Surface Transportation Board Reform Act of 2003

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IntroducedPassed one chamberPassed both chambersBecame law (gold)Resolution agreed to (full, dark)Failed or vetoed (gray)

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Never voted on. It didn't reach a floor vote before the 108th Congress ended, so it expired. A bill has to be introduced again to be considered in a new Congress.

D OberstarSponsor

1 cosponsor · 1 D

D Andrews

0 signed on when it was introduced; the rest joined later. Cosponsors who withdrew aren't shown.

Surface Transportation Board Reform Act of 2003 - Declares as primary objectives for U.S.

What it does: CRS summary · Introduced in House · May 21, 2003

Surface Transportation Board Reform Act of 2003 - Declares as primary objectives for U.S. rail transportation policy: (1) ensuring effective competition among rail carriers at origin and destination; (2) maintaining reasonable rates in the absence of such competition; (3) maintaining consistent and efficient rail transportation service to shippers, including the timely provision of railcars requested by them; and (4) ensuring that smaller carload and intermodal shippers are not precluded from assessing rail systems due to volume requirements.

Requires a rail carrier, upon a shipper's request, to establish a rail transportation rate. Requires the Surface Transportation Board, if a shipper challenges the reasonableness of such a rate, to then determine its reasonableness without regard to specified factors.

Sets forth certain requirements with respect to: (1) acceptance of requests for grain service by rail carriers; and (2) the Board's mandate to require terminal facilities owned by a rail carrier providing rail transportation to be used by another rail carrier.

Requires the Board in a proceeding involving the approval of the merger or control of at least two Class I railroads to consider, among other things, at least the: (1) safety and environmental effects of the proposed transaction; and (2) the effect of such transaction on rail passenger transportation.

Sets forth certain requirements with respect to: (1) the Board ensuring that commuter authorities are able to provide commuter rail passenger transportation that meets the commuter rail passenger transportation needs of the United States; and (2) water carriers making their tariffs containing the rates established for their transportation or service available electronically to any person.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov

About this bill and sources

Official title: Surface Transportation Board Reform Act of 2003

Latest action (May 22, 2003): Referred to the Subcommittee on Railroads.

Policy area: Transportation and Public Works · Origin: House · Introduced: May 21, 2003

Official page on Congress.gov · Bill text (GovInfo) · Status record (XML)

No recorded floor vote found.