STAGGERS RAIL ACT OF 1980 Public Law 96-448; 96th Congress AN ACT To reform the economic regulation of railroads, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SHORT TITLE SECTION 1. This Act may be cited as the "Staggers Rail Act of 1980". TABLE OF CONTENTS Sec. 1. Short title. Sec. 2. Findings. Sec. 3. Goals. TITLE I-RAIL TRANSPORTATION POLICY Sec. 101. Rail transportation policy. TITLE II-RAILROAD RATES AND INTER-CARRIER PRACTICES Sec. 201. Regulation of railroad rates. Sec. 202. Determination of market dominance. Sec. 203. Zone of rate flexibility. Sec. 204. Transportation of recyclable materials. Sec. 205. Rate regulation proceedings; adequate revenues. Sec. 206. Inflation-based rate increases. Sec. 207. Investigation and suspension of rates. Sec. 208. Contracts. Sec. 209. Demand sensitive rates. Sec. 210. Phaseout of capital incentive rates. Sec. 211. Permissive limited liability rates. Sec. 212. Rate discrimination. Sec. 213. Exemption. Sec. 214. Intrastate rates. Sec. 215. Business entertainment expenses. Sec. 216. Efficient marketing. Sec. 217. Compensatory joint rate relief. Sec. 218. Expedited division of revenues proceedings. Sec. 219. Rate bureaus. Sec. 220. Long and short haul transportation. Sec. 221. Railroad entry. Sec. 222. Service during periods of peak demand. Sec. 223. Reciprocal switching. Sec. 224. Car service compensation. Sec. 225. Car utilization. Sec. 226. Car service orders for exigent circumstances. Sec. 227. Employee protection. Sec. 228. Mergers and other transactions. Sec. 229. Savings provisions. TITLE III-RAILROAD COST DETERMINATIONS Sec. 301. Uniform accounting system. Sec. 302. Railroad cost accounting. Sec. 303. Civil penalties for violations of accounting principles provisions. TITLE IV-RAILROAD MODERNIZATION ASSISTANCE Sec. 401. Feeder railroad development program. Sec. 402. Abandonment. Sec. 403. Conversion of abandoned railroad rights-of-way. Sec. 404. Extension of redeemable preference share financing. Sec. 405. Financing. Sec. 406. Transaction assistance. Sec. 407. Electrification loan guarantees. Sec. 408. Amendment to the Regional Rail Reorganization Act of 1973. Sec. 409. Federal assistance report. TITLE V-CONRAIL TITLE V LABOR PROTECTION Sec. 501. Monthly displacement allowance. Sec. 502. Duration of monthly displacement allowance. Sec. 503. Training and transfer. Sec. 504. Payment, audit, and report. Sec. 505. Railroad hiring. Sec. 506. Single collective-bargaining agreement. Sec. 507. Employee protection payments. Sec. 508. Technical amendments. TITLE VI-EXPEDITED SUPPLEMENTAL TRANSACTION PROPOSALS Sec. 601. Expedited supplemental transaction proposals. TITLE VII-MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS Sec. 701. Rock Island and Milwaukee Railroads amendments. Sec. 702. Loan guarantees. Sec. 703. Conrail studies and emergency funding. Sec. 704. USRA authorization of appropriations. Sec. 705. Feeder line rehabilitation study. Sec. 706. Effect on pending matters. Sec. 707. Construction of amendments. Sec. 708. Surplus property. Sec. 709. Study of Alaska railroad rates. Sec. 710. Effective dates. FINDINGS SEC. 2. The Congress hereby finds that (1) historically, railroads were the essential factor in the national transportation system; (2) the enactment of the Interstate Commerce Act was essential to prevent an abuse of monopoly power by railroads and to establish and maintain a national railroad network; (3) today, most transportation within the United States is competitive; (4) many of the Government regulations affecting railroads have become unnecessary and inefficient; (5) nearly two-thirds of the Nation's intercity freight is transported by modes of transportation other than railroads; (6) earnings by the railroad industry are the lowest of any transportation mode and are insufficient to generate funds for necessary capital improvements; (7) by 1985, there will be a capital shortfall within the railroad industry of between $16,000,000,000 and $20,000,000,000; (8) failure to achieve increased earnings within the railroad industry will result in either further deterioration of the rail system or the necessity for additional Federal subsidy; and (9) modernization of economic regulation for the railroad industry with a greater reliance on the marketplace is essential |