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[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4111 Introduced in House (IH)]

103d CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4111

    To authorize appropriations for the National Railroad Passenger 
                  Corporation, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 22, 1994

    Mr. Swift (by request) introduced the following bill; which was 
            referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
    To authorize appropriations for the National Railroad Passenger 
                  Corporation, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Amtrak Investment Act of 1994''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds that--
            (1) intercity rail passenger service is an essential 
        component of the integrated national transportation system; 
        however, to achieve its full potential the National Railroad 
        Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) must provide a quality 
        transportation product in the form of clean, comfortable, and 
        on time service;
            (2) Amtrak's management and employees are dedicated to 
        providing the high quality service that Amtrak's customers 
        deserve; however, additional capital investment is needed to 
        acquire the modern equipment and efficient facilities that are 
        essential to satisfy the demand for superior intercity rail 
        passenger service;
            (3) significant levels of Federal capital investment will 
        enable Amtrak to provide the world class service American rail 
        passengers deserve, and will reduce operating costs in the long 
        term;
            (4) Amtrak's management should be held accountable to 
        ensure that all capital investment by the Federal Government is 
        effectively used to improve the quality of service and the 
        long-term financial health of Amtrak;
            (5) the Secretary of Transportation, as an ex officio 
        member of Amtrak's board of directors, should use this position 
        to evaluate Amtrak's costs and revenue elements to ensure that 
        Amtrak provides excellent service to its customers and that 
        Amtrak uses its Federal investment wisely and efficiently; and
            (6) States can play a significant role in providing cost 
        efficient intercity rail passenger transportation and in 
        addressing local transportation needs and air quality control.

SEC. 3. WORLD CLASS SERVICE.

    Section 102(3) of the Rail Passenger Service Act (45 U.S.C. 
501a(3)) is amended to read as follows:
            ``(3) Management of capital investment by the Corporation 
        in such a way as to provide its customers with world class 
        service.''.

SEC. 4. RETURN ON INVESTMENT.

    Section 308(b) of the Rail Passenger Service Act (45 U.S.C. 548(b)) 
is amended--
            (1) by inserting ``(1)'' before ``The Corporation shall 
        transmit''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
    ``(2) The Corporation shall also include in the report required 
under paragraph (1) projections of the anticipated benefits of the 
projects proposed for funding under this Act and a report on the 
benefits actually realized from all projects previously funded under 
this Act beginning with funds provided in fiscal year 1994. Such report 
shall include an identification of improvements in the quality of 
service offered by Amtrak, facility improvements that demonstrate a 
productivity gain, equipment improvements that lower operating costs, 
environmental benefits (including air quality and land use), 
enhancements to local transportation needs, enhancements to mobility of 
physically and economically disadvantaged persons, an improvement to 
the revenue to cost ratio, reduced dependence on Federal operating 
support, and reductions in the need for alternative transportation 
investments. To the extent practicable, the benefits addressed in each 
report shall also be expressed as return on invested capital.''.

SEC. 5. STATE REQUESTED RAIL PASSENGER SERVICE.

    (a) Section 403(b) of the Rail Passenger Service Act (45 U.S.C. 
563(b)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1)(B) by amending clause (iii) to read as 
        follows:
            ``(iii) a statement by such State, agency, or person that 
        it agrees to pay in each year of operation of any such service 
        at least--
                    ``(I) 45 percent in the first year of such 
                operation; and
                    ``(II) 65 percent in each year of operation 
                thereafter,
        of the long-term avoidable losses of operating such service and 
        at least 50 percent of the associated capital costs.'';
            (2) by redesignating paragraphs (2) through (6) as 
        paragraphs (3) through (7), respectively;
            (3) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following new 
        paragraph:
    ``(2) The Corporation is authorized to contribute in each year of 
operation of any service instituted or retained pursuant to this 
subsection no more than--
            ``(A) 55 percent in the first year of such operation; and
            ``(B) 35 percent in each year of operation thereafter,
of the long-term avoidable losses of operating such service.'';
            (4) in paragraph (4)(A), as so redesignated by paragraph 
        (2) of this subsection, by striking ``paragraph (1)(B)'' and 
        inserting in lieu thereof ``paragraphs (1)(B) and (2)''; and
            (5) in paragraph (4)(B), as so redesignated by paragraph 
        (2) of this subsection, by adding at the end the following new 
        sentence: ``Any such renewal shall require the State, agency, 
        or person to provide a statement that such State, agency, or 
        person agrees to pay in each year of operation, beginning with 
        the first year of operation of service under such renewed 
        agreement, at least 65 percent of the long-term avoidable 
        losses of operating such service and at least 50 percent of the 
        associated capital costs.''.
    (b) Within 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary of Transportation shall conduct a comprehensive review of the 
program of state-assisted rail passenger services operated by the 
National Railroad Passenger Corporation under section 403(b) of the 
Rail Passenger Service Act (45 U.S.C. 563(b)) and shall submit a report 
to the Congress detailing the Secretary's findings and conclusions, 
including any recommendations the Secretary may have for revising 
section 403(b). The Secretary's report shall address, among other 
things, whether and at what point services originated under section 
403(b) should become a part of the basic system of intercity rail 
passenger services and shall identify any other avenues for initiating 
and implementing new rail passenger services.

SEC. 6. NORTHEAST CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.

    Section 704 of the Railroad Revitalization and Regulatory Reform 
Act of 1976 (45 U.S.C. 854) is amended--
            (1) by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:
    ``(a) Capital Improvements.--The National Railroad Passenger 
Corporation shall make capital improvements for the Northeast Corridor 
improvement project under this title as necessary to operate reliable, 
high-speed rail passenger service, to enhance capacity for intercity 
and commuter passenger service, and as otherwise may be necessary to 
ensure continued reliable high-speed service. Such Corporation shall 
also acquire train equipment to be used on the Northeast Corridor, 
mitigate environmental impacts related to the Northeast Corridor 
improvement project, and provide adequate parking at and improve 
Northeast Corridor rail stations.''; and
            (2) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) by striking ``(1)'' before ``No funds 
                appropriated''; and
                    (B) by striking paragraph (2).

SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    Section 601 of the Rail Passenger Service Act (45 U.S.C. 601) is 
amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 601. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    ``(a) Operating Expenses.--
            ``(1) Core system.--There are authorized to be appropriated 
        to the Secretary for the benefit of the Corporation for 
        operating expenses--
                    ``(A) $363,000,000 for fiscal year 1995; and
                    ``(B) $353,000,000 for fiscal year 1996.
            ``(2) State requested service.--There are authorized to be 
        appropriated to the Secretary for the benefit of the 
        Corporation for meeting its obligations under section 403(b) of 
        this Act--
                    ``(A) $17,000,000 for fiscal year 1995; and
                    ``(B) $17,000,000 for fiscal year 1996.
    ``(b) Capital Investment.--
            ``(1) There are authorized to be appropriated to the 
        Secretary for the benefit of the Corporation for capital 
        investment expenditures--
                    ``(A) $252,000,000 for fiscal year 1995, of which 
                not more than $149,000,000 shall be available for 
                rolling stock, not more than $53,000,000 shall be 
                available for fixed facilities, not more than 
                $41,000,000 shall be available to satisfy other capital 
                investment statutory and regulatory requirements, and 
                not more than $9,000,000 shall be available for other 
                capital projects; and
                    ``(B) $355,000,000 for fiscal year 1996, of which 
                not more than $240,000,000 shall be available for 
                rolling stock, not more than $65,000,000 shall be 
                available for fixed facilities, not more than 
                $35,000,000 shall be available to satisfy other capital 
                investment statutory and regulatory requirements, and 
                not more than $15,000,000 shall be available for other 
                capital projects.
    ``(c) Intercity Rail Passenger Station.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary for the benefit of the Corporation 
$90,000,000 for fiscal year 1995 to be used for engineering, design, 
and construction activities to enable the James A. Farley Post Office 
in New York, New York, to be used as a train station and commercial 
center and for necessary improvements and redevelopment of the existing 
Pennsylvania Station and associated service building in New York, New 
York.
    ``(d) Northeast Corridor Improvement Project.--There are authorized 
to be appropriated to the Secretary for the benefit of the Corporation 
for making capital expenditures under section 704(a) of the Railroad 
Revitalization and Regulatory Reform Act of 1976 (45 U.S.C. 854(a)) 
such sums as may be necessary.
    ``(e) Mandatory Payments.--There are authorized to be appropriated 
to the Secretary $156,000,000 for fiscal year 1995 and $165,000,000 for 
fiscal year 1996 for the payment of--
            ``(1) tax liabilities under section 3221 of the Internal 
        Revenue Code of 1986 due in such fiscal years in excess of 
        amounts needed to fund benefits for individuals who retire from 
        the Corporation and for their beneficiaries;
            ``(2) obligations of the Corporation under section 8(a) of 
        the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act (45 U.S.C. 358(a)) due 
        in such fiscal years in excess of its obligations calculated on 
        an experience-rated basis; and
            ``(3) obligations of the Corporation due under section 3321 
        of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
    ``(f) Administration of Appropriations.--Funds appropriated 
pursuant to this section shall be available to the Secretary during the 
fiscal year for which appropriated, except that appropriations for 
capital investments may be made in an appropriations Act for a fiscal 
year preceding the fiscal year in which the appropriation is to be 
available for obligation. Funds appropriated are authorized to remain 
available until expended. Appropriated funds shall be paid by the 
Secretary to the Corporation for expenditure in accordance with the 
Secretary's budget request as approved or modified by Congress at the 
time of appropriation. Payments by the Secretary to the Corporation of 
appropriated funds shall be made no more frequently than every 90 days, 
unless the Corporation, for good cause, requests more frequent payment 
before expiration of any 90-day period.''.

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