A bill to amend the Regional Rail Reorganization Act of 1973 to require ConRail to make premium payments under certain medical and life insurance policies, to provide that ConRail shall be entitled to a loan under section 211(h) of such act in an amount required for such premium payments, and to provide that such premium payments shall be deemed to be expenses of administration of the respective railroads in reorganization.
Public Law 95-597 · H.R. 5646 · 95th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Nov 4, 1978 · Transportation and Public Works
Sponsor: Rep. Frederick Rooney (D-PA-15)
Cosponsors (10): Rep. Ralph Metcalfe, Rep. Barbara Mikulski,
Passage votes
- HouseMethod not stated
- SenateMethod not stated
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Amends the Regional Rail Reorganization Act of 1973 to direct the Consolidated Rail Corporation (Con Rail) to make premium payments in order to maintain medical or life insurance policies providing benefits to individuals who retired prior to April 1, 1976, if such policies were maintained by a railroad undergoing reorganization immediately prior to such date. Directs the Corporation, in the case of such individual whose policy lapsed after such date due to nonpayment of premiums, to purchase comparable insurance for such individual, and to pay any claim for such individual if such claim arose during the period of the lapse.
Entitles the Corporation to a loan for the payment of insurance premiums and benefits.
States that amounts required for such premium payments shall be deemed to be expenses of administration of the respective estates of the railroads in reorganization (1) upon the determination by the district court having jurisdiction that such premiums and benefits were contractual obligations, or (2) in the case of a railroad which is not subject to a bankruptcy proceeding. 10/11/78 hfac088 House agreed to Senate amendments with an amendment
Amends the Regional Rail Reorganization Act of 1973 to direct the Consolidated Rail Corporation (Con Rail) to make premium payments in order to maintain medical or life insurance policies providing benefits to individuals who retired prior to April 1, 1976, if such policies were maintained by a railroad undergoing reorganization immediately prior to such date. Directs the Corporation, in the case of such individual whose policy lapsed after such date due to nonpayment of premiums, to purchase comparable insurance for such individual, and to pay any claim for such individual if such claim arose during the period of the lapse.
Entitles the Corporation to a loan for the payment of insurance premiums and benefits.
States that amounts required for such premium payments shall be deemed to be valid administrative claims against the respective estates of the railroads in reorganization, and shall not be construed (1) as affecting the jurisdiction of the appropriate district court to determine whether such premiums and benefits are enforceable contractual obligations, or (2) as reordering any priorities for reimbursement.
Permits the successor to a railroad in reorganization to assert any claims or defenses available to such railroad in reorganization with respect to whether the benefits and premiums constitute enforceable contractual obligations.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 14 actions.
- Nov 4, 1978Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 95-597.
- Oct 25, 1978PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- Oct 13, 1978PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to House amendments.
- Oct 11, 1978Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to Senate amendments with an amendment.
- Aug 2, 1978FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
- Jul 27, 1978CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
- Feb 9, 1978CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
- Jan 30, 1978FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, roll call #19 (314-50).House roll call 19
- Jun 1, 1977CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Energy and Commerce Committee
- Mar 28, 1977CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Energy and Commerce Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.