This case involves the power of District Courts to review Interstate Commerce Commission orders determining the reasonableness of rates.
In 1941 and 1942 the United States made 75 shipments of iron and steel over the Pennsylvania Railroad intended for export from the port of New York to Great Britain. War conditions prevented exportation from New York. This caused a dispute about applicable transportation charges since the Pennsylvania had in effect tariffs for 'domestic rates' that were higher than 'export rates.' Since the goods were not exported as planned the Railroad billed the United States for the higher domestic rates which the Government paid because required to do so by § 322 of the Transportation Act of 1940, 54 Stat. 955, 49 U.S.C. § 66, 49 U.S.C.A. § 66. Later, under authority of the same section, the General Accounting Office deducted from other bills due the Railroad the difference between the higher and lower rates, claiming that the higher domestic rates were inapplicable, unreasonable and unlawful. The Railroad then brought this action in the Court of Claims to recover the amount deducted.
Properly relying on our holding in United States v. Western Pacific R. Co., 352 U.S. 59, 62-70, 77 S.Ct. 161, 164-168, 1 L.Ed.2d 126, the Court of Claims suspended proceedings to enable the parties to have the Interstate Commerce Commission pass on the reasonableness of the rates. After hearings the Commission found and reported that the domestic rates were 'unjust and unreasonable' as to 62 of the shipments but 'just and reasonable' as to 13. 305 I.C.C. 259, 265. The Railroad then took two steps to challenge that part of the order adverse to it: (1) it invoked the jurisdiction of a United States District Court in Pennsylvania under 28 U.S.C. §§ 1336, 1398, 28 U.S.C.A. §§ 1336, 1398, and 49 U.S.C. § 17(9), 49 U.S.C.A. § 17(9), to enjoin and set aside the order; and (2) it moved that the Court of Claims stay its proceedings until the District Court could pass upon the validity of the order. The United States objected to further stay in the Court of Claims and asked for dismissal of the case or judgment in its favor. It urged in support of dismissal that the Railroad had deprived the Court of Claims of jurisdiction when it filed the District Court action to enjoin the Commission order because 28 U.S.C. § 1500, 28 U.S.C.A. § 1500, declares that 'The Court of Claims shall not have jurisdiction of any claim for or in respect to which the plaintiff * * * has pending in any other court any suit or process against the United States * * *.' The Court of Claims rejected this contention and its action in this respect is not challenged here.
The United States argued in support of its motion for judgment that the order of the Commission did not require anything to be done or not done, that it was therefore an advisory opinion only, and consequently not the kind of 'order' subject to review by 28 U.S.C. § 1336, 28 U.S.C.A. § 1336, 49 U.S.C. § 17(9), 49 U.S.C.A. § 17(9), or any other provision of law. The contention of the United States was that although the Court of Claims was compelled to submit the question of the reasonableness of the rates to the Commission, neither that court nor any other court had power to review the Commission's determination. The Court of Claims agreed with this contention of the United States, accordingly refused to stay the case for the District Court to pass on the validity of the order, and entered judgment for the Railroad for only $1,663.39, which the Commission had held to be recoverable, instead of the $7,237.87 which the Railroad claimed. The result is that the Railroad has been held bound by the Commission's order although completely denied any judicial review of that order. We granted certiorari to consider this denial. 361 U.S. 922, 80 S.Ct. 291, 4 L.Ed.2d 239.