1
 So in original.
provision of law, the special court shall include in its order such further directions as may be necessary to assure (i) that the operation and administration of the employee pension benefit plans described in section 775(a) 
2
 See References in Text note below.
of this title shall be continued, without termination or interruption, by the Corporation until such time as the Corporation elects to amend or terminate any such plan, in whole or in part; and (ii) that appropriate transfers and assignments with respect to all rights and obligations relating to such plans shall be made to the Corporation for such purposes, without prejudice to payment of consideration for whatever rights any railroad in reorganization may have in any residual assets under any such employee pension benefit plan. No court shall enter any judgment against the Corporation with respect to any such rights, except that the special court may enter such a judgment in an order issued by it pursuant to subsection (c) of this section, after taking into consideration the rights and obligations transferred pursuant to this paragraph. All liabilities as an employer shall be imposed solely upon the railroad in reorganization in the event such plan is terminated, in whole or in part, by the Corporation within 1 year after the date of such transfer or assignment (except liabilities as a
3
 So in original. Probably should be “(including”.
a government entity), the United States shall indemnify—
Editorial Notes
References in Text

Section 77 of the Bankruptcy Act, referred to in subsecs. (b)(3)(B) and (c)(1)(A)(ii), was classified to section 205 of former Title 11, Bankruptcy. The Bankruptcy Act (act July 1, 1898, ch. 541, 30 Stat. 544, as amended) was repealed effective Oct. 1, 1979, by Pub. L. 95–598, §§ 401(a), 402(a), Nov. 6, 1978, 92 Stat. 2682, section 101 of which enacted revised Title 11. For current provisions relating to railroad reorganization, see subchapter IV (§ 1161 et seq.) of chapter 11 of Title 11.

Section 775 of this title, referred to in subsec. (b)(6)(A), was repealed by Pub. L. 97–35, title XI, § 1144(a)(1), Aug. 13, 1981, 95 Stat. 669.

The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, referred to in subsec. (b)(6)(A), is Pub. L. 93–406, Sept. 2, 1974, 88 Stat. 829. Title IV of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 is classified principally to subchapter III (§ 1301 et seq.) of chapter 18 of Title 29, Labor. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 1001 of Title 29 and Tables.

Codification

The amendments made by section 612(i)(4) of Pub. L. 94–210 could be read as substituting “certificates of value” for “obligations” in subsecs. (b)(3)(A), (b)(5), and (b)(6), as added by section 612(a) and (l) of Pub. L. 94–210. However, this substitution is not appropriate in the context of the new subsecs. (b)(3)(A), (b)(5), and (b)(6).

Amendments

1996—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 104–317 substituted “Appeal” for “Review” in heading and amended text generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “A finding or determination entered by the special court pursuant to subsection (c) of this section or section 746 of this title shall be reviewable only upon petition for a writ of certiorari to the Supreme Court of the United States. Such review is exclusive and any such petition shall be filed in the Supreme Court not more than 20 days after entry of such finding or determination.”

1994—Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 103–272 struck out “title VII of the Railroad Revitalization and Regulatory Reform Act of 1976 or of” before “section 791(d)”.

1988—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 100–352 substituted “Review” for “Appeal” in heading and amended text generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “A finding or determination entered by the special court pursuant to subsection (c) of this section or section 746 of this title may be appealed directly to the Supreme Court of the United States in the same manner that an injunction order may be appealed under section 1253 of title 28: Provided, That such appeal is exclusive and shall be filed in the Supreme Court not more than 20 days after such finding or determination is entered by the special court. The Supreme Court shall dismiss any such appeal within 7 days after the entry of such an appeal if it determines that such an appeal would not be in the interest of an expeditious conclusion of the proceedings and shall grant the highest priority to the determination of any such appeals which it determines not to dismiss.”

1981—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 97–35 struck out all references to securities wherever appearing in text, and reference to share of series B preferred stock.

1979—Subsec. (b)(6)(B). Pub. L. 96–73 inserted provisions which limited coverage to amount that does not exceed in death benefits amount equal to twice the employee’s annual salary at time of retirement or $60,000, whichever is lower, provided for maintenance of regional coverage, and in cases of lapsed coverage due to nonpayment of premiums prescribed the same limitation for claims arising during the lapsed period or thereafter.

1978—Subsec. (b)(6). Pub. L. 95–597 redesignated existing provisions as subpar. (A), redesignated clauses (A) and (B) as (i) and (ii), respectively, and added subpar. (B).

1977—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 95–199 substituted “entered by the special court pursuant to subsection (c) of this section or section 746 of this title” for “entered pursuant to subsection (c) of this section”.

1976—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 94–210, § 612(c)(1), (i), inserted “or any subsidiary thereof” before “, shall deposit”, and substituted “certificates of value issued by” for “obligations of”.

Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 94–210, § 612(d)(1), inserted reference to each State or responsible person (including a governmental entity).

Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 94–210, § 612(c)(2), (d)(2), (i), (o), (p), inserted “or any subsidiary thereof” after “to the Corporation”, “States, and responsible persons” before “order the trustee”, and provisions relating to orders of the trustee or trustees to execute and deliver deeds or other instruments conveying rail properties, and substituted “person leased” for “railroad leased”, “, the respective profitable railroads operating in the region, States, and responsible persons” for “and the respective profitable railroads operating in the region”, and “certificates of value issued by” for “obligations of”.

Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 94–210, § 612(c)(2), (d)(3), inserted “or any subsidiary thereof” after “Corporation” and reference to States and responsible persons.

Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 94–210, § 612(a), redesignated existing provisions as subpar. (A)(ii), made changes in phraseology, inserted definition of “railroad rolling stock” and struck out provisions relating to affect of chapter on title and interests of any lessor, etc., and added subpar. (A)(i) and (B).

Subsec. (b)(4). Pub. L. 94–210, § 612(d)(4), (k), inserted “all future liability under such lease and” after “is made assumes”, and substituted “, profitable railroad, State, or responsible person” for “or the profitable railroad”.

Subsec. (b)(5), (6). Pub. L. 94–210, § 612(l), added pars. (5) and (6).

Subsec. (b)(6). Pub. L. 94–555, § 204, inserted provisions entitling the Corporation to a loan to fund accrued, non-guaranteed pension benefits under all plans transferred or assigned to the Corporation, whether terminated or not, and such loan is to be charged to the estate of railroad in reorganization as an administrative expense.

Subsec. (c)(1). Pub. L. 94–210, § 612(c)(3), (d)(5), (6), (i), (q)(1), (2), in introductory text inserted “or any subsidiary thereof” after “Corporation” and inserted reference to States and responsible persons, in subpar. (A)(i) inserted “or any subsidiary thereof” after “Corporation” and “, certificates of value” after “securities”, and inserted provision relating to consideration of compensable unconstitutional erosion, in subpar. (A)(ii) inserted reference to State or responsible person, and provision relating to compensation and other benefits accruing to such transferor as a result of the exchange, and in subpar. (C) inserted “or any subsidiary thereof” after “Corporation”.

Subsec. (c)(2). Pub. L. 94–210, § 612(c)(4), (e), (i), (q)(3), in introductory text inserted reference to certificates of value and provision relating to consideration of compensable unconstitutional erosion, and substituted “may” for “shall”, in subpar. (A) inserted reference to any subsidiary of a Corporation, exception relating to allocation to each such railroad of preferred stock, etc., “, certificates of value” after “securities” and “and certificates of value” after “of the Corporation”, in subpar. (B) inserted “and certificates of value” after “Corporation’s securities” and “, certificates of value” after “other securities”, and substituted “certificates of value issued by the Association” for “obligations of the Association”, and in subpar. (C) generally revised criteria for entering a judgment against the Corporation.

Subsec. (c)(2)(A). Pub. L. 94–555, § 220(b)(1), (2), substituted “securities and certificates of value” for “securities and certificates of value of the Corporation and certificates of value” after “reallocating the” and “they have” for “it has” after “equitable manner”.

Subsec. (c)(2)(B). Pub. L. 94–555, § 220(b)(3), (4), substituted “securities and certificates of value” for “Corporation’s securities, certificates of value” after “reallocation of”, and substituted “other securities” for “other securities and certificates of value” after “the railroad of”.

Subsec. (c)(3). Pub. L. 94–555, § 220(b)(5), substituted “subsection (a)(2) of this section” for “section 303(a)(2)”, in the original, necessitating no change in text.

Pub. L. 94–210, § 612(d)(7), (i), (n), (q)(4), inserted references to States or responsible persons wherever appearing, provisions relating to unreimbursed payments made by the profitable railroad on behalf of the transferor railroad in reorganization, provisions relating to consideration by the special court of compensable unconstitutional erosion, and “certificates of value” after “securities”, and substituted “certificates of value” for “obligations”.

Subsec. (c)(4). Pub. L. 94–210, § 612(d)(8), (h), (i), inserted “, States, and responsible persons” after “profitable railroads” and “and to persons leased, operated, or controlled by such railroads who so transferred or conveyed rail properties” after “region”, and substituted “(a)” for “(b)” and “certificates of value” for “obligations”.

Subsec. (c)(5). Pub. L. 94–436, § 3, restructured first sentence limiting indemnification of United States to judgments against Corporation or any subsidiary entered pursuant to par. (2) and to judgments against the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, profitable railroads, a State, or any responsible person entered pursuant to par. (3).

Pub. L. 94–210, § 612(f), added par. (5).

Subsec. (c)(6). Pub. L. 94–555, § 202(b), added par. (6).

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 94–210, § 612(g), substituted “20” for “5”.

Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 94–436, § 5, inserted, after “section 745 of this title” in second parenthetical expression, “or which are made at any time to carry out the purposes of title VII of the Railroad Revitalization and Regulatory Reform Act of 1976 or section 791 of this title”.

Pub. L. 94–210, § 601(d), added subsec. (e).

1975—Subsec. (c)(1)(C). Pub. L. 94–5 added subpar. (C).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date of 1996 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 104–317 effective 90 days after Oct. 19, 1996, and except as otherwise provided, applicable to proceedings that arise or continue after such effective date, see section 605(e) of Pub. L. 104–317, set out as a note under section 719 of this title.

Effective Date of 1988 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 100–352 effective ninety days after June 27, 1988, except that such amendment not to apply to cases pending in Supreme Court on such effective date or affect right to review or manner of reviewing judgment or decree of court which was entered before such effective date, see section 7 of Pub. L. 100–352, set out as a note under section 1254 of Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure.

Effective Date of 1981 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 97–35 effective Aug. 13, 1981, see section 1169 of Pub. L. 97–35, set out as an Effective Date note under section 1101 of this title.

Effective Date of 1979 Amendment

Pub. L. 96–73, title V, § 501(b), Sept. 29, 1979, 93 Stat. 558, provided that: “The amendments made by section 204 of this Act [enacting subsec. (b)(6)(B) of this section and section 721(h)(1)(A)(viii), (6) of this title] shall be effective as of the date of enactment [Nov. 4, 1978] of Pub. L. 95–597.”

Effective Date of 1976 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 94–555 effective Oct. 1, 1976, see section 303 of Pub. L. 94–555, set out as a note under section 702 of this title.

Abolition of Special Court, Regional Rail Reorganization Act of 1973, and Transfer of Functions

Special court abolished and all jurisdiction and functions transferred to United States District Court for District of Columbia, see section 719(b)(2) of this title.

Abolition of Interstate Commerce Commission and Transfer of Functions

Interstate Commerce Commission abolished and functions of Commission transferred, except as otherwise provided in Pub. L. 104–88, to Surface Transportation Board effective Jan. 1, 1996, by section 1302 of Title 49, Transportation, and section 101 of Pub. L. 104–88, set out as a note under section 1301 of Title 49. References to Interstate Commerce Commission deemed to refer to Surface Transportation Board, a member or employee of the Board, or Secretary of Transportation, as appropriate, see section 205 of Pub. L. 104–88, set out as a note under section 1301 of Title 49.

Abolition of United States Railway Association and Transfer of Functions and Securities

See section 1341 of this title.

Cases Pending in Special Court

For applicability of amendment by Pub. L. 104–317 to cases pending in special court established under section 719(b) of this title, see section 605(d) of Pub. L. 104–317, set out as a note under section 719 of this title.

Administrative Claim Status

Pub. L. 95–597, § 2, Nov. 4, 1978, 92 Stat. 2548, provided that: “The conferring of administrative claim status on amounts paid for the insurance premiums and benefits described in the amendment made by the first section of this Act [amending this section] shall be effective solely for purposes of meeting the conditions set forth in section 211(h)(4)(A)(iii) of the Regional Rail Reorganization Act of 1973 [section 721(h)(4)(A)(iii) of this title] with respect to which obligations of the estate of a railroad in reorganization may be paid pursuant to such section 211(h) [section 721(h) of this title], and shall not be construed—

“(1)
as affecting the jurisdiction of the district court having jurisdiction over such a railroad in reorganization to determine whether such insurance premiums and benefits constitute enforceable contractual obligations of the estate of such a railroad for purposes of reimbursement under such section 211(h) [section 721(h) of this title]; or
“(2)
as establishing or reordering any priority which a claim against the estate of such a railroad for reimbursement for the amounts paid for such insurance premiums and benefits may or may not have under the provisions of the Bankruptcy Act [section 1 et seq. of former Title 11, Bankruptcy] or any other law.”

Corporation as Successor in Interest

Pub. L. 95–597, § 3, Nov. 4, 1978, 92 Stat. 2548, provided that: “Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any corporation which, pursuant to a plan of reorganization under section 77 of the Bankruptcy Act [section 205 of former Title 11, Bankruptcy], is the successor in interest to a railroad in reorganization shall have standing to assert, in any judicial or administrative proceeding, any claim or defense available to such railroad in reorganization with respect to whether the insurance benefits and premiums described in the amendment made by the first section of this Act [amending this section] constitute enforceable contractual obligations of the estate of such railroad in reorganization. For purposes of this section, the term ‘railroad in reorganization’ has the meaning given such term in paragraph (14) of section 102 of the Regional Rail Reorganization Act of 1973 [section 702(14) of this title].”

Applicability of National Environmental Policy Act

Application of National Environmental Policy Act to actions of Commission not affected by title VI of Pub. L. 94–210, see section 619 of Pub. L. 94–210, set out as a note under section 791 of this title.