Subpart G. Transportation; Warehouse TRANSPORTATION PROVISIONS OF AGRICULTURAL (7 U.S.C. 1291) TITLE II ADJUSTMENTS IN FREIGHT RATES FOR FARM PRODUCTS SEC. 201. (a) The Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to make complaint to the Interstate Commerce Commission with respect to rates, charges, tariffs, and practices relating to the transportation of farm products, and to prosecute the same before the Commission. Before hearing or disposing of any complaint (filed by any person other than the Secretary) with respect to rates, charges, tariffs, and practices relating to the transportation of farm products, the Commission shall cause the Secretary to be notified, and, upon application by the Secretary, shall permit the Secretary to appear and be heard. (b) If such rate, charge, tariff, or practice complained of is one affecting the public interest, upon application by the Secretary, the Commission shall make the Secretary a party to the proceeding. In such case the Secretary shall have the rights of a party before the Commission and the rights of a party to invoke and pursue original and appellate judicial proceedings involving the Commission's determination. The liability of the Secretary in any such case shall extend only to liability for court costs. (c) For the purposes of this section, the Interstate Commerce Commission is authorized to avail itself of the cooperation, records, services, and facilities of the Department of Agriculture. (d) The Secretary is authorized to cooperate with and assist cooperative associations of farmers making complaint to the Interstate Commerce Commission with respect to rates, charges, tariffs, and practices relating to the transportation of farm products. (7 U.S.C. 1291.) 1 Approved February 16, 1938, 52 Stat. 36. RURAL TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY TASK FORCE 1 (49 U.S.C. 1653 note) 1 To establish a Rural Transportation Advisory Task Force, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Congress hereby finds and declares that (1) an adequate transportation system, made up of various modes of transportation, is essential to the overall success of the Nation's agriculture programs, to a sound program of rural development, and to the economic stability of the United States; (2) the economical and efficient movement of agricultural commodities (including forest products) and agricultural inputs has been impeded by a shortage of railroad freight cars and motor trucks and by the deteriorated condition of many rail roadbeds throughout the United States; (3) the economical and efficient movement of agricultural commodities (including forest products) and agricultural inputs is further threatened by the proposed abandonment by the railroad companies of thousands of miles of important railroad lines in the United States; (4) the maintaining of an efficient and economical transportation system for agriculture and rural development in the United States has not received the priority attention which such system should have received; and (5) the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of Transportation have a responsibility to assume a more active role in representing the interests of agriculture and rural development in the United States in order to insure the availability of an adequate, efficient, and economical transportation system sufficient to meet the needs of agriculture and rural development in the United States. SEC. 2. (a) There is hereby created in accordance with the provisions of this section a Rural Transportation Advisory Task Force (hereinafter referred to as the "Task Force"). (b) The Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of Transportation (hereinafter referred to as the Secretaries) shall serve as Cochairmen of the Task Force, which shall consist of fourteen members in addition to the Cochairmen, appointed by the Secretaries on the following basis: (1) one to be selected from a list of qualified individuals recommended by the Secretary of Agriculture; (2) one to be selected from a list of qualified individuals recommended by the Secretary of Transportation; 1 Pub. L. 95-580, approved November 2, 1978, 92 Stat. 2475. (3) one to be selected from a list of qualified individuals recommended by the Chairman of the Interstate Commerce Commission; (4) one to be selected from a list of qualified individuals recommended by the chairman of the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, United States Senate; (5) one to be selected from a list of qualified individuals recommended by the chairman of the Committee on Agriculture, United States House of Representatives; (6) three to be selected from lists of qualified individuals recommended by carriers and associations of carriers, not to include more than one representative from each of the three transportation modes, rail, motor, and water; (7) four to be selected from lists of qualified individuals recommended by the agricultural community, including agricultural shippers and associations of shippers; and (8) two to be selected from lists of qualified individuals recommended by the academic community. (c) Within fifteen days after the enactment of this section, the Secretaries shall solicit recommendations from the Chairman of the Interstate Commerce Commission; the chairman of the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, United States Senate; and the chairman of the Committee on Agriculture, United States House of Representatives. The Secretaries shall cause notice to be published in the Federal Register soliciting recommendations from which to make the selections required under subparts (6), (7), and (8) of subsection (b) of this section. (d) Vacancies on the Task Force shall be filled in the manner prescribed for original selections. (e) Members of the Task Force who are full-time officers or employees of the United States shall receive no additional pay on account of this service on the Task Force. While away from their homes or regular places of business in the performance of services for the Task Force, members of the Task Force shall be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in the same manner as persons employed intermittently in the Government service are allowed expenses under section 5703 of title 5, United States Code. (f) The Task Force shall be dissolved forty-five days after the publication of the final report required under section 4 of this Act. (g) The Secretaries shall furnish such supplies and clerical, administrative, and other support as they deem necessary to enable the Task Force to carry out its responsibilities. SEC. 3. (a) The Task Force may compile and publish an initial report which, if published, shall include recommendations for determining the essential transportation needs of agriculture on a continuing basis, for establishing a national agricultural transportation policy, and for methods of identifying impediments to a railroad transportation system adequate to meet the essential needs of the agriculture industry of the United States. Such report, if published, shall also include, but shall not be limited to, maps which identify the locations in the several States which the Task Force, on the basis of the importance of such locations within agricultural producing, marketing, or consuming areas, determines should receive railroad service: Provided, That this directive is not to be con |