PUBLIC LAW 105-134—DEC. 2, 1997 111 STAT. 2587 (b) AMTRAK NOT FEDERAL ENTITY. —Amtrak shall not be considered a Federal entity for purposes of the Inspector General Act of 1978. The preceding sentence shall apply for any fiscal year for which Amtrak receives no Federal subsidy. (c) FEDERAL SUBSIDY. — (1) ASSESSMENT. —In any fiscal year for which Amtralj^ requests Federal assistance, the Inspector General of the Department of Transportation shall review Amtrak's operations and conduct an assessment similar to the assessment required by section 202(a). The Inspector General shall report the results of the review and assessment to— (A) the President of Amtrak; (B) the Secretary of Transportation; (C) the United States Senate Committee on Appropriations; (D) the United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation; (E) the United States House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations; and (F) the United States House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. (2) REPORT.— The report shall be submitted, to the extent practicable, before any such committee reports legislation authorizing or appropriating funds for Amtrak for capital acquisition, development, or operating expenses. (3) SPECIAL EFFECTIVE DATE. —This subsection takes effect 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act. SEC. 410. INTERSTATE RAIL COMPACTS. (a) CONSENT TO COMPACTS. —Congress greints consent to States with an interest in a specific form, route, or corridor of intercity passenger rail service (including high speed rail service) to enter into interstate compacts to promote the provision of the service, including— (1) retaining an existing service or commencing a new service; (2) assembling rights-of-way; and (3) performing capital improvements, including— (A) the construction and rehabilitation of maintenance facilities; (B) the purchase of locomotives; and (C) operational improvements, including communications, signals, and other systems. (b) FINANCING. —An interstate compact established by States under subsection (a) may provide that, in order to carry out the compact, the States may— (1) accept contributions from a unit of State or local government or a person; (2) use any Federal or State funds made available for intercity passenger rail service (except funds made available for Amtrak); (3) on such terms and conditions as the States consider advisable— (A) borrow money on a short-term basis and issue notes for the borrowing; and (B) issue bonds; and 5 USC app. 8G note. Applicability. 5 USC app. 8G note. Reports. 49 USC 24101 note.
�
