[Congressional Bills 103th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 5208 Introduced in House (IH)] 103d CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 5208 To establish limits on wage continuation and severance benefits for Amtrak employees displaced by a discontinuance of service, and for other purposes. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES October 6, 1994 Mr. Barton of Texas (for himself, Mr. Brewster, Mr. Sam Johnson of Texas, Mr. DeLay, Mr. Hefley, Mr. Cunningham, Mr. McCollum, and Mr. Stenholm) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To establish limits on wage continuation and severance benefits for Amtrak employees displaced by a discontinuance of service, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SERVICE DISCONTINUANCE. Section 24706(c) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraphs: ``(7) Notwithstanding any arrangement in effect before the date of enactment of this paragraph, no employee of Amtrak whose employment is terminated as a result of a discontinuance of intercity rail passenger service shall receive any wage continuation or severance benefit in excess of 6 months pay. This paragraph shall not affect the obligations of rail carriers under section 11347 of this title. ``(8) Notwithstanding any arrangement in effect before the date of enactment of this paragraph, Amtrak may require an employee whose position is eliminated as a result of a discontinuance of intercity rail passenger service to transfer to any vacant position for which the employee can be made qualified on any part of Amtrak's system. If such transfer requires a change in residence or seniority district, the employee shall choose-- ``(A) to transfer to the position and be covered by the collective bargaining agreement applicable to the seniority district to which he is transferred; or ``(B) to voluntarily furlough himself at his home location and receive protective benefits not in excess of the amount authorized under paragraph (7). For purposes of this paragraph, a transfer shall be considered to require a change in residence if the new employment is more than 30 miles from the employee's place of residence and is farther from that residence than was the former work location.''. <all>