Railroad Contract Act of 1979
Latest action. Referred to Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Railroad Contract Act of 1979 - Permits a rail carrier to enter into a contract with a shipper for transportation at rates and conditions of service mutually agreeable. Directs the Interstate Commerce Commission to consider only the effect upon service to noncontract shippers when reviewing and approving such contracts. Prohibits the Commission from interfering with the performance of such contracts once approved. Directs the Commission to establish a railroad contract rate Advisory Service to advise the Commission in the review of and the dissemination of information concerning such contracts to the public. Requires carriers to negotiate in good faith subsequent contracts with shippers similarly situated. Requires the Commission to promulgate standards and criteria to be used in determining similarities between such shippers. Permits the Commission to direct such carriers to enter into an agreement with shippers similarly situated. Directs the Commission to commence a survey of the rail service capacity of the nation's railroads. Permits a rail carrier or a person controlled by or affiliated with a rail carrier to apply for approval of a transaction which involves motor carrier transportation to serve inadequately served shippers located on another railroad. Directs the Commission to approve automatically applications which are not protested by interested parties.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in Senate" stage on October 24, 1979. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?
4 steps remain before this bill could become law.
The record's latest action, on October 24, 1979: Referred to Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
- Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
- Passage by the Senate
- Passage by the House
- The President's signature. If the President vetoes it, two-thirds of both chambers must vote to override.
How likely is it to become law?
Civibrief does not forecast outcomes and this page has no opinion about this one. What the record supports is a base rate, which is a fact about the whole pile, not a prediction about this measure.
In the 96th Congress (1979-80), 613 of the 12,581 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 4.9 percent. That count covers every measure at every stage, including the many that never left committee.
This one is not there yet: 4 steps are still outstanding, listed above.
Has anyone actually voted on it?
No. No roll call in this Congress cites this measure. That is the ordinary outcome: most measures never reach a recorded floor vote, and a committee ends most of them simply by not acting.
A vote is not the only thing that happens to a measure. Hearings, markups, and referrals are all recorded actions, and none of them is a vote of the full chamber.
Who is behind it?
GEORGE MCGOVERN (D-SD) introduced it on October 24, 1979. No cosponsors are recorded.
Cosponsoring is a formal signature on the text. It is not a commitment to vote for the measure, it does not bind anyone's party, and a long list of cosponsors is a measure of attention rather than of prospects.
How long has it been in play?
It was introduced on October 24, 1979, 17170 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 17170 days ago, on October 24, 1979.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 96th Congress has not finished by January 3, 1981 dies when the term ends, and has to be introduced again from the start in the next Congress.
Every answer above is assembled from this measure's own record on Congress.gov and from published counts of what Congress has passed before. Civibrief does not predict outcomes and takes no position on any measure.
Vote history
- SenateIn committee, no floor vote yet
- HouseAwaits Senate passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers