The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Transportation was published in the Senate section on pages S17786-S17787 on Nov. 29, 1995.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
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INTERSTATE COMMERCE COMMISSION SUNSET LEGISLATION
Mr. SPECTER. Mr. President, I have sought recognition to speak in support of the Interstate Commerce Commission Sunset Act of 1995 (S. 1396), which provides for the orderly transfer of the residual functions of the Interstate Commerce Commission to an independent Intermodal Surface Transportation Board within the Department of Transportation.
Pennsylvania is a rail-dependent State, and both shippers and railroads are in agreement that there should be no regulatory gap between the Commission and its successor agency during which no agency of the Federal Government has jurisdiction to enforce the Interstate Commerce Act. The fiscal year 1996 Transportation appropriations bill, H.R. 2002 (Pub. L. No. 104-50), provides no funding for the Commission effective December 31, 1995, making passage of the sunset legislation and a prompt House-Senate conference necessary to avoid disruption in the rail industry.
I am pleased to note that the managers' amendments included language that I have worked on and supported, which is designed to ensure that this legislation maintains the balance between the rights and remedies of carriers and shippers incorporated into the Staggers Rail Act of 1980, which provided new market freedoms to this industry. Several provisions in the reported bill could be interpreted as reregulating certain aspects of the railroad industry. These provisions, if left untouched, could undermine the Staggers Act reforms, which have worked well for both shippers and railroads. Therefore, I wish to thank Chairman Pressler, the distinguished Senator from South Dakota, and Senator Exon, the ranking minority member, who have worked closely with me, Senator Santorum, Senator Mack, and other Senators, in a bipartisan manner to finalize language that maintains a deregulated environment for our vital railroad industry as we streamline Government and provide for an orderly transition from the Interstate Commerce Commission to the Intermodal Surface Transportation Board.
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