To authorize the Secretary of Transportation to establish a grant program for the rehabilitation, preservation, or improvement of railroad track.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Railroad Track Modernization Act of 
2003''.

SEC. 2. CAPITAL GRANTS FOR RAILROAD TRACK.

    (a) Amendment.--Chapter 223 of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended to read as follows:

            ``CHAPTER 223--CAPITAL GRANTS FOR RAILROAD TRACK

``Sec.
``22301. Capital grants for railroad track.
``Sec. 22301. Capital grants for railroad track
    ``(a) Establishment of Program.--
            ``(1) Establishment.--The Secretary of Transportation shall 
        establish a program of capital grants for the rehabilitation, 
        preservation, or improvement of railroad track (including 
        roadbed, bridges, and related track structures) of class II and 
        class III railroads. Such grants shall be for rehabilitating, 
        preserving, or improving track used primarily for freight 
        transportation to a standard ensuring that the track can be 
        operated safely and efficiently, including grants for 
        rehabilitating, preserving, or improving track to handle 
        286,000 pound rail cars. Grants may be provided under this 
        chapter--
                    ``(A) directly to the class II or class III 
                railroad; or
                    ``(B) with the concurrence of the class II or class 
                III railroad, to a State or local government.
            ``(2) State cooperation.--Class II and class III railroad 
        applicants for a grant under this chapter are encouraged to 
        utilize the expertise and assistance of State transportation 
        agencies in applying for and administering such grants. State 
        transportation agencies are encouraged to provide such 
        expertise and assistance to such railroads.
            ``(3) Interim regulations.--Not later than December 31, 
        2003, the Secretary shall issue temporary regulations to 
        implement the program under this section. Subchapter II of 
        chapter 5 of title 5 does not apply to a temporary regulation 
        issued under this paragraph or to an amendment to such a 
        temporary regulation.
            ``(4) Final regulations.--Not later than October 1, 2004, 
        the Secretary shall issue final regulations to implement the 
        program under this section.
    ``(b) Maximum Federal Share.--The maximum Federal share for 
carrying out a project under this section shall be 80 percent of the 
project cost. The non-Federal share may be provided by any non-Federal 
source in cash, equipment, or supplies. Other in-kind contributions may 
be approved by the Secretary on a case by case basis consistent with 
this chapter.
    ``(c) Project Eligibility.--For a project to be eligible for 
assistance under this section the track must have been operated or 
owned by a class II or class III railroad as of the date of the 
enactment of the Railroad Track Modernization Act of 2003.
    ``(d) Use of Funds.--Grants provided under this section shall be 
used to implement track capital projects as soon as possible. In no 
event shall grant funds be contractually obligated for a project later 
than the end of the third Federal fiscal year following the year in 
which the grant was awarded. Any funds not so obligated by the end of 
such fiscal year shall be returned to the Secretary for reallocation.
    ``(e) Employee Protection.--The Secretary shall require as a 
condition of any grant made under this section that the recipient 
railroad provide a fair arrangement at least as protective of the 
interests of employees who are affected by the project to be funded 
with the grant as the terms imposed under section 11326(a), as in 
effect on the date of the enactment of the Railroad Track Modernization 
Act of 2003.
    ``(f) Labor Standards.--
            ``(1) Prevailing wages.--The Secretary shall ensure that 
        laborers and mechanics employed by contractors and 
        subcontractors in construction work financed by a grant made 
        under this section will be paid wages not less than those 
        prevailing on similar construction in the locality, as 
        determined by the Secretary of Labor under the Act of March 3, 
        1931 (known as the Davis-Bacon Act; 40 U.S.C. 276a et seq.). 
        The Secretary shall make a grant under this section only after 
        being assured that required labor standards will be maintained 
        on the construction work.
            ``(2) Wage rates.--Wage rates in a collective bargaining 
        agreement negotiated under the Railway Labor Act (45 U.S.C. 151 
        et seq.) are deemed for purposes of this subsection to comply 
        with the Act of March 3, 1931 (known as the Davis-Bacon Act; 40 
        U.S.C. 276a et seq.).
    ``(g) Study.--The Secretary shall conduct a study of the projects 
carried out with grant assistance under this section to determine the 
public interest benefits associated with the light density railroad 
networks in the States and their contribution to a multimodal 
transportation system. Not later than March 31, 2005, the Secretary 
shall report to Congress any recommendations the Secretary considers 
appropriate regarding the eligibility of light density rail networks 
for Federal infrastructure financing.
    ``(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary of Transportation $350,000,000 for each 
of the fiscal years 2004 through 2006 for carrying out this section.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--The item relating to chapter 223 in the 
table of chapters of subtitle V of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended to read as follows:

``223. CAPITAL GRANTS FOR RAILROAD TRACK....................   22301''.

Summary: Railroad Track Modernization Act of 2003 - Amends federal rail transportation law to replace the Secretary of Transportation's discretionary program of grants to states for light density rail line pilot projects with a mandatory program of capital grants for railroad track. Directs the Secretary to establish a program of capital grants to class II and class III railroads (or, with the concurrence of such a railroad, to a state or local government) to rehabilitate, preserve, or improve railroad track (including roadbed, bridges, and related track structures) used primarily for freight transportation. Requires rehabilitation, preservation, or improvement to a standard ensuring that the track can be operated safely and efficiently and accommodate 286,000 pound rail cars.

 Sets forth certain employee protection and prevailing wage requirements with respect to grant projects. Directs the Secretary to study and report to Congress on such projects to determine the public interest benefits associated with the light density railroad networks in the states and their contribution to a multimodal transportation system.