (f), (g), (h), (i), (j), (k), (l), and (n); and
                    (B) by redesignating subsection (m) as subsection 
                (b);
            (3) by repealing sections 24302 through 25315; and
            (4) by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 24302. Relinquishment of rights to stock, notes, and mortgages
    ``The United States relinquishes any rights held by virtue of any 
stock, note of indebtedness, or mortgage issued by or entered into with 
Amtrak.''.

SEC. 5. CHAPTER 245 AMENDMENTS.

    (a) Section 24501(g) Amendment.--Section 24501(g) of such title is 
amended by striking ``Amtrak is exempt'' and inserting in lieu thereof 
``Amtrak Commuter is exempt''.
    (b) Section 24504(c) Repeal.--Section 24504(c) of such title is 
repealed.

SEC. 6. CHAPTERS 247 AND 249 REPEALED.

    Chapters 247 and 249 of such title, and the items relating thereto 
in the table of chapters of subtitle V of such title, are repealed.

SEC. 7. SERVICE DISCONTINUANCE.

    (a) Amendment.--Chapter 241 of such title is amended by adding at 
the end the following new section:
``Sec. 24105. Service discontinuance
    ``(a) Wage Continuation or Severance Benefit.--Notwithstanding any 
arrangement in effect before the date of enactment of this section, no 
employee of a rail carrier providing rail passenger transportation 
whose employment is terminated as a result of a discontinuance of 
intercity rail passenger service shall receive any wage continuation or 
severance benefit in excess of 6 months pay. This subsection shall not 
affect the obligations of rail carriers under section 11326 of this 
title.
    ``(b) Transfer.--Notwithstanding any arrangement in effect before 
the date of enactment of this section, a rail carrier providing rail 
passenger transportation may require an employee whose position is 
eliminated as a result of a discontinuance of intercity rail passenger 
service to transfer to any vacant position for which the employee can 
be made qualified on any part of such rail carrier's system. If such 
transfer requires a change in residence or seniority district, the 
employee shall choose--
            ``(1) to transfer to the position and be covered by the 
        collective bargaining agreement applicable to the seniority 
        district to which he is transferred; or
            ``(2) to voluntarily furlough himself at his home location 
        and receive protective benefits not in excess of the amount 
        authorized under subsection (a).
For purposes of this subsection, a transfer shall be considered to 
require a change in residence if the new employment is more than 30 
miles from the employee's place of residence and is farther from that 
residence than was the former work location.''.
    (b) Table of Sections.--The table of sections of chapter 241 of 
such title is amended by adding at the end the following new item:

``24105. Service Discontinuance.''.

SEC. 8. FEDERAL EMPLOYERS' LIABILITY ACT.

    The Act entitled ``An Act relating to the liability of common 
carriers by railroad to their employees in certain cases.'', enacted 
April 22, 1908 (45 U.S.C. 51 et seq.; popularly referred to as the 
``Federal Employers' Liability Act'' or the ``Employers' Liability 
Act'') is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
    ``Sec. 11. This Act shall not apply to common carriers to the 
extent they provide rail passenger transportation.''.

SEC. 9. CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.

    (a) Employee Protective Arrangements.--Section 11326 of title 49, 
United States Code, is amended by striking ``, and the terms 
established under section 24706(c) of this title''.
    (b) Terminal Facilities.--Section 5567 of title 49, United States 
Code, and the item relating thereto in the table of sections of chapter 
55 of such title, are repealed.

SEC. 10. EFFECTIVE DATES.

    (a) General Rule.--Except as otherwise provided in this section, 
this Act shall take effect 1 year after the date of its enactment.
    (b) Exceptions.--(1) Sections 3, 7, and 8 of this Act shall take 
effect immediately upon enactment.
    (2) The repeal of section 24909 of title 49, United States Code, 
shall take effect on October 1, 1997.