[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2704 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2704

 To extend the authorization for the ferry boat discretionary program, 
                        and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 10, 2003

Mr. Larsen of Washington (for himself, Mr. Coble, Mr. Dicks, Mr. George 
  Miller of California, Mr. Lantos, Mr. McDermott, Mr. Menendez, Mr. 
Israel, Ms. Lofgren, Ms. Millender-McDonald, Mr. Inslee, Mr. McIntyre, 
   Mrs. Tauscher, Ms. Lee, Mr. Nadler, and Mr. Honda) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation 
                           and Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To extend the authorization for the ferry boat discretionary program, 
                        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 ``Ferry Transportation Enhancement Act 
of 2003''.

SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF FUNDING FOR CONSTRUCTION OF FERRY BOATS AND 
              FERRY TERMINAL FACILITIES.

    (a) Funding.--Section 1064(c) of the Intermodal Surface 
Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (23 U.S.C. 129 note) is amended 
to read as follows:
    ``(c) Funding.--
            ``(1) In general.--There shall be available, out of the 
        Highway Trust Fund (other than the Mass Transit Account), to 
        the Secretary for obligation at the discretion of the Secretary 
        $150,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 
        2008, and 2009. Sums made available to carry out this section 
        shall remain available until expended.
            ``(2) Allocation of funds.--The Secretary shall give 
        priority in the allocation of funds under this section to those 
        ferry systems, and public entities responsible for developing 
        facilities for ferries, that carry the greatest number of 
        passengers and vehicles, carry the greatest number of 
        passengers in passenger-only service, or provide critical 
        access to areas that are not well-served by other modes of 
        surface transportation.''.

SEC. 3. ELIGIBILITY OF FERRY MAINTENANCE FACILITIES FOR FEDERAL 
              FUNDING.

    (a) Maintenance Facilities.--Section 129(c) of title 23, United 
States Code, is amended--
            (1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1) by inserting 
        ``and maintenance'' after ``terminal''; and
            (2) in paragraph (3) by inserting ``and maintenance'' after 
        ``terminal'' each place it appears.
    (b) Conforming Amendments.--Section 1064 of the Intermodal Surface 
Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (23 U.S.C. 129 note) is amended 
by inserting ``and maintenance'' after ``terminal'' each place it 
appears.

SEC. 4. ELIGIBILITY OF FERRIES FOR CLEAN FUELS PROGRAM.

    Section 5308 of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subsections (a)(3)(i), (a)(3)(iii), and (e) by 
        inserting ``or ferries'' after ``buses'' each place it appears;
            (2) in subsection (d) by inserting ``or ferry'' after 
        ``bus'' each place it appears;
            (3) in the heading for subsection (e)(2) by inserting ``or 
        ferries'' after ``buses''; and
            (4) in the heading for subsection (e)(3) by inserting ``or 
        ferry'' after ``Bus''.

SEC. 5. FERRY JOINT PROGRAM OFFICE.

    (a) Establishment.--The Secretary of Transportation shall establish 
in the Department of Transportation a Ferry Joint Program Office (in 
this section, referred to as the ``Office'') to coordinate Federal 
programs affecting ferry boat and ferry facility construction, 
maintenance, and operations and to promote ferry service as a component 
of the Nation's transportation system. The Office shall coordinate 
ferry and ferry-related programs within the Department of 
Transportation (including the Federal Highway Administration, the 
Federal Transit Administration, the Maritime Administration, and the 
Bureau of Transportation Statistics) and with the Department of 
Homeland Security and other Federal and State agencies, as appropriate.
    (b) Functions.--The functions of the Office shall include--
            (1) ensuring resource accountability;
            (2) coordinating policy relating to ferry transportation 
        among the various agencies of the Department of Transportation 
        and other departments of the United States Government;
            (3) providing strategic leadership for ferry research, 
        development, testing, and deployment; and
            (4) promoting ferry transportation as a means to reduce 
        social, economic, and environmental costs associated with 
        traffic congestion.

SEC. 6. NATIONAL FERRY DATA BASE.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Transportation shall maintain a 
national ferry database, which shall contain current information 
regarding ferry systems, routes, vessels, passengers and vehicles 
carried, funding sources, and such other information as the Secretary 
deems useful. The Secretary shall utilize the study generated as a 
result of section 1207(c) of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st 
Century (23 U.S.C. 129 note; 112 Stat. 185-186), and make modifications 
to that study, as appropriate.
    (b) Updated Database.--The Secretary shall produce the first 
updated version of the national ferry database within 1 year after the 
date of enactment of this Act and every 2 years thereafter.
    (c) Public Accessibility.--The Secretary shall ensure that the 
national ferry database is easily accessible to the public.

SEC. 7. NATIONAL FERRY TRANSPORTATION INSTITUTE.

    (a) Establishment.--The Secretary of Transportation shall make 
grants to an institution of higher education, within 1 year after the 
date of enactment of this Act, to establish a National Ferry 
Transportation Institute (in this section, referred to as the 
``Institute'').
    (b) Administration.--The Secretary shall develop and administer the 
Institute in cooperation with the Department of Transportation, State 
transportation departments, public ferry transportation authorities, 
private ferry operators, ferry boat builders, ferry employees, and 
other institutions of higher education and research institutes.
    (c) Functions.--The Institute shall--
            (1) conduct research and recommend development activities 
        on methods of improving ferry transportation programs in the 
        United States, including methods of reducing wake and providing 
        alternative propulsion;
            (2) develop and conduct training programs for ferry system 
        employees, United States Government employees, and other 
        individuals, as appropriate, on recent developments, 
        techniques, and procedures pertaining to the construction and 
        operation of ferries;
            (3) encourage and assist collaborative efforts by public 
        and private entities to preserve, improve, and expand the use 
        of ferries as a mode of transportation; and
            (4) preserve, utilize, and display historical information 
        about the use of ferries in the United States and in foreign 
        countries.
    (c) Location.--In selecting the location for the Institute, the 
Secretary shall consider--
            (1) the importance of public and private ferries to the 
        region's transportation system, including both regional travel 
        and long-range travel and service to isolated communities;
            (2) the historical importance of ferry transportation to 
        the region;
            (3) the history and diversity of the region's maritime 
        community, including ferry construction and repair and other 
        shipbuilding activities;
            (4) the anticipated growth of ferry service and ferry boat 
        building in the region;
            (5) the availability of public-private collaboration in the 
        region; and
            (6) the presence of nationally recognized research 
        universities in the region.
    (d) Funding.--There are authorized to be appropriated to the 
Secretary of Transportation $2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2004, 
2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009, to carry out activities under this 
section by the Institute. The Secretary may authorize the acceptance 
and expenditure of funding provided to the Institute by public and 
private entities.
    (e) Report.--The Secretary shall report to Congress not later than 
1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, and annually 
thereafter, on the activities of the Institute and the progress in 
carrying out this section.
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