SUBCHAPTER I—GENERAL PROVISIONS
§801. Declaration of policy
(a) Purpose
The purpose of this Act and chapter 224 of title 49, United States Code, is to provide the means to rehabilitate and maintain the physical facilities, improve the operations and structure, and restore the financial stability of the railway system of the United States, and to promote the revitalization of such railway system, so that this mode of transportation will remain viable in the private sector of the economy and will be able to provide energy-efficient, ecologically compatible transportation services with greater efficiency, effectiveness, and economy, through—
(1) ratemaking and regulatory reform;
(2) the encouragement of efforts to restructure the system on a more economically justified basis, including planning authority in the Secretary of Transportation, an expedited procedure for determining whether merger and consolidation applications are in the public interest, and continuing reorganization authority;
(3) financing mechanisms that will assure adequate rehabilitation and improvement of facilities and equipment, implementation of the final system plan, and implementation of the Northeast Corridor project;
(4) transitional continuation of service on light-density rail lines that are necessary to continued employment and community well-being throughout the United States;
(5) auditing, accounting, reporting, and other requirements to protect Federal funds and to assure repayment of loans and financial responsibility; and
(6) necessary studies.
(b) Policy
The policy of this Act and chapter 224 of title 49, United States Code, is to—
(1) balance the needs of carriers, shippers, and the public;
(2) foster competition among all carriers by railroad and other modes of transportation, to promote more adequate and efficient transportation services, and to increase the attractiveness of investing in railroads and rail-service-related enterprises;
(3) permit railroads greater freedom to raise or lower rates for rail services in competitive markets;
(4) promote the establishment of railroad rate structures which are more sensitive to changes in the level of seasonal, regional, and shipper demand;
(5) promote separate pricing of distinct rail and rail-related services;
(6) formulate standards and guidelines for determining adequate revenue levels for railroads; and
(7) modernize and clarify the functions of railroad rate bureaus.
(Pub. L. 94–210, title I, §101, Feb. 5, 1976, 90 Stat. 33; Pub. L. 117–58, div. B, title I, §21301(j)(3)(A), Nov. 15, 2021, 135 Stat. 691.)
Editorial Notes
References in Text
This Act, referred to in text, means Pub. L. 94–210, Feb. 5, 1976, 90 Stat. 31, known as the Railroad Revitalization and Regulatory Reform Act of 1976. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out below and Tables.
Amendments
2021—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 117–58, §21301(j)(3)(A)(i), substituted "The purpose of this Act and chapter 224 of title 49, United States Code, is to" for "It is the purpose of the Congress in this Act to" in introductory provisions.
Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 117–58, §21301(j)(3)(A)(ii), substituted "The policy of this Act and chapter 224 of title 49, United States Code, is" for "It is declared to be the policy of the Congress in this Act" in introductory provisions.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Short Title of 2015 Amendment
Pub. L. 114–94, div. A, title XI, §11601(a), Dec. 4, 2015, 129 Stat. 1693, provided that: "This subtitle [subtitle F (§§11601–11611) of title XI of div. A of Pub. L. 114–94, amending sections 821 to 823 of this title and enacting provisions set out as notes under section 821 of this title] may be cited as the 'Railroad Infrastructure Financing Improvement Act'."
Short Title
Pub. L. 94–210, §1, Feb. 5, 1976, 90 Stat. 31, provided in part that this Act [enacting this chapter and sections 726 and 745 to 747 of this title, and sections 1a, 5c, 26b, 26c, 1613, 1653a, 1654, and 1657a of former Title 49, Transportation, amending sections 543, 545, 546, 562 to 564, 702, 711 to 713, 715, 716, 718 to 721, 724, 725, 741, 743, 744, 762, 763, 771, 772, 774, 775, 778, 779, and 791 of this title, sections 77c, 77s, 78m, and 80a–3 of Title 15, Commerce and Trade, sections 11 and 856 of former Title 31, Money and Finance, and sections 1, 1a, 5, 5b, 6, 12, 13, 15, 15a, 17, 20, 27, 314, 1653, 1658, and 1659 of former Title 49, repealing sections 761 to 762 of this title, enacting provisions set out as notes under sections 745, 761, 791, and 793 of this title, sections 77c and 80a–3 of Title 15, and sections 1, 1a, 5b, 5c, 17, and 1654 of former Title 49, and amending notes set out under section 1651 of former Title 49] may be cited as the "Railroad Revitalization and Regulatory Reform Act of 1976".
§802. Definitions
As used in this Act, unless the context otherwise indicates, the term—
(1) "Association" means the United States Railway Association;
(2) "Commission" means the Interstate Commerce Commission;
(3) "Corporation" means the Consolidated Rail Corporation;
(4) "final system plan" means the final system plan and any additions thereto adopted by the Association pursuant to the Regional Rail Reorganization Act of 1973 (45 U.S.C. 701 et seq.);
(5) "includes" and variants thereof should be read as if the phrase "but is not limited to" were also set forth;
(6) "Office" means the Rail Services Planning Office of the Commission;
(7) "railroad" has the meaning given that term in section 20102 of title 49; and
(8) "Secretary" means the Secretary of Transportation or his designated representative.
(Pub. L. 94–210, title I, §102, Feb. 5, 1976, 90 Stat. 33; Pub. L. 97–468, title VI, §615(b)(2), Jan. 14, 1983, 96 Stat. 2578; Pub. L. 104–88, title III, §330(1), Dec. 29, 1995, 109 Stat. 953; Pub. L. 109–59, title IX, §9003(a), Aug. 10, 2005, 119 Stat. 1921.)
Editorial Notes
References in Text
This Act, referred to in text, means Pub. L. 94–210, Feb. 5, 1976, 90 Stat. 31, known as the Railroad Revitalization and Regulatory Reform Act of 1976. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 801 of this title and Tables.
The Regional Rail Reorganization Act of 1973, referred to in par. (4), is Pub. L. 93–236, Jan. 2, 1974, 87 Stat. 985, which is classified principally to chapter 16 (§701 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 701 of this title and Tables.
Amendments
2005—Par. (7). Pub. L. 109–59 amended par. (7) generally. Prior to amendment, par. (7) read as follows: " 'railroad' means a rail carrier subject to part A of subtitle IV of title 49, and includes the National Railroad Passenger Corporation; and".
1995—Par. (7). Pub. L. 104–88 substituted "rail carrier subject to part A of subtitle IV of title 49" for "common carrier by railroad or express, as defined in section 1(3) of the Interstate Commerce Act (49 U.S.C. 1(3))".
1983—Par. (7). Pub. L. 97–468 struck out "and the Alaska Railroad" before the semicolon at end.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date of 1995 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 104–88 effective Jan. 1, 1996, see section 2 of Pub. L. 104–88, set out as an Effective Date note under section 1301 of Title 49, Transportation.
Effective Date of 1983 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 97–468 effective on date of transfer of Alaska Railroad to the State [Jan. 5, 1985], pursuant to section 1203 of this title, see section 615(b) of Pub. L. 97–468.
Abolition of Interstate Commerce Commission and Transfer of Functions
Interstate Commerce Commission abolished and functions of Commission transferred, except as otherwise provided in Pub. L. 104–88, to Surface Transportation Board effective Jan. 1, 1996, by section 1302 of Title 49, Transportation, and section 101 of Pub. L. 104–88, set out as a note under section 1301 of Title 49. References to Interstate Commerce Commission deemed to refer to Surface Transportation Board, a member or employee of the Board, or Secretary of Transportation, as appropriate, see section 205 of Pub. L. 104–88, set out as a note under section 1301 of Title 49.
Abolition of United States Railway Association and Transfer of Functions and Securities
See section 1341 of this title.
Section, Pub. L. 94–210, title IX, §905, Feb. 5, 1976, 90 Stat. 148, directed that no person in the United States be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, national origin, or sex with regard to any activity funded in whole or in part under this Act and provided for cut-off of funds to and civil action against any person who persisted in failure to comply. See section 306 of Title 49, Transportation.