Evening star., 1960-05-10
Boosts Package
OfLeeisIotion
For Network
BY ALFRED ALIBRAND0
Star Stafi Writer

1llC I1OuSS OuuICldIy NOIlI~
mittee today recommended en-
actment of legislation which
would permit the District, Vir-
ginia and Maryland to form
an interstate compact for the
Of a Washington
area mass transportation sys-
tenn.
The committees action was
a big boost toward enactment
of a legislative package" in
this session which would create
an authority to start work on
planning mass transit net
work.
Virginia and Maryland al
ready have enacted legislation
which permits those States to
enter into a regulatory COM
pact.
The legislation on which the
House Judiciary Committee re-
ported favorably today would
sanction creation of the COM
pact and permit the District
to enter into such an agree
ment.
Similar Bill in Senate
Similar legislation has been
introduced in the Senate but
the Senate Judiciary Com
mittee has not scheduled hear
ings on the bill. The COM
mittee asked a number Of
Federal departments and agen-
cies for comments on the pro-
posed legislation and is still
waiting for a reply from the
Commerce Department.
Under the legislation ap-
proved by the House judiciary
Committee today, Cne member
each from the District Public
Utilities Commission, the Mary
land Public Service Commits
sion and the Virginia State
Corporation Commission would
be appointed to the Interstate
regulatory body.
The cmopact body would de-
eide on such matters as fares
and routes.
Chairman Celler of the House
Judiciary Committee said
there were no strong objections
to the bill. He said some pro-.
visions inserted in it were re-
quired in all compact legisla-
ton.
Mr.. Celler said these addi-
tions included provisions that
forbid amendment of compact
legislation by the States; a rev
quirement that all reports by
the compact agency be SUBJ
mitted to Congress, and a Spe-
cific mention in the law that
actions of the compact agency
must be by unanimous consent
of the three members.
Other Bills Under Study
Other legislation dealing with
the proposed Washington area,
mass transportation system is
now under study by the Joint
Committee on Washington
Metropolitan Problems. The
committee held hearings last
week on legislation to create an
authority to begin planning
and building such system. 1t
will consider suggested amend
ments to the legislation in
closed sessions Thursday or
Friday.
/ One of the amendments deals
with the objections of Mary
land and Virginia legislators to
a provision in the adminiStra-
ton bill which would permit
creation of a permanent Fed
eral authority to build the
system If a regional authority
were not brought into being by
1868.
Regional officials have asked
for a compromise that would
provide for creation of a Fed
eral authority if a regional
authority is not set up by 1865.
Meanwhile, the Federal City
Council has urged that existing
rail lines be utilized imme-
diately in creating a mass trans
portation system for the WASH
ington area.
The councils Transportation
Study Committee also recon-
mended. in a report issued to-
day, that:
Detailed planning and engi-
neering start at once for "the
most crucially needed rapid rail
transit facilities"
The Federal Government as
sist in initiating the financing
of the construction and equip