
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
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[Laws in effect as of January 23, 2000]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 23, 2000 and December 4, 2001]
[CITE: 45USC801]

 
                           TITLE 45--RAILROADS
 
        CHAPTER 17--RAILROAD REVITALIZATION AND REGULATORY REFORM
 
                    SUBCHAPTER I--GENERAL PROVISIONS
 
Sec. 801. Declaration of policy


(a) Purpose

    It is the purpose of the Congress in this Act 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

    It is declared to be the policy of the Congress in this Act 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, Sec. 101, Feb. 5, 1976, 90 Stat. 33.)

                       References in Text

    This Act, referred to in text, means Pub. L. 94-210, Feb. 5, 1976, 
90 Stat. 31, as amended, 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.


                               Short Title

    Section 1 of Pub. L. 94-210 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''.

                    Act Referred to in Other Sections

    The Railroad Revitalization and Regulatory Reform Act of 1976 is 
referred to in section 726 of this title; title 16 section 1247; title 
49 section 24904.
