12 2 STA T .49 29 PUBLIC LA W 11 0– 4 3 2 —O CT. 1 6, 200 8has s uf f ic i entr es o urces that are a d e q uate to underta k e the p ro g ra m esta bl ished under this section .’ ’. ( b )REPORT . —W ithin 1y ear after the conclusion of the pilot program established under subsection (a) , the F ederal Railroad A dministration shall submit to the C ommittee on T ransportation and I nfrastructure of the H ouse of Representati v es and the Com - mittee on Commerce, S cience, and Transportation of the Senate a report on the results on the pilot program established under section 247 11, and any recommendations for further action. (c) CO NF OR MI N G AMEN D MENT.—The chapter analysis for chapter 247, as amended by section 21 0 , is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 24710 the follo w ing
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‘ 2471 1 .Alterna te p a s sen g er ra i l ser v i c e pil o t progra m . ’ ’. SEC.215 .E MPLOY EE TRAN S I TION ASSISTANCE. (a) P RO V I S ION OF FIN A N C IA L INCENTIVES.—For Amtrak employees who are adversely affected by the cessation of the oper- ation of a long-distance route or any other route under section 24711 of title 4 9 , U nited States Code, previously operated by Amtrak, the Secretary shall develop a program under which the Secretary may, at the Secretary’s discretion, provide grants for financial incentives to be provided to Amtrak employees who volun- tarily terminate their employment with Amtrak and relinquish any legal rights to receive termination-related payments under any contractual agreement with Amtrak. (b) CONDITIONS FOR FINANCIAL INCENTIVES.—As a condition for receiving financial assistance grants under this section, Amtrak must certify that— (1) a reasonable attempt was made to reassign an employee adversely affected under section 24711 of title 49, United States Code, or by the elimination of any route, to other positions within Amtrak in accordance with any contractual agreements
(2) the financial assistance results in a net reduction in the total number of employees equal to the number receiving financial incentives; ( 3 ) the financial assistance results in a net reduction in total employment e x pense equivalent to the total employment expenses associated with the employees receiving financial incentives; and (4) the total number of employees eligible for termination- related payments will not be increased without the express written consent of the Secretary. (c) AMO U NT OF FINANCIAL INCENTIVES.—The financial incen- tives authori z ed under this section may be no greater than $ 100,000 per employee. (d) AUT H ORI Z ATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There are hereby authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary such sums as may be necessary to make grants to Amtrak to provide financial incen- tives under subsection (a). (e) TERMINATION-RELATED PA Y MENTS.—If Amtrak employees adversely affected by the cessation of Amtrak service resulting from the awarding of a grant to an operator other than Amtrak for the operation of a route under section 24711 of title 49, United States Code, or any other route, previously operated by Amtrak do not receive financial incentives under subsection (a), then the Secretary shall make grants to Amtrak from funds authorized by Grants.Ce rt if i c ati o n. 49US C 2 4 71 1 note.
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