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Bill PDFBillno should always have and extension i.e. h1.ih

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Congressional Record References

Bill Summary & Status

HR 693 IH

To designate a rail right-of-way as a corridor for inter-suburban commuter rail, and for other purposes.

January 26, 2009

Mr. ROSKAM (for himself, Mr. MANZULLO, Mrs. BIGGERT, Mr. FOSTER, Ms. HALVORSON, and Ms. BEAN) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

To designate a rail right-of-way as a corridor for inter-suburban commuter rail, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. DESIGNATION OF CORRIDOR FOR INTER-SUBURBAN COMMUTER RAIL.

(a) Proposed Designation of Corridor for Inter-Suburban Commuter Rail and Report- Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act and before designating a rail right-of-way as a corridor for inter-suburban commuter rail under subsection (c), the Secretary of Transportation shall transmit a report to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate that describes how the proposed corridor meets the qualifications of subsection (c) and evaluates the potential benefits and adverse effects, if any, of such a designation.

(b) Review by Congress- A proposed designation of a rail right-of-way as a corridor for inter-suburban commuter rail under subsection (c) may not become effective until the end of a 30-day period of continuous session of Congress following the date of the transmittal of a report on the designation under this subsection. For purposes of the preceding sentence, continuity of a session of Congress is broken only by an adjournment sine die, and there shall be excluded from the computation of such 30-day period any day during which either House of Congress is not in session during an adjournment of more than 3 days to a day certain.

(c) Corridor Designation- After the 30-day Congressional review period under subsection (b), the Secretary, using the qualifications described in this subsection, shall designate a rail right-of-way as a corridor for inter-suburban commuter rail. In determining if a rail right-of-way qualifies to be designated as a corridor for inter-suburban commuter rail, the Secretary shall consider the following factors for the 5 metropolitan areas in the country with the highest population levels:

(1) The availability of existing rail infrastructure and plans for inter-suburban commuter rail.

(2) Rail projects that have in the past received Federal authorization and appropriation.

(3) The potential number of individuals that will be given an alternative to driving.

(4) The potential for reducing congestion.

(5) The potential of linking important economic centers such as places of employment, retail centers, educational centers, and civic centers.

(6) The potential for attracting new businesses and economic development.

(7) Providing new inter-suburban commuter rail service access.

(8) The availability of existing rail lines in a traditional hub-and-spoke layout radiating from a central urban area to connect with the corridor for inter-suburban commuter rail.

(d) Corridor Selection- Once a rail right-of-way is selected as a corridor for inter-suburban commuter rail under this section, the Secretary shall--

(1) provide technical assistance in expediting the completion of inter-suburban commuter rail service; and

(2) as of the date of the designation of the corridor for inter-suburban commuter rail under this section, prohibit increased usage of such corridor except for the purpose of increasing the availability of inter-suburban commuter rail.

(e) Definition- The term `inter-suburban commuter rail' means the provision of rail service between cities, towns, and villages that comprise the suburbs of a large city located in one of the 5 metropolitan areas in the country with the highest population levels.

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