An act to amend the National Capital Transportation Act of 1969 to authorize additional Federal contributions for the cost of construction of the rapid transit system of the National Capital Region, to provide an orderly method for the retirement of bonds issued by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, and for other purposes.
PL 96-184 (H.R.3951), enacted 01/03/1980

93 STAT. 1320 
PUBLIC LAW 96-184—JAN. 3, 1980 
Jan. 3, 1980 
[H.R. 3951] 
National Capital 
Transportation 
Amendments of 
1979. 
Public Law 96-184 
96th Congress 
An Act 
To amend the National Capital Transportation Act of 1969 to authorize additional 
Federal contributions for the cost of construction of the rapid transit system of 
the National Capital Region, to provide an orderly method for the retirement of 
bonds issued by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, and for 
other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representative of the 
United States of 
America in Congress assembled, 
SHORT TITLE 
SECTION 1. This Act may be cited as the "National Capital Trans-
portation Amendments of 1979". 
AUTHORIZATION OP ADDITIONAL FEDERAL CONTRIBUTIONS FOR CON-
STRUCTION OF THE ADOPTED REGIONAL SYSTEM AND OTHER PURPOSES 
SEC 2. The National Capital Transportation Act of 1969 (83 Stat. 
320,86 Stat. 464-466,1004), as amended (D.C. Code, sec. 1-1441 et seq.) 
is amended by adding at the end thereof the following new sections: 
D.C. Code 
1-1442. 
Post, p. 1322. 
Local matching 
grants. 
Appropriation 
authorization. 
AUTHORIZATION OP ADDITIONAL FEDERAL CONTRIBUTIONS FOR 
CONSTRUCTION 
"SEC 14. (a) The Secretary of Transportation is authorized to make 
grants to the Transit Authority, in addition to the contributions 
authorized by section 3 of this Act, for the purpose of financing in 
part the cost of construction of the Adopted Regional System. 
"(b) Federal grants under subsection (a) for the Adopted Regional 
System shall be subject to section 16 and to the following limitations 
and conditions: 
"(1) The work for which such grants are authorized shall be 
subject to the provisions of the Compact and shall be for projects 
included in the Adopted Regional System. 
"(2) The aggregate amount of such Federal grants made during 
any fiscal year shall be matched by the local participating 
governments by payment of capital contributions for such year 
in a total amount that is not less than 25 per centum of the 
amount of such Federal grants and shall be provided in cash from 
sources other than Federal funds or revenues from the operation 
of public mass transportation systems. Anv public or private 
transit system funds so provided shall be solely from undistrib-
uted cash surpluses, replacement or depreciation funds or rev-
enues available in cash, or new capital. 
"(3) Such grants shall be subject to terms and conditions that 
the Secretary may deem appropriate for constructing the 
Adopted Regional System in a cost-effective manner. 
"(c) There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of 
Transportation for the purpose of making grants under subsection (a) 
an aggregate amount not to exceed $1,700,000,000, except that no 
PUBLIC LAW 96-184—JAN. 3, 1980 
93 STAT. 1321 
appropriation pursuant to this authorization shall be enacted for any 
fiscal year prior to fiscal year 1982. 
"(d) Amounts appropriated pursuant to the authorization under 
subsection (c)— 
"(1) shall remain available until expended, if so provided in 
appropriation Acts; and 
"(2) shall be in addition to, and not in lieu of, amounts 
available to the Transit Authority under the Urban Mass Trans-
portation Act of 1964, as amended, and section 103(e)(4) of title 23, 
United States Code. 
49 u s e 1601 
note. 
" P A Y M E N T O F B O N D S 
"SEC. 15. (a)(1) The Transit Authority shall maintain a sinking fund 
to be used for the accumulation of assets for payment of principal on 
bonds issued by the Transit Authority and guaranteed by the Secre-
tary as provided in section 9. The fund shall be administered in 
accordance with the provisions of the Compact providing for funds 
established by the Transit Authority, and moneys in the fund may be 
invested by the Transit Authority in accordance with the Compact 
and with the Agreement. 
"(2) The Transit Authority shall use assets of the fund to pay the 
principal paid or to be paid after October 1, 1979, on bonds issued by 
the Transit Authority. 
"(3)(A) Subject to the conditions of the Agreement, the Secretary of 
Transportation is authorized to make contributions to the Transit 
Authority, or its fiscal agent, in amounts sufficient to provide for the 
payment of two-thirds of the principal paid or to be paid after June 
30, 1979, on bonds issued by the Transit Authority which are 
guaranteed by the Secretary as provided in section 9. 
"(B) There are authorized to be appropriated beginning in fiscal 
year 1981 such sums as are necessary to carry out the requirements of 
subparagraph (A) of this paragraph. 
"(4) Subject to the conditions of the Agreement, the local participat-
ing governments shall make payments to the Transit Authority in 
amounts sufficient to allow the Transit Authority to make contribu-
tions to the fund established pursuant to subsection (a)(1) in amounts 
sufficient to provide for the payment of one-third of the principal paid 
or to be paid after June 30, 1979, on bonds issued by the Transit 
Authority which are guaranteed by the Secretary as provided in 
section 9. 
"(b)(1) The Transit Authority shall maintain a Bond Interest Fund 
to be used for the accumulation of assets for the timely payment of 
interest on bonds issued by the Transit Authority and guaranteed by 
the Secretary as provided in section 9. The fund shall be administered 
in accordance with the provisions of the Compact providing for funds 
established by the Transit Authority, and moneys in the fund may be 
invested by the Transit Authority in accordance with the Compact 
and with the Agreement. 
"(2)(A) Subject to the conditions of the Agreement, the Secretary of 
Transportation is authorized to make contributions to the Transit 
Authority or its fiscal agent, in amounts sufficient to provide for the 
payment of two-thirds of the total amount of interest paid or to be 
paid after June 30, 1979, on bonds issued by the Transit Authority 
which are guaranteed by the Secretary as provided in section 9. 
"(B) There are authorized to be appropriated beginning in fiscal 
year 1981 such sums as are necessary to carry out the provisions of 
subparagraph (A) of this paragraph. 
D.C. Code 
1-1446. 
Appropriation 
authorization. 
Bond Interest 
Fund. 
Appropriation 
authorization. 
93 STAT. 1322 
PUBLIC LAW 96-184—JAN. 3, 1980 
Accelerated 
"(3) With respect to interest payments due prior to July 3,1983, the 
interest 
Secretary of Transportation, if requested by the Transit Authority, 
paymen . 
^^^^ make accelerated interest payments in amounts sufficient to 
provide for the payment, as any payment becomes due, of not more 
than an additional ISVa per centum of the interest due on such bonds 
at the time of such payment, so long as the total amount of 
contributions by the Secretary under this subsection does not exceed 
the amount specified in paragraph (2). Unless otherwise provided in 
amendments to the Agreement, any accelerated payments made 
shall bear interest from the date of accelerated payment until 
liquidation at a rate to be determined by the Secretary of the 
Treasury, taking into consideration the current average market yield 
on outstanding United States marketable obligations which have 
maturities comparable to the period of time between the time of 
accelerated payment and the time of liquidation. 
"(4) Subject to the conditions of the Agreement, the local participat-
ing governments shall make payments to the Transit Authority in 
amounts sufficient to allow the Transit Authority to make contribu-
tions to the fund established pursuant to subsection (b)(1) in amounts 
sufficient to provide for the payment of one-third of the interest paid 
or to be paid after June 3(), 1979, on bonds issued by the Transit 
Authority which are guaranteed by the Secretary as provided in 
section 9. 
"(5) If as a result of the retirement of the principal of such bonds (or 
of any portion of such principal) before maturity the total amount of 
contributions by the Secretary of Transportation after June 30,1979, 
for payment of interest on such bonds is at any time in excess of two-
thirds of the net present value of the total amount of interest paid or 
to be paid on such bonds after such date, the Transit Authority shall 
pay to the Secretary the difference between the total amount contrib-
uted by the Secretary and two-thirds of the net present value of the 
total amount of interest paid or to be paid on such bonds after such 
date. 
"REQUIREMENT THAT LOCAL PARTICIPATING GOVERNMENTS HAVE A 
STABLE AND RELIABLE SOURCE OF REVENUE FOR CONTRIBUTIONS FOR 
BOND EXPENSES AND FOR OPERATING EXPENSES 
"SEC. 16. (a) The Secretary of Transportation shall not make any 
Ante, p. 1320. 
grant under section 14(a) for the cost of construction of the Adopted 
Regional System, until the Secretary has determined that the local 
participating governments, or signatories (as defined in subpara-
graph (d) of paragraph 1 of article I of title III of the Washington 
Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Compact (80 Stat. 1324; D.C. 
Code, sec. 1-1431)) to the Compact, have provided a stable and reliable 
source of revenue sufficient to meet both (1) their payments to the 
Ante, p. 1321. 
Transit Authority under subsections (a)(4) and (b)(4) of section 15, 
relating to payment of the principal and interest on bonds issued by 
the Transit Authority, and (2) that part of the cost of operating and 
maintaining the Adopted Regional System that is in excess of 
revenues received by the Transit Authority from the operation of the 
system and any amount to be contributed for operating expenses by 
the Secretary of Transportation under any other provision of law. 
"(b) The Transit Authority, in consultation with each governmen-
tal entity that is a local participating government or signatory to the 
Compact as referred to in subsection (a) of this section, for the 
purposes of this Act, shall submit a program to the Secretary of 
Transportation on or before September 30, 1980, showing how each 
PUBLIC LAW 96-184—JAN. 3, 1980 
93 STAT. 1323 
such governmental entity will have in place on or before August 15, 
1982, a stable and reliable source of revenue to provide for its 
contributions (1) for payments to the Washington Metropolitan Area 
Transit Authority for the payment of principal and interest on bonds 
issued by the Transit Authority, and (2) for the cost of operating and 
maintaining the Adopted Regional System of the Washington Metro-
politan Area Transit Authority." 
SEC. 3. (a) Section 2 of the National Capital Transportation Act of 
1969 (83 Stat. 320), as amended (D.C. Code, sec. 1-1441), is amended by 
adding at the end thereof the following: 
"(4) The term 'Agreement' means the Initial Bond Repayment "Agreement." 
Participation Agreement executed by the Transit Authority and the 
United States Department of Transportation on September 18,1979, 
and amendments thereto, including the Supplemental Agreement 
described in section 302 of the Initial Bond Repayment Participation 
Agreement. 
"(5) The term 'local participating governments' means those gov- "Local 
ernments which comprise the Washington Metropolitan Transit participating 
Zone, as defined by paragraph 3 of article III of title III of the governments. 
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Compact (80 Stat. 
1324; D.C. Code, sec. 1-1431).". 
(b) Section 9(d) of the National Capital Transportation Act of 1969 
(83 Stat. 320, 86 Stat. 464, 465), as amended (D.C. Code, sec. 1-1446), is 
amended by deleting "issued after the date of the enactment of this 
section" and inserting in lieu thereof "guaranteed by the Secretary 
under the provisions of this section". 
(c) Section 10 of the National Capital Transportation Act of 1969 (83 Repeal. 
Stat. 320, 86 Stat. 464, 465), as amended (D.C. Code, sec. 1-1447), is 
repealed. Such repeal shall not be construed as affecting in any 
manner any pajnnent, commitment, or other action taken pursuant 
to and in accordance with such section prior to the date of its repeal 
by this Act. 
(d) Subsections (a) and (b) of section 11 of the National Capital 
Transportation Act of 1969 (83 Stat. 320, 86 Stat. 465, 466), as 
amended (D.C. Code, sec. 1-1448), are each amended by deleting 
"section 10" each place it appears in such subsections and inserting 
in lieu thereof "section 15". 
Ante, p. 1321. 
Approved January 3, 1980. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: 
HOUSE REPORT No. 96-156 (Comm. on the District of Ck)lumbia). 
SENATE REPORT No. 96-475 (Comm. on Governmental Affairs). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 125 (1979): 
July 16, considered and passed House. 
Dec. 20, considered and passed Senate, amended; House agreed to Senate 
amendments. 
WEEKLY COMPILATION OF PRESIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS, Vol. 16. No. 1: 
Jan. 3, Presidential statement.