text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Federal Railroad Safety 
  Authorization Act of 1994''.
  
  SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
  
      Section 20117(a)(1) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by 
  adding after subparagraph (B) the following new subparagraphs:
              ``(C) $68,289,000 for fiscal year 1995.
              ``(D) $75,112,000 for fiscal year 1996.
              ``(E) $82,563,000 for fiscal year 1997.
              ``(F) $90,739,000 for fiscal year 1998.''.
  
  SEC. 3. HOURS OF SERVICE PILOT PROJECTS.
  
      (a) Amendment.--Chapter 211 of title 49, United States Code, is 
  amended by adding at the end the following new section:
  
  ``SEC. 21108. PILOT PROJECTS.
  
      ``(a) Waiver.--A railroad or railroads and all labor organizations 
  representing any class or craft of directly affected covered service 
  employees of the railroad or railroads, may jointly petition the 
  Secretary of Transportation for approval of a waiver, in whole or in 
  part, of compliance with this chapter, to enable the establishment of 
  one or more pilot projects to demonstrate the possible benefits of 
  implementing alternatives to the strict application of the requirements 
  of this chapter to such class or craft of employees, including 
  requirements concerning maximum on-duty and minimum off-duty periods. 
  Based on such a joint petition, the Secretary may, after notice and 
  opportunity for comment, waive in whole or in part compliance with this 
  chapter for a period of no more than two years, if the Secretary 
  determines that such waiver of compliance is in the public interest and 
  is consistent with railroad safety. Any such waiver may, based on a new 
  petition, be extended for additional periods of up to two years, after 
  notice and opportunity for comment. An explanation of any waiver 
  granted under this section shall be published in the Federal Register.
      ``(b) Report.--The Secretary of Transportation shall submit to 
  Congress, no later than January 1, 1997, a report that--
              ``(1) explains and analyzes the effectiveness of all pilot 
          projects established pursuant to a waiver granted under 
          subsection (a);
              ``(2) describes the status of all other waivers granted 
          under subsection (a) and their related pilot projects, if any; 
          and
              ``(3) recommends appropriate legislative changes to this 
          chapter.
      ``(c) Definition.--For purposes of this section, the term `directly 
  affected covered service employees' means covered service employees to 
  whose hours of service the terms of the waiver petitioned for 
  specifically apply.''.
      (b) Table of Sections Amendment.--The table of sections for chapter 
  211 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end 
  the following new item:
  
  ``21108. Pilot projects.''.
  
  SEC. 4. CONFORMING AMENDMENT REGARDING HOURS OF SERVICE VIOLATIONS.
  
      Section 21303(a)(1) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by 
  inserting ``or violating any provision of a waiver applicable to that 
  person that has been granted under section 21108 of this title,'' after 
  ``chapter 211 of this title''.
  
  SEC. 5. TECHNICAL AMENDMENT REGARDING FEDERAL RAILROAD SAFETY.
  
      Section 20111(c) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by 
  inserting ``this chapter or any of the laws transferred to the 
  jurisdiction of the Secretary of Transportation by subsection (e) (1), 
  (2), and (6)(A) of section 6 of the Department of Transportation Act, 
  as in effect on June 1, 1994, or'' after ``individual's violation of''.
  
  SEC. 6. BIENNIAL FEDERAL RAILROAD SAFETY REPORTING.
  
      (a) Section 20116 of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
              (1) by striking in its heading ``Annual'' and inserting in 
          lieu thereof ``Biennial'';
              (2) by striking ``not later than July 1 of each year a 
          report on carrying out this chapter for the prior calendar 
          year. The report shall include the following information about 
          the prior year'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``every two 
          years, on or before July 1 of the year due, a comprehensive 
          report on the administration of this chapter for the preceding 
          two calendar years. The report shall include the following 
          information about such calendar years''; and
              (3) in paragraph (1), by inserting ``, by calendar year'' 
          after ``casualties by cause''.
      (b) The item relating to section 20116 in the table of sections for 
  chapter 201 of title 49, United States Code, is amended to read as 
  follows:
  
  ``20116. Biennial report.''.
  
  SEC. 7. REPORT ON BRIDGE DISPLACEMENT DETECTION SYSTEMS.
  
      Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act, 
  the Secretary shall transmit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
  Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
  of the House of Representatives a report concerning any action that has 
  been taken by the Secretary on railroad bridge displacement detection 
  systems.
  
  SEC. 8. TRACK SAFETY.
  
      Section 20142 of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
              (1) in subsection (b), by striking ``September 3, 1994'' 
          and inserting in lieu thereof ``September 1, 1995'';
              (2) in subsection (a)(1), by inserting ``, including cold 
          weather installation procedures'' after ``attendant 
          structure''; and
              (3) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
      ``(d) Identification of Internal Rail Defects.--In carrying out 
  subsections (a) and (b), the Secretary shall consider whether or not to 
  prescribe regulations and issue orders concerning--
              ``(1) inspection procedures to identify internal rail 
          defects, before they reach imminent failure size, in rail that 
          has significant shelling; and
              ``(2) any specific actions that should be taken when a rail 
          surface condition, such as shelling, prevents the 
          identification of internal defects.''.
  
  SEC. 9. RESIDENCE OF EMPLOYEES.
  
      The amendments made by section 7 of the Amtrak Reauthorization and 
  Improvement Act of 1990 shall apply to all periods before and after the 
  date of their enactment.
  
              Passed the House of Representatives August 8, 1994.
  
              Attest:
  
                                             DONNALD K. ANDERSON,
  
                                                                   Clerk.
target: Federal Railroad Safety Authorization Act of 1994 - Amends the Federal Railroad Safety Act of 1970 to authorize appropriations for FY 1995 through 1998 for railroad research and development and general safety operations. Amends the Hours of Service Act to authorize railroads, and labor organizations representing railroad employees, to jointly petition the Secretary of Transportation (Secretary) for approval of a waiver of limitations on hours of service with respect to such employees in order to establish one or more pilot projects to demonstrate the possible benefits of implementing alternatives to such limitations, including those concerning maximum on-duty and minimum off-duty periods.  Authorizes the Secretary to waive compliance with such limitations for up to two years if it is in the public interest and is consistent with railroad safety. Requires the Secretary to report biennially (currently, annually) to the President and the Congress on the administration of Federal railroad safety rules and standards.
feat_title: An Act to authorize appropriations to carry out certain Federal railroad safety laws, and for other purposes.