Establishing an Emergency Board To Investigate 
                Disputes Between Metro-North Railroad and Certain of 
                Its Employees Represented by Certain Labor 
                Organizations

                Disputes exist between Metro-North Railroad (Metro-
                North) and certain of its employees represented by 
                certain labor organizations. The labor organizations 
                involved in these disputes are designated on the 
                attached list, which is made a part of this order.

                The disputes have not heretofore been adjusted under 
                the provisions of the Railway Labor Act, as amended, 45 
                U.S.C. 151 et. seq. (RLA).

                A party empowered by the RLA has requested that the 
                President establish an emergency board pursuant to 
                section 9A of the RLA (45 U.S.C. 159a).

                Section 9A(c) of the RLA provides that the President, 
                upon such request, shall appoint an emergency board to 
                investigate and report on the disputes.

                NOW, THEREFORE, by the authority vested in me as 
                President by the Constitution and the laws of the 
                United States, including section 9A of the RLA, it is 
                hereby ordered as follows:

                Section 1. Establishment of Emergency Board (Board). 
                There is established, effective 12:01 a.m. eastern 
                standard time on December 7, 2006, a Board of three 
                members to be appointed by the President to investigate 
                and report on these disputes. No member shall be 
                pecuniarily or otherwise interested in any organization 
                of railroad employees or any carrier. The Board shall 
                perform its functions subject to the availability of 
                funds.

                Sec. 2. Report. The Board shall report to the President 
                with respect to the disputes within 30 days of its 
                creation.

                Sec. 3. Maintaining Conditions. As provided by section 
                9A(c) of the RLA, from the date of the creation of the 
                Board and for 120 days thereafter, no change in the 
                conditions out of which the disputes arose shall be 
                made by the parties to the controversy, except by 
                agreement of the parties.

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                Sec. 4. Records Maintenance. The records and files of 
                the Board are records of the Office of the President 
                and upon the Board's termination shall be maintained in 
                the physical custody of the National Mediation Board.

                Sec. 5. Expiration. The Board shall terminate upon the 
                submission of the report provided for in section 2 of 
                this order.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

                THE WHITE HOUSE,

                    December 6, 2006.