jiayi-li23/proxann_data huggingface dataset:
Topic: Transportation — Railroad Travel
Subject: Transportation and public works
Date: 2008-03-14 00:00:00

Directs the Secretary of Transportation to solicit proposals for projects for the financing, design, construction, and operation of an initial high-speed rail system between Washington, DC, and New York City, New York (Northeast Corridor). Requires the Secretary to: (1) determine whether a proposal is feasible; and (2) establish a commission for each corridor for which one or more feasible proposals are submitted. Directs the Secretary to report to Congress on the results of an economic development study of Amtrak's Northeast Corridor service.
Topic: Transportation — Railroad Travel
Subject: Transportation and public works
Date: 2008-05-08 00:00:00

Rail Infrastructure Development and Expansion Act for the 21st Century - Amends federal transportation law to authorize the Secretary of Transportation to designate high-speed rail infrastructure bonds if: (1) the bonds are issued by a state, or one or more of the states that have entered into an interstate compact under the Amtrak Reform and Accountability Act of 1997, or by such compact; (2) they are for financing projects that make a substantial contribution to providing the infrastructure required to complete a railroad passenger transportation corridor for high-speed intercity rail passenger service, or for projects for the Alaska Railroad; (3) for a railroad passenger transportation corridor design that includes the use of freight railroad rights-of-way, a written agreement exists between the applicant and the freight railroad regarding such use and other conditions are met; (4) the corridor design eliminates all existing railroad grade crossings that would impede high-speed rail operations; (5) the applicant agrees to comply with certain labor standards with respect to such project; and (6) the applicant agrees not to pay the principal or interest on the bonds using funds derived directly or indirectly from the Highway Trust Fund, except as permitted by existing law. Excludes the interest on such bonds from an individual's gross income. Requires any entity providing high-speed intercity passenger railroad transportation to negotiate over hiring and working conditions with the collective bargaining agent or agents of the employees of any existing rail passenger service it might be replacing. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow certain tax credits to holders of qualified high-speed rail infrastructure bonds.
Topic: Transportation — Railroad Travel
Subject: Transportation and public works
Date: 2008-07-10 00:00:00

Back on Track Act - Amends the Railroad Revitalization and Regulatory Reform Act of 1976 to revise interest rate and credit risk premium requirements for direct loans and loan guarantees for construction or repair of railroad bridges located in disaster areas due to flooding beginning in 2008. Extends the term of repayment of direct loans or loan guarantees from 25 years to 35 years.
Topic: Transportation — Railroad Travel
Subject: Transportation and public works
Date: 2008-07-10 00:00:00

Requires the Secretary of Transportation to: (1) designate a rail right-of-way as a corridor for inter-suburban commuter rail based on certain qualifying factors and after a 30-day congressional review period; (2) provide technical assistance to expedite completion of inter-suburban rail service; and (3) prohibit increased usage of such corridor except to increase the availability of inter-suburban commuter rail.
Topic: Transportation — Railroad Travel
Subject: Transportation and public works
Date: 2008-07-31 00:00:00

Taking Responsible Action for Community Safety Act - Revises requirements with respect to the consolidation, merger, or acquisition of control (transaction) involving rail carriers to require public hearings in the affected communities if public hearings on a proposed transaction are held. Requires the Surface Transportation Board, in a proceeding with respect to a transaction that involves at least one Class I railroad (under current law, involving the merger or control of at least two Class I railroads), to consider the effect on the public interest, including the safety and environmental effect of the proposed merger on local communities, intercity rail passenger transportation, and commuter rail passenger transportation. Prohibits the Board from approving mergers if their impacts on safety and on all affected communities outweigh their transportation benefits. Authorizes the Board to impose conditions to mitigate the effect of mergers on local communities. Declares that the amendments made by this Act are to be applied to all transactions that have not been approved by the Board as of August 1, 2008.
Topic: Transportation — Railroad Travel
Subject: Transportation and public works
Date: 2008-09-18 00:00:00

Rail Collision Prevention Act - Requires each rail carrier that is a Class I railroad, that has inadequate safety performance, or that provides intercity passenger or commuter rail passenger transportation to develop and submit for Secretary of Transportation approval by December 31, 2014, a plan to implement a positive train control system that prevents rail collisions. Requires implementation of such systems by December 31, 2012, in areas that have the highest safety risk due to shared track between commuter and freight rail. Increases penalties for violations of rail safety regulations or orders issued by the Secretary, including violations related to rail accident reporting and hours-of-service.
Topic: Transportation — Railroad Travel
Subject: Transportation and public works
Date: 2007-01-04 00:00:00

Rail Security Act of 2007 - Directs the Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to conduct a vulnerability assessment of freight and passenger rail transportation, and develop specific prioritized recommendations for improving rail security. Directs the Assistant Secretary to conduct a study on requiring security screening for passengers, baggage, and cargo on passenger trains. Authorizes the Secretary of Transportation to make grants to Amtrak for fire and life-safety improvements and infrastructure upgrades to tunnels on the Northeast Corridor. Directs Amtrak to submit to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) a plan to address the needs of families of passengers involved in rail passenger accidents. Authorizes the Assistant Secretary to award grants to Amtrak for certain system-wide Amtrak, freight, hazardous materials transportation, and passenger rail security upgrades. Directs the Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration to set forth certain standards for welded rail and tank car safety improvements. Sets forth certain whistleblower protections for rail employees or other persons providing information about perceived security threats.
Topic: Transportation — Railroad Travel
Subject: Transportation and public works
Date: 2007-03-21 00:00:00

Railroad Competition and Service Improvement Act of 2007 - Sets forth Surface Transportation Board directives calling for effective competition among rail carriers and reliable rail transportation service for rail customers.Requires a rail carrier, upon shipper request, to establish rates for transportation and provide requested service between any two points on the carrier's system. Prohibits the Board from issuing a certificate authorizing construction and operation of railroad lines, short line purchases by Class II and Class III rail carriers, or consolidation, merger, and acquisition of control of rail carriers, or exempt from such certificate requirements any person, transaction, or service with respect to such activity, if the activity involves a transfer of interest in a line of railroad, from a Class I rail carrier to a Class II or III rail carrier, and the activity would: (1) restrict the ability of the Class II or Class III rail carrier to interchange traffic with other rail carriers; (2) restrict competition of rail carriers in the region affected by the activity in a manner that would violate U.S. antitrust laws; or (3) require higher per car interchange rates for Class II or Class III rail carriers to interchange traffic with other rail carriers. Prescribes procedures for Board review of any activity alleged to have resulted in a restriction of competition.Makes mandatory (currently, discretionary) entry by rail carriers into reciprocal switching agreements where the Board finds it is practicable and in the public interest, or where such agreements are necessary to provide competitive rail service. Requires the Board to designate any state or substantial part of a state as an area of inadequate rail competition after making certain findings.Requires the Board to post rail service complaints on its website. Sets forth time limits for the Board to act on complaints filed alleging unlawfulness of a new or revised rail rate, rule, or practice.Establishes the Office of Rail Customer Advocacy.Grants rail customers access to a Board process for determining rail rate reasonableness in railroad market dominance cases.Requires submission to arbitration of certain rail rate, service, and other disputes.Authorizes the Board to investigate rail carrier violations on its own initiative (under current law, the Board is authorized to investigate only on complaint). Requires the Board (currently, discretionary) to initiate an investigation upon receiving a complaint alleging rail carrier violations.
Topic: Transportation — Railroad Travel
Subject: Transportation and public works
Date: 2007-05-21 00:00:00

Railroad Crossing and Hazardous Materials Transport Safety Act of 2007 - Directs the Secretary of Transportation to conduct a review of the safety of all highway-rail grade crossings in the United States and to submit to Congress a priority list of highway-rail grade crossings most in need of safety improvements. Directs the Secretary to: (1) maintain a national database of information on the safety of highway-rail grade crossings; (2) investigate the cause of each fatal crossing accident; and (3) prescribe regulations for improving crossing safety, maintenance, and surveillance. Establishes the position of Special Advisor for Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Safety in the office of the Under Secretary of Transportation for Policy. Requires annual safety reviews by crossing inspectors. Increases civil penalties for crossing safety requirement violations. Authorizes grants for enforcement of crossing safety laws, rail infrastructure safety improvements, and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Increases civil penalties for violations of hazardous materials transportation requirements. Requires revocation of any compliance order if a railroad carrier commits a gross violation of such order that results in a hazardous materials accident. Sets inspection requirements for tank cars carrying hazardous materials. Requires a rail carrier to provide comprehensive lists of all hazardous materials scheduled to be transported through a state to a state homeland security coordinator if requested. Directs the Secretary to double the number of hazardous materials inspectors employed by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA).
Topic: Transportation — Railroad Travel
Subject: Immigration
Date: 2008-06-11 00:00:00

Secure and Safe Detention and Asylum Act - Sets forth provisions regarding procedures and standards applicable to aliens detained in Department of Homeland Security (DHS) custody and the conditions of such custody, which shall address: (1) fair and humane treatment; (2) solitary confinement limitations; (3) investigation of grievances; (4) access to telephones and legal assistance; (5) detainee transfers; (6) translation capabilities; (7) medical care; (8) vulnerable populations; (9) standards for non-criminal detainees; (10) personnel training; and (11) reporting of detainee deaths.Establishes in DHS: (1) an Office of Detention Oversight; and (2) a detention alternatives program under which detainees may be released under enhanced supervision.Provides for: (1) legal orientation for immigration and asylum detainees; (2) construction or use of less restrictive detention facilities, including facilities for families with children; and (3) quality assurance procedures regarding expedited removal interviews.
Topic: Transportation — Railroad Travel
Subject: Transportation and public works
Date: 2008-07-29 00:00:00

Creating American Rolling Stock Act of 2008 or the Train CARS Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Transportation to award grants to eligible applicants to purchase or rehabilitate domestically manufactured rolling stock for intercity passenger rail transportation. Prohibits Secretary approval of a grant project without a state rail plan. Sets forth certain Buy American requirements. Directs Amtrak to establish a Next Generation Corridor Equipment Pool Committee. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to create an Intercity Passenger Rail Rolling Stock Account. Allows a tax credit to a holder of a qualified Amtrak bond issued for projects to purchase or rehabilitate domestically manufactured rolling stock for intercity passenger rail transportation (rail infrastructure investment). Requires the Comptroller General to study the potential costs, benefits, and economic impact of providing intercity passenger rail along a national railway electrification system. Directs the Secretary of Labor to report to Congress on existing federal programs that could assist in the training of automotive, aviation, and manufacturing workers to transition to the railcar manufacturing industry.
Topic: Transportation — Railroad Travel
Subject: Health
Date: 2008-09-11 00:00:00

National Integrated Public Health Surveillance Systems and Reportable Conditions Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to: (1) establish the Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity Grant Program to assist public health agencies in improving surveillance for, and response to, infectious diseases and other conditions of public health importance; and (2) issue guidelines for public health entities relating to information systems to receive, monitor, and report infectious diseases and other such conditions.Authorizes the Secretary, acting through the Director, to: (1) address documented workforce shortages in state and local health departments in applied public health epidemiology and public health laboratory science and informatics; and (2) provide for the expansion of applied epidemiology training programs.Requires the Director, upon request, to assist the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists in developing or improving a process for states to conduct surveillance and submit reports to the Director on nationally notifiable diseases and conditions.Requires the Secretary to adopt and use guidelines to develop improved standards and protocols for binational epidemiology, surveillance, laboratory analyses, and control of infectious diseases between the United States and Mexico.Requires the Secretary, acting through the Director, to establish a committee to: (1) evaluate best practices in public health surveillance; and (2) assess systems needed for improving coordination among public health surveillance and monitoring systems.
Topic: Transportation — Railroad Travel
Subject: Transportation and public works
Date: 2008-09-16 00:00:00

Requires each rail carrier that is a Class I railroad, that has inadequate safety performance, or that provides intercity passenger or commuter rail passenger transportation to develop and submit for Secretary of Transportation approval by December 31, 2014, a plan to implement a positive train control system that prevents rail collisions. Requires implementation of such systems by December 31, 2012, in areas that have the highest safety risk due to shared track between commuter and freight rail. Prohibits installation of a positive train control system or component unless the Secretary has certified that it has not experienced a safety-critical failure during prior testing and evaluation. Increases penalties for violations of rail safety regulations or orders issued by the Secretary, including violations related to rail accident reporting and hours-of-service.
Topic: Transportation — Railroad Travel
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2007-04-17 00:00:00

Freight Rail Infrastructure Capacity Expansion Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow: (1) a tax credit for 25% of the cost of new qualified freight rail infrastructure property and new qualified locomotive property; and (2) a taxpayer election to expense the cost of qualified freight rail infrastructure property (i.e., deduct all costs in the current taxable year). Terminates such credit and expensing election after 2012.
Topic: Transportation — Railroad Travel
Subject: Transportation and public works
Date: 2009-01-07 00:00:00

Neighborhood Rail Accountability Act - Requires the Surface Transportation Board, in determining whether to issue a certificate authorizing the construction of an additional railroad line or of an extension to any railroad line, to: (1) give greater weight to local official statements and public comments in opposition to the proposed construction (especially construction in a residential area) if there is an unusually high level of public opposition; and (2) identify any disproportionate negative impacts on any socioeconomic population, including a discussion of alternatives that were considered that would have avoided such impacts. Prescribes procedural requirements for dealing with any false or incorrect information provided by an applicant for a certificate for construction.
Topic: Transportation — Railroad Travel
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2009-01-07 00:00:00

Freight Rail Infrastructure Capacity Expansion Act of 2009 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow: (1) a tax credit for 25% of the cost of new qualified freight rail infrastructure property and qualified locomotive property; and (2) a taxpayer election to expense the cost of qualified freight rail infrastructure property (i.e., deduct all costs in the current taxable year). Terminates such credit and expensing election after 2012.
Topic: Transportation — Railroad Travel
Subject: Transportation and public works
Date: 2009-01-22 00:00:00

Northeast Corridor Rail Tunnel Safety Act - Authorizes appropriations to the Secretary of Transportation for Amtrak use, after the Secretary has received and approved a project engineering and financial plan, to complete New York tunnel life safety projects and to rehabilitate tunnels in Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, Maryland.
Topic: Transportation — Railroad Travel
Subject: Transportation and public works
Date: 2009-01-26 00:00:00

Requires the Secretary of Transportation to: (1) designate a rail right-of-way as a corridor for inter-suburban commuter rail based on certain qualifying factors and after a 30-day congressional review period; (2) provide technical assistance to expedite completion of inter-suburban rail service; and (3) prohibit increased usage of such corridor except to increase the availability of inter-suburban commuter rail.
Topic: Transportation — Railroad Travel
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2009-02-23 00:00:00

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) increase the allowable amount of the railroad track maintenance tax credit; (2) revise the types of expenditures eligible for such credit; and (3) extend such credit through 2012.
Topic: Transportation — Railroad Travel
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2009-03-30 00:00:00

Comprehensive Rail Infrastructure Investment Act of 2009 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) allow a tax credit through 2012 for 25% of the cost of new qualified freight rail infrastructure property and qualified locomotive property; (2) allow a taxpayer election through 2012 to expense the acquisition, construction, or erection costs of qualified freight rail infrastructure property; and (3) extend through 2012 the tax credit for qualified railroad track maintenance expenditures and modify requirements applicable to such expenditures.
Topic: Transportation — Railroad Travel
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2009-03-31 00:00:00

Freight Rail Infrastructure Capacity Expansion Act of 2009 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow: (1) a tax credit for 25% of the cost of new qualified freight rail infrastructure property and qualified locomotive property; and (2) a taxpayer election to expense the cost of qualified freight rail infrastructure property (i.e., deduct all costs in the current taxable year). Terminates such credit and expensing election after 2015. Requires compliance with federal wage rate requirements under the Davis-Bacon Act as a condition of eligibility for the tax credit and expensing allowance provided by this Act.
Topic: Transportation — Railroad Travel
Subject: Transportation and public works
Date: 2009-05-20 00:00:00

Freight Rail Economic Development Act of 2009 - Directs the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) to make capital grants to a class I, class II, or class III railroad or a state or local government for freight rail economic development projects, particularly projects to construct freight rail switches and sidings. Prescribes prevailing wage rate requirements for such projects in accordance with the Davis-Bacon Act.
Topic: Transportation — Railroad Travel
Subject: Transportation and public works
Date: 2009-06-04 00:00:00

National Freight Mobility Infrastructure Act - Directs the Secretary of Transportation to establish a program to award grants, on a competitive basis, to states and designated entities for projects to improve the efficiency of freight mobility in the United States. Establishes the National Freight Mobility Infrastructure Fund to carry out projects under this Act. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to impose a tax on taxable ground transportation of property equal to 1% of the fair market value of such transportation. Requires deposit into the Fund of amounts equivalent to the tax imposed on taxable ground transportation of property.
Topic: Transportation — Railroad Travel
Subject: Transportation and public works
Date: 2009-07-30 00:00:00

Taking Responsible Action for Community Safety Act - Revises requirements with respect to the consolidation, merger, or acquisition of control (transaction) involving rail carriers to require public hearings in the affected communities if public hearings on a proposed transaction are held. Requires the Surface Transportation Board, in a proceeding with respect to a transaction that involves at least one Class I railroad (under current law, merger or control of at least two Class I railroads), to consider the effect on the public interest, including the safety and environmental effect of the proposed merger on local communities, intercity rail passenger transportation, commuter rail passenger transportation, and the public interest. Prohibits the Board from approving mergers if their adverse impacts on safety and on affected communities outweigh their transportation benefits. Authorizes the Board to impose conditions to mitigate the effect of mergers on local communities.
Topic: Transportation — Railroad Travel
Subject: Transportation and public works
Date: 2010-03-12 00:00:00

Northeast Corridor High-Speed Rail Act - Designates the Northeast Corridor as a high-speed rail corridor eligible for grants for high-speed rail capital projects.
Topic: Transportation — Railroad Travel
Subject: Transportation and public works
Date: 2010-05-25 00:00:00

Directs Amtrak to discontinue passenger rail service on any long distance route that operates at a loss (where the total direct service costs are more than twice as great as total revenues for the first full fiscal year after enactment of this Act).