PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 1428 PRINTER'S NO.1608
No. 56 Session of 1981
INTRODUCED BY GEIST, JOHNSON, HAYES, WASS, GRABOWSKI,
CALTAGIRONE, WAMBACH, SEVENTY, CESSAR, PHILLIPS, MANMILLER,
PICCOLA, GRIECO, KENNEDY, RYAN, ITKIN, COWELL, PENDLETON,
MISCEVICH, PISTELLA, TRELLO, McMONAGLE, BELOFF, WARGO,
GAMBLE, DAWIDA, MURPHY, DUFFY, MRKONIC, HORGOS, SHUPNIK,
COCHRAN, McINTYRE, BARBER, PUCCIARELLI, J. D. WILLIAMS,
RAPPAPORT AND PETRARCA, APRIL 22, 1981
AS AMENDED, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, MAY 12, 1981
In the House of Representatives, April 22, 1981
1 WHEREAS, Various officials of the Federal Railway
2 Administration (FRA) and of the United States Department of
3 Transportation have released preliminary statements calling for
4 the dissolution of Conrail within the next few years; and
5 WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania General Assembly recognizes that
6 Conrail provides vital transportation services and is an
7 integral part of the economy of the Commonwealth and of the
8 Northeast Region of the United States; and
9 WHEREAS, The General Assembly has in past sessions enacted <--
10 legislation aimed at assisting Conrail in implementing its
11 revitalization program; and
12 WHEREAS, Conrail has made a significant investment in
13 Pennsylvania during the past few years by expending hundreds of
14 millions of dollars on roadbed improvements and purchases or
15 rehabilitation of rolling stock; and
1 WHEREAS, The dissolution of Conrail may lead to a significant
2 disruption of rail service, a devaluation of capital investment,
3 a devastating loss of jobs, a detrimental impact on related
4 industries and may deal a severe blow to efforts toward economic
5 recovery and development in the Commonwealth as well as the
6 entire Northeast Region of the United States; and
7 WHEREAS, The members of the General Assembly of Pennsylvania
8 join with Federal Government administrators, officials of the
9 major rail companies, members of Congress and officials from
10 other states in the Northeast in recognizing that the Federal
11 Government cannot support Conrail indefinitely and that many
12 significant changes must be made in the present Conrail system
13 if it is to become a viable, profitable and efficient entity;
14 and THEREFORE BE IT <--
15 WHEREAS, Members of the General Assembly support proposals <--
16 that permit Conrail to discontinue commuter services, to reduce
17 its current physical plant and to revise elements of Federal
18 legislation concerning Conrail employees; and
19 WHEREAS, Because of the lack of detail in the plans recently
20 released by the Federal Government it would be premature to
21 dismiss the option of preserving Conrail; therefore be it
22 RESOLVED (the Senate concurring), That the General Assembly
23 of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania memorialize President Ronald
24 Reagan, members of Congress and more specifically the members of
25 the Pennsylvania Delegation, officials of the Federal Railway
26 Administration and the United States Department of
27 Transportation to permit Conrail to make an orderly transition
28 from Federal support to a nonsubsidized, efficient and
29 competitive entity.; and be it further <--
30 RESOLVED, That the members of the Pennsylvania General
19810H0056R1608 - 2 -
1 Assembly implore Federal administrators, union officials,
2 members of Congress and Conrail management to secure timely
3 agreement on the changes necessary to fulfill these expressed
4 goals and to restore the confidence of the citizens of this
5 Nation.
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