[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1551 Introduced in House (IH)]







105th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1551

 To amend title 23, United States Code, to ensure that local officials 
   are permitted to participate in the selection of certain surface 
transportation program projects undertaken in areas of less than 50,000 
                  population, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 7, 1997

  Mr. Stupak introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
             Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend title 23, United States Code, to ensure that local officials 
   are permitted to participate in the selection of certain surface 
transportation program projects undertaken in areas of less than 50,000 
                  population, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Local Officials Transportation 
Empowerment Act of 1997''.

SEC. 2. SELECTION OF HIGHWAY PROJECTS FOR AREAS OF LESS THAN 50,000 
              POPULATION.

    Section 135(f)(3) of title 23, United States Code, is amended to 
read as follows:
            ``(3) Project selection for areas less than 50,000 
        population.--
                    ``(A) Authority to select projects.--
                            ``(i) In general.--Projects undertaken in 
                        areas of less than 50,000 population (excluding 
                        projects undertaken on the National Highway 
                        System and pursuant to the Interstate 
                        maintenance program) shall be selected pursuant 
                        to the project selection procedures established 
                        under subparagraph (B).
                            ``(ii) NHS and interstate maintenance 
                        program projects.--Projects undertaken in areas 
                        of less than 50,000 population on the National 
                        Highway System or pursuant to the Interstate 
                        maintenance program shall be selected by the 
                        State in consultation with the affected local 
                        officials.
                    ``(B) Project selection procedures.--
                            ``(i) In general.--Each State, in 
                        cooperation with local officials in areas of 
                        less than 50,000 population and after providing 
                        notice and an opportunity for public comment, 
                        shall establish procedures for the selection of 
                        projects described in subparagraph (A)(i).
                            ``(ii) Requirement.--Procedures established 
                        pursuant to clause (i) shall ensure that local 
                        officials in areas of less than 50,000 
                        population are permitted to participate equally 
                        with the State in the selection of projects 
                        described in subparagraph (A)(i).
                            ``(iii) Submission to secretary.--On or 
                        before September 30, 1998, the State shall 
                        submit procedures established under clause (i) 
                        to the Secretary for approval.
                            ``(iv) Biennial review.--The State, in 
                        cooperation with local officials in areas of 
                        less than 50,000 population, shall review the 
                        procedures established under clause (i) on a 
                        biennial basis and shall make such 
                        modifications to the procedures as may be 
                        necessary. Immediately upon the completion of 
                        each such review, the State shall resubmit the 
                        procedures, as modified, to the Secretary for 
                        approval.
                            ``(v) Approval.--The Secretary shall 
                        approve the procedures submitted by a State 
                        under clause (iii) or (iv) if the Secretary 
                        determines that the procedures were established 
                        in accordance with the requirements of this 
                        section. If the Secretary disapproves the 
                        procedures, the Secretary shall require the 
                        State to resubmit the procedures after 
                        complying with such requirements.
                            ``(vi) Arbitration of disputes.--Upon the 
                        request of local officials in areas of less 
                        than 50,000 population, the Secretary (or the 
                        Secretary's designee) shall serve as an 
                        arbitrator to resolve any disputes that may 
                        arise in establishing procedures under clause 
                        (i) or in modifying the procedures under clause 
                        (iv).''.

SEC. 3. USE OF FUNDS SET ASIDE FOR AREAS OF LESS THAN 50,000 
              POPULATION.

    Section 133(d)(3)(B) of title 23, United States Code, is amended by 
inserting after ``shall obligate'' the following: ``for eligible 
projects not on the National Highway System''.

SEC. 4. OFF-SYSTEM BRIDGES.

    Section 144(g)(3) of title 23, United States Code, is amended by 
striking ``Not less than'' and all that follows through ``1997,'' and 
inserting the following: ``Not less than 30 percent of the amount 
apportioned to each State for fiscal year 1998 and each fiscal year 
thereafter''.
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