I
105TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 1501
To strengthen Federal law with respect to the prohibitions against and pen-
alties for acts which sabotage or otherwise threaten the safety of rail
transportation and mass transit.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
APRIL 30, 1997
Ms. MOLINARI introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Com-
mittee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by
the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall with-
in the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
A BILL
To strengthen Federal law with respect to the prohibitions
against and penalties for acts which sabotage or other-
wise threaten the safety of rail transportation and mass
transit.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Railroad and Transit
Sabotage Prevention Act of 1997’’.
SEC. 2. INTERFERENCE WITH RAILROAD SIGNAL SYSTEMS.
(a) PROHIBITION.—(1) Chapter 205 of title 49,
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the
following new section:
‘‘§ 20506. Interference with signal systems
‘‘It shall be unlawful for a person—
‘‘(1) with intent to interfere with railroad trans-
portation in the United States, to cause to be dis-
played a signal or light at a place for in a manner
likely to be mistaken for a true light or signal used
in railroad transportation; or
‘‘(2) to knowingly interfere with the operation
of a true light or signal used in railroad transpor-
tation.’’.
(2) The table of sections of chapter 205 of title 49,
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the
following item:
‘‘20506. Interference with signal systems.’’.
(b) PENALTIES.—(1) Subchapter II of chapter 213
of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at
the end the following new section:
‘‘§ 21312. Penalties for interference with signal sys-
tems
‘‘The person who violates 20506 shall be fined under
title 18, imprisoned for not more than 20 years, or both.’’.
(2) The table of sections of subchapter II of chapter
213 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding
at the end the following item:
‘‘21312. Penalties for interference with signal systems.’’.
SEC. 3. RAILROAD AND TRANSIT SABOTAGE.
Section 1992 of title 18, United States Code, is
amended—
(1) by inserting ‘‘or any mass transit oper-
ation’’ after ‘‘commerce by any railroad’’ in the first
paragraph;
(2) by inserting ‘‘or any mass transit oper-
ation’’ after ‘‘interstate or foreign commerce’’ both
places it appears in the second paragraph; and
(3) by striking ‘‘fined under this title’’ and all
that follows through ‘‘shall be subject also’’ and in-
serting in lieu thereof ‘‘subject’’.
SEC. 4. HAZARDOUS MATERIALS TRANSPORTATION SABO-
TAGE.
(a) AMENDMENT.—Chapter 51 of title 49, United
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the follow-
ing new section:
‘‘§ 5128. Transportation sabotage
‘‘A person shall be fined under title 18, imprisoned
for not more than 20 years, or both, if the person willfully
causes to be released a hazardous material while such ma-
terial is in transportation. If the release of the hazardous
material has resulted in the death of any person, whoever
is convicted of a violation under this section shall also be
subject to the death penalty or to imprisonment for life,
if the jury or the court, whichever is responsible for sen-
tencing, so directs or orders.’’.
(b) TABLE OF SECTIONS AMENDMENT.—The table of
sections of chapter 51 of title 49, United States Code, is
amended by adding at the end the following item:
‘‘5128. Transportation sabotage.’’.
SEC. 5. EXPLOSIVES OR DANGEROUS WEAPONS ABOARD
PASSENGER TRAINS.
(a) AMENDMENT.—Chapter 241 of title 49, United
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the follow-
ing new section:
‘‘§ 24105. Explosives or dangerous weapons
‘‘(a) PROHIBITION.—Whoever brings, carries, or pos-
sesses any firearm, or any dynamite or other explosive,
on board any passenger train or in any rail passenger ter-
minal facility, without previously obtaining the permission
of the owner of such train or facility, shall be fined under
title 18, or imprisoned not more than 20 years, or both.
‘‘(b) EXCEPTIONS.—Subsection (a) shall not apply
to—
‘‘(1) personnel of the armed forces of the
United States;
‘‘(2) officers of the United States, or a State or
political subdivision thereof, while acting in the per-
formance of their duties; and
‘‘(3) persons who are specifically authorized by
law to bring, carry, or possess such firearm or explo-
sive.’’.
(b) TABLE OF SECTIONS AMENDMENT.—The table of
sections of chapter 241 of title 49, United States Code,
is amended by adding at the end the following item:
‘‘24105. Explosives or dangerous weapons.’’.
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