
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
[Laws in effect as of January 23, 2000]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 23, 2000 and December 4, 2001]
[CITE: 40USC1301]

 
             TITLE 40--PUBLIC BUILDINGS, PROPERTY, AND WORKS
 
    CHAPTER 24--NATIONAL CAPITAL AREA INTEREST ARBITRATION STANDARDS
 
Sec. 1301. Findings and purposes


(a) Findings

    The Congress finds that--
        (1) affordable public transportation is essential to the 
    economic vitality of the national capital area and is an essential 
    component of regional efforts to improve air quality to meet 
    environmental requirements and to improve the health of both 
    residents of and visitors to the national capital area as well as to 
    preserve the beauty and dignity of the Nation's capital;
        (2) use of mass transit by both residents of and visitors to the 
    national capital area is substantially affected by the prices 
    charged for such mass transit services, prices that are 
    substantially affected by labor costs, since more than \2/3\ of 
    operating costs are attributable to labor costs;
        (3) labor costs incurred in providing mass transit in the 
    national capital area have increased at an alarming rate and wages 
    and benefits of operators and mechanics currently are among the 
    highest in the Nation;
        (4) higher operating costs incurred for public transit in the 
    national capital area cannot be offset by increasing costs to 
    patrons, since this often discourages ridership and thus undermines 
    the public interest in promoting the use of public transit;
        (5) spiraling labor costs cannot be offset by the governmental 
    entities that are responsible for subsidy payments for public 
    transit services since local governments generally, and the District 
    of Columbia government in particular, are operating under severe 
    fiscal constraints;
        (6) imposition of mandatory standards applicable to arbitrators 
    resolving arbitration disputes involving interstate compact agencies 
    operating in the national capital area will ensure that wage 
    increases are justified and do not exceed the ability of transit 
    patrons and taxpayers to fund the increase; and
        (7) Federal legislation is necessary under Article I of section 
    8 \1\ of the United States Constitution to balance the need to 
    moderate and lower labor costs while maintaining industrial peace.
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    \1\ So in original. Probably should be ``section 8 of article I''.
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(b) Purpose

    It is therefore the purpose of this chapter to adopt standards 
governing arbitration which must be applied by arbitrators resolving 
disputes involving interstate compact agencies operating in the national 
capital area in order to lower operating costs for public transportation 
in the Washington metropolitan area.

(Pub. L. 104-50, title IV, Sec. 402, Nov. 15, 1995, 109 Stat. 463.)

                       References in Text

    This chapter, referred to in subsec. (b), was in the original ``this 
Act'' and was translated as reading ``this title'' meaning title IV of 
Pub. L. 104-50 which enacted this chapter, to reflect the probable 
intent of Congress.


                               Short Title

    Section 401 of title IV of Pub. L. 104-50 provided that: ``This 
title [enacting this chapter] may be cited as the `National Capital Area 
Interest Arbitration Standards Act of 1995'.''
