US Congress Senate Bill 2777 (Prior Session Legislation)

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Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-1)
Status: Introduced on September 8 2014 - 25% progression, died in chamber
Action: 2014-12-12 - By Senator Rockefeller from Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation filed written report. Report No. 113-321.
Text: Latest bill text (Introduced) [PDF]

Surface Transportation Board Reauthorization Act of 2014 - Removes the Surface Transportation Board from the Department of Transportation (DOT) to establish it as an independent U.S. agency. Increases Board membership from three to five members. Prescribes requirements for discussions at Board meetings not open to the public. Authorizes the Board to investigate rail carrier and pipeline carrier violations on its own initiative as well as on complaint (as under existing law). Requires proceedings to determine the reasonableness of a rate charged by a carrier to be initiated only upon complaint. Requires the Board to: (1) maintain a simplified and expedited method for determining the reasonableness of challenged rail rates in cases where a full stand-alone cost presentation is too costly, given the value of the case; and (2) maintain procedures to ensure expeditious handling of challenges to the reasonableness of rail rates. Prescribes time limits for Board review of rail rate reasonableness cases. Requires the Board to initiate an ex parte proceeding on whether contract proposals for multiple origin-to-destination movements (rate bundling) have adversely impacted Congress's intent that the Board's rate challenge procedures remain available to shippers subject to railroad market dominance as well as how it can prevent such practices in the future. Requires the Board to establish a binding arbitration process to resolve rail rate, practice, and common carrier service disputes. Requires the Board to: (1) establish a database of rail service complaints it has received, and (2) post a quarterly report of such complaints on its website. Expresses the sense of Congress that the Board, as part of Docket No. EP 722, should: (1) consider the costs and benefits of the annual determinations of revenue adequacy for Class I railroads, (2) review the methodology employed to define the business cycle in its determinations and consider, if necessary, a rulemaking to define the business cycle; (3) consider if a rulemaking proceeding on mandatory competitive switching is needed to ensure a viable competitive national rail system; and (4) ensure that if such rulemaking proceeding is needed that it is completed in a timely manner. Reauthorizes appropriations for FY2015-FY2019 for the Board.

Surface Transportation Board Reauthorization Act of 2014

Sen. John Rockefeller [D-WV]

Sen. Tammy Baldwin [D-WI]

Sen. John Thune [R-SD]

Date	Chamber	Action
2014-12-12	Senate	By Senator Rockefeller from Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation filed written report. Report No. 113-321.
2014-12-08	Senate	Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 624.
2014-12-08	Senate	Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Rockefeller with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
2014-09-17	Senate	Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
2014-09-08	Senate	Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Type	Source
Summary	https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/senate-bill/2777/all-info
Text	https://www.congress.gov/113/bills/s2777/BILLS-113s2777is.pdf
Text	https://www.congress.gov/113/bills/s2777/BILLS-113s2777rs.pdf