45 U.S.C. § 667 (2024) — Title 45: RAILROADS / Chapter 15: EMERGENCY RAIL SERVICES / Section 667: Audit by Comptroller General; report to Congress
Audit by Comptroller General; report to Congress
Status: in_force

The Comptroller General of the United States, or any of his duly authorized representatives, shall have access to such information, books, records, and documents as he determines necessary effectively to audit financial transactions and operations carried out by the Secretary in the administration of this chapter. The Comptroller General shall make such reports to the Congress on the results of any such audits as are appropriate.

(Pub. L. 91–663, §8, Jan. 8, 1971, 84 Stat. 1977.)
45 U.S.C. § 741 (2024) — Title 45: RAILROADS / Chapter 16: REGIONAL RAIL REORGANIZATION / Subchapter III: CONSOLIDATED RAIL CORPORATION / Section 741: Formation and structure
Formation and structure
Status: in_force

(a) Establishment

There shall be established within 300 days after January 2, 1974, in accordance with the provisions of this section, a corporation to be known as the Consolidated Rail Corporation or such other corporate name as may be duly adopted by the Corporation.

(b) Status

The Corporation shall be a for-profit corporation established under the laws of a State and shall not be an agency or instrumentality of the Federal Government. The Corporation shall be deemed a rail carrier subject to part A of subtitle IV of title 49, shall be subject to the provisions of this Act and, to the extent not inconsistent with such Act and subtitle IV of title 49, shall be subject to applicable State law. The principal office of the Corporation or of its principal railroad operating subsidiary shall be located in Philadelphia in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

(c) Incorporators

(1) The members of the executive committee of the Association shall be the incorporators of the Corporation and shall take whatever steps are necessary to establish the Corporation, including the filing of articles of incorporation.

(2) Notwithstanding any provision of State law, after February 5, 1976, the members of the executive committee of the Association (including duly authorized representatives of members who are authorized by this chapter to be represented) and the chief executive officer and chief operating officer of the Corporation shall adopt the bylaws of the Corporation and serve as the Board of Directors of the Corporation until all members of the Board of Directors of the Corporation have been selected in accordance with subsection (d) of this section. The chief executive officer shall serve as chairman of such Board until a chairman thereof is selected pursuant to subsection (d) of this section, after which time such chairman shall serve at the pleasure of such Board.

(d) Board of Directors

(1) Notwithstanding any provision of State law, the articles of incorporation and bylaws of the Corporation shall provide that the Board of Directors of the Corporation shall consist of 13 members selected in accordance with the articles and bylaws of the Corporation, as follows:

(A) six individuals selected by the holders of the Corporation's debentures and series A preferred stock voting as one class, with every $100 principal amount of debentures, and every $100 liquidation amount of series A preferred stock each receiving one vote for directors;

(B) three individuals selected by the holders of the Corporation's series B preferred stock; and

(C) two individuals selected by the holders of the Corporation's common stock.

(2) The chief executive officer and the chief operating officer of the Corporation shall also serve on the Board, but the chief executive officer and chief operating officer of the Corporation shall not be entitled to vote on the election or removal of either. In the event a vacancy occurs on the Board of Directors due to death, disability or resignation of a director, such vacancy shall be filled only by a vote of the holders of the class of securities that initially elected such director.

(e) Initial capitalization

(1) The Corporation is authorized to issue debentures, series A preferred stock, series B preferred stock, common stock, contingent interest notes, and other securities.

(2) Debentures and series A preferred stock shall be issued initially to the Association. Series B preferred stock and common stock shall be issued initially to the estates of railroads in reorganization in the region, to railroads leased, operated, and controlled by railroads in reorganization in the region, and to other persons leased, operated or controlled by a railroad in reorganization who are transferors of rail properties in exchange for rail properties transferred to the Corporation pursuant to the final system plan. Notwithstanding any other provisions of State or Federal law, the series B preferred stock and common stock shall have terms and conditions not inconsistent with the final system plan. As a condition of its investment in the Corporation, the Association may require that the Corporation adopt limitations consistent with the final system plan on the circumstances under which dividends on the series B preferred stock and common stock are payable so long as any of the debentures or series A preferred stock are outstanding. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the final system plan, the initial authorized number of shares of series B preferred stock may be 35,000,000, and the Corporation may issue initially for the purpose of the deposit required under section 743(a)(1) of this title such numbers of shares of series B preferred and common stock as the Association shall certify to the Special Court pursuant to section 719(c)(1)(3) 1 of this title, including any modifications in such numbers of shares as may be ordered by the Special Court for the purpose of, and in connection with, such deposit and certification.

(f) Officers

The officers of the Corporation shall include a chief executive officer and a chief operating officer, who shall be appointed by the Board of Directors and who shall serve at the pleasure of the Board; and such other officers as shall be provided for in the bylaws of the Corporation.

(g) Voting trustees

For and during the period between the deposit of securities of the Corporation with the special court, in accordance with section 743(a) of this title, and the distribution of such securities, in accordance with section 743(c) of this title, the special court shall, within 30 days after the date of conveyance pursuant to section 743(b)(1) of this title, appoint one or more voting trustees for each class of securities which is so deposited. Such voting trustees shall, on behalf of the distributees, exercise the rights of the holders of such securities as their interests may appear. Within 30 days after such appointment, such voting trustees shall select members of the Board of Directors of the Corporation on behalf of the holders of the class of securities whose rights they exercise pursuant to this subsection.

(h) Annual report

The Corporation shall transmit to the Congress and the President, not later than 90 days after the end of each fiscal year, a comprehensive and detailed report on all activities and accomplishments of the Corporation during the preceding fiscal year.

(i) Liability of directors

No director of the Corporation shall be liable, for money damages or otherwise, to any party by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director, if, with respect to the subject matter of the action, suit, or proceeding, such person was fulfilling a duty which he in good faith reasonably believed to be required by law or vested in him in his capacity as a director of the Association or as an officer of the United States. The United States shall indemnify such person against all judgments, amounts paid in settlement, and costs and expenses (including fees of accountants, experts, and attorneys), actually and reasonably incurred in connection with any such action, suit, or proceeding in which such person is determined to have met such standard of conduct. This subsection shall not be construed to grant any immunity from any criminal law of the United States.

(j) Signal systems

If, within two years after August 13, 1981, the Corporation applies for the permission of the Secretary to substitute manual block signal systems for automatic block signal systems on lines on which less than 20,000,000 gross tons of freight are carried annually, the Secretary shall approve or disapprove such application within 90 days of its submission.

(k) Governing provisions after sale

The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to the Corporation and to activities and other actions and responsibilities of the Corporation and its directors and employees after the sale date, other than with regard to—

(1) section 702 of this title;

(2) section 711(d) of this title;

(3) section 713 of this title, but only with respect to information relating to proceedings before the special court established under section 719(b) of this title;

(4) section 719 of this title, other than subsection (f) thereof;

(5) section 726(f)(8) of this title, but only as such authority applies to activities related to the ESOP and related trust before the sale date;

(6) section 726(f)(9) of this title, but only as such indemnification applies to activities relating to the ESOP and related trust before the sale date;

(7) section 726(f)(10) of this title with respect to all securities of the Corporation issued or transferred in connection with the public offering under the Conrail Privatization Act [45 U.S.C. 1301 et seq.] and all securities of ConRail Equity Corporation and all interests in the ESOP;

(8) section 727(c) and (e) of this title;

(9) subsection (b) of this section, but only with respect to matters covered by the last sentence of such subsection;

(10) subsection (i) of this section, but only as such authority applies to service as a director of the Corporation before the sale of the interest of the United States in the common stock of the Corporation;

(11) section 742 of this title, but only to the extent of (A) the creation and maintenance of the power and authority of the Corporation to operate rail service and to rehabilitate, improve, and modernize rail properties, and (B) the creation and maintenance of the powers of the Corporation as a railroad in any State in which it operates as of the sale date;

(12) section 743(b)(1) and (2) of this title, but only to the extent of establishing the legal effect of the conveyance of property ordered and of the deeds and other instruments executed, acknowledged, delivered, or recorded in connection therewith and the quality of title acquired in such property;

(13) section 743(b)(3)(B) of this title with respect to the effect of an assignment, conveyance, or assumption as set forth in the last sentence of such subparagraph (B);

(14) section 743(b)(5) of this title;

(15) section 743(b)(6) of this title, but only with respect to establishing and maintaining the rights of the Corporation with respect to, limiting its obligations with respect to, and establishing the status of, the employee pension and welfare benefit plans transferred to the Corporation thereunder and with respect to the exclusivity of the jurisdiction of the special court and the limitation of jurisdiction of other courts;

(16) section 743(e) of this title;

(17) section 744 of this title, but only with respect to the finality of abandonments completed before the sale date pursuant to the authority thereof;

(18) section 745 of this title, but only as to the effect, and continuing administration, of supplemental transactions consummated before the sale date;

(19) section 748 of this title, but only (A) as to the finality of abandonments completed before the sale date and (B) as to abandonments of lines where a notice or notices of insufficient revenues with respect to such lines have been filed before November 1, 1985;

(20) section 791(a)(2) of this title, but only with respect to activities before the sale date;

(21) section 791(b)(2) and (b)(3) of this title, but only with respect to issuance of and transactions in any security of the Corporation before the sale date;

(22) section 797a(e) of this title;

(23) section 797b of this title;

(24) section 797c of this title;

(25) sections 797e(a), 797f, and 797g(a) of this title, but only insofar as they establish part of the prevailing status quo for the Corporation's employees' rates of pay, rules, and working conditions, such provisions to continue to apply unless changed pursuant to section 156 of this title;

(26) section 797h of this title;

(27) section 797i(b)(1) of this title;

(28) section 797j of this title; and

(29) section 797m of this title, but only with regard to disputes or controversies specified in such section that arose before the sale date.

(Pub. L. 93–236, title III, §301, Jan. 2, 1974, 87 Stat. 1004; Pub. L. 94–210, title VI, §§608, 611, 612(j)(1), (3), (m), Feb. 5, 1976, 90 Stat. 99, 105, 109, 110; Pub. L. 94–216, §§1, 3, Feb. 17, 1976, 90 Stat. 191; Pub. L. 94–248, §4, Mar. 25, 1976, 90 Stat. 286; Pub. L. 97–35, title XI, §1141, Aug. 13, 1981, 95 Stat. 653; Pub. L. 99–509, title IV, §4032, Oct. 21, 1986, 100 Stat. 1906; Pub. L. 104–88, title III, §327(2), Dec. 29, 1995, 109 Stat. 951.)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This Act, referred to in subsec. (b), means the Regional Rail Reorganization Act of 1973, Pub. L. 93–236, Jan. 2, 1974, 87 Stat. 985, which is classified principally to this chapter (§701 et seq.). For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 701 of this title and Tables.

The Conrail Privatization Act, referred to in subsec. (k)(7), is subtitle A (§§4001–4052) of title IV of Pub. L. 99–509, Oct. 21, 1986, 100 Stat. 1892, which is classified principally to chapter 22 (§1301 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 1301 of this title and Tables.

Codification

In subsec. (b), "such Act and subtitle IV of title 49" substituted for "such Acts", on authority of Pub. L. 95–473, §3(b), Oct. 17, 1978, 92 Stat. 1466, the first section of which enacted subtitle IV (§10101 et seq.) of Title 49, Transportation.

The last sentence of subsec. (f) of this section as originally enacted, which amended section 856 of former Title 31, Money and Finance, was repealed by Pub. L. 97–258, §5(b), Sept. 13, 1982, 96 Stat. 1068, the first section of which enacted Title 31.

Amendments

1995—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 104–88, §327(2), substituted "rail carrier subject to part A of subtitle IV of title 49" for "common carrier by railroad under section 1(3) of the Interstate Commerce Act (49 U.S.C. 1(3))".

1986—Subsec. (k). Pub. L. 99–509 added subsec. (k).

1981—Subsec. (d)(2). Pub. L. 97–35, §1141(a), struck out provisions respecting resignations.

Subsec. (e)(1). Pub. L. 97–35, §1141(b), substituted "The" for "In order to carry out the final system plan, the".

Subsec. (j). Pub. L. 97–35, §1141(c), substituted provisions relating to signal systems for provisions relating to corporate simplification.

1976—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 94–210, §612(j)(1), inserted "or such other corporate name as may be duly adopted by the Corporation" after "Corporation".

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 94–210, §612(j)(3), inserted "or of its principal railroad operating subsidiary" after "of the Corporation".

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 94–210, §611(a), designated existing provisions as par. (1), struck out provision relating to service of the incorporators as the Board of Directors, and added par. (2).

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 94–210, §611(b), designated existing provisions as par. (1), inserted provision relating to applicability of State law, decreased membership from 15 to 13, and revised criteria for selection to membership, and added par. (2).

Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 94–210, §608, designated existing provisions as par. (1), substituted provisions authorizing issuance of debentures, series A preferred stock, series B preferred stock, common stock, contingent interest notes, and other securities, for provisions relating to issuance of stock and other securities, and added par. (2).

Subsec. (e)(2). Pub. L. 94–248 inserted provisions relating to initial authorized number of shares of series B preferred stock and provisions setting such number at 35,000,000.

Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 94–210, §611(c), added subsec. (f). Former subsec. (f), which related to a Federal Government audit of the Corporation, was struck out.

Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 94–210, §611(c), added subsec. (g). Former subsec. (g) redesignated (h) "Annual report".

Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 94–216, §1, redesignated subsec. (h) "Liability of directors" as (i).

Pub. L. 94–210, §§611(c), 612(m), redesignated former subsec. (g) as (h) "Annual report" and added subsec. (h) "Liability of directors".

Subsec. (i). Pub. L. 94–216, §§1, 3, redesignated former subsec. (h) "Liability of directors" as (i) and substituted "a director of the Association" for "a director of the Corporation". Former subsec. (i) redesignated (j).

Pub. L. 94–210, §612(m), added subsec. (i) "Corporate simplification".

Subsec. (j). Pub. L. 94–216, §1, redesignated former subsec. (i) "Corporate simplification" as (j).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1995 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 104–88 effective Jan. 1, 1996, see section 2 of Pub. L. 104–88, set out as an Effective Date note under section 1301 of Title 49, Transportation.

Effective Date of 1981 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 97–35 effective Aug. 13, 1981, see section 1169 of Pub. L. 97–35, set out as an Effective Date note under section 1101 of this title.

Termination of Reporting Requirements

For termination, effective May 15, 2000, of provisions in subsec. (h) of this section relating to the requirement that the Corporation transmit an annual report to Congress, see section 3003 of Pub. L. 104–66, as amended, set out as a note under section 1113 of Title 31, Money and Finance, and the 7th item on page 199 of House Document No. 103–7.

Abolition of Special Court, Regional Rail Reorganization Act of 1973, and Transfer of Functions

Special court abolished and all jurisdiction and functions transferred to United States District Court for District of Columbia, see section 719(b)(2) of this title.

Abolition of United States Railway Association and Transfer of Functions and Securities

See section 1341 of this title.

Applicability of National Environmental Policy Act

Application of National Environmental Policy Act to actions of Commission not affected by title VI of Pub. L. 94–210, see section 619 of Pub. L. 94–210, set out as a note under section 791 of this title.

1 So in original. Probably should be section "719(c)(3)".
45 U.S.C. § 662 (2024) — Title 45: RAILROADS / Chapter 15: EMERGENCY RAIL SERVICES / Section 662: Guarantee of certificates
Guarantee of certificates
Status: in_force

(a) Authority of Secretary; prerequisites; procedures; waiver

The trustees of any railroad undergoing reorganization under section 77 of the Bankruptcy Act, as amended, upon approval of the court, may apply to the Secretary for the guarantee of certificates. The Secretary, after consultation with the Board, is authorized to guarantee such certificates upon findings in writing that—

(1) cessation of essential transportation services by the railroad would endanger the public welfare;

(2) cessation of such services is imminent;

(3) there is no other practicable means of obtaining funds to meet payroll and other expenses necessary to provide such services than the issuance of such certificates;

(4) such certificates cannot be sold without a guarantee;

(5) the railroad can reasonably be expected to become self-sustaining; and

(6) the probable value of the assets of the railroad in the event of liquidation provides reasonable protection to the United States.

The Secretary shall publish notice of his intention to make such finding in the Federal Register not less than fifteen days prior to such finding, give interested persons, including agencies of the Federal Government, an opportunity to submit written data, views, or arguments (with or without opportunity for oral presentation), and give consideration to the relevant matter presented. The Secretary for good cause shown and upon a finding that extraordinary circumstances warrant doing so may waive the requirements of the preceding sentence. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, the Secretary, in guaranteeing certificates under this section, is authorized to waive the findings required by paragraphs (1), (5), and (6) of this subsection.

(b) Conditions to guarantee

As a condition to a guarantee, the Secretary, after consultation with the Board, shall require that:

(1) the proceeds of the sale of certificates guaranteed under this chapter, will be used solely for meeting payroll and other expenses which, if not met, would preclude continued provision of essential transportation services by the railroad;

(2) other revenues of the railroad will be used, to the fullest extent possible, for such expenses;

(3) proceeds from the sale of assets will be devoted to the fullest extent possible to the provision of essential transportation services by the railroad; and

(4) in the event of actual or threatened cessation of essential transportation services by the railroad, the Secretary shall have the option to procure by purchase or lease trackage rights over the lines of the railroad and such equipment as may be necessary to provide such services by the Secretary or his assignee, and, in the event of a default in the payment of principal or interest as provided by the certificates, the money paid or expenses incurred by the United States as a result thereof shall be deemed to have been applied to the purchase or lease price. The terms of purchase or lease shall be subject to the approval of the reorganization court and the operation over the lines shall be subject to the approval of the Board pursuant to subchapter II of chapter 113 of title 49, but in no event shall the rendition of services by the Secretary or his assignee await the outcome of proceedings before the reorganization court or the Board.

(c) Certificate as administrative expense; priority of certificate

The Secretary shall not guarantee any certificate under this section unless such certificate is treated as an expense of administration and receives the highest lien on the railroad's property and priority in payment under the Bankruptcy Act, except that this subsection shall not apply to certificates guaranteed for a railroad that is actively engaged in restructuring, as defined by the Secretary. For purposes of this subsection, the term "restructuring" includes an employee ownership plan or an employee-shipper ownership plan.

(d) Interest rate; date of maturity; other terms and conditions

A certificate under this chapter shall bear interest at such per annum rate as the Secretary deems reasonable, taking into account the range of interest rates prevailing in the private market for similar loans and the risks assumed by the Federal Government; nor may its maturity date, including all extensions and renewals thereof, be later than fifteen years from the date of original issuance. The Secretary may prescribe such other terms and conditions as he deems appropriate. In each case, the Secretary shall consider the feasibility of requiring the railroad to dispose of nonrailroad assets as a condition to a guarantee.

(e) Maximum aggregate principal amount outstanding

At any one time the outstanding aggregate principal amount of all certificates guaranteed under this chapter shall not exceed $200,000,000.

(f) Rules and regulations

The Secretary shall issue such rules and regulations as are appropriate to carry out the authority granted by this chapter.

(Pub. L. 91–663, §3, Jan. 8, 1971, 84 Stat. 1975; Pub. L. 95–598, title III, §333, Nov. 6, 1978, 92 Stat. 2679; Pub. L. 95–611, §3(b), Nov. 8, 1978, 92 Stat. 3089; Pub. L. 96–86, §115(a), Oct. 12, 1979, 93 Stat. 662; Pub. L. 96–101, §7(a)–(c), Nov. 4, 1979, 93 Stat. 739, 740; Pub. L. 104–88, title III, §325(2), Dec. 29, 1995, 109 Stat. 951.)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Bankruptcy Act, referred to in subsecs. (a) and (c), is act July 1, 1898, ch. 541, 30 Stat. 544, which was classified generally to former Title 11, Bankruptcy. Section 77 of this Act was classified to section 205 of former Title 11. The Act was repealed effective Oct. 1, 1979, by Pub. L. 95–598, §§401(a), 402(a), Nov. 6, 1978, 92 Stat. 2682, section 101 of which enacted revised Title 11. For current provisions relating to railroad reorganization, see subchapter IV (§1161 et seq.) of chapter 11 of Title 11.

Amendments

1995—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 104–88, §325(2)(B), substituted "Board" for "Commission" in introductory provisions.

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 104–88 substituted "Board" for "Commission" wherever appearing and "subchapter II of chapter 113 of title 49" for "the provisions of section 5 of the Interstate Commerce Act" in par. (4).

1979—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 96–101, §7(a), struck out "upon a finding that the guarantee of certificates is necessary in order for a railroad which has received continued loan advances, pursuant to section 721(d)(1) of this title, to maintain rail services in the region (as such term is defined in section 702(15) of this title)" after "of this subsection" and provision requiring that Secretary not make any waiver under preceding sentence after Dec. 31, 1979.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 96–101, §7(b), added subsec. (c). Former subsec. (c) was repealed by Pub. L. 95–598. See 1978 Amendment note below.

Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 96–101, §7(c), substituted "$200,000,000" for "$125,000,000" and struck out provision requiring that with respect to a railroad which filed a petition for reorganization during fiscal year 1978, during period Oct. 1, 1979, through Nov. 30, 1979, certificates be issued without regard to limitations of subsec. (a) of this section and with such priority in payment as Secretary deems appropriate to secure repayment, for purpose of continuing service on railroad system at level in effect on Oct. 1, 1979.

Pub. L. 96–86 provided that, with respect to a railroad which filed a petition for reorganization during fiscal year 1978, during period Oct. 1, 1979, through Nov. 30, 1979, certificates shall be issued without regard to limitations of subsec. (a) of this section and with such priority in payment as Secretary deems appropriate to secure repayment, for purpose of continuing service on railroad system at level in effect on Oct. 1, 1979.

1978—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 95–611 inserted provision authorizing Secretary to waive requirements of paragraphs (1), (5), and (6) of subsec. (a) until Dec. 31, 1979.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 95–598 struck out subsec. (c) which related to treatment of a certificate as an administrative expense and priority of the certificate.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1995 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 104–88 effective Jan. 1, 1996, see section 2 of Pub. L. 104–88, set out as an Effective Date note under section 1301 of Title 49, Transportation.

Effective Date of 1978 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 95–598 effective Oct. 1, 1979, see section 402(a) of Pub. L. 95–598, set out as an Effective Date note preceding section 101 of Title 11, Bankruptcy.
45 U.S.C. § 719 (2024) — Title 45: RAILROADS / Chapter 16: REGIONAL RAIL REORGANIZATION / Subchapter II: UNITED STATES RAILWAY ASSOCIATION / Section 719: Judicial review
Judicial review
Status: in_force

(a) General

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the final system plan which is adopted by the Association and which becomes effective after review by the Congress is not subject to review by any court except in accordance with this section. After the final system plan becomes effective under section 718 of this title, it may be reviewed with respect to matters concerning the value of the rail properties to be conveyed under the plan and the value of the consideration to be received for such properties.

(b) Special court

(1) Within 30 days after January 2, 1974, the Association shall make application to the judicial panel on multi-district litigation authorized by section 1407 of title 28 for the consolidation in a single, three-judge district court of the United States of all judicial proceedings with respect to the final system plan. Within 30 days after such application is received, the panel shall make the consolidation in a district court (cited herein as the "special court") which the panel determines to be convenient to the parties and the one most likely to be able to conduct any proceedings under this section with the least delay and the greatest possible fairness and ability. Such proceedings shall be conducted by the special court which shall be composed of three Federal judges who shall be selected by the panel, except that none of the judges selected may be a judge assigned to a proceeding involving any railroad in reorganization in the region under section 77 of the Bankruptcy Act. The special court is authorized to exercise the powers of a district judge in any judicial district with respect to such proceedings and such powers shall include those of a reorganization court. The special court shall have the power to order the conveyance of rail properties of railroads leased, operated, or controlled by a railroad in reorganization in the region. The special court may issue rules for the conduct of any proceedings under this section and under section 745 of this title, including rules with respect to the time within which motions may be filed, and with respect to appropriate representation of interests not otherwise represented (including the Secretary with respect to a petition by the Association in the case of a proposal developed by the Secretary, under such section 745 of this title). No determination by the panel under this subsection may be reviewed in any court.

(2) The special court referred to in paragraph (1) of this subsection is abolished effective 90 days after October 19, 1996. On such effective date, all jurisdiction and other functions of the special court shall be assumed by the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. With respect to any proceedings that arise or continue after the date on which the special court is abolished, the references in the following provisions to the special court established under this subsection shall be deemed to refer to the United States District Court for the District of Columbia:

(A) Subsections (c), (e)(1), (e)(2), (f) and (g) of this section.

(B) Sections 712(d)(3), (g), 717(a)(1), (b)(1), (b)(2), 718(d)(2), 741(e)(2), (g), (k)(3), (k)(15), 743(a)(1), (a)(2), (b)(1), (b)(6)(A), (c)(1), (c)(2), (c)(3), (c)(4), (c)(5), 744(a)(1)(B), (i)(3), 745(c), (d)(1), (d)(2), (d)(3), (d)(4), (d)(5), (d)(8), (e), (f)(1), (f)(2)(B), (f)(2)(D), (f)(2)(E), (f)(3), 746(a), (b), (c)(4), and 791(b)(3), (c) of this title).

(C) Sections 1105(a) and 1115 of this title.

(D) Sections 1323(2)(A)(iii), (2)(B), (2)(C), (3)(C), (3)(E), (4)(A) and 1324(b) of this title.

(E) Section 24907(b) of title 49.

(F) Any other Federal law (other than this subsection and section 605 of the Federal Courts Improvement Act of 1996), Executive order, rule, regulation, delegation of authority, or document of or relating to the special court as previously established under paragraph (1) of this subsection.

(c) Delivery of plan to special court

Within 90 days after its effective date, the Association shall deliver a certified copy of the final system plan to the special court and shall certify to the special court—

(1) which rail properties of the respective railroads in reorganization in the region and of any person leased, operated, or controlled by such railroads in reorganization are to be transferred to the Corporation, or any subsidiary thereof, in accordance with the final system plan;

(2) which rail properties of the respective railroads in reorganization in the region or person leased,1 operated, or controlled by such railroads in reorganization are to be conveyed to profitable railroads, in accordance with the final system plan;

(3) the amount, terms, and value of the securities of the Corporation or any subsidiary thereof (including any certificates of value of the Association) to be exchanged for those rail properties to be transferred to the Corporation or any subsidiary thereof pursuant to the final system plan, and as indicated in paragraph (1) of this subsection; and

(4) that the transfer of rail properties in exchange for securities of the Corporation or any subsidiary thereof (including any certificates of value of the Association) and other benefits is fair and equitable and in the public interest.

Notwithstanding any other provisions of this subsection and subsection (d) of this section, the time for the delivery of a certified copy of the final system plan shall be March 12, 1976, and may be extended to a date not more than 30 days thereafter, prescribed in a notice filed by the Association not later than February 17, 1976, with the special court, the Congress, and each court referred to in such subsection (d). Such notice shall contain the certification of the Association that an orderly conveyance of rail properties cannot reasonably be effected before the date for conveyance determined with respect to such notice. The time prescribed in section 743(a) of this title shall be determined with respect to the date prescribed in such notice.

(d) Bankruptcy courts

Within 90 days after its effective date, the Association shall deliver a certified copy of the final system plan to each district court of the United States or any other court having jurisdiction over a railroad in reorganization in the region and shall certify to each such court—

(1) which rail properties of that railroad in reorganization are to be transferred to the Corporation or any subsidiary thereof under the final system plan; and

(2) which rail properties of that railroad in reorganization, if any, are to be conveyed to profitable railroads operating in the region, under the final system plan.

(e) Original and exclusive jurisdiction

(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any civil action—

(A) for injunctive or other relief against the Association from the enforcement, operation, or execution of this chapter or any provision thereof, or from any action taken by the Association pursuant to authority conferred or purportedly conferred under this chapter;

(B) challenging the constitutionality of this chapter or any provision thereof;

(C) challenging the legality of any action of the Association, or any failure of the Association to take any action, pursuant to authority conferred or purportedly conferred under this chapter;

(D) to obtain, inspect, copy, or review any document in the possession or control of the Association that would be discoverable in litigation pursuant to section 743(c) of this title;

(E) brought after a conveyance, pursuant to section 743(b) of this title, to set aside or annul such conveyance or to secure in any way the reconveyance of any rail properties so conveyed; or

(F) with respect to continuing reorganization and supplemental transactions, in accordance with section 745 of this title;

shall be within the original and exclusive jurisdiction of the special court. The special court shall not hear or determine any such action prior to the date of conveyance, pursuant to section 743(b)(1) of this title, except as the Constitution may require. Relief shall not be granted in any action referred to in subparagraph (A), (C), or (E) unless the person seeking such relief establishes that the Association acted in reckless or deliberate disregard of applicable law.

(2) The original and exclusive jurisdiction of the special court shall include any action, whether filed by any interested person or initiated by the special court itself, to interpret, alter, amend, modify, or implement any of the orders entered by such court pursuant to section 743(b) of this title in order to effect the purposes of this chapter or the goals of the final system plan. During the pendency of any proceeding described in this paragraph, the special court may enter such orders as it determines to be appropriate, including orders enjoining, restraining, conditioning, or limiting any conveyance, transfer, or use of any asset or right which is subject to such an order or which is at issue in such a proceeding, or which involves the enforcement of any liens or encumbrances upon such assets or rights. Any orders pursuant to this paragraph which interpret, alter, amend, modify, or implement orders entered by the special court shall be final and shall not be restrained or enjoined by any court.

(3) An order or judgment of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia in any action referred to in this section shall be reviewable in accordance with sections 1291, 1292, and 1294 of title 28.

(f) Disposition of cash deposits

Whenever the compensation which is deposited with the special court under section 743(a) of this title is in the form of cash, such cash shall be invested and reinvested upon such terms and conditions as the special court shall determine, pending the making of the findings referred to in paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of section 743(c) of this title. Notwithstanding section 743(c)(4) of this title, the special court may order (1) the income from such investments, (2) the dividends or interest, if any, received on any securities or obligations deposited with the special court under such section 743(a) of this title, and (3) the income, if any, received with respect to any other form of compensation so deposited, to be distributed to the trustee of each railroad in reorganization and to any person leased, operated or controlled by such a railroad which conveyed the right, title, and interest in the rail properties with respect to which such cash, securities, obligations, or other compensation have been so deposited with the special court. Notwithstanding section 743(c)(4) of this title, the special court may, within 90 days after the date of conveyance of rail properties pursuant to section 743(b) of this title, order up to 25 percent of any cash (including investments made with cash) and other compensation deposited with the special court to be distributed to such trustee or person. On petition of the applicable trustee or person, the special court may order such additional distributions as it finds reasonable and appropriate, prior to the making of the findings referred to in paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of such section 743(c) of this title.

(g) Stay of court proceedings

The special court may stay or enjoin any action or proceeding in any State court or in any court of the United States other than the Supreme Court or Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit if such action or proceeding is contrary to any provision of this chapter, impairs the effective implementation of this chapter, or interferes with the execution of any order of the special court pursuant to this chapter.

(Pub. L. 93–236, title II, §209, Jan. 2, 1974, 87 Stat. 999; Pub. L. 94–210, title VI, §§602(a), (b), 607(i), (l), (r), (s), Feb. 5, 1976, 90 Stat. 86, 97, 98; Pub. L. 94–216, §2, Feb. 17, 1976, 90 Stat. 191; Pub. L. 95–199, §3, Nov. 23, 1977, 91 Stat. 1423; Pub. L. 100–352, §6(d), June 27, 1988, 102 Stat. 663; Pub. L. 104–317, title VI, §605(a), (b)(1), (c)(1), Oct. 19, 1996, 110 Stat. 3858, 3859.)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Section 77 of the Bankruptcy Act, referred to in subsec. (b)(1), was classified to section 205 of former Title 11, Bankruptcy. The Bankruptcy Act (act July 1, 1898, ch. 541, 30 Stat. 544) was repealed effective Oct. 1, 1979, by Pub. L. 95–598, §§401(a), 402(a), Nov. 6, 1978, 92 Stat. 2682, section 101 of which enacted revised Title 11. For current provisions relating to railroad reorganization, see subchapter IV (§1161 et seq.) of chapter 11 of Title 11.

Section 605 of the Federal Courts Improvement Act of 1996, referred to in subsec. (b)(2)(F), is section 605 of Pub. L. 104–317, title VI, Oct. 19, 1996, 110 Stat. 3858, which amended this section and sections 743, 745, 1104, and 1105 of this title and enacted provisions set out as notes under this section.

Codification

Amendment of subsec. (c)(2) by section 607(s) of Pub. L. 94–210 was executed by substituting "person leased" for "railroads leased" to reflect the probable intent of Congress, notwithstanding such section 607(s) requiring substitution of "person leased" for "railroad leased".

Amendments

1996—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 104–317, §605(a), designated existing provisions as par. (1) and added par. (2).

Subsec. (e)(3). Pub. L. 104–317, §605(b)(1), added par. (3) and struck out former par. (3) which read as follows: "A final order or judgment of the special court in any action referred to in this section shall be reviewable only upon petition for a writ of certiorari to the Supreme Court of the United States. Such review is exclusive and any such petition shall be filed in the Supreme Court not more than 20 days after entry of such order or judgment."

Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 104–317, §605(c)(1)(A), inserted "or Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit" after "Supreme Court".

Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 104–317, §605(c)(1)(B), struck out subsec. (h) relating to special masters.

1988—Subsec. (e)(3). Pub. L. 100–352 struck out ", except that any order or judgment enjoining the enforcement, or declaring or determining the unconstitutionality or invalidity, of this chapter, in whole or in part, or of any action taken under this chapter, shall be reviewable by direct appeal to the Supreme Court of the United States in the same manner that an injunctive order may be appealed under section 1253 of title 28" before the period at end of first sentence and substituted "such petition shall be filed in the Supreme Court" for "petition or appeal shall be filed" in second sentence.

1977—Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 95–199 added subsec. (h).

1976—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 94–210, §602(a), substituted provisions relating to issuance of rules by special court for conduct of proceedings under this section and section 745 of this title, for provisions relating to issuance of rules by panel for conduct of its functions under this provision.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 94–210, §607(i), (l), (r), (s), inserted "or any subsidiary thereof" after "Corporation" wherever appearing, substituted "certificates of value" for "obligations" wherever appearing, inserted provisions at end relating to the time for the delivery of the final system plan on March 12, 1976, and conditions for extension of such date, and substituted references to person leased for references to railroad leased wherever appearing in pars. (1) and (2). See Codification note above.

Subsec. (d)(1). Pub. L. 94–210, §607(i), inserted "or any subsidiary thereof" after "Corporation".

Subsecs. (e) to (g). Pub. L. 94–210, §602(b), added subsecs. (e) to (g).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1996 Amendment

Pub. L. 104–317, title VI, §605(e), Oct. 19, 1996, 110 Stat. 3859, provided that: "The amendments made by subsections (b) and (c) of this section [amending this section and sections 743, 745, 1104, and 1105 of this title] shall take effect 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act [Oct. 19, 1996] and, except as provided in subsection (d) [enacting provisions set out as a note below], shall apply with respect to proceedings that arise or continue after such effective date."

Effective Date of 1988 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 100–352 effective ninety days after June 27, 1988, except that such amendment not to apply to cases pending in Supreme Court on such effective date or affect right to review or manner of reviewing judgment or decree of court which was entered before such effective date, see section 7 of Pub. L. 100–352, set out as a note under section 1254 of Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure.

Abolition of United States Railway Association and Transfer of Functions and Securities

See section 1341 of this title.

Cases Pending in Special Court

Pub. L. 104–317, title VI, §605(d), Oct. 19, 1996, 110 Stat. 3859, provided that: "Effective 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act [Oct. 19, 1996], any case pending in the special court established under section 209(b) of the Regional Rail Reorganization Act of 1973 (45 U.S.C. 719(b)) shall be assigned to the United States District Court for the District of Columbia as though the case had originally been filed in that court. The amendments made by subsection (b) of this section [amending this section and sections 743 and 1105 of this title] shall not apply to any final order or judgment entered by the special court for which—

"(1) a petition for writ of certiorari has been filed before the date on which the special court is abolished; or

"(2) the time for filing a petition for writ of certiorari has not expired before that date."

Applicability of National Environmental Policy Act

Application of National Environmental Policy Act to actions of Commission not affected by title VI of Pub. L. 94–210, see section 619 of Pub. L. 94–210, set out as a note under section 791 of this title.

Court Rules and Judicial Documents

Rules of the Special Court, Regional Rail Reorganization Act of 1973

Rules of the Special Court, Regional Rail Reorganization Act of 1973, formerly set out under this section, were omitted because the Special Court was abolished effective 90 days after Oct. 19, 1996. See subsec. (b)(2) of this section.

1 See Codification note below.
45 U.S.C. § 356 (2024) — Title 45: RAILROADS / Chapter 11: RAILROAD UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE / Section 356: Returns of compensation; conclusiveness; failure to make
Returns of compensation; conclusiveness; failure to make
Status: in_force

Employers shall file with the Board, in such manner and at such times as the Board by regulations may prescribe, returns of compensation of employees, and, if the Board shall so require, shall distribute to employees annual statements of compensation: Provided, That no returns shall be required of employers which would duplicate information contained in similar returns required under any other Act of Congress administered by the Board. The Board's record of the compensation so returned shall, for the purpose of determining eligibility for and the amount of benefits, be conclusive as to the amount of compensation paid to an employee during the period covered by the return, and the fact that the Board's records show that no return was made of the compensation claimed to have been paid to an employee during a particular period shall, for the purposes of determining eligibility for and the amount of benefits, be taken as conclusive that no compensation was paid to such employee during that period, unless the error in the amount of compensation in the one case, or failure to make or record return of the compensation in the other case, is called to the attention of the Board within eighteen months after the date on which the last return covering any portion of the calendar year which includes such period is required to have been made.

(June 25, 1938, ch. 680, §6, 52 Stat. 1101; June 20, 1939, ch. 227, §12, 53 Stat. 847; Oct. 10, 1940, ch. 842, §21, 54 Stat. 1099; July 31, 1946, ch. 709, §317, 60 Stat. 739; Pub. L. 89–700, title II, §203, Oct. 30, 1966, 80 Stat. 1087.)

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1966—Pub. L. 89–700 struck out provisions which required returns of compensation of employees to be under oath.

1946—Act July 31, 1946, changed references to compensation earned by an employee to refer to compensation paid to an employee.

1940—Act Oct. 10, 1940, inserted provisions relating to conclusiveness of returns for purpose of determining eligibility for and amount of benefits, and struck out requirements that returns relate to monthly compensation and that distributed statements of compensation be prepared by Board.

1939—Act June 20, 1939, struck out requirement that return shall be in form required by Board, inserted proviso relating to return containing duplicative information, and substituted provisions relating to conclusiveness of returns not questioned within eighteen months after last return is filed, for provisions relating to conclusiveness of returns not questioned within four years after last date on which return was required to be made.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1946 Amendment

Amendment by act July 31, 1946, effective July 31, 1946, see section 401 of act July 31, 1946.

Effective Date of 1940 Amendment

For effective date of amendment by act Oct. 10, 1940, see section 1 of act Oct. 10, 1940, set out as a note under section 351 of this title.
45 U.S.C. § 152 (2024) — Title 45: RAILROADS / Chapter 8: RAILWAY LABOR / Subchapter I: GENERAL PROVISIONS / Section 152: General duties
General duties
Status: in_force

First. Duty of carriers and employees to settle disputes

It shall be the duty of all carriers, their officers, agents, and employees to exert every reasonable effort to make and maintain agreements concerning rates of pay, rules, and working conditions, and to settle all disputes, whether arising out of the application of such agreements or otherwise, in order to avoid any interruption to commerce or to the operation of any carrier growing out of any dispute between the carrier and the employees thereof.

Second. Consideration of disputes by representatives

All disputes between a carrier or carriers and its or their employees shall be considered, and, if possible, decided, with all expedition, in conference between representatives designated and authorized so to confer, respectively, by the carrier or carriers and by the employees thereof interested in the dispute.

Third. Designation of representatives

Representatives, for the purposes of this chapter, shall be designated by the respective parties without interference, influence, or coercion by either party over the designation of representatives by the other; and neither party shall in any way interfere with, influence, or coerce the other in its choice of representatives. Representatives of employees for the purposes of this chapter need not be persons in the employ of the carrier, and no carrier shall, by interference, influence, or coercion seek in any manner to prevent the designation by its employees as their representatives of those who or which are not employees of the carrier.

Fourth. Organization and collective bargaining; freedom from interference by carrier; assistance in organizing or maintaining organization by carrier forbidden; deduction of dues from wages forbidden

Employees shall have the right to organize and bargain collectively through representatives of their own choosing. The majority of any craft or class of employees shall have the right to determine who shall be the representative of the craft or class for the purposes of this chapter. No carrier, its officers, or agents shall deny or in any way question the right of its employees to join, organize, or assist in organizing the labor organization of their choice, and it shall be unlawful for any carrier to interfere in any way with the organization of its employees, or to use the funds of the carrier in maintaining or assisting or contributing to any labor organization, labor representative, or other agency of collective bargaining, or in performing any work therefor, or to influence or coerce employees in an effort to induce them to join or remain or not to join or remain members of any labor organization, or to deduct from the wages of employees any dues, fees, assessments, or other contributions payable to labor organizations, or to collect or to assist in the collection of any such dues, fees, assessments, or other contributions: Provided, That nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prohibit a carrier from permitting an employee, individually, or local representatives of employees from conferring with management during working hours without loss of time, or to prohibit a carrier from furnishing free transportation to its employees while engaged in the business of a labor organization.

Fifth. Agreements to join or not to join labor organizations forbidden

No carrier, its officers, or agents shall require any person seeking employment to sign any contract or agreement promising to join or not to join a labor organization; and if any such contract has been enforced prior to the effective date of this chapter, then such carrier shall notify the employees by an appropriate order that such contract has been discarded and is no longer binding on them in any way.

Sixth. Conference of representatives; time; place; private agreements

In case of a dispute between a carrier or carriers and its or their employees, arising out of grievances or out of the interpretation or application of agreements concerning rates of pay, rules, or working conditions, it shall be the duty of the designated representative or representatives of such carrier or carriers and of such employees, within ten days after the receipt of notice of a desire on the part of either party to confer in respect to such dispute, to specify a time and place at which such conference shall be held: Provided, (1) That the place so specified shall be situated upon the line of the carrier involved or as otherwise mutually agreed upon; and (2) that the time so specified shall allow the designated conferees reasonable opportunity to reach such place of conference, but shall not exceed twenty days from the receipt of such notice: And provided further, That nothing in this chapter shall be construed to supersede the provisions of any agreement (as to conferences) then in effect between the parties.

Seventh. Change in pay, rules, or working conditions contrary to agreement or to section 156 forbidden

No carrier, its officers, or agents shall change the rates of pay, rules, or working conditions of its employees, as a class, as embodied in agreements except in the manner prescribed in such agreements or in section 156 of this title.

Eighth. Notices of manner of settlement of disputes; posting

Every carrier shall notify its employees by printed notices in such form and posted at such times and places as shall be specified by the Mediation Board that all disputes between the carrier and its employees will be handled in accordance with the requirements of this chapter, and in such notices there shall be printed verbatim, in large type, the third, fourth, and fifth paragraphs of this section. The provisions of said paragraphs are made a part of the contract of employment between the carrier and each employee, and shall be held binding upon the parties, regardless of any other express or implied agreements between them.

Ninth. Disputes as to identity of representatives; designation by Mediation Board; secret elections

If any dispute shall arise among a carrier's employees as to who are the representatives of such employees designated and authorized in accordance with the requirements of this chapter, it shall be the duty of the Mediation Board, upon request of either party to the dispute, to investigate such dispute and to certify to both parties, in writing, within thirty days after the receipt of the invocation of its services, the name or names of the individuals or organizations that have been designated and authorized to represent the employees involved in the dispute, and certify the same to the carrier. Upon receipt of such certification the carrier shall treat with the representative so certified as the representative of the craft or class for the purposes of this chapter. In such an investigation, the Mediation Board shall be authorized to take a secret ballot of the employees involved, or to utilize any other appropriate method of ascertaining the names of their duly designated and authorized representatives in such manner as shall insure the choice of representatives by the employees without interference, influence, or coercion exercised by the carrier. In the conduct of any election for the purposes herein indicated the Board shall designate who may participate in the election and establish the rules to govern the election, or may appoint a committee of three neutral persons who after hearing shall within ten days designate the employees who may participate in the election. In any such election for which there are 3 or more options (including the option of not being represented by any labor organization) on the ballot and no such option receives a majority of the valid votes cast, the Mediation Board shall arrange for a second election between the options receiving the largest and the second largest number of votes. The Board shall have access to and have power to make copies of the books and records of the carriers to obtain and utilize such information as may be deemed necessary by it to carry out the purposes and provisions of this paragraph.

Tenth. Violations; prosecution and penalties

The willful failure or refusal of any carrier, its officers or agents, to comply with the terms of the third, fourth, fifth, seventh, or eighth paragraph of this section shall be a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof the carrier, officer, or agent offending shall be subject to a fine of not less than $1,000, nor more than $20,000, or imprisonment for not more than six months, or both fine and imprisonment, for each offense, and each day during which such carrier, officer, or agent shall willfully fail or refuse to comply with the terms of the said paragraphs of this section shall constitute a separate offense. It shall be the duty of any United States attorney to whom any duly designated representative of a carrier's employees may apply to institute in the proper court and to prosecute under the direction of the Attorney General of the United States, all necessary proceedings for the enforcement of the provisions of this section, and for the punishment of all violations thereof and the costs and expenses of such prosecution shall be paid out of the appropriation for the expenses of the courts of the United States: Provided, That nothing in this chapter shall be construed to require an individual employee to render labor or service without his consent, nor shall anything in this chapter be construed to make the quitting of his labor by an individual employee an illegal act; nor shall any court issue any process to compel the performance by an individual employee of such labor or service, without his consent.

Eleventh. Union security agreements; check-off

Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter, or of any other statute or law of the United States, or Territory thereof, or of any State, any carrier or carriers as defined in this chapter and a labor organization or labor organizations duly designated and authorized to represent employees in accordance with the requirements of this chapter shall be permitted—

(a) to make agreements, requiring, as a condition of continued employment, that within sixty days following the beginning of such employment, or the effective date of such agreements, whichever is the later, all employees shall become members of the labor organization representing their craft or class: Provided, That no such agreement shall require such condition of employment with respect to employees to whom membership is not available upon the same terms and conditions as are generally applicable to any other member or with respect to employees to whom membership was denied or terminated for any reason other than the failure of the employee to tender the periodic dues, initiation fees, and assessments (not including fines and penalties) uniformly required as a condition of acquiring or retaining membership.

(b) to make agreements providing for the deduction by such carrier or carriers from the wages of its or their employees in a craft or class and payment to the labor organization representing the craft or class of such employees, of any periodic dues, initiation fees, and assessments (not including fines and penalties) uniformly required as a condition of acquiring or retaining membership: Provided, That no such agreement shall be effective with respect to any individual employee until he shall have furnished the employer with a written assignment to the labor organization of such membership dues, initiation fees, and assessments, which shall be revocable in writing after the expiration of one year or upon the termination date of the applicable collective agreement, whichever occurs sooner.

(c) The requirement of membership in a labor organization in an agreement made pursuant to subparagraph (a) of this paragraph shall be satisfied, as to both a present or future employee in engine, train, yard, or hostling service, that is, an employee engaged in any of the services or capacities covered in the First division of paragraph (h) of section 153 of this title defining the jurisdictional scope of the First Division of the National Railroad Adjustment Board, if said employee shall hold or acquire membership in any one of the labor organizations, national in scope, organized in accordance with this chapter and admitting to membership employees of a craft or class in any of said services; and no agreement made pursuant to subparagraph (b) of this paragraph shall provide for deductions from his wages for periodic dues, initiation fees, or assessments payable to any labor organization other than that in which he holds membership: Provided, however, That as to an employee in any of said services on a particular carrier at the effective date of any such agreement on a carrier, who is not a member of any one of the labor organizations, national in scope, organized in accordance with this chapter and admitting to membership employees of a craft or class in any of said services, such employee, as a condition of continuing his employment, may be required to become a member of the organization representing the craft in which he is employed on the effective date of the first agreement applicable to him: Provided, further, That nothing herein or in any such agreement or agreements shall prevent an employee from changing membership from one organization to another organization admitting to membership employees of a craft or class in any of said services.

(d) Any provisions in paragraphs Fourth and Fifth of this section in conflict herewith are to the extent of such conflict amended.

Twelfth. Showing of interest for representation elections

The Mediation Board, upon receipt of an application requesting that an organization or individual be certified as the representative of any craft or class of employees, shall not direct an election or use any other method to determine who shall be the representative of such craft or class unless the Mediation Board determines that the application is supported by a showing of interest from not less than 50 percent of the employees in the craft or class.

(May 20, 1926, ch. 347, §2, 44 Stat. 577; June 21, 1934, ch. 691, §2, 48 Stat. 1186; June 25, 1948, ch. 646, §1, 62 Stat. 909; Jan. 10, 1951, ch. 1220, 64 Stat. 1238; Pub. L. 112–95, title X, §§1002, 1003, Feb. 14, 2012, 126 Stat. 146, 147.)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The effective date of this chapter, referred to in par. Fifth, probably means May 20, 1926, the date of approval of act May 20, 1926, ch. 347, 44 Stat. 577.

Codification

Section is comprised of pars. designated First to Twelfth of section 2 of act May 20, 1926. The remainder of section 2 of act May 20, 1926, is classified to section 151a of this title.

Amendments

2012—Pub. L. 112–95, §1002, in par. Ninth, inserted after fourth sentence "In any such election for which there are 3 or more options (including the option of not being represented by any labor organization) on the ballot and no such option receives a majority of the valid votes cast, the Mediation Board shall arrange for a second election between the options receiving the largest and the second largest number of votes."

Pub. L. 112–95, §1003, added par. Twelfth.

1951—Act Jan. 10, 1951, added par. Eleventh.

1934—Act June 21, 1934, substituted "by the carrier or carriers" for "by the carriers" in par. Second, generally amended pars. Third, Fourth, and Fifth, and added pars. Sixth to Tenth.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

Act June 25, 1948, eff. Sept. 1, 1948, substituted "United States attorney" for "district attorney of the United States". See section 541 of Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure, and Historical and Revision Notes thereunder.
45 U.S.C. § 355 (2024) — Title 45: RAILROADS / Chapter 11: RAILROAD UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE / Section 355: Claims for benefits
Claims for benefits
Status: in_force

(a) Publication of Board's regulations

Claims for benefits and appeals from determinations with respect thereto shall be made in accordance with such regulations as the Board shall prescribe. Each employer shall post and maintain, in places readily accessible to employees in his service, such printed statements concerning such regulations as the Board supplies to him for such purpose, and shall keep available to his employees copies of such printed statements. Such printed statements shall be supplied by the Board to each employer without cost to him.

(b) Findings, hearings, investigations, etc., by Board

The Board is authorized and directed to make findings of fact with respect to any claim for benefits and to make decisions as to the right of any claimant to benefits. The Board is further authorized to hold such hearings, to conduct such investigations and other proceedings, and to establish, by regulations or otherwise, such procedures as it may deem necessary or proper for the determination of a right to benefits. When a claim for benefits is filed with the Board, the Board shall provide notice of such claim to the claimant's base-year employer or employers and afford such employer or employers an opportunity to submit information relevant to the claim before making an initial determination on the claim. When the Board initially determines to pay benefits to a claimant under this chapter, the Board shall provide notice of such determination to the claimant's base-year employer or employers.

(c) Hearing and review of decisions on claims

(1) Each qualified employee whose claim for benefits has been denied in whole or in part upon an initial determination with respect thereto upon a basis other than one which is reviewable pursuant to one of the succeeding paragraphs of this subsection, shall be granted an opportunity for a fair hearing thereon before a referee or such other reviewing body as the Board may establish or assign thereto. In any such case the Board or the person or reviewing body so established or assigned shall, by publication or otherwise, notify all parties properly interested of their right to participate in the hearing and of the time and place of the hearing.

(2) Any claimant whose claim for benefits has been denied in an initial determination with respect thereto upon the basis of his not being a qualified employee, and any claimant who contends that under an initial determination of his claim he has been awarded benefits at less than the proper rate, may appeal to the Board for the review of such determination. Thereupon the Board shall review the determination and for such review may designate one of its officers or employees to receive evidence and to report to the Board thereon together with recommendations. In any such case the Board or the person so designated shall, by publication or otherwise, notify all parties properly interested of their right to participate in the proceeding and, if a hearing is to be held, of the time and place of the hearing. At the request of any party properly interested the Board shall provide for a hearing, and may provide for a hearing on its own motion. The Board shall prescribe regulations governing the appeals provided for in this paragraph and for decisions upon such appeal.

(3) Any base-year employer of a claimant whose claim for benefits has been granted in whole or in part, either in an initial determination with respect thereto or in a determination after a hearing pursuant to paragraph (1), and who contends that the determination is erroneous for a reason or reasons other than a reason that is reviewable under paragraph (4), may appeal to the Board for review of such determination. Despite such an appeal, the benefits awarded shall be paid to such claimant, subject to recovery by the Board if and to the extent found on the appeal to have been erroneously awarded. The Board shall take such action as is appropriate to recover the amount of such benefits including if feasible adjustment in subsequent payments pursuant to the first two paragraphs of section 352(d) of this title. Upon an appeal, the Board shall review the determination appealed from and for such review may designate one of its officers or employees to receive evidence and report to the Board thereof together with recommendations. In any such case the Board or the person so designated shall, by publication or otherwise, notify all parties properly interested of their right to participate in the proceeding and, if a hearing is to be held, of the time and place of the hearing. At the request of any party properly interested the Board shall provide for a hearing, and may provide for a hearing on its own motion. The Board shall prescribe regulations governing the appeals provided for in this paragraph and for decisions upon such appeal.

(4) In any case in which benefits are awarded to a claimant in whole or in part upon the basis of pay earned in the service of a person or company found by the Board to be an employer as defined in this chapter but which denies that it is such an employer, such benefits awarded on such basis shall be paid to such claimant subject to a right of recovery of such benefits. The Board shall thereupon designate one of its officers or employees to receive evidence and to report to the Board on whether such benefits should be repaid. The Board may also designate one of its officers or employees to receive evidence and report to the Board whether or not any person or company is entitled to a refund of contributions or should be required to pay contributions under this chapter, regardless of whether or not any claims for benefits will have been filed upon the basis of service in the employ of such person or company, and shall follow such procedure if contributions are assessed and payment is refused or payment is made and a refund claimed upon the basis that such person or company is or will not have been liable for such contributions. In any such case the Board or the person so designated shall, by publication or otherwise, notify all parties properly interested of their right to participate in the proceeding and, if a hearing is to be held, of the time and place of the hearing. At the request of any party properly interested the Board shall provide for a hearing, and may provide for a hearing on its own motion. The Board shall prescribe regulations governing the proceedings provided for in this paragraph and for decisions upon such proceedings.

(5) Final decision of the Board in the cases provided for in the preceding three paragraphs shall be communicated to the claimant and to the other interested parties within fifteen days after it is made. Any properly interested party notified, as hereinabove provided, of his right to participate in the proceedings may obtain a review of any such decision by which he claims to be aggrieved or the determination of any issue therein in the manner provided in subsection (f) of this section with respect to the review of the Board's decisions upon claims for benefits and subject to all provisions of law applicable to the review of such decisions. Subject only to such review, the decision of the Board upon all issues determined in such decision shall be final and conclusive for all purposes and shall conclusively establish all rights and obligations, arising under this chapter, of every party notified as hereinabove provided of his right to participate in the proceedings.

(6) For purposes of this subsection and subsections (d) and (f), any base-year employer of the claimant is a properly interested party.

(7) Any issue determinable pursuant to this subsection and subsection (f) of this section shall not be determined in any manner other than pursuant to this subsection and subsection (f).

(d) Decisions of reviewing bodies; review and finality

The Board shall prescribe regulations governing the filing of cases with and the decision of cases by reviewing bodies, and the review of such decisions. The Board may provide for intermediate reviews of such decisions by such bodies as the Board may establish or assign thereto. The Board may (i) on its own motion review a decision of an intermediate reviewing body on the basis of the evidence previously submitted in such case, and may direct the taking of additional evidence, or (ii) permit such parties as it finds properly interested in the proceedings to take appeals to the Board. Unless a review or an appeal is had pursuant to this subsection, the decision of an intermediate reviewing body shall, subject to such regulations as the Board may prescribe, be deemed to be the final decision of the Board.

(e) Application of rules of evidence in law and equity; notice of findings

In any proceeding other than a court proceeding, the rules of evidence prevailing in courts of law or equity shall not be controlling, but a full and complete record shall be kept of all proceedings and testimony, and the Board's final determination, together with its findings of fact and conclusions of law in connection therewith, shall be communicated to the parties within fifteen days after the date of such final determination.

(f) Review of final decision of Board by Courts of Appeals; costs

Any claimant, or any railway labor organization organized in accordance with the provisions of the Railway Labor Act [45 U.S.C. 151 et seq.], of which claimant is a member, or any base-year employer of the claimant, or any other party aggrieved by a final decision under subsection (c) of this section, may, only after all administrative remedies within the Board will have been availed of and exhausted, obtain a review of any final decision of the Board by filing a petition for review within ninety days after the mailing of notice of such decision to the claimant or other party, or within such further time as the Board may allow, in the United States court of appeals for the circuit in which the claimant or other party resides or will have had his principal place of business or principal executive office, or in the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit or in the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. A copy of such petition, together with initial process, shall forth-with be served upon the Board or any officer designated by it for such purpose. A copy of such petition also shall forthwith be served upon any other properly interested party, and such party shall be a party to the review proceeding. Service may be made upon the Board by registered mail addressed to the Chairman. Within thirty days after receipt of service, or within such additional time as the court may allow, the Board shall file with the court in which such petition has been filed the record upon which the findings and decision complained of are based, as provided in section 2112 of title 28. Upon the filing of such petition the court shall have exclusive jurisdiction of the proceeding and of the question determined therein. It shall have power to enter a decree affirming, modifying, or reversing the decision of the Board, with or without remanding the cause for rehearing. The findings of the Board as to the facts, if supported by evidence and in the absence of fraud, shall be conclusive. No additional evidence shall be received by the court but the court may order additional evidence to be taken before the Board, and the Board may, after hearing such additional evidence, modify its findings of fact and conclusions and file such additional or modified findings and conclusions with the court, and the Board shall file with the court the additional record. The judgment and decree of the court shall be final, subject to review as in equity cases.

An applicant for review of a final decision of the Board concerning a claim for benefits shall not be liable for costs, including costs of service, or costs of printing records, except that costs may be assessed by the court against such applicant if the court determines that the proceedings for such review have been instituted or continued without reasonable ground.

(g) Finality of Board decisions

Findings of fact and conclusions of law of the Board in the determination of any claim for benefits or refund, the determination of any other matter pursuant to subsection (c) of this section, and the determination of the Board that the unexpended funds in the account are available for the payment of any claim for benefits or refund under this chapter, shall be, except as provided in subsection (f) of this section, binding and conclusive for all purposes and upon all persons, including the Comptroller General and any other administrative or accounting officer, employee, or agent of the United States, and shall not be subject to review in any manner other than that set forth in subsection (f) of this section.

(h) Benefits payable prior to final decision of Board

Except as may be otherwise prescribed by regulations of the Board, benefits payable with respect to any period prior to the date of a final decision of the Board with respect to a claim therefor, shall be paid only after such final decision.

(i) Fees for presenting claims; penalties

No claimant or other properly interested person claiming benefits shall be charged fees of any kind by the Board, its employees or representatives, with respect to such claim. Any such claimant or other properly interested person may be represented by counsel or other duly authorized agent, in any proceeding before the Board or its representatives or a court, but no such counsel or agent for a claimant shall either charge or receive for such services more than an amount approved by the Board or by the court before whom the proceedings of the Board are reviewed. Any person who violates any provision of this subsection shall be punished by a fine of not more than $10,000 or by imprisonment not exceeding one year.

(June 25, 1938, ch. 680, §5, 52 Stat. 1099; Oct. 10, 1940, ch. 842, §§19, 20, 54 Stat. 1098; July 31, 1946, ch. 709, §§311–316, 60 Stat. 738; June 25, 1948, ch. 646, §§1, 32(a), 62 Stat. 870, 991; May 24, 1949, ch. 139, §127, 63 Stat. 107; Pub. L. 85–791, §23, Aug. 28, 1958, 72 Stat. 948; Pub. L. 97–35, title XI, §1128(a), Aug. 13, 1981, 95 Stat. 641; Pub. L. 98–620, title IV, §402(47), Nov. 8, 1984, 98 Stat. 3360; Pub. L. 100–647, title VII, §7104(a)–(c), Nov. 10, 1988, 102 Stat. 3771.)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This chapter, referred to in subsecs. (b), (c)(4), (5), and (g), was in the original "this Act", meaning act June 25, 1938, ch. 680, 52 Stat. 1094, which enacted this chapter and amended sections 503 and 1104 and former section 1107 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 367 of this title and Tables.

The Railway Labor Act, referred to in subsec. (f), is act May 20, 1926, ch. 347, 44 Stat. 577, which is classified principally to chapter 8 (§151 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 151 of this title and Tables.

Codification

In subsec. (f), "Courts of Appeals", "United States court of appeals for the circuit", "United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit" substituted for "Circuit Courts of Appeals", "United States circuit court of appeals for the circuit", and "United States Circuit Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit", respectively, on authority of act June 25, 1948, §32(a), as amended by act May 24, 1949, §127. "United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia" substituted for "Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia" pursuant to act June 7, 1934, ch. 426, 48 Stat. 926.

Amendments

1988—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 100–647, §7104(a), inserted at end "When a claim for benefits is filed with the Board, the Board shall provide notice of such claim to the claimant's base-year employer or employers and afford such employer or employers an opportunity to submit information relevant to the claim before making an initial determination on the claim. When the Board initially determines to pay benefits to a claimant under this chapter, the Board shall provide notice of such determination to the claimant's base-year employer or employers."

Subsec. (c)(1). Pub. L. 100–647, §7401(b)(1), (2), inserted "(1)" after "(c)" and inserted at end "In any such case the Board or the person or reviewing body so established or assigned shall, by publication or otherwise, notify all parties properly interested of their right to participate in the hearing and of the time and place of the hearing."

Subsec. (c)(2). Pub. L. 100–647, §7104(b)(3), inserted "(2)" before "Any claimant whose claim".

Subsec. (c)(3). Pub. L. 100–647, §7104(b)(4), added par. (3).

Subsec. (c)(4). Pub. L. 100–647, §7104(b)(5), inserted "(4)" before "In any case in which".

Subsec. (c)(5). Pub. L. 100–647, §7104(b)(6), (7), inserted "(5)" before "Final decision of the Board" and substituted "preceding three paragraphs" for "preceding two paragraphs".

Subsec. (c)(6). Pub. L. 100–647, §7104(b)(8), added par. (6).

Subsec. (c)(7). Pub. L. 100–647, §7104(b)(9), inserted "(7)" before "Any issue determinable".

Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 100–647, §7104(c), inserted "or any base-year employer of the claimant," after "member," and inserted after second sentence "A copy of such petition also shall forthwith be served upon any other properly interested party, and such party shall be a party to the review proceeding."

1984—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 98–620 struck out provision requiring court to give precedence in adjudication of petition over all other civil cases not otherwise entitled by law to precedence.

1981—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 97–35 substituted "Within thirty days" for "Within fifteen days".

1958—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 85–791, in fourth sentence, struck out "certify and" after "shall" and "a transcript of" after "filed", and inserted "as provided in section 2112 of title 28"; in fifth sentence, substituted "the filing of such petition" for "such filing"; in sixth sentence, struck out "upon the pleadings and transcript of the record," after "enter"; and in eighth sentence struck out "a transcript of" before "the additional record".

1946—Subsec. (c). Act July 31, 1946, §311, struck out provisions for district boards, placing their functions in referees or such other reviewing bodies as Board may establish; changed third par. to allow Board to determine if a person or company is covered by this chapter regardless of whether or not benefit claims are pending; and added last par.

Subsec. (d). Act July 31, 1946, §312, changed references to district boards to refer to reviewing bodies.

Subsec. (e). Act July 31, 1946, §313, struck out provisions restricting subsection to proceedings on a claim for benefits.

Subsec. (f). Act July 31, 1946, §314, changed first sentence to provide for review by circuit courts of appeals instead of district courts.

Subsec. (g). Act July 31, 1946, §315, inserted reference to determination of any other matter pursuant to subsec. (c) of this section.

Subsec. (i). Act July 31, 1946, §316, extended provisions to other properly interested persons besides a claimant.

1940—Subsec. (c). Act Oct. 10, 1940, substituted provisions relating to a fair hearing for each qualified employee for provisions relating to a fair hearing for each claimant, and added paragraphs relating to review for claimants denied benefits on basis of not being a qualified employee or awarded benefits at an improper rate, payment of benefits to employees of noncomplying employers, and final decisions of Board.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1988 Amendment

Pub. L. 100–647, title VII, §7104(f), Nov. 10, 1988, 102 Stat. 3772, provided that: "The amendments made by this section [amending this section and section 362 of this title] shall take effect on January 1, 1990."

Effective Date of 1984 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 98–620 not applicable to cases pending on Nov. 8, 1984, see section 403 of Pub. L. 98–620, set out as a note under section 1657 of Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure.

Effective Date of 1981 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 97–35 effective Oct. 1, 1981, and applicable only with respect to annuities awarded on or after that date, see section 1129 of Pub. L. 97–35, set out as a note under section 231 of this title.

Effective Date of 1946 Amendment

Amendment by act July 31, 1946, effective July 31, 1946, see section 401 of act July 31, 1946.

Effective Date of 1940 Amendment

For effective date of amendment by act Oct. 10, 1940, see section 1 of act Oct. 10, 1940, set out as a note under section 351 of this title.
45 U.S.C. § 231 (2024) — Title 45: RAILROADS / Chapter 9: RETIREMENT OF RAILROAD EMPLOYEES / Subchapter IV: RAILROAD RETIREMENT ACT OF 1974 / Section 231: Definitions
Definitions
Status: in_force

For the purposes of this subchapter—

(a)(1) The term "employer" shall include—

(i) any carrier by railroad subject to the jurisdiction of the Surface Transportation Board under part A of subtitle IV of title 49;

(ii) any company which is directly or indirectly owned or controlled by, or under common control with, one or more employers as defined in paragraph (i) of this subdivision, and which operates any equipment or facility or performs any service (except trucking service, casual service, and the casual operation of equipment or facilities) in connection with the transportation of passengers or property by railroad, or the receipt, delivery, elevation, transfer in transit, refrigeration or icing, storage, or handling of property transported by railroad;

(iii) any receiver, trustee, or other individual or body, judicial or otherwise, when in the possession of the property or operating all or any part of the business of any employer as defined in paragraph (i) or (ii) of this subdivision;

(iv) any railroad association, traffic association, tariff bureau, demurrage bureau, weighing and inspection bureau, collection agency and any other association, bureau, agency, or organization which is controlled and maintained wholly or principally by two or more employers as defined in paragraph (i), (ii), or (iii) of this subdivision and which is engaged in the performance of services in connection with or incidental to railroad transportation; and

(v) any railway labor organization, national in scope, which has been or may be organized in accordance with the provisions of the Railway Labor Act, as amended [45 U.S.C. 151 et seq.], and its State and National legislative committees, general committees, insurance departments, and local lodges and divisions, established pursuant to the constitution or bylaws of such organization.

(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision (1) of this subsection, the term "employer" shall not include—

(i) any company by reason of its being engaged in the mining of coal, the supplying of coal to an employer where delivery is not beyond the mine tipple, and the operation of equipment or facilities therefor, or in any of such activities, and

(ii) any street, interurban, or suburban electric railway, unless such railway is operating as a part of a general diesel-railroad system of transportation, but shall not exclude any part of the general diesel-railroad system of transportation now or hereafter operated by any other motive power. The Surface Transportation Board is hereby authorized and directed upon request of the Railroad Retirement Board, or upon complaint of any party interested, to determine after hearing whether any line operated by electric power falls within the terms of this paragraph.

(b)(1) The term "employee" means (i) any individual in the service of one or more employers for compensation, (ii) any individual who is in the employment relation to one or more employers, and (iii) an employee representative: Provided, however, That the term "employee" shall include an employee of a local lodge or division defined as an employer in subsection (a) only if he was in the service of or in the employment relation to an employer as defined in paragraph (i) of subsection (a)(1) on or after August 29, 1935.

(2) The term "employee" shall not include any individual while such individual is engaged in the physical operations consisting of the mining of coal, the preparation of coal, the handling (other than movement by rail with standard railroad locomotives) of coal not beyond the mine tipple, or the loading of coal at the tipple.

(c) The term "employee representative" means any officer or official representative of a railway labor organization other than a labor organization included in the term "employer" as defined in subsection (a) who before or after August 29, 1935, was in the service of an employer as defined in subsection (a) and who is duly authorized and designated to represent employees in accordance with the Railway Labor Act, as amended [45 U.S.C. 151 et seq.], and any individual who is regularly assigned to or regularly employed by such officer or official representative in connection with the duties of his office.

(d)(1) An individual is in the service of an employer whether his service is rendered within or without the United States if—

(i)(A) he is subject to the continuing authority of the employer to supervise and direct the manner of rendition of his service, or (B) he is rendering professional or technical services and is integrated into the staff of the employer, or (C) he is rendering, on the property used in the employer's operations, personal services the rendition of which is integrated into the employer's operations; and

(ii) he renders such service for compensation, or a method of computing the monthly compensation for such service is provided in section 231b(j) of this title.

(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision (1) of this subsection—

(i) an individual shall be deemed to be in the service of an employer, other than a local lodge or division or a general committee of a railway-labor-organization employer, not conducting the principal part of its business in the United States only when he is rendering service to it in the United States;

(ii) an individual shall be deemed to be in the service of a local lodge or division of a railway-labor-organization employer not conducting the principal part of its business in the United States only if (A) all, or substantially all, the individuals constituting the membership of such local lodge or division are employees of an employer conducting the principal part of its business in the United States; or (B) the headquarters of such local lodge or division is located in the United States; and

(iii) an individual shall be deemed to be in the service of a general committee of a railway-labor-organization employer not conducting the principal part of its business in the United States only if (A) he is representing a local lodge or division described in clause (A) or (B) of paragraph (ii); or (B) all, or substantially all, the individuals represented by such general committee are employees of an employer conducting the principal part of its business in the United States; or (C) he acts in the capacity of a general chairman or an assistant general chairman of a general committee which represents individuals rendering service in the United States to an employer, but in such case if his office or headquarters is not located in the United States and the individuals represented by such general committee are employees of an employer not conducting the principal part of its business in the United States only such proportion of the remuneration for such service shall be regarded as compensation as the proportion which the mileage in the United States under the jurisdiction of such general committee bears to the total mileage under its jurisdiction, unless such mileage formula is inapplicable, in which case the Board may prescribe such other formula as it finds to be equitable, and if the application of such mileage formula, or such other formula as the Board may prescribe, would result in the compensation of the individual being less than 10 per centum of his remuneration for such service no part of such remuneration shall be regarded as compensation.

(3) Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivisions (1) and (2) of this subsection, an individual not a citizen or resident of the United States shall not be deemed to be in the service of an employer when rendering service outside the United States to an employer who is required under the laws applicable in the place where the service is rendered to employ therein, in whole or in part, citizens or residents thereof. For purposes of this subdivision, the laws applicable on August 29, 1935, in the place where the service is rendered shall be deemed to have been applicable there at all times prior to that date.

(e)(1) An individual shall be deemed to have been in the employment relation to an employer on August 29, 1935, if—

(i) he was on that date on leave of absence from his employment, expressly granted to him by the employer by whom he was employed, or by a duly authorized representative of such employer, and the grant of such leave of absence will have been established to the satisfaction of the Board before July 1947;

(ii) he was in the service of an employer after August 29, 1935, and before January 1946 in each of six calendar months, whether or not consecutive;

(iii) before August 29, 1935, he did not retire and was not retired or discharged from the service of the last employer by whom he was employed or its corporate or operating successor, but (A) solely by reason of his physical or mental disability he ceased before August 29, 1935, to be in the service of such employer and thereafter remained continuously disabled until he attained age sixty-five or until August 1945, or (B) solely for such last stated reason an employer by whom he was employed before August 29, 1935, or an employer who is its successor did not on or after August 29, 1935, and before August 1945 call him to return to service, or (C) if he was so called he was solely for such reason unable to render service in six calendar months as provided in paragraph (ii); or

(iv) he was on August 29, 1935, absent from the service of an employer by reason of a discharge which, within one year after the effective date thereof, was protested, to an appropriate labor representative or to the employer, as wrongful, and which was followed within ten years of the effective date thereof by his reinstatement in good faith to his former service with all his senority 1 rights.

(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision (1) of this subsection, an individual shall not be deemed to have been in the employment relation to an employer on August 29, 1935, if before that date he was granted a pension or gratuity on the basis of which a pension was awarded to him pursuant to section 6 of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 [45 U.S.C. 228f], or if during the last payroll period before August 29, 1935, in which he rendered service to an employer he was not in the service of an employer, in accordance with subsection (d), with respect to any service in such payroll period, or if he could have been in the employment relation to an employer only by reason of his having been, either before or after August 29, 1935, in the service of a local lodge or division defined as an employer in subsection (a).

(f)(1) The term "years of service" shall mean the number of years an individual as an employee shall have rendered service to one or more employers for compensation or received remuneration for time lost, and shall be computed in accordance with the provisions of section 231b(i) of this title. Twelve calendar months, consecutive or otherwise, in each of which an employee has rendered such service or received such wages for time lost, shall constitute a year of service. Ultimate fractions shall be taken at their actual value.

(2) Where service prior to August 29, 1935, may be included in the computation of years of service as provided in subdivision (3) of section 231b(i) of this title, it may be included as to—

(i) service rendered to a person which was an employer on August 29, 1935, irrespective of whether such person was an employer at the time such service was rendered;

(ii) service rendered to any express company, sleeping-car company, or carrier by railroad which was a predecessor of a company which, on August 29, 1935, was an employer as defined in paragraph (i) of subsection (a)(1), irrespective of whether such predecessor was an employer at the time such service was rendered; and

(iii) service rendered to a person not an employer in the performance of operations involving the use of standard railroad equipment if such operations were performed by an employer on August 29, 1935.

(g)(1) For purposes of section 231b(i)(2) of this title, an individual shall be deemed to have been in "military service" when commissioned or enrolled in the active service of the land or naval forces of the United States and until resignation or discharge therefrom; and the service of any individual in any reserve component of the land or naval forces of the United States, while serving in the land or naval forces of the United States for any period, even though less than thirty days, shall be deemed to have been active service in such force during such period.

(2) For purposes of section 231b(i)(2) of this title, a "war service period" shall mean (A) any war period, or (B) with respect to any particular individual, any period during which such individual (i) having been in military service at the end of a war period, was required to continue in military service, or (ii) was required by call of the President, or by any Act of Congress or regulation, order, or proclamation pursuant thereto, to enter and continue in military service, or (C) any period after September 7, 1939, with respect to which a state of national emergency was duly declared to exist which requires a strengthening of the national defense. For purposes of section 231b(i)(2) of this title, the period beginning on June 15, 1948, and ending on December 15, 1950, shall be deemed to be a war service period with respect to any individual who without intervening employment not covered by this subchapter rendered service as an employee to an employer under this subchapter in the year such individual was released from active military service or in the year immediately following such year.

(3) For purposes of section 231b(i)(2) of this title, a "war period" shall be deemed to have begun on whichever of the following dates is the earliest: (A) the date on which the Congress of the United States declared war; or (B) the date as of which the Congress of the United States declared that a state of war has existed; or (C) the date on which war was declared by one or more foreign states against the United States; or (D) the date on which any part of the United States or any territory under its jurisdiction was invaded or attacked by any armed force of one or more foreign states; or (E) the date on which the United States engaged in armed hostilities for the purpose of preserving the Union or of maintaining in any State of the Union a republican form of government.

(4) For purposes of section 231b(i)(2) of this title, a "war period" shall be deemed to have ended on the date on which hostilities ceased.

(h)(1) The term "compensation" means any form of money remuneration paid to an individual for services rendered as an employee to one or more employers or as an employee representative, including remuneration paid for time lost as an employee, but remuneration paid for time lost shall be deemed earned in the month in which such time is lost. A payment made by an employer to an individual through the employer's payroll shall be presumed, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, to be compensation for service rendered by such individual as an employee of the employer in the period with respect to which the payment is made. Compensation earned in any calendar month before 1947 shall be deemed paid in such month regardless of whether or when payment will have been in fact made, and compensation earned in any calendar year after 1946 but paid after the end of such calendar year shall be deemed to be compensation paid in the calendar year in which it will have been earned if it is so reported by the employer before February 1 of the next succeeding calendar year or if the employee establishes, subject to the provisions of section 231h of this title, the period during which such compensation will have been earned.

(2) An employee shall be deemed to be paid "for time lost" the amount he is paid by an employer with respect to an identifiable period of absence from the active service of the employer, including absence on account of personal injury, and the amount he is paid by the employer for loss of earnings resulting from his displacement to a less remunerative position or occupation. If a payment is made by an employer with respect to a personal injury and includes pay for time lost, the total payment shall be deemed to be paid for time lost unless, at the time of payment, a part of such payment is specifically apportioned to factors other than time lost, in which event only such part of the payment as is not so apportioned shall be deemed to be paid for time lost.

(3) Solely for purposes of determining amounts to be included in the compensation of an employee, the term "compensation" shall also include cash tips received by an employee in any calendar month in the course of his employment by an employer unless the amount of such cash tips is less than $20.

(4) Tips included as compensation by reason of the provisions of subdivision (3) shall be deemed to be paid at the time a written statement including such tips is furnished to the employer pursuant to section 6053(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 [26 U.S.C. 6053(a)] or, if no statement including such tips is so furnished, at the time received. Tips so deemed to be paid in any month shall be deemed paid for services rendered in such month.

(5) In determining compensation, there shall be attributable as compensation paid to an employee in calendar months in which he is in military service creditable under section 231b(i)(2) of this title, in addition to any other compensation paid to him with respect to such months—

(i) for each such calendar month prior to 1968, $160;

(ii) for each such calendar month after 1967 and prior to 1975, $260; and

(iii) for each such calendar month after 1974, the amount which is creditable as such individual's "wages" under section 209(d) of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 409(d)].

(6) Notwithstanding the provisions of the preceding subdivisions of this subsection, the term "compensation" shall not include—

(i) tips, except as is provided under subdivision (3) of this subsection;

(ii) remuneration for service which is performed by a non-resident alien individual for the period he is temporarily present in the United States as a nonimmigrant under subparagraph (F) or (J) of section 1101(a)(15) of title 8, as amended, and which is performed to carry out the purpose specified in subparagraph (F) or (J), as the case may be;

(iii) remuneration earned in the service of a local lodge or division of a railway-labor-organization employer with respect to any calendar month in which the amount of such remuneration is less than $25;

(iv) remuneration for service as a delegate to a national or international convention of a railway-labor-organization employer if the individual rendering such service has not previously rendered service, other than as such a delegate, which may be included in his "years of service;"

(v) the amount of any payment (including any amount paid by an employer for insurance or annuities, or into a fund, to provide for any such payment) made to, or on behalf of, an employee or any of his dependents under a plan or system established by an employer which makes provision for his employees generally (or for his employees generally and their dependents) or for a class or classes of his employees (or for a class or classes of his employees and their dependents), on account of sickness or accident disability or medical or hospitalization expenses in connection with sickness or accident disability; and

(vi) an amount paid specifically—either as an advance, as reimbursement or allowance—for traveling or other bona fide and necessary expenses incurred or reasonably expected to be incurred in the business of the employer provided any such payment is identified by the employer either by a separate payment or by specifically indicating the separate amounts where both wages and expense reimbursement or allowance are combined in a single payment.

(7) The term "compensation" includes any separation allowance or subsistence allowance paid under any benefit schedule provided under section 701 of title VII of the Regional Rail Reorganization Act of 1973 [45 U.S.C. 797] 2 and any termination allowance paid under section 702 of that Act [45 U.S.C. 797a], but does not include any other benefits payable under that title [45 U.S.C. 797 et seq.]. The total amount of any subsistence allowance paid under a benefit schedule provided pursuant to section 701 of the Regional Rail Reorganization Act of 1973 shall be considered as having been earned in the month in which the employee first timely filed a claim for such an allowance.

(8) Notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter, for the purposes of sections 231b(a)(1), 231c(a)(1), and 231c(f)(1) of this title, the term "compensation" includes any payment from any source to an employee or employee representative if such payment is subject to tax under section 3201 or 3211 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 [26 U.S.C. 3201, 3211].

(i) The term "Board" means the Railroad Retirement Board.

(j) The term "company" includes corporations, associations, and joint-stock companies.

(k) The term "employee" includes an officer of an employer.

(l) The term "person" means an individual, a partnership, an association, a joint-stock company, a corporation, or the United States or any other governmental body.

(m) The term "United States," when used in a geographical sense, means the States and the District of Columbia.

(n) The term "Social Security Act" means the Social Security Act as amended [42 U.S.C. 301 et seq.] from time to time.

(o) An individual shall be deemed to have "a current connection with the railroad industry" at the time an annuity begins to accrue to him and at death if, in any thirty consecutive calendar months before the month in which an annuity under this subchapter begins to accrue to him, or the month in which he dies if that first occurs, he will have been in service as an employee in not less than twelve calendar months and, if such thirty calendar months do not immediately precede such month, he will not have been engaged in any regular employment other than employment for an employer or employment with the Department of Transportation, the Interstate Commerce Commission, the Surface Transportation Board, the National Mediation Board, the National Transportation Safety Board, the State-owned railroad (as defined in the Alaska Railroad Transfer Act of 1982 [45 U.S.C. 1201 et seq.]), so long as it is an instrumentality of the State of Alaska, or the Railroad Retirement Board in the period before such month and after the end of such thirty months. For purposes of section 231a(b) of this title and section 231a(d) of this title only, an individual shall be deemed also to have "a current connection with the railroad industry" if, after having completed twenty-five years of service, such individual involuntarily and without fault ceased rendering service as an employee under this subchapter and did not thereafter decline an offer of employment in the same class or craft as the individual's most recent employee service. For purposes of section 231a(d) of this title only, an individual shall be deemed to have a "current connection with the railroad industry" if a pension will have been payable to that individual under the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 [45 U.S.C. 228a et seq.] or a retirement annuity based on service of not less than 10 years (as computed in awarding the annuity) will have begun to accrue to that individual prior to 1948 under the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937. For the purposes of section 231a(d) of this title only, an individual shall be deemed also to have a "current connection with the railroad industry" if he will have completed ten years of service and (A) he would be neither fully nor currently insured under the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 301 et seq.] if his service as an employee after December 31, 1936, were included in the term "employment" as defined in that Act, or (B) he has no quarters of coverage under the Social Security Act.

(p) The term "annuity" means a monthly sum which is payable on the first day of each calendar month for the accrual during the preceding calendar month.

(q) The terms "quarter" and "calendar quarter" shall mean a period of three calendar months ending on March 31, June 30, September 30, or December 31.

(r) For purposes of this subchapter, a person shall be considered to be permanently insured under the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 301 et seq.] on December 31, 1974, if he or she would be fully insured within the meaning of section 214(a) of that Act [42 U.S.C. 414(a)] when he or she attains age 62 solely on the basis of his or her quarters of coverage under that Act acquired prior to January 1, 1975.

(Aug. 29, 1935, ch. 812, §1, as restated June 24, 1937, ch. 382, pt. I, 50 Stat. 307, as restated Pub. L. 93–445, title I, §101, Oct. 16, 1974, 88 Stat. 1305; amended Pub. L. 94–547, §4(a), Oct. 18, 1976, 90 Stat. 2526; Pub. L. 97–35, title XI, §1116, Aug. 13, 1981, 95 Stat. 628; Pub. L. 97–468, title VI, §615(b)(6), Jan. 14, 1983, 96 Stat. 2578; Pub. L. 98–76, title IV, §§402(a), 403(a), 410(a), Aug. 12, 1983, 97 Stat. 434, 435; Pub. L. 99–514, §2, Oct. 22, 1986, 100 Stat. 2095; Pub. L. 100–647, title VII, §7304(a), Nov. 10, 1988, 102 Stat. 3778; Pub. L. 101–239, title X, §10208(d)(2)(B)(ii), Dec. 19, 1989, 103 Stat. 2481; Pub. L. 104–88, title III, §323, Dec. 29, 1995, 109 Stat. 950.)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Railway Labor Act, referred to in subsecs. (a)(1)(v) and (c), is act May 20, 1926, ch. 347, 44 Stat. 577, which is classified principally to chapter 8 (§151 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 151 of this title and Tables.

Section 6 of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937, referred to in subsec. (e)(2), which was classified to section 228f of this title, has been omitted from the Code.

The Regional Rail Reorganization Act of 1973, referred to in subsec. (h)(7), is Pub. L. 93–236, Jan. 2, 1974, 87 Stat. 985. Section 701 of title VII of the Regional Rail Reorganization Act of 1973 [45 U.S.C. 797] was repealed by Pub. L. 99–509, title IV, §4024(c), Oct. 21, 1986, 100 Stat. 1904, effective on the sale date (Apr. 2, 1987). Title VII of the Regional Rail Reorganization Act of 1973 is classified generally to subchapter VII (§797 et seq.) of chapter 16 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 701 of this title and Tables.

The Social Security Act, referred to in subsecs. (n), (o), and (r), is act Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, 49 Stat. 620, which is classified generally to chapter 7 (§301 et seq.) of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 1305 of Title 42 and Tables.

The Alaska Railroad Transfer Act of 1982, referred to in subsec. (o), is Pub. L. 97–468, title VI, §601 et seq., Jan 14, 1983, 96 Stat. 2556, which is classified principally to chapter 21 (§1201 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 1201 of this title and Tables.

The Railroad Retirement Act of 1937, referred to in subsec. (o), is act Aug. 29, 1935, ch. 812, 49 Stat. 867, as amended generally by act June 24, 1937, ch. 382, part I, 50 Stat. 307, which is classified principally to subchapter III (§228a et seq.) of this chapter. The Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 was amended generally and redesignated the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 by Pub. L. 93–445, title I, Oct. 16, 1974, 88 Stat. 1305. The Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 is classified generally to this subchapter. For complete classification of these Acts to the Code, see Tables.

Amendments

1995—Subsec. (a)(1)(i). Pub. L. 104–88, §323(1), added cl. (i) and struck out former cl. (i) which read as follows: "any express company, sleeping car company, and carrier by railroad, subject to part I of the Interstate Commerce Act;".

Subsec. (a)(2)(ii). Pub. L. 104–88, §323(2), substituted "Surface Transportation Board is hereby authorized and directed upon request of the Railroad Retirement Board" for "Interstate Commerce Commission is hereby authorized and directed upon request of the Board".

Subsec. (o). Pub. L. 104–88, §323(3), inserted "the Surface Transportation Board," after "the Interstate Commerce Commission,".

1989—Subsec. (h)(5)(iii). Pub. L. 101–239 substituted "section 209(d)" for "the third paragraph of section 209".

1988—Subsec. (g)(2). Pub. L. 100–647 inserted provision designating the period beginning on June 15, 1948, and ending on Dec. 15, 1950, as a war service period with respect to certain individuals.

1986—Subsec. (h)(4), (8). Pub. L. 99–514 substituted "Internal Revenue Code of 1986" for "Internal Revenue Code of 1954".

1983—Subsec. (h)(6). Pub. L. 98–76, §402(a), struck out cl. (ii) which provided that term "compensation" would not include the voluntary payment by an employee, without deduction from the remuneration of the employee, of any tax not now or thereafter imposed with respect to the compensation of such employee, and redesignated cls. (iii) to (vii) as (ii) to (vi), respectively.

Subsec. (h)(7). Pub. L. 98–76, §403(a), added par. (7).

Subsec. (h)(8). Pub. L. 98–76, §410(a), added par. (8).

Subsec. (o). Pub. L. 97–468 inserted "the State-owned railroad (as defined in the Alaska Railroad Transfer Act of 1982 [45 U.S.C. 1201 et seq.]), so long as it is an instrumentality of the State of Alaska," after "National Transportation Safety Board,".

1981—Subsec. (f)(1). Pub. L. 97–35, §1116(a), substituted "Ultimate fractions shall be taken at their actual value" for "Ultimate fractions shall be taken at their actual value, except that if the individual will have had not less than one hundred twenty-six months of service, an ultimate fraction of six months or more shall be taken as one year".

Subsec. (o). Pub. L. 97–35, §1116(b)(2), inserted after first sentence "For purposes of section 231a(b) of this title and section 231a(d) of this title only, an individual shall be deemed also to have 'a current connection with the railroad industry' if, after having completed twenty-five years of service, such individual involuntarily and without fault ceased rendering service as an employee under this subchapter and did not thereafter decline an offer of employment in the same class or craft as the individual's most recent employee service. For purposes of section 231a(d) of this title only, an individual shall be deemed to have a 'current connection with the railroad industry' if a pension will have been payable to that individual under the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 or a retirement annuity based on service of not less than 10 years (as computed in awarding the annuity) will have begun to accrue to that individual prior to 1948 under the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937."

Pub. L. 97–35, §1116(b)(1), inserted reference to National Transportation Safety Board.

1976—Subsec. (h)(6)(vi), (vii). Pub. L. 94–547 added pars. (vi) and (vii).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1995 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 104–88 effective Jan. 1, 1996, see section 2 of Pub. L. 104–88, set out as an Effective Date note under section 1301 of Title 49, Transportation.

Effective Date of 1988 Amendment

Pub. L. 100–647, title VII, §7304(b), Nov. 10, 1988, 102 Stat. 3778, provided that: "The amendment made by this section [amending this section] shall apply with respect to annuities accruing in months after the date of enactment of this Act [Nov. 10, 1988]."

Effective Date of 1983 Amendment

Pub. L. 98–76, title IV, §402(c), Aug. 12, 1983, 97 Stat. 434, provided that: "The amendments made by this section [amending this section and section 351 of this title] shall apply to compensation paid for services rendered after June 30, 1983."

Pub. L. 98–76, title IV, §403(c), Aug. 12, 1983, 97 Stat. 434, provided that: "The amendments made by this section [amending this section and section 351 of this title] shall be effective August 13, 1981."

Pub. L. 98–76, title IV, §410(b), Aug. 12, 1983, 97 Stat. 436, provided that: "The amendment made by this section [amending this section] shall apply with respect to payments made on or after January 1, 1982."

Amendment by Pub. L. 97–468 effective on date of transfer of Alaska Railroad to the State [Jan. 5, 1985], pursuant to section 1203 of this title, see section 615(b) of Pub. L. 97–468.

Effective Date of 1981 Amendment

Pub. L. 97–35, title XI, §1129, Aug. 13, 1981, 95 Stat. 641, as amended by Pub. L. 99–514, §2, Oct. 22, 1986, 100 Stat. 2095, provided that:

"(a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the amendments made by this subtitle [subtitle D (§§1116–1129 of title XI of Pub. L. 97–35, enacting section 231u of this title, amending this section and sections 231a to 231f, 231i, 231n, 231q, 355, and 358 of this title, and enacting provisions set out as a note under section 231n of this title] shall take effect October 1, 1981, and shall apply only with respect to annuities awarded on or after that date.

"(b)(1) The amendment made by section 1116(a) of this Act [amending this section] shall take effect October 1, 1981, except that the years of service of an individual shall not be considered less after enactment of this Act [Aug. 13, 1981] for any individual who files an application before April 1, 1982 than such individual had during the month of September 1981.

"(2) The amendments made by sections 1116(b)(1), 1118(c)(2), 1119(b)(5), 1119(c), 1119(h)(3), 1119(i)(3), 1120(a), 1120(d), 1121(c)(1), 1121(c)(2), 1123, and 1125 of this Act [amending this section and sections 231b, 231c, 231d, 231e, 231i, and 231q of this title] shall take effect January 1, 1975.

"(3) The first sentence added to section 1(o) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 [subsec. (o) of this section] by section 1116(b)(2) shall take effect October 1, 1981, and shall apply only with respect to individuals who did not die before that date and who ceased rendering service as an employee under the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 [this subchapter] on or after October 1, 1975 or were on leave of absence or furlough on October 1, 1975. The second sentence added to section 1(o) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 by section 1116(b)(2) shall take effect October 1, 1981.

"(c) The amendment made by section 1117(a) of this Act [amending section 231a of this title] shall take effect October 1, 1981, and shall apply only with respect to individuals whose supplemental annuity closing date under section 2(b) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 [section 231a(b) of this title] before the effective date of the amendment to such section by this Act did not occur before October 1, 1981.

"(d) The amendments made by section 1119(b)(1) [amending section 231c of this title] shall not apply with respect to annuities awarded on the basis of employee annuities awarded before October 1, 1981.

"(e)(1) The amendments made by sections 1118(e)(3), 1119(d)(2), 1119(h)(1), and 1119(h)(4) of this Act [amending sections 231b and 231c of this title] shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act [Aug. 13, 1981].

"(2) The amendment made by section 1118(d) of this Act [amending section 231b of this title] shall apply with respect to annuity increases which become effective on or after the date described in the next sentence. The date referred to in the last preceding sentence is the later of October 1, 1981 and the date (after July 1, 1981) on which there is an increase in the rate of any tax imposed under chapter 22 (relating to railroad retirement tax) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 [formerly I.R.C. 1954] [chapter 22 of Title 26, Internal Revenue Code]. For the purposes of the amendment made by section 1118(d), with respect to annuities awarded before October 1, 1981, the annuity portions computed under subsections (b) and (d) of section 3 of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 [section 231b(b) and (d) of this title] as in effect before October 1, 1981, shall be treated as a portion of an annuity computed under section 3(b) of such Act as amended by this Act.

"(3) The amendment made by section 1118(a) of this Act [amending section 231b of this title] shall take effect on the later of October 1, 1981, and the date (after July 1, 1981) on which there is an increase in the rate of any tax imposed under chapter 22 (relating to railroad retirement tax) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 [chapter 22 of Title 26], and shall apply only with respect to annuities awarded on or after the date of that taking effect.

"(f) Section 4(g) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 as amended by this Act [section 231c(g) of this title] (except subdivisions (5) and (6) of such section 4(g)) shall take effect October 1, 1981, with respect to awards made on or after that date in cases in which the employee did not begin receiving an annuity under section 2(a)(1) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 [section 231a(a)(1) of this title] before October 1, 1981, and did not die before that date, and to all awards made on or after October 1, 1986. In all other awards made on or after October 1, 1981, and before October 1, 1986, for purposes of determining the initial annuity amounts only, the provisions of section 4(g) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974, as in effect before amendment by this Act shall be applicable. Initial annuity amounts determined under the preceding sentence shall be increased only by the same percentage, or percentages, as an employee's annuity amount determined under section 3(b) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 [section 231b(b) of this title] is increased under section 3(g) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 [section 231b(g) of this title] on or after the date on which such initial annuity amount began to accrue. Annuity amounts determined under section 4(g) of the Railway Retirement Act of 1974 before amendment by this Act or under section 207(2) of Public Law 93–445 [set out as a note below] shall be increased only by the same percentage, or percentages, as an employee's annuity amount determined under section 3(b) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 is increased under section 3(g) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 on or after October 1, 1981. Section 4(g)(5) and 4(g)(6) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974, as amended by this Act, shall take effect on October 1, 1981.

"(g) The amendments made by sections 1118(b), 1118(g), 1120(b), 1122(a)(2), 1122(b)(1), 1122(c), 1124, 1126, and 1127 of this Act [enacting section 231u of this title, amending sections 231b, 231d, 231f, and 231n of this title, and enacting provisions set out as a note under section 231n of this title] shall take effect October 1, 1981.

"(h) The amendments made by sections 1117(e)(2), 1117(f), 1118(h)(2), and 1119(i)(4) [amending sections 231a, 231b, and 231c of this title] shall take effect January 1, 1982."

Effective Date of 1976 Amendment

Pub. L. 94–547, §4(c)(1), Oct. 18, 1976, 90 Stat. 2527, provided that: "The amendments made by subsection (a) of this section [amending this section] shall be effective January 1, 1975."

Effective Date

Pub. L. 93–445, title VI, §602(a)–(d), Oct. 16, 1974, 88 Stat. 1360, 1361, provided that:

"(a) The provisions of title I of this Act [enacting this subchapter] shall become effective on January 1, 1975, except as otherwise provided herein: Provided, however, That annuities awarded under section 2 of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 [section 231a of this title] on the basis of an application therefor filed with the Board on or after such date may, subject to the limitations prescribed in section 5(a) of such Act [section 231d(a) of this title], begin prior to such date, except that no annuity under paragraph (ii) of section 2(a)(1) of such Act [subsec. (a)(1) of section 231a of this title] shall begin to accrue to a man prior to July 1, 1974.

"(b) The provision of section 1(o) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 [section 231(o) of this title] which provides that a 'current connection with the railroad industry' will not be broken by 'employment with the Department of Transportation, the Interstate Commerce Commission, the National Mediation Board, or the Railroad Retirement Board' shall not be applicable (A) for purposes of paragraph (iv) of section 2(a)(1) of such Act [section 231a(a)(1)(iv) of this title], to an individual who became disabled, as provided for purposes of such paragraph, prior to January 1, 1975, (B) for purposes of section 2(b)(1) of such Act [section 231a(b)(1) of this title], to an individual whose annuity under section 2(a) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 [section 228b(a) of this title] or section 2(a)(1) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 [section 231a(1) of this title] first began to accrue prior to January 1, 1975, and (C) for purposes of section 2(d)(1) [section 231a(d)(1) of this title] of such Act, to a survivor of a deceased employee if such employee died prior to January 1, 1975.

"(c) The provisions of clause (i)(B) and clause (ii)(B) of section 2(c)(1) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 [subsec. (c)(1) of section 231a of this title] shall not be applicable to the spouse of an individual if (A) such individual will have completed thirty years of service and will have been awarded an annuity under section 2(a) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 [section 228b(a) of this title] or section 2(a)(1) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 [subsec. (a)(1) of section 231a of this title] which first began to accrue prior to July 1, 1974, or (B) such individual will have completed less than thirty years of service and will have been awarded an annuity under section 2(a) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 [section 228b(a) of this title] or section 2(a)(1) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 [subsec. (a)(1) section 231a of this title] which first began to accrue prior to January 1, 1975. For purposes of the entitlement of the spouse of an individual described in clause (A) or (B) of the preceding sentence to an annuity under such section 2(c)(1) [subsec. (c)(1) section 231a of this title], the provisions of clause (i)(B) of such section 2(c)(1) [subsec. (c)(1) of section 231a of this title] shall be deemed to read: '(B) has attained the age of 65'.

"(d) The provisions of section 2(b)(1) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 [subsec. (b)(1) of section 231a of this title] which permit an individual to become entitled to a supplemental annuity thereunder if he 'has attained age 60 and completed thirty years of service' shall not be applicable to an individual who was awarded an annuity under section 2(a) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 [section 228b(a) of this title] or section 2(a)(1) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 [subsec. (a)(1) of section 231a of this title] which first began to accrue prior to July 1, 1974."

Abolition of Interstate Commerce Commission and Transfer of Functions

Interstate Commerce Commission abolished and functions of Commission transferred, except as otherwise provided in Pub. L. 104–88, to Surface Transportation Board effective Jan. 1, 1996, by section 1302 of Title 49, Transportation, and section 101 of Pub. L. 104–88, set out as a note under section 1301 of Title 49. References to Interstate Commerce Commission deemed to refer to Surface Transportation Board, a member or employee of the Board, or Secretary of Transportation, as appropriate, see section 205 of Pub. L. 104–88, set out as a note under section 1301 of Title 49.

Transitional Provisions

Pub. L. 93–445, title II, Oct. 16, 1974, 88 Stat. 1351, effective Jan. 1, 1975, as amended by Pub. L. 94–92, title II, §202(a), Aug. 9, 1975, 89 Stat. 465; Pub. L. 94–547, §1, Oct. 18, 1976, 90 Stat. 2523, provided that:

"Sec. 201. The claims of individuals who, prior to the effective date of title I of this Act [see Effective Date note set out above], became eligible for annuities, supplemental annuities, or death benefits under section 2, 3(j), or 5 of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 [section 228b, 228c(j), or 228e of this title] shall be adjudicated by the Board under that Act [subchapter III of this chapter] in the same manner and with the same effect as if title I of this Act [enacting this subchapter] had not been enacted: Provided, however, That no annuity, supplemental annuity, or death benefit shall be awarded under the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 [subchapter III of this chapter] on the basis of an application therefor filed with the Board on or after the effective date of title I of this Act: Provided, further, That no annuity under the Railroad Retirement Act of 1935 [subchapter II of this chapter], no annuity or supplemental annuity under the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 [subchapter III of this chapter], and no pension under section 6 of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 [section 228f of this title] shall be payable for any month after December 31, 1974.

"Sec. 202. (a) Every individual who would have been entitled to an annuity under the Railroad Retirement Act of 1935 [subchapter II of this chapter] for the month of January 1975, if this Act [enacting this subchapter] had not been enacted, shall be entitled to an annuity under paragraph (i) of section 2(a)(1) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 [section 231a(a)(1) of this title], beginning January 1, 1975, in an amount determined under the provisions of section 3(a) of such Act [section 231b(a) of this title], which amount shall initially be equal to the amount determined under clause (i) of section 3(a)(6) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 [section 228c(a)(6) of this title] for the purpose of computing the last increase in such individual's annuity under the Railroad Retirement Act of 1935 [subchapter II of this chapter] pursuant to the provisions of section 105 of Public Law 93–69 [set out as a note under sections 228e to 228z–1 of this title], less the amount of any monthly insurance benefit to which such individual is actually entitled (before any deductions on account of work) under the Social Security Act [section 301 et seq. of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare].

"(b) The amount of the annuity of an individual under subsection (a) of this section shall be increased by an amount, if any, equal to the amount by which (i) his annuity under the Railroad Retirement Act of 1935 [subchapter II of this chapter] for the month of December 1974 exceeds (ii) his annuity under subsection (a) of this section for the month of January 1975.

"Sec. 203. (a) Every individual who would have been entitled to a pension under section 6 of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 [section 228f of this title] for the month of January 1975, if this Act [enacting this subchapter] had not been enacted, shall be entitled to an annuity under paragraph (i) of section 2(a)(1) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 [section 231a(a)(1) of this title] in an amount determined under the provisions of section 3(a) of such Act [section 231b(a) of this title], which amount shall initially be equal to the amount determined under clause (i) of section 3(a)(6) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 [section 228c(a)(6) of this title] for the purpose of computing the last increase in such individual's pension under section 6 of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 [section 228f of this title] pursuant to the provisions of section 105 of Public Law 93–69 [set out as a note under sections 228e to 228z–1 of this title], less the amount of any monthly insurance benefit to which such individual is actually entitled (before any deductions on account of work) under the Social Security Act [section 301 et seq. of Title 42].

"(b) The amount of the annuity of an individual under subsection (a) of this section shall be increased by an amount, if any, equal to the amount by which (i) his pension under section 6 of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 [section 228f of this title] for the month of December 1974 exceeds (ii) his annuity under subsection (a) of this section for the month of January 1975.

"(c) The annuities of each individual under the preceding subsections of this section shall be paid on January 1, 1975, and on the first day of each calendar month thereafter during his life.

"Sec. 204. (a) Every individual who was entitled to an annuity under section 2(a)1, 2(a)2, 2(a)3, 2(a)4, or 2(a)5 of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 [section 228b(a)1, 228b(a)2, 228b(a)3, 228b(a)4, or 228b(a)5 of this title] for the month of December 1974, or who would have been entitled to such an annuity for such month except for the provisions of section 2(d) of such Act [section 228b(d) of this title], and who would have been entitled to such an annuity for the month of January 1975, if this Act [enacting this subchapter] had not been enacted, shall be entitled to an annuity under paragraph (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), or (v), respectively, of section 2(a)(1) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 [section 231a(a)(1) of this title], beginning January 1, 1975: Provided, however, That if an individual who was entitled to an annuity under section 2(a)4 or 2(a)5 of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 [probably should read "Railroad Retirement Act of 1937" classified to section 228b(a)4 or 228b(a)5, of this title] is age 65 or older, on January 1, 1975, such individual shall be entitled to an annuity under paragraph (i) of section 2(a)(1) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 [section 231a(a)(1) of this title]. For purposes of this subsection—

"(1) that portion of the individual's annuity as is provided under section 3(a) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 [section 231b(a) of this title] shall initially be in an amount equal to (A) the amount determined under clause (i) of section 3(a)(6) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 [section 228c(a)(6) of this title] for the purpose of computing the last increase in the amount of such individual's annuity as computed under the provisions of section 3(a) [section 228c(a) of this title], and that part of section 3(e) which preceded the first proviso, of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 [section 228c(e) of this title] or (B), if less in a case where such individual is not entitled to an annuity amount provided under paragraph (3) of this subsection, the amount of the annuity under section 2(a) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 [section 228b(a) of this title] (before any reduction on account of age and without regard to section 2(d) of such Act [section 228b(d) of this title]) which such individual would have received for the month of January 1975 if this Act [see Effective Date of 1976 Amendment set out hereunder] had not been enacted: Provided, however, That such annuity amount shall be subject to reduction in accordance with the provisions of section 3(m) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 [section 231b(m) of this title] in the same manner as other annuity amounts provided under section 3(a) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974;

"(2) that portion of the individual's annuity as is provided under section 3(b)(1) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 [section 231b(b)(1) of this title] shall be in an amount, if any, equal to the amount by which (A) his annuity under section 2(a) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 [section 228b(a) of this title] for the month of December 1974 (before any reduction on account of age and without regard to section 2(d) of such Act [section 228b(d) of this title]) exceeds (B)(i), if such individual is entitled to an annuity amount provided under paragraph (3) of this subsection, the amount of the annuity which would have been provided such individual under paragraph (1) of this subsection (before any reduction due to such individual's entitlement to a monthly insurance benefit under the Social Security Act [section 301 et seq. of Title 42]) for the month of January 1975 if he had no wages or self-employment income under the Social Security Act other than wages derived from service as an employee under the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 [this subchapter] after December 31, 1936, and before January 1, 1975, or (ii), if such individual is not entitled to an annuity amount provided under paragraph (3) of this subsection, the amount of his annuity provided under paragraph (1) of this subsection (before any reduction due to such individual's entitlement to a monthly insurance benefit under the Social Security Act) for the month of January 1975: Provided, however, That if the annuity of any individual under the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 [subchapter III of this chapter] for the month of December 1974 was computed under the first proviso of section 3(e) of such Act [section 228c(e) of this title], the annuity of such individual for purposes of clause (A) of this paragraph shall be no greater than the annuity which such individual would have received under such Act [subchapter III of this chapter] for the month of December 1974, if no other person had been included in the computation of the annuity of such individual; and

"(3) if the individual was entitled to an old-age insurance benefit or a disability insurance benefit under the Social Security Act [section 301 et seq. of Title 42] on December 31, 1974, or was fully insured under that Act on that date, the annuity amounts provided under paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection shall be increased by an amount determined under the provisions of section 3(h)(1) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 [section 231b(h)(1) of this title]: Provided, however, That, if the individual was entitled to an old-age insurance benefit or a disability insurance benefit under the Social Security Act on December 31, 1974, such amount shall not be less nor more than an amount which would cause the total of the annuity amounts provided the individual by the provisions of this subsection for the month of January 1975 to equal the total of the annuity under the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 [subchapter III of this chapter] (prior to any reduction on account of age and without regard to section 2(d) of that Act [section 228b(d) of this title]) plus the old-age or disability insurance benefit under the Social Security Act (before any reduction on account of age and deductions on account of work) which such individual would have received for such month if this Act [enacting this subchapter] had not been enacted.

"(4) if the individual was entitled to a wife's, husband's, widow's, or widower's insurance benefit under the Social Security Act [section 301 et seq. of Title 42] on December 31, 1974, or is the wife, husband, widow, or widower of a person who was fully insured under that Act on that date, the annuity amounts provided under paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection shall be increased by an amount determined under the provisions of section 3(h)(3) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 [section 231b(h)(3) of this title].

"(b) An individual who was awarded an annuity under section 2(a) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 [section 228b(a) of this title], but who could not have become eligible for an annuity under paragraph 2 of such section, shall not be eligible for an annuity under paragraph (ii) of section 2(a)(1) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 [section 231a(a)(1) of this title].

"(c) An individual who was awarded an annuity under section 2(a) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 [section 228b(a) of this title] shall not be entitled to an annuity amount computed under the provisions of section 3(c) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 [section 231b(c) of this title]: Provided, however, That the provisions of this subsection shall not be applicable (i) to an individual who will have rendered at least twelve months of service as an employee to an employer (as defined in the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 [this section] after December 31, 1974, or (ii) to an individual who was awarded an annuity under section 2(a)4 or 2(a)5 of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 [section 228b(a)4 or 228b(a)5 of this title] and who recovered from disability and returned to the service of an employer (as defined in the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974) [this section] after December 31, 1974.

[Pub. L. 94–92, title II, §202(b), Aug. 9, 1975, 89 Stat. 465, provided that: "The amendment made by this section [enacting section 204(c) of Pub. L. 93–445] shall be effective January 1, 1975."]

"(d) The annuity amount provided an individual by paragraph (1) of this subsection as increased from time to time shall be deemed to be the primary insurance amount of such individual for purposes of computing the annuity of the spouse of such individual under section 4(a) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974. [section 231c(a) of this title]."

[Effective Date of 1976 Amendment. Pub. L. 94–547, §1(d), Oct. 18, 1976, 90 Stat. 2524, provided that: "The amendments made by this section [enacting section 204(d) and amending sections 204(a)(1), (2) and 206(1) of Pub. L. 93–445] shall be effective January 1, 1975: Provided, however, That the increases in annuities effective June 1, 1975, and June 1, 1976, shall be in the amount which would have been provided if this Act [enacting section 204(d) of Pub. L. 93–445, amending sections 204(a)(1), (2) and 206(1) of Pub. L. 93–445 and this section and section 231c and 231n of this title and section 3231 of Title 26, Internal Revenue Code, and enacting provisions set out as notes under this section and sections 231c and 231n of this title and 3231 of Title 26] had not been enacted."]

"Sec. 205. (a) Every individual who was entitled to a supplemental annuity under section 3(j) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 [section 228c(j) of this title] for the month of December 1974, or who would have been entitled to such a supplemental annuity for such month except for the provisions of section 2(d) of such Act [section 228b(d) of this title], and who would have been entitled to such a supplemental annuity for the month of January 1975, if this Act [enacting this subchapter] had not been enacted, shall be entitled to a supplemental annuity under section 2(b)(1) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 [section 231a(b)(1) of this title], beginning January 1, 1975, in an amount, the provisions of section 3(e) of such Act [section 231b(e) of this title] notwithstanding, equal to the amount of the supplemental annuity to which such individual was entitled under section 3(j) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 [section 228c(j) of this title] for the month of December 1974, or to which such individual would have been entitled for such month under such section 3(j) [section 228c(j) of this title] except for the provisions of section 2(d) of such Act [section 228b(d) of this title].

"(b) An individual who was awarded an annuity under section 2(a) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 [section 228b(a) of this title], but who could not have become eligible for a supplemental annuity under section 3(j) of such Act [section 228c(j) of this title] if this Act had not been enacted, shall not be eligible for a supplemental annuity under section 2(b) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 [section 231a(b) of this title].

"Sec. 206. Every spouse who was entitled to an annuity under section 2(e) or 2(h) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 [section 228b(e) or 228b(h) of this title] for the month of December 1974, or who would have been entitled to such an annuity for such month except for the provisions of section 2(d) of such Act [section 228b(d) of this title], and who would have been entitled to such an annuity for the month of January 1975, if this Act [enacting this subchapter] had not been enacted, shall be entitled to an annuity under section 2(c) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 [section 231a(c) of this title] beginning January 1, 1975. For purposes of this section—

"(1) that portion of the spouse's annuity as is provided under section 4(a) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 [section 231c(a) of this title] shall initially be in an amount equal to (A) the amount determined under clause (i) of section 3(a)(6) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 [section 228c(a)(6) of this title] for the purpose of computing the last increase in the amount of such spouse's annuity as computed under the provisions of section 2 of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 [section 228b of this title] or (B), if less in a case where such spouse is not entitled to an annuity amount provided by paragraph (3) of this section, the amount of the annuity under section 2(e) or 2(h) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 [section 228b(e) or (h) of this section] (before any reduction on account of age and without regard to section 2(d) of such Act [section 228b(d) of this title]) which such spouse would have received for the month of January 1975 if this Act [see Effective Date of 1976 Amendment set out under section 204(d) hereinabove] had not been enacted: Provided, however, That the amount of such annuity shall be subject to reduction in accordance with the provisions of section 202(k) or 202(q) of the Social Security Act [section 402(k) or 402(q) of Title 42], other than a reduction on account of age, in the same manner as any wife's insurance benefit or husband's insurance benefit payable under section 202 of the Social Security Act [section 402 of Title 42] and shall also be subject to reduction in accordance with the provisions of section 4(i) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 [section 231c(i) of this title];

[Effective Date of 1976 Amendment. See note set out under section 204(d) hereinabove.]

"(2) that portion of the spouse's annuity as is provided under section 4(b) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 [section 231c(b) of this title] shall be in an amount, if any, equal to 50 per centum of the individual's annuity as computed in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (2) of section 204(a) of this title: Provided, however, That, in case of a spouse who is not entitled to an annuity amount provided under paragraph (3) of this section, if (A) the amounts of the annuity provided a spouse for the month of January 1975 by the provisions of paragraph (1) (before any reduction due to such spouse's entitlement to a wife's or husband's insurance benefit under the Social Security Act [section 301 et seq. of Title 42]) and the proceeding provisions of this paragraph exceed (B) the amount of the annuity to which such spouse was entitled (before any reduction on account of age) for the month of December 1974 under section 2(e) or 2(h) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 [section 228b(e) or 228b(h) of this title] (deeming, for this purpose, any increase in the amount of such annuity which, had this Act [enacting this subchapter] not been enacted, would have become effective January 1, 1975, by reason of an increase in the maximum amount payable as a wife's insurance benefit under the Social Security Act to have been effective for the month of December 1974), or to which such spouse would have been entitled for such month under such section 2(e) or 2(h) [section 228b(e) or 228b(h) of this title] except for the provisions of section 2(d) of such Act [section 228b(d) of this title], the amount of the annuity provided such spouse for the month of January 1975 by the preceding provisions of this paragraph shall be reduced until the total of the amounts described in clause (A) of this proviso equals the amount described in clause (B): Provided further, That, if the amount of the annuity of the spouse provided by paragraph (1) of this section is reduced by reason of the provisions of section 4(i)(2) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 [section 231c(i)(2) of this title], the amount of the annuity provided such spouse by the preceding provisions of this paragraph shall not be less than an amount which would cause the total of the annuity amounts provided such spouse under paragraph (1) (before any reduction pursuant to the provisions of section 202(k) or 202(q) of the Social Security Act [section 402(k) or 402(q) of Title 42] and before any reduction due to such spouse's entitlement to a wife's or husband's insurance benefit under the Social Security Act) and paragraph (2) of this section for the month of January 1975 to equal the amount of the annuity (before any reduction on account of age) which such spouse would have received for such month under section 2(e) or 2(h) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 [section 228b(e) or 228b(h) of this title] (without regard to the provisions of section 2(d) of that Act [section 228b(d) of this title]) if this Act [enacting this subchapter] had not been enacted; and

"(3) if the spouse was entitled to an old-age insurance benefit or a disability insurance benefit under the Social Security Act [section 301 et seq. of Title 42] of [on] December 31, 1974, or was fully insured under that Act on that date, or was entitled to a wife's or a husband's insurance benefit under that Act on that date, the annuity amounts provided under paragraphs (1) and (2) of this section shall be increased by an amount determined under the provisions of section 4(e)(1) [section 231c(e)(1) of this title], or, if the spouse was entitled only to a wife's or husband's insurance benefit, 4(e)(3) [section 231c(e)(3) of this title] of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974: Provided, however, That, if the spouse was entitled to a monthly insurance benefit under the Social Security Act of [on] December 31, 1974, such amount shall not be less nor more than an amount which would cause (A) the total of (i) the annuity amounts provided the spouse by the provisions of this section for the month of January 1975 plus (ii) the monthly insurance benefit to which such spouse is entitled for that month under the Social Security Act (before any reductions on account of age and deductions on account of work) to equal (B) the total of (i) the spouse's annuity under the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 [subchapter III of this chapter] (prior to any reduction on account of age and without regard to section 2(d) of that Act [section 228b(d) of this title]) plus (ii) the monthly insurance benefit under the Social Security Act (before any reduction on account of age and deductions on account of work) which such spouse would have received for such month if this Act [enacting this subchapter] had not been enacted.

"Sec. 207. Every survivor who was entitled to an annuity under section 5 of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 [section 228e of this title] for the month of December 1974, or who would have been entitled to such an annuity for such month except for the provisions of section 5(i) of such Act [section 228e(i) of this title], and who would have been entitled to such an annuity for the month of January 1975, if this Act [enacting this subchapter] had not been enacted, shall be entitled to an annuity under section 2(d) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 [section 231a(d) of this title] beginning January 1, 1975. For purposes of this section—

"(1) that portion of the survivor's annuity as is provided under section 4(f) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 [section 231c(f) of this title] shall initially be in an amount equal to the amount determined under clause (i) of section 3(a)(6) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 [section 228c(a)(6) of this title] for the purpose of computing the last increase in the amount of such survivor's annuity as computed under the provisions of section 5(q) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 [section 228e(q) of this title]: Provided, however, That the amount of such annuity shall be subject to reduction in accordance with the provisions of section 202(k) or 202(q) of the Social Security Act [section 402(k) or 402(q) of Title 42] in the same manner as any widow's insurance benefit, mother's insurance benefit, widower's insurance benefit, parent's insurance benefit, or child's insurance benefit payable under section 202 of the Social Security Act [section 402 of Title 42] and shall also be subject to reduction in accordance with the provisions of section 4(i)(2) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 [section 231c(i)(2) of this title];

"(2) that portion of the survivor's annuity as is provided under section 4(g) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 [section 231c(g) of this title] shall initially be in an amount equal to 30 per centum of the amount computed in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (1) of this section prior to any reductions, other than reductions on account of age, in accordance with the provisions of section 202(k) or 202(q) of the Social Security Act [section 402(k) or 402(q) of Title 42] and prior to any reductions in accordance with, the provisions of section 4(i)(2) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 [section 231c(i)(2) of this title]: Provided, however, That, if such survivor is not entitled to an annuity amount provided under paragraph (3) of this section, such amount shall not be less than an amount which would cause (A) the total of the annuity amounts provided the survivor by the provisions of this section for the month of January 1975 to equal (B) the amount of the annuity which the survivor would have received for such month under section 5 of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 [section 228e of this title] (without regard to section 5(i) of that Act [section 228e(i) of this title]) if this Act [enacting this subchapter] had not been enacted; and

"(3) if the survivor is a widow or widower who was entitled to an old-age insurance benefit or a disability insurance benefit under the Social Security Act [section 301 et seq. of Title 42] on December 31, 1974, or was fully insured under that Act on that date, the annuity amounts provided under paragraphs (1) and (2) of this section shall be increased by an amount determined under the provisions of 4(h)(1) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 [section 231c(h)(1) of this title]: Provided, however, That, if the widow or widower was entitled to a monthly insurance benefit under the Social Security Act on December 31, 1974, such amount shall not be less nor more than an amount which would cause (A) the total of (i) the annuity amounts provided the widow or widower by the provisions of this section for the month of January 1975 plus (ii) the monthly insurance benefit to which such widow or widower is entitled for that month under the Social Security Act (before any deductions on account of work) to equal (B) the total of (i) the widow's or widower's annuity under the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 [subchapter III of this chapter] (without regard to section 5(i) of that Act [section 228e(i) of this title]) plus (ii) the monthly insurance benefit under the Social Security Act (before any deductions on account of work) which such widow or widower would have received for such month if this Act [enacting this subchapter] had not been enacted.

"Sec. 208. For purposes of paragraph (1) of section 204(a), paragraph (1) of section 206, and paragraph (1) of section 207, the fact that the amount of the annuity payable to an individual, spouse, or survivor under the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 [subchapter III of this chapter] for the month of December 1974 may not (i) in the case of an individual have been computed under the provisions of section 3(a) of such Act [section 228c(a) of this title] or that part of section 3(e) of such Act [section 228c(e) of this title] which precedes the first proviso; (ii) in the case of a spouse, have been computed under the provisions of section 2 of such Act [section 228b of this title], or (iii) in the case of a survivor, have been computed under the provisions of section 5 of such Act [section 228e of this title], shall be disregarded, and the amount determined under clause (i) of section 3(a)(6) of such Act [section 228c(a)(6) of this title] with respect to such individual, spouse, or survivor shall, for purposes of such paragraphs, be the amount which would have been determined under such clause (i) if the annuity of such individual had been computed under the provisions of section 3(a) [section 228c(a) of this title], and that part of section 3(e) [section 228c(e) of this title] which preceded the first proviso, of such Act; the annuity of such spouse had been computed under the provisions of section 2 of such Act [section 228b of this title]; or the annuity of such survivor had been computed under the provisions of section 5 of such Act [section 228e of this title].

"Sec. 209. (a) Whenever monthly insurance benefits under section 202 of the Social Security Act [section 402 of Title 42] are increased, the amount of each annuity provided by section 202(a), section 203(a), paragraph (1) of section 204(a), paragraph (1) of section 206, and paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 207 shall be increased in the same manner, and effective the same date as other annuities of the same type payable under section 2 of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 [section 231a of this title] are increased.

"(b) The annuity amounts provided by section 202(b), section 203(b), paragraph (2) of section 204(a), and paragraph (2) of section 206 shall be increased by the same percentage, or percentages, and effective the same date, or dates, as other annuity amounts of the same type are increased pursuant to the provisions of section 3(g) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 [section 231b(g) of this title].

"Sec. 210. The election of a joint and survivor annuity made before July 31, 1946, by an individual to whom an annuity accrues under the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 [subchapter III of this chapter] before January 1, 1975, shall be given effect as though the provisions of law under which the election was made had continued to be operative unless such election had been revoked prior to the time the annuity of such individual began to accrue."

1 So in original. Probably should be "seniority".

2 See References in Text note below.
45 U.S.C. § 721 (2024) — Title 45: RAILROADS / Chapter 16: REGIONAL RAIL REORGANIZATION / Subchapter II: UNITED STATES RAILWAY ASSOCIATION / Section 721: Loans
Loans
Status: in_force

(a) General

The Association is authorized, in accordance with the provisions of this section and such rules and regulations as it shall prescribe, to make loans to the Corporation, the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, and other railroads (including a railroad in reorganization which has been found to be reorganizable under section 77 of the Bankruptcy Act pursuant to section 717(b) of this title) in the region, for purposes of achieving the goals of this chapter; to a State or local or regional transportation authority pursuant to section 763 1 of this title; and to provide assistance in the form of loans to any railroad which (A) connects with a railroad in reorganization, and (B) is in need of financial assistance to avoid reorganization proceedings under section 77 of the Bankruptcy Act. No such loan shall be made by the Association to a railroad unless such loans shall, where applicable, be treated as an expense of administration. The rights referred to in the last sentence of section 77(j) of the Bankruptcy Act shall in no way be affected by this chapter.

(b) Applications

Each application for such a loan shall be made in writing to the Association in such form and with such content and other submissions as the Association shall prescribe to protect reasonably the interests of the United States. The Association shall publish a notice of the receipt of each such application in the Federal Register and shall afford interested persons an opportunity to comment thereon.

(c) Terms and conditions

Each loan shall be extended in such form, under such terms and conditions, and pursuant to such regulations as the Association deems appropriate. Such loan shall bear interest at a rate not less than the greater of a rate determined by the Secretary of the Treasury taking into consideration (1) the rate prevailing in the private market for similar loans as determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, or (2) the current average yield on outstanding marketable obligations of the Association with remaining periods of maturity comparable to the average maturities of such loans, plus such additional charge, if any, toward covering costs of the Association as the Association may determine to be consistent with the purposes of this chapter.

(d) Modifications

The Association is authorized to approve any modification of any provision of a loan under this section, including the rate of interest, time of payment of interest or principal, security, or any other term or condition, upon agreement of the recipient of the loan and upon a finding by the Association that such modification is equitable and necessary or appropriate to achieve the policy declared in subsection (f) of this section. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, in the case of a loan made under subsection (a) of this section to a railroad in the region, the Association is not required to make the findings with respect to subsections (e)(3) and (f) and may, upon the request of such railroad—

(1) continue to make advances to such railroad pursuant to such loan, up to the total principal provided, as of November 8, 1978, under the agreement between such railroad and the Association under this section, upon finding only that (A) a good faith effort has been commenced by such railroad toward the establishment of an employee stock ownership plan, and (B) such continued advances will permit the continuation of rail service determined by the Association, in the Final System Plan or under the goals of this chapter, to be desirable; and

(2) increase the principal amount of such loan to such railroad, in an amount not to exceed $7,500,000, only if the Association makes the finding referred to in paragraph (1)(B) of this subsection and determines that such railroad is making a good faith effort to establish an employee stock ownership plan for review and approval by the Association. Any such approval shall be conditioned upon a written commitment that by December 31, 1980, the railroad will adopt an employee stock ownership plan which will acquire qualifying employer securities with a fair market value of $250,000.

The Association may not take any action pursuant to the preceding sentence of this subsection after December 31, 1981.

(e) Prerequisites

The Association shall make a finding in writing, before making a loan to any applicant under this section, that—

(1) the loan is necessary to achieve the goals of this chapter or to prevent insolvency;

(2) it is satisfied that the business affairs of the applicant will be conducted in a reasonable and prudent manner; and

(3) the applicant has offered such security as the Association deems necessary to protect reasonably the interests of the United States.

(f) Policy

It is the intent of Congress that loans made under this section shall be made on terms and conditions which furnish reasonable assurance that the Corporation or the railroads to which such loans are granted will be able to repay them within the time fixed and that the goals of this chapter are reasonably likely to be achieved.

(g) Pre-conveyance loans to Corporation

During the period between the effective date of the final system plan and the date of the conveyance of rail properties pursuant to section 743(b) of this title, the Association may make such loans in such amounts to the Corporation as the Association deems essential to provide for the purchase by the Corporation of material, supplies, equipment, and services necessary to permit the orderly and efficient implementation of the final system plan. Notwithstanding any inability of the Association during such period to make the finding required by subsection (e)(3) of this section because of any existing contingencies, the Association may make any such loans to the Corporation, subject to—

(1) the most favorable terms and conditions for assuring timely repayment and security as may then be reasonably available, and

(2) the requirement that any loan to the Corporation under this subsection be refinanced immediately out of the proceeds of the first sale by the issuance of debentures under section 726 of this title.

In order to assure that necessary funds are available to the Corporation for implementation of the final system plan, the Corporation is authorized to accept such loans as may be approved by the Association under this subsection, and any such acceptance shall be deemed for all purposes to constitute a reasonable and prudent business judgment in compliance with any fiduciary obligations imposed on the Corporation or its directors. For purposes of this subsection, the term "Corporation" includes a subsidiary of the Corporation.

(h) Loans for payment of obligations

(1)(A) The Association is authorized, subject to the limitations set forth in section 720(b) of this title, to enter into loan agreements, in amounts not to exceed, at any given time, $350,000,000 in the aggregate principal amount, with the Corporation, the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, and any profitable railroad to which rail properties are transferred or conveyed pursuant to section 743(b)(1) of this title, under which the Corporation, the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, and any profitable railroad entering into such agreement will agree to meet existing or prospective obligations of the railroads in reorganization in the region which the Association, in accordance with procedures established by the Association, determines should be paid by the Corporation, the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, or a profitable railroad, on behalf of such railroads in reorganization, in order to avoid disruptions in ordinary business relationships. Such obligations shall be limited to—

(i) amounts claimed by suppliers (including private car lines) of materials or services utilized or purchased in current rail operations;

(ii) claims by shippers arising from current rail services;

(iii) payments to railroads for settlement of current interline accounts and all other current accounts and obligations;

(iv) claims of employees arising under the collective-bargaining agreements of the railroads in reorganization in the region and subject to section 153 of this title (including claims for accrued vacation and wages and similar claims arising in connection with labor and services performed);

(v) claims of all employees or their personal representatives for personal injuries or death and subject to the provisions of Employers' Liability Act (45 U.S.C. 51–60);

(vi) amounts required for adequate funding of accrued pension benefits existing at the time of a conveyance or discontinuance of service under employee pension benefit plans described in section 775(a) 2 of this title;

(vii) amounts required to provide adequate funding for payment, when due, of claims deriving from membership in any employee voluntary relief plan which provides benefits to its members and their beneficiaries in the event of sickness, accident, disability, or death, and to which both a railroad in reorganization and employee members have made contributions;

(viii) amounts required to provide adequate funding for continuation, by the Corporation, of medical and life insurance coverage and benefits for retired employees of railroads in reorganization as required and limited by section 743(b)(6)(B) of this title.3

(ix) amounts required to discharge the obligations of each such railroad in reorganization to nonemployee claimants for personal injuries suffered during the period such railroad has been in reorganization; and

(x) amounts required to discharge any obligation of a railroad in reorganization in the region to the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, arising out of a contract between such railroad in reorganization and such Corporation under which such railroad in reorganization is required to provide a suitable rail passenger station, in any case in which such railroad in reorganization sold a rail passenger station pursuant to a judicial order of condemnation prior to April 1, 1976.

(B) The Association shall make a loan pursuant to subparagraph (A) of this paragraph if, notwithstanding any other requirement of this subsection, it finds that the Corpration,4 the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, or a profitable railroad is entitled to a loan pursuant to section 743(b)(6), 774(e), or 774(g) 2 of this title, or if, with respect to an obligation referred to in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, it finds that—

(i) provision for the payment of such obligation was not included in the financial projections of the final system plan;

(ii) such obligation arose from rail operations prior to the date of conveyance of rail properties pursuant to section 743(b)(1) of this title and is, under other applicable law, the responsibility of a railroad in reorganization in the region, and a claim is presented to a railroad in reorganization in the region, or the Corporation within 2 years after October 19, 1976;

(iii) the Corporation, the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, or a profitable railroad has advised the Association that the direct payment of such obligation by the Corporation, the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, or a profitable railroad is for services or materials, the furnishing of which served to avoid disruptions in ordinary business relationships prior to the date of conveyance of rail properties pursuant to section 743(b)(1) of this title, or is necessary to avoid postconveyance disruptions in ordinary business relationships;

(iv) the transferor is unable to pay such obligation within a reasonable period of time; and

(v) with respect to loans made to the Corporation, the procedures to be followed by the Corporation, in seeking reimbursement from a railroad in reorganization in the region for an obligation paid on its behalf under this subsection, have been jointly agreed to by the Finance Committee and the Corporation, and the joint agreement—

(I) provides for the Corporation to receive reimbursement from the Association for any expenses incurred in seeking reimbursement from any railroad in reorganization in the region for an obligation paid on its behalf under this subsection; and

(II) includes a stipulation of the exact procedures the Corporation shall undertake to avoid the finding, referred to in paragraph (6)(A)(i) of this subsection, that it has not exercised due diligence.

(2) The trustees of each railroad in reorganization in the region shall attempt to negotiate agency agreements with the Corporation, the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, or a profitable railroad for the processing of all accounts receivable and accounts payable attributable to operations prior to the conveyance of property pursuant to section 743(b)(1) of this title and for the payment of only those accounts payable which relate to obligations of the estates identified in paragraph (1) of this subsection. If any railroad in reorganization in the region fails to conclude such an agreement within a reasonable time prior to such conveyance, the applicable reorganization courts, after giving all parties an opportunity to be heard, shall prescribe the terms of such an agency arrangement by order, giving due consideration to the need, wherever possible, to make such agreements uniform among the various estates. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed as permitting any district court of the United States having jurisdiction over the reorganization of a railroad in reorganization in the region to enjoin, restrain, or limit the Corporation, the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, or a profitable railroad from applying, to payment of the obligations of the estates identified in paragraph (1) of this subsection, amounts collected as (A) accounts receivable pursuant to this paragraph, (B) cash or other current assets identified pursuant to paragraph (3) of this subsection, or (C) proceeds of loans pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection. Any agency agreement executed prior to October 19, 1976, shall be deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform such agreement or order to the provisions of this paragraph. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to affect any payment made prior to October 19, 1976, with respect to obligations other than those identified in paragraph (1) of this subsection.

(3) The Association may, not less than 30 days prior to the date of conveyance pursuant to section 743(b)(1) of this title, petition each district court of the United States having jurisdiction over the reorganization of a railroad in reorganization in the region for an order, which shall be entered prior to such conveyance, and which—

(A) identifies that cash and other current assets of the estate of such railroad which shall be utilized to satisfy obligations of the estates identified in paragraph (1) of this subsection; and

(B) provides for the application by the trustees of such railroads and their agents, consistent with the principles of reorganization under section 77 of the Bankruptcy Act and with the agency agreement specified in paragraph (2) of this subsection, of all such current assets, including cash available as of or subsequent to such date of conveyance, to the payment in the postconveyance period of the obligations of the estates identified in paragraph (1) of this subsection.

(4)(A) Each obligation of a railroad in reorganization in the region which is paid with financial assistance under paragraph (1) of this subsection shall be processed, on behalf of such railroad, by the Corporation, the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, or a profitable railroad, whichever is appropriate. An obligation of a railroad in reorganization in the region shall be paid, on behalf of such railroad, by the Corporation, the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, or a profitable railroad, whichever is appropriate, if—

(i) such obligation is deemed by the Corporation, the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, or a profitable railroad, whichever is appropriate, to have been, on the date of conveyance of rail properties pursuant to section 743(b)(1) of this title, the obligation of a railroad in reorganization in the region;

(ii) such obligation accrues after such date of conveyance but as a result of rail operations conducted prior to such date, and the trustees of such railroad in reorganization acknowledge that it is an obligation of such railroad; or

(iii) the district court of the United States having jurisdiction over such railroad in reorganization in the region approves such obligation as a valid administrative claim against such railroad;

to the extent that payment is required under a loan agreement with the Association under such paragraph (1).

(B) The Association shall resolve any disputes among the Corporation, the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, and a profitable railroad concerning which of them shall process and pay any particular obligation on behalf of a particular railroad in reorganization.

(C) The Corporation, the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, or a profitable railroad shall have a direct claim, as a current expense of administration, for reimbursement from the estate of a railroad in reorganization in the region for all obligations of such estate (plus interest thereon) which are paid by the Corporation, the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, or a profitable railroad, as the case may be. The right of the Corporation or the National Railroad Passenger Corporation to receive reimbursement under this subparagraph from the estate of a railroad in reorganization in the region shall be reduced by the amount, if any, of loans, plus interest forgiven under paragraph (5) of this subsection.

(D)(i) Except as provided in clause (ii) of this subparagraph, any funds held in an escrow account by a railroad in reorganization on October 19, 1976, which are thereafter determined to be cash and other current assets of the estate of such railroad in reorganization, for purposes of paragraph (3) of this subsection, shall be applied as follows—

(I) first, to the reduction of any outstanding loans to the Corporation by the Association, pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection, the proceeds of which were used to discharge obligations of such railroad in reorganization;

(II) second, to the Association to the extent of any such loans which have been forgiven pursuant to paragraph (5) of this subsection; and

(III) third, to the payment of any remaining obligations of such railroad in reorganization, in accordance with the provision of the agency agreement entered into pursuant to paragraph (2) of this subsection.

(ii) The manner of disposition set forth in clause (i) of this subparagraph shall not apply with respect to a railroad in reorganization if the Secretary (I) determines that a different disposition of assets is necessary to carry out a reorganization plan of such railroad in reorganization, and that such different disposition adequately protects the interests of the United States, and (II) transmits his determination to the court having jurisdiction over the reorganization of such railroad.

(5)(A) If, at any time, the Finance Committee of the Association determines that the failure of the Corporation to receive full reimbursement with interest from the estate of a railroad in reorganization in the region for any obligation of such estate paid pursuant to this subsection could adversely affect the fairness and equity of the transfers and conveyances pursuant to section 743(b)(1) of this title, or that the failure of the National Railroad Passenger Corporation to receive such full reimbursement plus interest for any such obligation would be contrary to the public interest, the Association shall forgive the indebtedness, plus accrued interest, of the Corporation or of the National Railroad Passenger Corporation incurred pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection in the amount recommended by the Finance Committee. The Association shall have a direct claim, as a current expense of administration of the estate of such railroad in reorganization, equal to the amount by which loans of the Corporation or of the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, plus interest, have been forgiven. Such direct claim shall not be subject to any reduction by way of setoff, cross-claim, or counter-claim which the estate of such railroad in reorganization may be entitled to assert against the Corporation, the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, the Association, or the United States.

(B) The direct claim of the Association under this paragraph, and any direct claim authorized under paragraph (4) of this subsection, shall be prior to all other administrative claims of the estate of a railroad in reorganization, except claims arising under trustee's certificates or from default on the payment of such certificates. The Corporation, the National Rail Passenger Corporation, or a profitable railroad, as the case may be, shall, with respect to each direct claim for reimbursement pursuant to paragraph (4) of this subsection, file a proof of administrative expense claim with the trustees of the railroad in reorganization from whom reimbursement is sought. Each such proof of administrative expense claim shall set forth, by category and amount, the obligations of such railroad in reorganization which were paid pursuant to such paragraph (4).

(6)(A) Notwithstanding any other provision of this subsection, the Association shall forgive any loan made to the Corporation or the National Railroad Passenger Corporation pursuant to this subsection, plus accrued interest thereon, on the 3rd anniversary date of any such loan, except that the Association shall not forgive any loan or portion thereof, in accordance with this paragraph, if—

(i) the Finance Committee makes an affirmative finding, with respect to such loan or portion thereof, that—

(I) the Corporation has not exercised due diligence in executing the procedures adopted pursuant to paragraph (1)(B)(v) of this subsection, and

(II) the failure of the Association to forgive such loan or portion thereof will not adversely affect the ability of the Corporation to become financially self-sustaining;

(ii) the Finance Committee so directs the Association; and

(iii) neither House of the Congress disapproves such affirmative finding and direction, in accordance with the following provisions of this paragraph.

A copy of each such finding, the reasons therefor, and such direction made by the Finance Committee, together with the comments and recommendations thereon of the Board of Directors of the Association, shall be transmitted to the Congress by the Association within 10 days after the date on which the Finance Committee makes such finding and direction, or if not so transmitted, shall be transmitted by the Finance Committee. Each such finding and direction so transmitted shall become effective immediately, and shall remain in effect, unless, within the first period of 30 calendar days of continuous session of Congress after the date of transmittal of such finding and direction to Congress, either House of Congress disapproves such finding and direction in accordance with the procedures specified in section 688 of title 2. For purposes of this paragraph, continuity of session of Congress is broken only in the circumstances described in section 682(5) of title 2.

(B) The Association shall have a direct claim, as a current expense of administration of the estate of the railroad in reorganization whose obligations were paid with the proceeds of loans forgiven under this paragraph, equal to the amount by which the loans, plus interest, have been forgiven. Such direct claim shall not be subject to any reduction by way of setoff, cross-claim, or counterclaim which the estate of such railroad in reorganization may be entitled to assert against the Corporation, the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, the Association, or the United States. The direct claim of the Association under this paragraph shall be prior to all other administrative claims of the estate of the railroad in reorganization, except claims arising under trustee's certificates or from default on the payment of such certificates.

(7) For purposes of this subsection, the term "Corporation" includes a subsidiary of the Corporation.

(Pub. L. 93–236, title II, §211, Jan. 2, 1974, 87 Stat. 1001; Pub. L. 94–5, §5, Feb. 28, 1975, 89 Stat. 8; Pub. L. 94–210, title VI, §606, Feb. 5, 1976, 90 Stat. 92; Pub. L. 94–555, title II, §§203(a)–(d), 220(a), Oct. 19, 1976, 90 Stat. 2617, 2619, 2620, 2629; Pub. L. 95–611, §3(a), Nov. 8, 1978, 92 Stat. 3089; Pub. L. 96–73, title II, §204(b), Sept. 29, 1979, 93 Stat. 556; Pub. L. 96–101, §23, Nov. 4, 1979, 93 Stat. 746; Pub. L. 96–448, title IV, §§407, 408, Oct. 14, 1980, 94 Stat. 1948; Pub. L. 105–178, title VII, §7203(b)(3), June 9, 1998, 112 Stat. 477.)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Section 77 of the Bankruptcy Act, referred to in subsecs. (a) and (h)(3)(B), was classified to section 205 of former Title 11, Bankruptcy. The Bankruptcy Act (act July 1, 1898, ch. 541, 30 Stat. 544, as amended) was repealed effective Oct. 1, 1979, by Pub. L. 95–598, §§401(a), 402(a), Nov. 6, 1978, 92 Stat. 2682, section 101 of which enacted revised Title 11. For current provisions relating to railroad reorganization, see subchapter IV (§1161 et seq.) of chapter 11 of Title 11.

Section 763 of this title, referred to in subsec. (a), was repealed by Pub. L. 94–210, title VIII, §806, Feb. 5, 1976, 90 Stat. 143, eff. Apr. 1, 1978.

The Employers' Liability Act (45 U.S.C. 51–60), referred to in subsec. (h)(1)(A)(v), is act Apr. 22, 1908, ch. 149, 35 Stat. 65, and is classified generally to chapter 2 (§51 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 51 of this title and Tables.

Sections 774 and 775 of this title, referred to in subsec. (h)(1)(A)(vi), (B), were repealed by Pub. L. 97–35, title XI, §1144(a)(1), Aug. 13, 1981, 95 Stat. 669.

Codification

In the closing par. of subsec. (h)(6)(A), "section 688 of title 2" and "section 682(5) of title 2" substituted for "section 1017 of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 (31 U.S.C. 1407)" and "section 1011(5) of that Act (31 U.S.C. 1401(5))", respectively, to reflect the transfer of sections 1407 and 1401 of former Title 31, Money and Finance, to sections 688 and 682 of Title 2, the Congress.

Amendments

1998—Subsec. (i). Pub. L. 105–178 struck out heading and text of subsec. (i). Text read as follows: "Upon application by the Corporation or any other railroad, the Secretary shall, pursuant to the provisions of and within the obligational limitations contained in sections 831 through 833 of this title, guarantee obligations of the Corporation or such railroad for the purpose of electrifying high-density mainline routes if the Secretary finds that such electrification will return operating and financial benefits to the Corporation or such railroad and will facilitate compatibility with existing or renewed electrification systems. Upon application by the Corporation or by any railroad in reorganization in the region which receives a loan under subsection (a) of this section, the Secretary shall, pursuant to the provisions of and within the obligational limitations contained in sections 831 through 833 of this title, guarantee obligations of the Corporation or such railroad for purposes of making capital improvements to coal export facilities. The aggregate unpaid principal amount of obligations which may be guaranteed by the Secretary under this paragraph shall not exceed $200,000,000 at any one time."

1980—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 96–448, §408, substituted "Association is not required to make the findings with respect to subsections (e)(3) and (f) and may" for "Association may" in provision preceding par. (1), "$7,500,000" for "$4,000,000" in par. (2), and "December 31, 1981" for "December 31, 1980" in provision following par. (2).

Subsec. (i). Pub. L. 96–448, §407, substituted "Corporation or any other railroad, the Secretary" for "Corporation, the Secretary", "Corporation or such railroad for the purpose" for "Corporation for the purpose", and "Corporation or such railroad and will facilitate" for "Corporation and will facilitate" and inserted provision authorizing the Secretary, upon application and with regard to obligational limitations, to guarantee obligations of the Corporation or such railroad for the purposes of making capital improvements to coal export facilities.

1979—Subsec. (d)(2). Pub. L. 96–101 substituted "$4,000,000" for "$2,000,000", "and determines that such railroad is making a good faith effort to establish an employee stock ownership plan for review and approval by the Association" for "and such railroad has in effect an employee stock ownership plan which has been approved by the Association", and "December 31, 1980" for "December 31, 1979" and inserted provision requiring that any such approval be conditioned upon a written commitment that by December 31, 1980, the railroad will adopt an employee stock ownership plan which will acquire qualifying employer securities with a fair market value of $250,000.

Subsec. (h)(1)(A)(viii). Pub. L. 96–73, §204(b)(1), substituted "funding for continuation, by the Corporation, of medical and life insurance coverage and benefits for retired employees of railroads in reorganization as required and limited by section 743(b)(6)(B) of this title" for "funding for payment, when due, of medical and life insurance benefits for employees (whether or not their employment was governed by a collective bargaining agreement) on account of their service with a railroad in reorganization prior to the date of conveyance pursuant to section 743(b)(1) of this title, and for individuals who retired, prior to such date of conveyance, from service with a railroad in reorganization".

Subsec. (h)(6). Pub. L. 96–73, §204(b)(2)(A)–(C), redesignated existing provisions as subpar. (A), and in subpar. (A) as so redesignated, redesignated former subpars. (A) to (C) as cls. (i) to (iii), respectively, and former cls. (i) and (ii) of former subpar. (A) as subcls. (I) and (II) of cl. (i), respectively, and added subpar. (B).

1978—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 95–611 inserted provision authorizing increase of loans to railroads until Dec. 31, 1979.

1976—Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 94–210 added subsec. (g).

Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 94–210 added subsec. (h).

Subsec. (h)(1). Pub. L. 94–555, §203(a), increased aggregate principal amount of loan agreements, at any given time, to $350,000,000; substituted "such railroads in reorganization" for "the transferors" after "railroad, in behalf of"; struck out "and obligations" after "all other current accounts"; inserted "(including claims for accrued vacation and wages and similar claims arising in connection with labor and services performed)" after "section 153 of this title"; added clauses (vii) to (x) to subpar. (A); authorized Association to make loans pursuant to subpar. (A), as amended, and inserted reference to section 743(b)(6) of this title; inserted provisions that claim arising prior to conveyance of rail properties must be presented to a railroad in reorganization in the region, or the Corporation within 2 years after Oct. 19, 1976, and that loan requested is for direct payment made for services or materials, the furnishing of which avoided disruption of ordinary business relationships prior to date of conveyance or made to avoid postconveyance disruptions; and added subcls. (I) and (II) to cl. (V) relating to provisions to be included in joint agreement between Finance Committee and the Corporation.

Subsec. (h)(2). Pub. L. 94–555, §203(b), inserted "and for the payment of only those accounts payable which relate to the obligations of the estates identified in paragraph (1) of this subsection" after "section 743(b)(1) of this title", and inserted provisions relating to the jurisdiction of district courts in railroad reorganization proceedings.

Subsec. (h)(4)(D). Pub. L. 94–555, §203(c), added subpar. (D).

Subsec. (h)(5)(B). Pub. L. 94–555, §203(d), inserted provisions relating to filing proof of claim for administrative expense.

Subsec. (h)(6)(A)(i). Pub. L. 94–555, §220(a), substituted "paragraph (1)(B)(v)" for "paragraph (1)(E)".

Subsec. (i). Pub. L. 94–210 added subsec. (i).

1975—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 94–5, §5(a), substituted "for purposes of achieving the goals of this chapter" for "for purposes of assisting in the implementation of the final system plan".

Subsec. (e)(1). Pub. L. 94–5, §5(b), substituted "achieve the goals of this chapter" for "carry out the final system plan".

Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 94–5, §5(c), substituted "goals of this chapter" for "goals of the final system plan".

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1980 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 96–448 effective Oct. 1, 1980, see section 710(a) of Pub. L. 96–448, set out as a note under section 1170 of Title 11, Bankruptcy.

Effective Date of 1979 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 96–73 effective Nov. 4, 1978, see section 501(b) of Pub. L. 96–73, set out as a note under section 743 of this title.

Effective Date of 1976 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 94–555 effective Oct. 1, 1976, see section 303 of Pub. L. 94–555, set out as a note under section 702 of this title.

Abolition of United States Railway Association and Transfer of Functions and Securities

See section 1341 of this title.

Applicability of National Environmental Policy Act

Application of National Environmental Policy Act to actions of Commission not affected by title VI of Pub. L. 94–210, see section 619 of Pub. L. 94–210, set out as a note under section 791 of this title.

1 See References in Text note below.

2 See References in Text note below.

3 So in original. The period probably should be a semicolon.

4 So in original. Should be "Corporation,".