,,ii #aaf? ,,congress #a/ ,session ,s4 #bibb ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,! ,,unit$ ,,/ates ,novemb] #bj1 #bjai,mr4 ,durb9 introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 read twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,comm]ce1 ,sci5ce1 & ,transportation ,a ,,bill ,to p]mit ,amtrak to br+ civil actions 9 ,f$]al di/rict c\rt to en=ce ! "r set =? 9 section #bdcjh7;c7 ( title #di1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 :i* gives int]city & commut] rail pass5g] transportation pref]5ce ov] freight transportation 9 us+ a rail l9e1 junction1 or cross+4 #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z ! ,rail ,pass5g] ,fairness ,act4 #b4 ,f9d+s 7#a7 ,congress creat$ ,amtrak "u ! ,rail ,pass5g] ,s]vice ,act ( #aigj 7,public ,law #ia-aeh74 7#b7 ,amtrak began s]v+ cu/om]s on ,may #a1 #aiga1 tak+ ov] ! op]ation ( mo/ int]city pass5g] tra9s t private1 freight railroads 7 previ\sly requir$ to op]ate4 ,9 ex*ange = assum+ ^! pass5g] rail op]ations1 ,amtrak 0 giv5 access to ! national rail network4 7#c7 ,9 return = relief f ! obligation to provide int]city pass5g] s]vice1 railroads ov] :i* ,amtrak op]at$ 7ref]r$ to 9 ?is section z ho/ railroads7 7 expect$ to give ,amtrak pass5g] tra9s pref]5ce ov] freight tra9s :5 us+ ! national rail network4 7#d7 ,9 #aigc1 ,congress pass$ ! ,amtrak ,improvem5t ,act ( #aigc 7,public ,law #ic-adf71 :i* gives int]city & commut] rail pass5g] transportation pref]5ce ov] freight transportation 9 us+ a rail l9e1 junction1 or cross+4 ,?is "r1 :i* is n[ codifi$ z section #bdcjh7;c7 ( title #di1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 /ates1 ,except 9 an em]g5cy1 int]city & commut] rail pass5g] transportation provid$ by or = ,amtrak has pref]5ce ov] freight transportation 9 us+ a rail l9e1 junction1 or cross+ unless ! ,bo>d ord]s o!rwise "u ?is subsection4 ,a rail c>ri] affect$ by ?is subsection may apply to ! ,bo>d = relief4 ,if ! ,bo>d1 aft] an opportunity = a he>+ "u section #eec ( title #e1 decides t pref]5ce = int]city & commut] rail pass5g] transportation mat]ially w less5 ! quality ( freight transportation provid$ to %ipp]s1 ! ,bo>d %all e/abli% ! rights ( ! c>ri] & ,amtrak on reasonable t]ms44 7#e7 ,_m ho/ railroads h ignor$ ! law ref]r$ to 9 p>agraph 7#d7 by refus+ to give pass5g] rail ! priority to :i* x is /atutorily entitl$ & giv+ freight transportation ! high] priority4 ,z a result1 ,amtrak's on "t p]=mance on mo/ ho/ railroads is poor1 has decl9$ betwe5 #bjad ?r\gh #bjai1 & cont9ues to decl9e4 7#f7 ,accord+ to ,amtrak1 #f1ejj1jjj cu/om]s on ,/ate-support$ & long-di/ance tra9s arriv$ at _! de/9ation late dur+ fiscal ye> #bjai4 ,ne>ly #gj p]c5t ( ^! delays 7 caus$ by ho/ railroads1 am\nt+ to a total ( #c1bjj1jjj m9utes4 ,! l>ge/ cause ( ^! delays 0 freight tra9 int]f]5ce1 :i* acc\nt$ = m ?an #a1jjj1jjj m9utes ( delay = ,amtrak pass5g]s1 or approximately #b ye>s1 because ho/ railroads *ose to give freight tra9s priority4 7#g7 ,poor on-"t p]=mance wa/es taxpay] doll>s4 ,accord+ to a #bjai report by ,amtrak's ,(fice ( ,inspector ,g5]al1 a #e p]c5t improvem5t ( on-"t p]=mance on all ,amtrak r\tes w\ld result 9 #ab1ajj1jjj 9 co/ sav+s to ,amtrak 9 ! fir/ ye>4 ,if on-"t p]=mance on long-di/ance r\tes rea*$ #ge p]c5t = a ye>1 ,amtrak w\ld realize an e/imat$ #da1ijj1jjj 9 op]at+ co/ sav+s1 ) a "o-"t sav+s ( #ccf1jjj1jjj due to a r$uction 9 equipm5t replacem5t ne$s4 7#h7 ,hi/orical data sugge/s t on-"t p]=mance on ho/ railroads is driv5 by ! exi/5ce ( an effective means to en=ce ,amtrak's pref]5ce rights3 7,a7 ,two mon?s aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ! ,pass5g] ,rail ,inve/m5t & ,improvem5t ,act ( #bjjh 7division ,b ( ,public ,law #aaj-dcb71 :i* includ$ provisions = ! en=cem5t ( ^! pref]5ce rights1 0 enact$1 ! on-"t p]=mance ( long-di/ance tra9s improv$ f #ef p]c5t to #gg p]c5t & ,class ,i freight tra9 int]f]5ce delays across all r\tes decl9$ by #dj p]c5t4 7,b7 ,"o ye> aft] su* date ( enactm5t1 freight tra9 int]f]5ce delays _h decl9$ by #ed p]c5t & ! on-"t p]=mance ( long-di/ance tra9s rea*$ #he p]c5t4 7,c7 ,9 #bjad1 aft] "s ( ! provisions 9 ! ,pass5g] ,rail ,inve/m5t & ,improvem5t ,act ( #bjjh relat$ to en=cem5t ( pref]5ce 7 rul$ uncon/itutional by a ,d4,c4 ,circuit ,c\rt1 long-di/ance tra9 on-"t p]=mance decl9$ f #gb p]c5t to #ej p]c5t1 & freight tra9 int]f]5ce delays increas$ #ei p]c5t4 7,d7 ,! la/ "t long-di/ance tra9s a*iev$ an on-"t rate ( m ?an #hj p]c5t 9 a giv5 mon? 0 ,febru>y #bjab4 7#i7 ,z a result ( violations ( ,amtrak's "r to pref]5ce1 ,amtrak has be5 consi/5tly unable on ho/ railroad networks to meet its congressionally m&at$ mission & goals1 :i* are codifi$ 9 section #bdaja ( title #di1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code 7relat+ to provid+ on-"t & trip-"t competitive s]vice to its pass5g]s74 7#aj7 ,amtrak does n h an effective me*anism to en=ce its /atutory pref]5ce "r 9 ord] to fulfill its mission & goals4 ,only ! ,attorney ,g5]al c br+ a civil action = equitable relief 9 a di/rict c\rt ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates to en=ce ,amtrak's pref]5ce rights4 7#aa7 ,9 ,amtrak's entire hi/ory1 ! only en=cem5t action initiat$ by ! ,attorney ,g5]al 0 aga9/ ! ,s\!rn ,pacific ,transportation ,company 9 #aigi4 7#ab7 ,congress supports cont9u$ au?ority = ! ,attorney ,g5]al to initiate an action1 b ,amtrak %\ld also be entitl$ to br+ a civil action be=e a ,f$]al di/rict c\rt to en=ce its /atutory pref]5ce rights4 #c4 ,au?orize ,amtrak to br+ a civil action to en=ce x pref]5ce rights 7a7 ,9 g5]al ,section #bdcjh7;c7 ( title #di1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 is am5d$1 by add+ at ! end ! foll[+3 ,not)/&+ sections #bdajc7;a7 & #bdcjh7;f71 ,amtrak %all h ! "r to br+ an action = equitable or o!r relief 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates ,di/rict ,c\rt = ! ,di/rict ( ,columbia1 or 9 any jurisdiction 9 :i* ,amtrak resides or is f\nd1 to en=ce ! pref]5ce rights grant$ "u ?is subsection44 7b7 ,con=m+ am5dm5t ,section #bdajc7;a77#a7 ( title #di1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 is am5d$1 9 ! matt] prec$+ subp>agraph 7,a71 by /rik+ ( ?is subsection & ins]t+ & subsection #bdcjh7;c74