USC - Railroad Retirement Account

View all text of Subchapter IV [§ 231 - § 231v]

§ 231n. Railroad Retirement Account

(a) Maintenance of account; authorization of appropriations

(b) Authorization of appropriations; military service costs and administrative expenses

(d) Dual Benefits Payments Account

(1) There is hereby created an account in the Treasury of the United States to be known as the Dual Benefits Payments Account. There is hereby authorized to be appropriated to such account for each fiscal year beginning with the fiscal year ending September 30, 1982, such sums as are necessary to pay during such fiscal year the amounts of annuities estimated by the Board to be paid under sections 231b(h), 231c(e), and 231c(h) of this title and under sections 204(a)(3), 204(a)(4), 206(3), and 207(3) of Public Law 93–445. Not more than 30 days prior to each fiscal year beginning with the fiscal year ending September 30, 1982, the Board may request the Secretary of the Treasury to transfer from the Railroad Retirement Account to the credit of the Dual Benefits Payments Account any amount not exceeding the amount that the Board estimates will be necessary to pay on the first day of the next succeeding month the annuity amounts under sections 231b(h), 231c(e), and 231c(h) of this title and under sections 204(a)(3), 204(a)(4), 206(3), and 207(3) of Public Law 93–445, taking into account any reduction in such annuity amounts as determined under section 231f(c)(1) of this title, and the Secretary of the Treasury shall make such transfer, but at no time shall the total amount of money outstanding to the Dual Benefits Payments Account from the Railroad Retirement Account exceed the amount necessary to pay the annuity amounts under sections 231b(h), 231c(e), and 231c(h) of this title and sections 204(a)(3), 204(a)(4), 206(3), and 207(3) of Public Law 93–445 for one month. Not more than 10 days after the funds appropriated to the Dual Benefits Payments Account for each such fiscal year are received into such Account, the Board shall request the Secretary of the Treasury to retransfer from the Dual Benefits Payments Account to the credit of the Railroad Retirement Account an amount equal to the amount transferred to the Dual Benefits Payments Account prior to or during such fiscal year under the preceding sentence, together with such additional amount determined by the Board to be equal to the loss of interest to the Railroad Retirement Account resulting from such transfer, and the Secretary of the Treasury shall make such retransfer. The Secretary of the Treasury shall from time to time transfer from the Dual Benefits Payments Account to the disbursing agent under section 231f(b)(4) of this title amounts necessary to pay benefits payable from that Account.

(2) The Secretary of the Treasury—

(i) shall transfer from the general fund as a loan to the Board on January 1, 1984, one-third of the special amount described in subdivision (3) of this subsection;

(ii) shall transfer from the general fund as a loan to the Board on January 1, 1985, one-third of the special amount described in subdivision (3) of this subsection, plus an amount equal to the interest that one-third would have earned had it been in the Railroad Retirement Account since January 1, 1984; and

(iii) shall transfer from the general fund as a loan to the Board on January 1, 1986, the final one-third of the special amount described in subdivision (3) of this subsection, plus an amount equal to the interest that one-third would have earned had it been in the Railroad Retirement Account since January 1, 1984.

(3) The special amount referred to in subdivision (2) of this subsection is the amount which, as of January 1, 1984, would place the Railroad Retirement Account in the same position it would have been on that date if no annuity amounts had been paid during the period beginning January 1, 1975 and ending September 30, 1981, under sections 231b(h), 231c(e), and 231c(h) of this title and under sections 204(a)(3), 204(a)(4), 206(3), and 207(3) of Public Law 93–445, and no sums had been appropriated as authorized in this subsection.

(4) For the purposes of subdivision (2) of this subsection, the Secretary of the Treasury is authorized to use as a public debt transaction the proceeds of the sale of any securities issued after August 12, 1983, under section 3102 of title 31 and the purposes for which securities may be so issued are extended to include such purposes.

(5) The amounts transferred to the Board as loans under subdivision (2) of this subsection shall be deposited in the Railroad Retirement Account.

(6) The amounts transferred as loans under subdivision (2) of this subsection shall be repaid to the general fund to the extent sums are appropriated for that purpose, and there are hereby authorized to be appropriated, in addition to any other sums authorized to be appropriated for the purposes of this subchapter and from any sums in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, such sums as may be necessary to make such repayments.

(e) Investments

(f) Actuarial Advisory Committee

(g) Annual report

(h) Authorization of appropriations; administrative expenses of subchapter

(i) Crediting of accounts for unnegotiated benefit checks

(1) The Secretary of the Treasury shall implement procedures to permit the identification of each check issued for benefits under this subchapter that has not been presented for payment by the close of the sixth month following the month of its issuance.

(2) The Secretary of the Treasury shall, on a monthly basis, credit each account established in the Treasury for the payment of benefits under this subchapter for the proportionate amount of benefit checks (including interest thereon) drawn on each such Account more than six months previously but not presented for payment and not previously credited to such Account, to the extent provided in advance in appropriation Acts.

(3) If a benefit check is presented for payment to the Treasury and the amount of the appropriate portion thereof has been previously credited pursuant to paragraph (2) to an Account or Accounts, the Secretary of the Treasury shall nevertheless pay such check, if otherwise proper, recharge such Account or Accounts for the amount of such check attributable to such Account or Accounts and notify the Board.

(4) A benefit check bearing a current date may be issued to an individual who did not negotiate the original benefit check and who surrenders such check for cancellation if the Secretary of the Treasury determines it is necessary to effect proper payment of benefits.

(j) National Railroad Retirement Investment Trust

(1) Establishment

(2) Not a Federal agency or instrumentality

(3) Board of Trustees

(A) Generally

(i) Membership

(ii) Selection(I) The 3 members representing the interests of labor shall be selected by the joint recommendation of labor organizations, national in scope, organized in accordance with sections 151a and 152 of this title, and representing at least ⅔ of all active employees, represented by such national labor organizations, covered under this subchapter.(II) The 3 members representing the interests of management shall be selected by the joint recommendation of carriers as defined in section 151 of this title employing at least ⅔ of all active employees covered under this subchapter.(III) The independent member shall be selected by a majority of the other 6 members of the Board of Trustees.

A member of the Board of Trustees may be removed in the same manner and by the same constituency that selected that member.

(iii) Dispute resolution

(B) Qualifications

(4) Powers of the Board of TrusteesThe Board of Trustees shall—

(A) retain independent advisers to assist it in the formulation and adoption of its investment guidelines;

(B) invest assets of the Trust in a manner consistent with such investment guidelines, either directly or through the retention of independent investment managers;

(D) employ professional staff, and contract with outside advisers, including the Railroad Retirement Board, to provide legal, accounting, investment advisory or management services (compensation for which may be on a fixed contract fee basis or on such other terms as are customary for such services), or other services necessary for the proper administration of the Trust;

(E) sue and be sued and participate in legal proceedings, have and use a seal, conduct business, carry on operations, and exercise its powers within or without the District of Columbia, form, own, or participate in entities of any kind, enter into contracts and agreements necessary to carry out its business purposes, lend money for such purposes, and deal with property as security for the payment of funds so loaned, and possess and exercise any other powers appropriate to carry out the purposes of the Trust;

(F) pay administrative expenses of the Trust from the assets of the Trust; and

(G) transfer money to the disbursing agent or as otherwise provided in section 231f(b)(4) of this title, to pay benefits payable under this subchapter from the assets of the Trust.

(5) Reporting requirements and fiduciary standardsThe following reporting requirements and fiduciary standards shall apply with respect to the Trust:

(A) Duties of the Board of TrusteesThe Trust and each member of the Board of Trustees shall discharge their duties (including the voting of proxies) with respect to the assets of the Trust solely in the interest of the Railroad Retirement Board and through it, the participants and beneficiaries of the programs funded under this subchapter—

(i) for the exclusive purpose of—(I) providing benefits to participants and their beneficiaries; and(II) defraying reasonable expenses of administering the functions of the Trust;

(ii) with the care, skill, prudence, and diligence under the circumstances then prevailing that a prudent person acting in a like capacity and familiar with such matters would use in the conduct of an enterprise of a like character and with like aims;

(iii) by diversifying investments so as to minimize the risk of large losses and to avoid disproportionate influence over a particular industry or firm, unless under the circumstances it is clearly prudent not to do so; and

(iv) in accordance with Trust governing documents and instruments insofar as such documents and instruments are consistent with this subchapter.

(B) Prohibitions with respect to members of the Board of TrusteesNo member of the Board of Trustees shall—

(i) deal with the assets of the Trust in the Trustee’s own interest or for the Trustee’s own account;

(ii) in an individual or in any other capacity act in any transaction involving the assets of the Trust on behalf of a party (or represent a party) whose interests are adverse to the interests of the Trust, the Railroad Retirement Board, or the interests of participants or beneficiaries; or

(iii) receive any consideration for the Trustee’s own personal account from any party dealing with the assets of the Trust.

(C) Exculpatory provisions and insuranceAny provision in an agreement or instrument that purports to relieve a Trustee from responsibility or liability for any responsibility, obligation, or duty under this subchapter shall be void: Provided, however, That nothing shall preclude—

(i) the Trust from purchasing insurance for its Trustees or for itself to cover liability or losses occurring by reason of the act or omission of a Trustee, if such insurance permits recourse by the insurer against the Trustee in the case of a breach of a fiduciary obligation by such Trustee;

(ii) a Trustee from purchasing insurance to cover liability under this section from and for his own account; or

(iii) an employer or an employee organization from purchasing insurance to cover potential liability of one or more Trustees with respect to their fiduciary responsibilities, obligations, and duties under this section.

(D) BondingEvery Trustee and every person who handles funds or other property of the Trust (hereafter in this subsection referred to as “Trust official”) shall be bonded. Such bond shall provide protection to the Trust against loss by reason of acts of fraud or dishonesty on the part of any Trust official, directly or through the connivance of others, and shall be in accordance with the following:

(i) The amount of such bond shall be fixed at the beginning of each fiscal year of the Trust by the Railroad Retirement Board. Such amount shall not be less than 10 percent of the amount of the funds handled. In no case shall such bond be less than $1,000 nor more than $500,000, except that the Railroad Retirement Board, after consideration of the record, may prescribe an amount in excess of $500,000, subject to the 10 per centum limitation of the preceding sentence.

(ii) It shall be unlawful for any Trust official to receive, handle, disburse, or otherwise exercise custody or control of any of the funds or other property of the Trust without being bonded as required by this subsection and it shall be unlawful for any Trust official, or any other person having authority to direct the performance of such functions, to permit such functions, or any of them, to be performed by any Trust official, with respect to whom the requirements of this subsection have not been met.

(iii) It shall be unlawful for any person to procure any bond required by this subsection from any surety or other company or through any agent or broker in whose business operations such person has any control or significant financial interest, direct or indirect.

(E) Audit and report

(i) The Trust shall annually engage an independent qualified public accountant to audit the financial statements of the Trust.

(ii) The Trust shall submit an annual management report to the Congress not later than 180 days after the end of the Trust’s fiscal year. A management report under this subsection shall include—(I) a statement of financial position;(II) a statement of operations;(III) a statement of cash flows;(IV) a statement on internal accounting and administrative control systems;(V) the report resulting from an audit of the financial statements of the Trust conducted under clause (i); and(VI) any other comments and information necessary to inform the Congress about the operations and financial condition of the Trust.

(iii) The Trust shall provide the President, the Railroad Retirement Board, and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget a copy of the management report when it is submitted to Congress.

(F) EnforcementThe Railroad Retirement Board may bring a civil action—

(i) to enjoin any act or practice by the Trust, its Board of Trustees, or its employees or agents that violates any provision of this subchapter; or

(ii) to obtain other appropriate relief to redress such violations, or to enforce any provisions of this subchapter.

(6) State and local taxes

(7) Quorum

(k) Transfers to the Trust

(l) National Railroad Retirement Investment Trust

(Aug. 29, 1935, ch. 812, § 15, as restated June 24, 1937, ch. 382, pt. I, 50 Stat. 307, as restated Pub. L. 93–445, title I, § 101, Oct. 16, 1974, 88 Stat. 1346; amended Pub. L. 94–92, title II, § 201(a)–(d), Aug. 9, 1975, 89 Stat. 464, 465; Pub. L. 94–547, § 3(a), Oct. 18, 1976, 90 Stat. 2525; Pub. L. 97–34, title VII, § 742, Aug. 13, 1981, 95 Stat. 348; Pub. L. 97–35, title XI, §§ 1124, 1127(a), Aug. 13, 1981, 95 Stat. 639, 641; Pub. L. 98–76, title III, § 301(b), title IV, §§ 401(a), 417(a), Aug. 12, 1983, 97 Stat. 431, 433, 437; Pub. L. 107–90, title I, §§ 105(a), (b), 106(b), (c), 107(a), (b), (d), Dec. 21, 2001, 115 Stat. 882, 886–889; Pub. L. 108–203, title IV, § 426(a)–(d), (f), Mar. 2, 2004, 118 Stat. 537, 538.)