Rail Safety Improvement Act of 1988

Summary

Railroad Safety Act of 1987 - Amends the Federal Railroad Safety Act of 1970 to authorize appropriations for FY 1988 and 1989. Makes it unlawful for any person performing safety-sensitive functions to fail to comply with rules or regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Transportation (the Secretary). Increases from $2,500 to $10,000 the maximum civil penalty for violations of such rules or regulations. Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) assess a civil penalty against any person violating such rules or regulations; and (2) prohibit an individual from performing in a safety-sensitive task in the rail industry if the individual has been shown to be unfit for such task. Requires the Secretary to promulgate regulations concerning the minimum qualifications of train operators. Directs the Secretary to consider the establishment of an engineer licensing program, uniform minimum qualifications standards, and a review program of each railroad's own qualification standards. Requires the Secretary to report to the Congress concerning operator qualifications and evaluations of anticipated rules and standards. Requires the Secretary to report to the Congress concerning operator qualifications and evaluations of anticipated rules and standards. Authorizes individual access to the National Driver Register for purposes of railroad employment in safety-sensitive functions. Provides for reasonable damages (including a maximum amount of punitive damages) for employees aggrieved by certain discriminatory practices other than discharge, suspension, or pay reduction. Provides for expediting any proceeding with respect to a dispute, grievance, or claim for discharge or discrimination. Amends the Railroad Revitalization and Regulatory Reform Act of 1976 to identify additional Northeast Corridor improvement projects. Amends the Federal Railroad Safety Act of 1970 to include within the term "railroad": (1) all forms of non-highway ground transportation running on rails or electromagnetic guideways (except for rapid transit operations within an urban area not connected to the general railroad system); (2) metropolitan or suburban rail passenger service (including commuter service operated by the Consolidated Rail Corporation); and (3) high speed ground transportation systems connecting metropolitan areas. Repeals certain railroad safety directives regarding track safety, oscillating lights, and safety areas. Confers jurisdiction upon Federal district courts to issue an order to certain individuals, partnerships, or corporations to immediately comply with an order or subpoena issued by the Secretary. Directs the Secretary to report to the Congress within six months after the date of enactment of this Act regarding the imposition of user fees to fund administrative costs of Federal railroad safety and noise control laws. Repeals the requirement that the Secretary submit to the President and the Congress a certain comprehensive railroad safety report.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

1. 23 July 1987

   Introduced

   Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce.

   Source: IntroReferral

2. 23 July 1987

   Introduced

   Introduced in Senate

   Source: IntroReferral

3. 28 July 1987

   Reported

   Committee on Commerce. Ordered to be reported with amendments favorably.

   Source: Committee

4. 1 September 1987

   Calendars

   Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 306.

   Source: Calendars

5. 1 September 1987

   Reported

   Committee on Commerce. Reported to Senate by Senator Hollings under the authority of the order of Aug 7, 87 with amendments. With written report No. 100-153.

   Source: Committee

6. 1 September 1987

   Reported

   Committee on Commerce. Reported to Senate by Senator Hollings under the authority of the order of Aug 7, 87 with amendments. With written report No. 100-153.

   Source: Committee

7. 5 November 1987

   Floor

   Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.

   Source: Floor

8. 5 November 1987

   Vote

   Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with amendments by Yea-Nay Vote. 93-0. Record Vote No: 370.

   Source: Floor

9. 16 November 1987

   Floor

   Message on Senate action sent to the House.

   Source: Floor

10. 16 November 1987

    Introduced

    Referred to House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

    Source: IntroReferral

11. 30 November 1987

    Referred

    Referred to Subcommittee on Transportation, Tourism, and Hazardous Materials.

    Source: Committee

12. 3 February 1988

    ResolvingDifferences

    House Requested a Conference and Speaker Appointed Conferees: Dingell, Thomas Luken, Slattery, Lent, Whittaker.

    Source: ResolvingDifferences

13. 3 February 1988

    ResolvingDifferences

    House Insisted on its Amendments by Voice Vote.

    Source: ResolvingDifferences

14. 3 February 1988

    NotUsed

    Resolving differences -- House actions: House Insisted on its Amendments by Voice Vote.

    Source: NotUsed

15. 3 February 1988

    Floor

    House Incorporated H.R.3743 in This Measure as an Amendment.

    Source: Floor

16. 3 February 1988

    Passed

    Passed House (Amended) by Voice Vote.

    Source: Floor

17. 3 February 1988

    Passed

    Passed/agreed to in House: Passed House (Amended) by Voice Vote.

    Source: Floor

18. 3 February 1988

    Floor

    Called up by House by Unanimous Consent.

    Source: Floor

19. 3 February 1988

    Discharge

    House Committee on Energy and Commerce Discharged by Unanimous Consent.

    Source: Discharge

20. 3 February 1988

    Committee

    House Committee on Energy and Commerce Discharged by Unanimous Consent.

    Source: Committee

21. 4 February 1988

    Floor

    Message on House action received in Senate and held at desk: House amendments to Senate bill and House requests a conference.

    Source: Floor

22. 25 February 1988

    Passed

    Senate disagreed to the amendments of the House by Voice Vote.

    Source: Floor

23. 25 February 1988

    Passed

    Resolving differences -- Senate actions: Senate disagreed to the amendments of the House by Voice Vote.

    Source: NotUsed

24. 25 February 1988

    Passed

    Senate agreed to request for conference. Appointed conferees. Hollings; Exon; Adams; Danforth; Kasten.

    Source: ResolvingDifferences

25. 29 February 1988

    Floor

    Message on Senate action sent to the House.

    Source: Floor

26. 19 May 1988

    ResolvingDifferences

    Conference Report 100-637 Filed in House.

    Source: ResolvingDifferences

27. 19 May 1988

    ResolvingDifferences

    Conference report filed: Conference Report 100-637 Filed in House.

    Source: ResolvingDifferences

28. 19 May 1988

    Passed

    Conferees agreed to file conference report.

    Source: ResolvingDifferences

29. 19 May 1988

    Passed

    Conference committee actions: Conferees agreed to file conference report.

    Source: ResolvingDifferences

30. 23 May 1988

    Passed

    House Agreed to Conference Report by Voice Vote.

    Source: ResolvingDifferences

31. 23 May 1988

    Passed

    Conference report agreed to in House: House Agreed to Conference Report by Voice Vote.

    Source: ResolvingDifferences

32. 24 May 1988

    ResolvingDifferences

    Conference papers: message on House action held at the desk in Senate.

    Source: ResolvingDifferences

33. 9 June 1988

    Passed

    Senate agreed to conference report by Voice Vote.

    Source: ResolvingDifferences

34. 9 June 1988

    Passed

    Conference report agreed to in Senate: Senate agreed to conference report by Voice Vote.

    Source: ResolvingDifferences

35. 10 June 1988

    Floor

    Presented to President.

    Source: Floor

36. 10 June 1988

    President

    Presented to President.

    Source: President

37. 10 June 1988

    Floor

    Message on Senate action sent to the House.

    Source: Floor

38. 22 June 1988

    Became law

    Became Public Law No: 100-342.

    Source: President

39. 22 June 1988

    Became law

    Signed by President.

    Source: BecameLaw

40. 22 June 1988

    President

    Signed by President.

    Source: President

Votes

Versions

No version snapshots stored. Document URLs remain at the source.

Documents

6 official files

• Public Law (PDF)

  Public Law · EN · 23 June 1988

  ViewDownloadOpen at official source

• Conference report filed in House

  summary · EN · 19 May 1988

  Open at official source

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• Passed House amended

  summary · EN · 3 February 1988

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• Passed Senate amended

  summary · EN · 5 November 1987

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  Vertaal document

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• Reported to Senate with amendment(s)

  summary · EN · 1 September 1987

  Open at official source

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  Vertaal document

  Documentvertaling op verzoek met downloadbare PDF (logo + link naar de officiële bron). Het bronbestand blijft leidend.

• Introduced in Senate

  summary · EN · 23 July 1987

  Open at official source

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  Vertaal document

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Sponsors

• Sen. Exon, J. James [D-NE] · D · Sponsor
• Sen. Hollings, Ernest F. [D-SC] · D · Sponsor
• Sen. Danforth, John C. [R-MO] · R · Sponsor
• Sen. Kasten, Robert W., Jr. [R-WI] · R · Sponsor
• Sen. Mikulski, Barbara A. [D-MD] · D · Cosponsor
• Sen. Lautenberg, Frank R. [D-NJ] · D · Cosponsor
• · hsif00 · Standing
• · sscm00 · Standing

Related records

• related to → Rail Safety Improvement Act of 1987
• amends ← To modernize the jurisdictional and penalty provisions of older railroad safety laws and make them consistent with those of the Federal Railroad Safety Act of 1970.
• amends ← To provide protections to maintenance-of-way workers and for other purposes.
• amends ← To make certain amendments to the Rail Passenger Service Act, and for other purposes.
• amends ← To provide for the initiation of safety measures and other programs at rail grade crossings near densely populated college campuses.
• amends ← To promote railroad safety.

Related across the Repo ecosystem

Direct relationships are identifier-backed. Topic context means shared TopicMembership — not a citation and not causation.