National Defense Rail Act

Bill: 108-s-104
Sponsor: Sen. Hollings, Ernest F. [D-SC]
Introduced: 2003-01-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Accounting
Administrative procedure
Advice and consent of the Senate
Alaska
Appropriations
Armed Forces and National Security
Authorization
Biological warfare
Bridges
Buy American
Capital investments
Chemical warfare
Collection of accounts
Commerce
Competitive bidding
Congress
Congressional investigations
Congressional oversight
Congressional reporting requirements
Construction costs
Construction industries
Construction workers
Consultants
Contractors
Corporate debt
Corporate finance
Cost effectiveness
Crime and Law Enforcement
Decision making
Department of Homeland Security
Department of Transportation
Disabled
District of Columbia
EEC countries
East Asia
Economic impact statements
Economics and Public Finance
Electronic government information
Employee rights
Employee training
Energy
Energy consumption
Environmental Protection
Europe
Executive reorganization
Federal advisory bodies
Federal aid to transportation
Federal employees
Federally-guaranteed loans
Fees
Finance and Financial Sector
Financial planning
Financial statements
Florida
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Freight
Georgia
Government Operations and Politics
Government contractors
Government corporations
Government lending
Government publicity
Governmental investigations
Highspeed ground transportation
Illinois
Infrastructure
Infrastructure (Economics)
Inspectors general
Interest
Intermodal transportation
International Affairs
Internet
Japan
Labor and Employment
Land transfers
Law
Lease and rental services
Maintenance and repair
Maryland
Metropolitan areas
Minimum wages
National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak)
New York City
New York State
Oregon
Planning-programming-budgeting
Police
Presidential appointments
Profit
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Railroad commuting traffic
Railroad employees
Railroad engineering
Railroad finance
Railroad freight operations
Railroad passenger traffic
Railroad safety
Railroad terminals
Railroads
Recruiting of employees
Right-of-way
Science, Technology, Communications
Security measures
Social Welfare
Standards
Subcontractors
Surveys
Technological innovations
Technology transfer
Terrorism
Texas
Traffic accidents and safety
Traffic congestion
Traffic signs and signals
Transportation and the aged
Transportation and the disabled
Transportation planning
Transportation research
Tunnels
Urban affairs
Urban transportation
User charges
Wages
Web sites

Summary:
action_date: 2003-01-07
text: National Defense Rail Act - Requires studies or assessments of: (1) security risks associated with freight and intercity passenger rail transportation; (2) security priorities; (3) rail crossing delay security issues; (4) existing rail safety regulations; (5) foreign rail transport security programs; and (6) the feasibility of passenger, baggage, and cargo screening.
Directs the Secretary of Transportation to: (1) establish a national high-speed ground transportation policy; and (2) provide 100 percent financial assistance to develop and implement high-speed rail corridors according to designated priorities, including the elimination of hazards of railway-highway crossings.
Requires such projects to comply with Buy American and competitive bidding requirements, and specified labor standards, including the prevailing wage requirements of the Davis-Bacon Act.
Defines the national rail passenger transportation system. Authorizes Amtrak to operate an intercity rail service or route not included in such system, as specified. Declares that nothing in this Act is intended to preclude Amtrak from restoring, improving, or developing non-high-speed intercity passenger rail service. Repeals the requirement that Amtrak be self-sufficient. Authorizes additional appropriations for Amtrak for retirement of principal and interest on its debt service, and for improving accessibility for the elderly and people with disabilities, including compliance with environmental regulations. Authorizes appropriations for the Northeast Corridor, long and short distance trains, and State-supported routes.
Directs the Secretary to re-establish the Northeast Corridor Safety Committee. Revises requirements concerning the Amtrak board of directors. Requires an independent audit of Amtrak operations and the development of a five-year financial plan.
Revises requirements of the Railroad Revitalization and Regulatory Reform Act of 1976 concerning loans and loan guarantees.
Directs the Secretary to establish a rail passenger cooperative research program, including an advisory board.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-01-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2003-01-07
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S80)
action_date: 2003-01-07
text: Introduced in Senate