Arrive 21 Act
Latest action · Nov 25, 2003 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (text of measure as introduced: CR S15989-16002)
Progress
Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.
- IntroducedNov 25, 2003
- Passed SenateNot reached
- Passed HouseNot reached
- To the PresidentNot reached
- Became lawNot reached
Summary
American Railroad Revitalization, Investment, and Enhancement Act of the 21st Century, or the Arrive 21 Act - Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to assess and develop prioritized recommendations regarding the security risks associated with freight and intercity passenger rail transportation.
Amends Federal transportation law with respect to: (1) Federal rail policy; (2) establishment of a rail cooperative research program; (3) State rail plans; (4) interstate railroad passenger high-speed transportation policy; (5) high-speed rail corridor planning; (6) rehabilitation, improvement, and security financing; (7) creations of a 50-year Intermodal Blueprint; and (8) the National Railroad Passenger Transportation (Amtrak) system.
Designates specified high-speed rail corridors.
Prohibits the Secretary of Transportation (Secretary) from collecting payments for a specified direct loan to Amtrak.
Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to work with the Secretary to restructure Amtrak's long-term debt and capital leases. Prohibits Amtrak from contracting new secured debt.
Repeals self-sufficiency requirements for Amtrak.
Directs the Secretary of the Treasury annually to pay the equivalent of excess railroad retirement benefits to the Railroad Retirement Account with respect to Amtrak retirees.
Authorizes appropriations for environmental compliance and station improvements, tunnel life safety, and Amtrak capital and operating expenses.
Prescribes general procedures for: (1) establishment of an Amtrak grant process; and (2) development of an Amtrak five-year financial plan.
Directs the Amtrak Board of Directors to develop a formula for equitable and fair funding of the operating costs of trains operating on routes of 750 miles or less (State-supported routes).
Re-establishes the Northeast Corridor Safety Committee.
Amends Federal transportation law to revise requirements for: (1) the Amtrak Board; and (2) intercity passenger train on-time performance and other standards.
Requires establishment of a system for financial accounting of Amtrak operations by an independent auditor.
Directs the Secretary to contract with an independent auditor or consultant to establish methodologies for Amtrak route and service planning decisions.
Directs the Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration to develop new or improve existing metrics and minimum standards for measuring the service quality of intercity train operations.
Establishes a nonprofit and nonpolitical Rail Infrastructure Finance Corporation (RIFC) to provide financial support for rail transportation capital projects through issuance of qualified rail infrastructure bonds. Requires the RIFC Board of Directors to establish a Rail Infrastructure Finance Trust.
Authorizes the RIFC Board to establish: (1) an intercity passenger rail development grant program; and (2) a high priority projects grant program.
Requires the RIFC Board to establish a freight rail infrastructure development grant program.
Deems any person conducting rail operations over rail infrastructure constructed or improved with RIFC grant funds to be an employer for Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 purposes and a carrier for Railway Labor Act purposes. Requires collective bargaining agreements meeting specified criteria between any entity replacing another intercity passenger railroad service provider and the employees of the predecessor provider.
Cosponsors 11
Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Nov 25, 2003 to Apr 8, 2004, with 6 there on the day it was introduced.
| Seat | Cosponsor | Signed on | |
|---|---|---|---|
| R-PA | Arlen Specter | Original | Nov 25, 2003 |
| D-NJ | Frank R. Lautenberg | Original | Nov 25, 2003 |
| I-VT | James M. Jeffords | Original | Nov 25, 2003 |
| D-DE | Joseph R. Biden Jr. | Original | Nov 25, 2003 |
| R-ME | Susan M. Collins | Original | Nov 25, 2003 |
| D-DE | Thomas R. Carper | Original | Nov 25, 2003 |
| D-NY | Charles E. Schumer | Jan 21, 2004 | |
| D-NY | Hillary Rodham Clinton | Jan 21, 2004 | |
| D-NJ | Jon S. Corzine | Jan 27, 2004 | |
| D-MA | Edward M. Kennedy | Feb 9, 2004 | |
| D-VT | Patrick J. Leahy | Apr 8, 2004 |
Actions 3
Everything that happened, newest first.
- Nov 25, 2003Introduced in Senate
- Nov 25, 2003Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (text of measure as introduced: CR S15989-16002)
- Nov 25, 2003Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S15986-15987)
Subjects
Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Transportation and Public Works.
Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov.