[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 243 Introduced in House (IH)]






109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 243

  To authorize appropriations to the Department of Transportation for 
    surface transportation research and development, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 6, 2005

  Mr. Ehlers introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                          Committee on Science

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To authorize appropriations to the Department of Transportation for 
    surface transportation research and development, 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. TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    The table of contents for this Act is as follows:

Sec. 1. Table of contents.
Sec. 2. Findings.
                TITLE I--SURFACE TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH

Sec. 101. Authorization of appropriations.
Sec. 102. Goals, principles, and processes.
Sec. 103. Transportation research and development strategic planning 
                            and annual reporting.
Sec. 104. Surface transportation research and development.
Sec. 105. Technology deployment.
Sec. 106. Future Strategic Highway Research Program.
Sec. 107. University Transportation Centers.
Sec. 108. Intelligent Transportation systems.
Sec. 109. National Multimodal Trends Research Program.
                        TITLE II--MISCELLANEOUS

Sec. 201. Authorization of appropriations.
Sec. 202. Transit research.
Sec. 203. Transportation, energy, and environment.
Sec. 204. National Cooperative Freight Transportation Research Program.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds the following:
            (1) Research and development is critical to developing and 
        maintaining a transportation system that meets the goals of 
        safety, mobility, economic vitality, efficiency, equity, and 
        environmental protection.
            (2) Federally sponsored surface transportation research and 
        development has produced many successes. The development of 
        rumble strips has increased safety; research on materials has 
        increased the lifespan of pavements, saving money and reducing 
        the disruption caused by construction; and Geographic 
        Information Systems have improved the management and efficiency 
        of transit fleets.
            (3) Despite these important successes, the Federal surface 
        transportation research and development investment represents 
        only about 0.5 percent of overall government spending on 
        surface transportation.
            (4) While Congress increased funding for overall 
        transportation programs by about 40 percent in the 
        Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century, funding for 
        transportation research and development remained relatively 
        flat.
            (5) The Federal investment in research and development 
        should be balanced between short-term applied and long-term 
        fundamental research and development. The investment should 
        also cover a wide range of research areas, including research 
        on materials and construction, research on operations, research 
        on transportation trends and human factors, and research 
        addressing the institutional barriers to deployment of new 
        technologies.
            (6) Therefore, Congress finds that it is in the United 
        States interest to increase the Federal investment in 
        transportation research and development, and to conduct 
        research in critical research gaps, in order to ensure that the 
        transportation system meets the goals of safety, mobility, 
        economic vitality, efficiency, equity, and environmental 
        protection.

                TITLE I--SURFACE TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH

SEC. 101. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) In General.--
            (1) Surface transportation research, development, and 
        deployment.--To carry out sections 502, 503, 506, 507, and 509 
        of title 23, United States Code, and section 109 of this Act, 
        relating to research and development, there are authorized to 
        be appropriated to the Secretary of Transportation the 
        following:
                    (A) $228,000,000 for fiscal year 2005, of which--
                            (i) $15,000,000 shall be set aside to carry 
                        out the Surface Transportation Environment and 
                        Planning Cooperative Research Program under 
                        section 507 of title 23, United States Code;
                            (ii) $7,000,000 shall be set aside to carry 
                        out advanced exploratory research under section 
                        502(d) of title 23, United States Code; and
                            (iii) $5,000,000 shall be set aside to 
                        carry out the National Multimodal Trends 
                        Research Progam under section 109 of this Act.
                    (B) $272,000,000 for fiscal year 2006, of which--
                            (i) $15,000,000 shall be set aside to carry 
                        out the Surface Transportation Environment and 
                        Planning Cooperative Research Program under 
                        section 507 of title 23, United States Code;
                            (ii) $10,000,000 shall be set aside to 
                        carry out research under section 502(d) of 
                        title 23, United States Code; and
                            (iii) $5,000,000 shall be set aside to 
                        carry out research under section 109 of this 
                        Act.
                    (C) $316,000,000 for fiscal year 2007, of which--
                            (i) $20,000,000 shall be set aside to carry 
                        out the Surface Transportation Environment and 
                        Planning Cooperative Research Program under 
                        section 507 of title 23, United States Code;
                            (ii) $15,000,000 shall be set aside to 
                        carry out research under section 502(d) of 
                        title 23, United States Code; and
                            (iii) $5,000,000 shall be set aside to 
                        carry out research under section 109 of this 
                        Act.
                    (D) $367,000,000 for fiscal year 2008, of which--
                            (i) $20,000,000 shall be set aside to carry 
                        out the Surface Transportation Environment and 
                        Planning Cooperative Research Program under 
                        section 507 of title 23, United States Code;
                            (ii) $15,000,000 shall be set aside to 
                        carry out research under section 502(d) of 
                        title 23, United States Code; and
                            (iii) $5,000,000 shall be set aside to 
                        carry out research under section 109 of this 
                        Act.
                    (E) $423,000,000 for fiscal year 2009, of which--
                            (i) $30,000,000 shall be set aside to carry 
                        out the Surface Transportation Environment and 
                        Planning Cooperative Research Program under 
                        section 507 of title 23, United States Code;
                            (ii) $15,000,000 shall be set aside to 
                        carry out research under section 502(d) of 
                        title 23, United States Code; and
                            (iii) $5,000,000 shall be set aside to 
                        carry out research under section 109 of this 
                        Act.
                    (F) $490,000,000 for fiscal year 2010, of which--
                            (i) $30,000,000 shall be set aside to carry 
                        out the Surface Transportation Environment and 
                        Planning Cooperative Research Program under 
                        section 507 of title 23, United States Code;
                            (ii) $15,000,000 shall be set aside to 
                        carry out research under section 502(d) of 
                        title 23, United States Code; and
                            (iii) $5,000,000 shall be set aside to 
                        carry out research under section 109 of this 
                        Act.
            (2) University transportation research.--For carrying out 
        section 5505 of title 49, United States Code, there are 
        authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of 
        Transportation the following:
                    (A) $56,000,000 for fiscal year 2005.
                    (B) $66,000,000 for fiscal year 2006.
                    (C) $76,000,000 for fiscal year 2007.
                    (D) $90,000,000 for fiscal year 2008.
                    (E) $90,000,000 for fiscal year 2009.
                    (F) $90,000,000 for fiscal year 2010.
            (3) Intelligent transportation systems research.--For 
        carrying out the Intelligent Transportation Systems Act of 
        2005, there are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary 
        of Transportation the following:
                    (A) $130,000,000 for fiscal year 2005.
                    (B) $135,000,000 for fiscal year 2006.
                    (C) $140,000,000 for fiscal year 2007.
                    (D) $140,000,000 for fiscal year 2008.
                    (E) $145,000,000 for fiscal year 2009.
                    (F) $145,000,000 for fiscal year 2010.
    (b) Collaborative Research and Development.--Section 502(b) of 
title 23, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) by striking paragraph (3); and
            (2) by redesignating paragraphs (4) and (5) as paragraphs 
        (3) and (4), respectively.

SEC. 102. GOALS, PRINCIPLES, AND PROCESSES.

    (a) Goals.--The Federal Government shall support surface 
transportation research in order to support the goals established for 
the surface transportation system as set forth in the Transportation 
Equity Act for the 21st Century, including supporting economic 
vitality, improving safety and security, increasing mobility, 
protecting and enhancing the environment, improving integration between 
modes of transportation, promoting efficiency, and emphasizing the 
preservation of the existing transportation system.
    (b) Basic Principles Governing Research and Development.--
            (1) Federal responsibility.--Funding and conducting surface 
        transportation research and development and technology transfer 
        activities shall be the responsibility of the Federal 
        Government when--
                    (A) the work is of national significance;
                    (B) it supports research in which there is a clear 
                public benefit, and private sector investment is less 
                than optimal due to market failure;
                    (C) it supports critical research that is not 
                otherwise being conducted by the public or private 
                sector;
                    (D) it supports a Federal stewardship role in 
                ensuring that State and local governments use national 
                resources efficiently; or
                    (E) it presents the best means to support Federal 
                policy goals compared to other policy alternatives.
            (2) Role.--Consistent with these Federal responsibilities, 
        the Secretary of Transportation shall--
                    (A) conduct research;
                    (B) support and facilitate research and development 
                and technology transfer activities by State highway 
                agencies, metropolitan planning organizations, and 
                local governments;
                    (C) share results of completed research; and
                    (D) support and facilitate technology and 
                innovation deployment.
            (3) Program content.--The surface transportation research 
        and development program shall include--
                    (A) fundamental, long-term research;
                    (B) research aimed at significant research gaps, 
                and emerging issues with national implications; and
                    (C) research related to policy and planning.
    (c) Processes.--
            (1) Stakeholder input.--Federally sponsored surface 
        transportation research and development activities shall 
        address the needs of partners and stakeholders. Stakeholders 
        include users of research (such as States, metropolitan 
        planning organizations, local governments, and the private 
        sector), researchers, research sponsors, and other affected 
        parties, including public interest groups. Stakeholders shall 
        be included at every level of research including strategic 
        planning, agenda setting, and program evaluation. The Secretary 
        shall expand the range and diversity of stakeholders engaged in 
        the process.
            (2) Competition and peer review.--All parties entering into 
        contracts or cooperative agreements with the Secretary, or 
        receiving grants, to perform research and development 
        activities or provide technical assistance under this Act shall 
        be selected on a competitive basis, and on the basis of the 
        results of peer review of proposals submitted to the Secretary.
            (3) Performance review and evaluation.--All surface 
        transportation research and development projects shall include 
        a component of performance measurement and evaluation. 
        Performance measures shall be established during the proposal 
        stage of a research project and shall, to the maximum extent 
        possible, be outcome-based. All evaluations shall be made 
        readily available to the public. The results of all surface 
        transportation research and development funded under this Act 
        shall be peer reviewed.

SEC. 103. TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC PLANNING 
              AND ANNUAL REPORTING.

    (a) Amendment.--Section 508 of title 23, United States Code, is 
amended to read as follows:
``Sec. 508. Transportation research and development strategic planning 
              and annual reporting
    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall--
            ``(1) establish a strategic planning process, consistent 
        with section 306 of title 5 for the Department of 
        Transportation to determine national transportation research 
        and development priorities;
            ``(2) set national transportation strategic goals and 
        research and development priorities;
            ``(3) coordinate Federal transportation research and 
        development activities;
            ``(4) measure the results of those activities and how they 
        impact the performance of the transportation systems of the 
        United States; and
            ``(5) ensure that planning and reporting activities carried 
        out under this section are coordinated with all other 
        transportation planning and reporting requirements.
    ``(b) Implementation.--The Secretary shall--
            ``(1) provide for the integrated planning, coordination, 
        and consultation among the operating administrations of the 
        Department of Transportation, including the aviation, transit, 
        and rail operating administrations, all other Federal agencies 
        with responsibility for surface transportation research and 
        technology development, State and local governments, 
        institutions of higher education, industry, and other private 
        and public sector organizations engaged in surface 
        transportation-related research and development activities;
            ``(2) ensure that the transportation research and 
        development programs of the Department do not duplicate other 
        Federal, State, or private sector research and development 
        programs; and
            ``(3) provide for independent validation of the scientific 
        and technical assumptions underlying the transportation 
        research and development programs of the Department.
    ``(c) Transportation Research and Development Strategic Plan.--
            ``(1) Development.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
        enactment of this paragraph, the Secretary shall develop an 
        integrated transportation research and development strategic 
        plan. The Secretary shall periodically revise such plan.
            ``(2) Contents.--The plan shall--
                    ``(A) include the general goals and principles of 
                the Department of Transportation for transportation 
                research and development program set forth in section 
                102 of the Act that enacted this subparagraph;
                    ``(B) define the roles of the Department and other 
                Federal agencies in achieving the goals and principles 
                identified under subparagraph (A), in order to avoid 
                unnecessary duplication of effort;
                    ``(C) define the Department's overall strategy and 
                research and development priorities, and for each 
                research area specified in section 502, set out--
                            ``(i) specific research strategies;
                            ``(ii) research objectives and priorities;
                            ``(iii) projects to be carried out;
                            ``(iv) recommended technology transfer 
                        activities to promote the deployment of 
                        research results; and
                            ``(v) short-term, medium-term, and long-
                        term technology development and deployment 
                        activities;
                    ``(D) define the role of each of the operating 
                administrations of the Department in carrying out the 
                plan over the next 5 years, including a description of 
                procedures for coordination of the efforts of the 
                Secretary with the efforts of the operating 
                administrations of the Department and other Federal 
                agencies;
                    ``(E) assess how State and local research and 
                development activities are contributing to the 
                achievement of the goals identified under subparagraph 
                (A) and priorities identified under subparagraph (C);
                    ``(F) provide details of the transportation 
                research and development programs of the Department, 
                including performance goals, resources needed to 
                achieve those goals, and performance indicators as 
                described in section 1115(a) of title 31 for the next 5 
                years for each area of research and development;
                    ``(G) incorporate input from a wide range of 
                interests in the transportation community, including 
                State transportation officials, metropolitan planning 
                organizations, local governments, business, 
                environmental and community organizations, academia, 
                and other relevant Federal agencies, and summarize 
                significant comments on the plan obtained from these 
                interests; and
                    ``(H) incorporate the input of the National Academy 
                of Sciences and include responses to significant 
                comments obtained from the Academy and other advisory 
                bodies, and describe any corrective actions taken 
                pursuant to such comments.
            ``(3) National academy of sciences review.--The Secretary 
        shall enter into an agreement for the review by the National 
        Academy of Sciences of the details of each--
                    ``(A) strategic plan or revision required under 
                section 306 of title 5;
                    ``(B) performance plan required under section 1115 
                of title 31; and
                    ``(C) program performance report required under 
                section 1116 of title 31,
        with respect to transportation research and development.
            ``(4) Performance plans and reports.--In reports submitted 
        under sections 1115 and 1116 of title 31, the Secretary shall 
        include--
                    ``(A) a summary of the results for the previous 
                fiscal year of transportation research and development 
                programs to which the Department of Transportation 
                contributes, along with--
                            ``(i) an analysis of the relationship 
                        between those results and the goals identified 
                        under paragraph (2)(A); and
                            ``(ii) a description of the methodology 
                        used for assessing the results; and
                    ``(B) a description of significant transportation 
                research and development initiatives, if any, 
                undertaken during the previous fiscal year that were 
                not in the plan developed under paragraph (1), and any 
                significant changes in the plan from the previous 
                year's plan.
    ``(d) Merit Review and Performance Measurement.--Not later than 1 
year after the date of enactment of this subsection, the Secretary 
shall transmit to Congress a report describing competitive merit review 
procedures for use in selecting grantees and contractors in the 
programs covered by the plan developed under subsection (c) and 
performance measurement procedures for evaluating the programs.
    ``(e) Procurement Procedures.--The Secretary shall--
            ``(1) develop model procurement procedures that encourage 
        the use of advanced technologies; and
            ``(2) develop model transactions for carrying out and 
        coordinating Federal and State transportation research and 
        development activities.
    ``(f) Annual Project Reports.--The Secretary shall publish and make 
publicly available an annual report documenting all transportation 
research and development activities of the Department. The report shall 
include detailed accounting of how Federal funds were expended.
    ``(g) Consistency With Government Performance and Results Act of 
1993.--The plans and reports developed under this section shall be 
consistent with and incorporated as part of the plans developed under 
section 306 of title 5 and sections 1115 and 1116 of title 31.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 5 of title 23, 
United States Code, is amended by striking the item related to section 
508 and inserting the following:

``508. Transportation research and development strategic planning and 
                            annual reporting.''.

SEC. 104. SURFACE TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.

    (a) Surface Transportation Research and Development.--Section 502 
of title 23, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) by striking subparagraphs (B) and (C) of 
                paragraph (1) and inserting the following:
                    ``(B) all phases of transportation planning and 
                development (including construction, transportation 
                system management and operation, modernization, 
                development, design, maintenance, safety, data 
                collection, performance analysis, multimodal 
                assessment, financing, demand forecasting, and traffic 
                conditions);
                    ``(C) institutional arrangements and support; and
                    ``(D) the effect of State laws on the activities 
                described in subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C).''; and
                    (B) in paragraph (3)(C), by inserting ``academic 
                researcher,'' after ``association, institution,'';
            (2) in subsection (c)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1), by inserting ``accessibility, 
                connectivity,'' after ``United States, including'';
                    (B) by redesignating paragraphs (4) through (11) as 
                paragraphs (5) through (12), respectively;
                    (C) by inserting after paragraph (3) the following 
                new paragraph:
            ``(4) Methods and testing to determine the impacts, both 
        positive and negative, to communities from major transportation 
        investments.'';
                    (D) in paragraph (6), as so redesignated by 
                subparagraph (B) of this paragraph--
                            (i) by striking ``research project'' and 
                        inserting ``improvements against policy 
                        objectives'' in subparagraph (B); and
                            (ii) by inserting ``and management'' after 
                        ``transportation operations'' in subparagraph 
                        (C);
                    (E) in paragraph (12), as so redesignated by 
                subparagraph (B) of this paragraph, by striking ``, 
                including unobtrusive eyetracking technology''; and
                    (F) by adding at the end the following new 
                paragraphs:
            ``(13) Environmental research, including research described 
        in the Transportation Research Board Special Report 268, 
        entitled `Surface Transportation Environmental Research: A 
        Long-Term Strategy', published in 2002.
            ``(14) Assessment of planning strategies that link land use 
        and transportation in metropolitan areas.
            ``(15) Exploratory advanced research under subsection (d).
            ``(16) Research aimed at understanding how emerging trends 
        (including demographic, economic, and social trends) will 
        affect and are affected by surface transportation usage and 
        needs.
            ``(17) Research on the link between transportation and 
        health (including asthma and obesity).
            ``(18) Research on, and dissemination of recommendations 
        and best practices aimed at addressing, nontechnical barriers 
        to technology deployment (which include fragmented local 
        authority, rigid procurement rules, and privacy and liability 
        considerations).
            ``(19) Research on the effects of climate conditions (such 
        as freezing, thawing, and precipitation) on highway 
        construction and maintenance, including research to reduce or 
        repair damage caused by climatic conditions, development of 
        materials that can withstand climatic conditions, and research 
        on the effects of climatic conditions on the costs of highway 
        construction and maintenance.
            ``(20) Research to improve the infrastructure investment 
        needs report under subsection (g) through new methods of 
        collecting better quality data, monitoring in a system-wide 
        manner, the determination of critical metrics to assess 
        condition and performance, and new methods of statistical 
        analysis and computer models to improve the prediction of 
        future needs.
            ``(21) Research, development, and technology transfer 
        related to asset management.
            ``(22) Any other surface transportation research topics 
        that the Secretary determines, in accordance with the strategic 
        planning process under section 508, to be critical.'';
            (3) in subsection (d)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1)--
                            (i) by inserting ``exploratory'' after 
                        ``shall establish an''; and
                            (ii) by inserting ``fundamental'' after 
                        ``508, that addresses''; and
                    (B) by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the 
                following new paragraphs:
            ``(2) Goal.--The goal of the research program under this 
        subsection shall be to achieve breakthroughs in understanding 
        transportation phenomena. Exploratory advanced research should 
        have a broader objective, longer time frame, multidisciplinary 
        nature, and have both a higher risk and a higher potential 
        payoff than for problem-solving research.
            ``(3) Agenda.--Not later than 15 months after that date of 
        enactment of this paragraph, the Secretary shall develop an 
        agenda for exploratory advanced research. The agenda shall 
        outline key questions to be addressed and proposed areas of 
        research to address these questions. The agenda shall also 
        document the best way to accomplish this research (such as 
        through Federal laboratories or academic researchers). Upon 
        completion, the agenda shall be transmitted to the Committee on 
        Transportation and Infrastructure and the Committee on Science 
        of the House of Representatives, and the Committee on 
        Environment and Public Works of the Senate, and made available 
        to the general public.
            ``(4) Consultation.--The Secretary shall consult with the 
        National Science Foundation in reviewing fundamental research 
        proposals, and to obtain advice on peer review protocols.
            ``(5) Workshop.--In order to develop the agenda for 
        exploratory advanced research under paragraph (3), the 
        Secretary shall convene a workshop with appropriate researchers 
        and policymakers from Federal and State agencies, as well as 
        academic researchers, to gather recommendations. The goal of 
        the workshop shall be to determine priority areas of 
        exploratory advanced research for Federal investment. Emphasis 
        shall be placed on hearing from a diverse group of 
        stakeholders. The Secretary shall make the results of the 
        workshop widely available to the public. The workshop shall be 
        held within 9 months after the date of the enactment of this 
        paragraph.
            ``(6) Use of funds.--In any fiscal year with respect to 
        which $5,000,000 or more is appropriated for carrying out this 
        subsection, at least \1/2\ of the funds in excess of $5,000,000 
        shall be used to carry out the grant program described in 
        paragraph (7). Funds appropriated for carrying out this 
        subsection not used for the grant program described in 
        paragraph (7) shall be used to carry out the agenda developed 
        under paragraph (3). All exploratory advanced research 
        proposals and results under this subsection shall be peer 
        reviewed.
            ``(7) Grant program.--If funds are available under 
        paragraph (6), the Secretary shall administer a competitive, 
        merit-reviewed and peer-reviewed grant program to support 
        fundamental research outside of the Federal Government. 
        Eligible applicants include academic researchers, and for-
        profit and not-for-profit research institutions. Under this 
        grant program, research solicitations shall be open and broad 
        in order to spur creativity and innovation. Funds may be used 
        under this paragraph to support research in a range of topics, 
        including materials, operations, and social science. Proposals 
        with the greatest merit shall be funded, and projects may 
        receive funding for multiple years.'';
            (4) in subsection (e), by striking ``(105 Stat.'' and all 
        that follows through ``performance program'' and inserting 
        ``and the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century'';
            (5) by amending subsection (f) to read as follows:
    ``(f) Long-Term Bridge Performance Program.--
            ``(1) Authority.--The Secretary shall establish a 20 year 
        long-term bridge performance program.
            ``(2) Grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts.--Under 
        the program, the Secretary shall make grants and enter into 
        cooperative agreements and contracts to--
                    ``(A) monitor, material-test, and evaluate test 
                bridges;
                    ``(B) analyze the data obtained in carrying out 
                subparagraph (A); and
                    ``(C) prepare products to fulfill program 
                objectives and meet future bridge technology needs.'';
            (6) in subsection (g)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``highway and 
                bridge'' each place it appears and inserting ``surface 
                transportation''; and
                    (B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``biannual 
                reports'' and all that follows through ``21st Century'' 
                and inserting ``previous reports under this 
                subsection''; and
            (7) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(h) Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall operate in the 
        Federal Highway Administration a Turner-Fairbank Highway 
        Research Center.
            ``(2) Uses of the center.--The Turner-Fairbank Highway 
        Research Center shall support the--
                    ``(A) conduct of highway research and development 
                related to new highway technology;
                    ``(B) development of understandings, tools, and 
                techniques that provide solutions to complex technical 
                problems through the development of economical and 
                environmentally sensitive designs, efficient and 
                quality controlled construction practices, and durable 
                materials; and
                    ``(C) development of innovative highway products 
                and practices.''.
    (b) Geospatial Information Systems.--Section 5113 of the 
Transportation Equity Act of the 21st Century (23 U.S.C. 502 note) is 
amended by revising subsection (b) to read as follows:
    ``(b) Program.--
            ``(1) National policy.--The Secretary shall establish and 
        maintain a national policy for the use of commercial remote 
        sensing products and geospatial information technologies in 
        national transportation infrastructure development and 
        construction.
            ``(2) Policy implementation.--The Secretary shall develop 
        new applications of commercial remote sensing products and 
        geospatial information technologies for the implementation of 
        the national policy established and maintained under (b)(1) of 
        this section.''.
    (c) Environment and Planning.--
            (1) Amendment.--Section 507 of title 23, United States 
        Code, is amended to read as follows:
``Sec. 507. Surface Transportation Environment and Planning Cooperative 
              Research Program
    ``(a) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish and support a 
collaborative, public-private, multimodal surface transportation 
environment and planning cooperative research program.
    ``(b) Agreement.--The Secretary shall make grants to or enter into 
cooperative agreements with the National Academy of Sciences, or 
another nonprofit research organization established for this purpose, 
to support, administer, and manage the surface transportation 
environment and planning cooperative research program.
    ``(c) Advisory Board.--
            ``(1) Establishment.--The organization described in 
        subsection (b) shall establish an independent advisory board 
        drawn from core partners that represent environment, 
        transportation, scientific, and other interests, including the 
        Department of Transportation, the Environmental Protection 
        Agency, the National Science Foundation, other Federal 
        agencies, the States, regional and local governments, nonprofit 
        organizations, academia, foundations, and the private sector.
            ``(2) Responsibilities.--The Advisory Board shall have the 
        responsibility for--
                    ``(A) development of a research agenda, which shall 
                be published annually, shall serve as the basis of the 
                annual project solicitation, and shall be based on the 
                multiyear strategy described in subsection (e), as 
                revised under subparagraph (D) of this paragraph;
                    ``(B) annual solicitation of project proposals, 
                including open competition and peer review of research 
                proposals;
                    ``(C) development of project selection criteria, 
                through an open and public consultation process with 
                stakeholders, that emphasize--
                            ``(i) the development of fundamental 
                        knowledge; and
                            ``(ii) collaborative research and funding; 
                        and
                    ``(D) revision of the contents of the multiyear 
                strategy described in subsection (e), through an open 
                and public consultation process, with the first 
                revision to be completed 3 years after the first grants 
                are awarded under this section and subsequent revisions 
                biennially thereafter.
    ``(d) Dissemination of Research Findings.--The organization 
described in subsection (b) and the Department of Transportation shall 
proactively disseminate research findings under this section to 
researchers, practitioners, and decisionmakers, through conferences and 
seminars, field demonstrations, workshops, training programs, 
presentations, testimony to government officials, the Internet, and 
publications for the general public.
    ``(e) Contents.--The national research agenda for the surface 
transportation environment and planning cooperative research program 
required under subsection (c)(2)(C) shall be based on Transportation 
Research Board Special Report 268, entitled `Surface Transportation 
Environmental Research: A Long-Term Strategy', published in 2002, which 
included the following research areas:
            ``(1) Human Health.
            ``(2) Ecology and Natural Systems.
            ``(3) Environmental and Social Justice.
            ``(4) Emerging Technologies.
            ``(5) Land Use.
            ``(6) Planning and Performance Measures.
    ``(f) Project Funding.--
            ``(1) Multiyear funding.--Projects may receive funding for 
        multiple years under this section.
            ``(2) Joint project funding.--In addition to using funds 
        authorized for this section, the organization that administers 
        this program may seek and accept additional funding sources 
        from public and private entities capable of attracting and 
        accepting funding from Federal agencies, States, local 
        governments, nonprofit foundations, and the private sector.
    ``(g) Programmatic Evaluations.--(1) Not later than 2 years after 
the first research project grants or contracts are awarded under this 
section, the Secretary shall enter into an arrangement with the 
National Academy of Public Administration to review the program under 
this section, and recommend improvements.
    ``(2) The National Academy of Public Administration review shall--
            ``(A) assess the degree to which the projects funded under 
        this section have addressed the research topics identified in 
        the strategy established in the Transportation Research Board 
        Special Report 268, including identifying those topics which 
        have not yet been addressed;
            ``(B) assess the peer review process for project proposals, 
        and assess research project results; and
            ``(C) assess the extent of stakeholder involvement in all 
        facets of the program.
    ``(h) Annual Report.--The organization described in subsection (b) 
shall prepare and transmit to the Secretary an annual report that 
includes a project summary for every project funded under this section. 
Each summary shall characterize the project, summarize its status, and 
identify sponsors.''.
            (2) Conforming amendment.--The analysis for chapter 5 of 
        title 23, United States Code, is amended by striking the item 
        related to section 507 and inserting the following:

``507. Surface transportation environment and planning cooperative 
                            research program.''.

SEC. 105. TECHNOLOGY DEPLOYMENT.

    Section 503 of title 23, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) by amending paragraph (7) to read as follows:
            ``(7) Grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Under the program, the Secretary 
                may make grants and enter into cooperative agreements 
                and contracts with States, metropolitan planning 
                organizations, local governments, other Federal 
                agencies, universities and colleges, private sector 
                entities, and nonprofit organizations to foster 
                alliances and support efforts to stimulate advances in 
                transportation technology, and to pay the Federal share 
                of the costs of research, development, and technology 
                transfer concerning innovative technologies.
                    ``(B) Applications.--To receive a grant, 
                cooperative agreement, or contract, under this 
                paragraph, an entity described in subparagraph (A) 
                shall submit an application to the Secretary. The 
                application shall be in such form and contain such 
                information as the Secretary may require. The Secretary 
                shall select and approve the applications based on the 
                applications' merit and on whether the project that is 
                the subject of the grant, cooperative agreement, or 
                contract meets the goals of the program described in 
                paragraph (3).'';
                    (B) in paragraph (8), by inserting ``and the 
                Committee on Science'' after ``Transportation and 
                Infrastructure'';
                    (C) by redesignating paragraph (9) as paragraph 
                (11); and
                    (D) by inserting after paragraph (8) the following 
                new paragraphs:
            ``(9) Technology and information transfer.--The Secretary 
        shall ensure that the information and technology resulting from 
        research conducted under this subsection is made available to 
        State and local transportation departments, metropolitan 
        planning organizations, and other interested parties.
            ``(10) Federal share.--The Federal share of the cost of a 
        project under this subsection shall be determined by the 
        Secretary.''; and
            (2) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) by striking ``Bridge Research and 
                Construction'' and inserting ``Research and 
                Deployment'' in the subsection heading;
                    (B) by amending paragraphs (1) and (2) to read as 
                follows:
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall establish and carry 
        out a program to demonstrate the application of innovative 
        technology in surface transportation infrastructure 
        construction (such as bridges, pavements, and other structures) 
        and safety.
            ``(2) Goals.--The goals of the program shall include--
                    ``(A) the development of new, cost-effective 
                innovative material for surface transportation 
                infrastructure applications;
                    ``(B) the deployment and evaluation of safety 
                technologies and innovations at the State and local 
                levels, and the deployment of best practices in 
                training, management, design, and planning;
                    ``(C) the reduction of life-cycle costs of surface 
                transportation infrastructure, including the costs of 
                new construction, replacement, maintenance, and 
                rehabilitation of deficient highway infrastructure;
                    ``(D) the development and deployment of 
                construction techniques to increase safety and reduce 
                construction time and traffic congestion;
                    ``(E) the development of engineering design 
                criteria for innovative products and materials for use 
                in surface transportation infrastructure;
                    ``(F) the development of cost-effective and 
                innovative techniques to separate vehicle and 
                pedestrian traffic from railroad traffic;
                    ``(G) the evaluation and documentation of the 
                performance and benefits of innovative technologies 
                deployed to improve life, performance, cost 
                effectiveness, safety, and customer satisfaction;
                    ``(H) the refinement of innovative technologies 
                based on the evaluation described in subparagraph (G);
                    ``(I) the wide dissemination of information 
                developed under subparagraph (G);
                    ``(J) the development of surface transportation 
                infrastructure, including alternative processes for the 
                seismic retrofit of bridges, that will withstand 
                natural disasters and terrorist attacks;
                    ``(K) for pavements, the development of designs and 
                materials to reduce impacts of storm water runoff;
                    ``(L) the development of new nondestructive 
                infrastructure evaluation technologies and techniques; 
                and
                    ``(M) effective technology transfer and information 
                dissemination to accelerate implementation of 
                innovative technologies.'';
                    (C) in paragraph (5), by striking ``section'' and 
                inserting ``subsection''; and
                    (D) by adding at the end the following new 
                subsection:
    ``(c) Research on the Nontechnical Barriers to Technology 
Deployment.--In order to support the deployment goals established under 
subsection (a)(3), the Secretary shall carry out a research program 
addressing the nontechnical barriers to technology deployment, 
including fragmented authority at the local and regional level and 
rigid procurement rules. The goal of this research shall be to generate 
proposals for how to overcome these nontechnical barriers.''.

SEC. 106. FUTURE STRATEGIC HIGHWAY RESEARCH PROGRAM.

    (a) Amendment.--Chapter 5 of title 23, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 509. Future Strategic Highway Research Program
    ``(a) Establishment.--The Secretary, in consultation with the 
American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, 
shall enter into an arrangement with the National Academy of Sciences 
for the establishment of a Future Strategic Highway Research Program.
    ``(b) Grants, Cooperative Agreements, and Contracts.--The Secretary 
may make grants to, and enter into cooperative agreements and contracts 
with, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation 
Officials and the National Academy of Sciences to carry out activities 
under this section. Advance payments may be made as necessary to carry 
out the program under this section. Although no matching funds are 
required for this program, collaborative research projects with 
multiple sources of funding shall be encouraged.
    ``(c) Period of Availability.--Funds set aside to carry out this 
section shall remain available for the fiscal year for which such funds 
are made available and the three succeeding fiscal years.
    ``(d) Set Aside.--There are authorized to be appropriated to the 
Secretary of Transportation for each of fiscal years 2005 through 2010, 
to carry out this section, $75,000,000.
    ``(e) Program Administration.--In carrying out the program under 
this section, the National Academy of Sciences shall ensure that--
            ``(1) the selection of projects and researchers shall be 
        based on the open solicitation of proposals and be reviewed by 
        panels of appropriate experts; and
            ``(2) State transportation officials and other 
        stakeholders, including business, local governments, 
        metropolitan planning organizations, environmental and 
        community organizations, academia, other relevant Federal 
        agencies, and other members of the transportation community are 
        involved in the governance of the program at the executive, the 
        overall program, and the technical levels, through the use of 
        expert panels and committees.
    ``(f) Contents.--The program established under this section shall 
be based on Transportation Research Board Special Report 260, entitled 
`Strategic Highway Research: Saving Lives, Reducing Congestion, 
Improving Quality of Life'. It shall include the following research 
areas:
            ``(1) Accelerating the renewal of America's highways.
            ``(2) Making a significant improvement in highway safety.
            ``(3) Providing a highway system with reliable travel 
        times.
            ``(4) Providing highway capacity in support of the Nation's 
        economic, environmental, multi-modal transportation, and social 
        goals.
    ``(g) Project Evaluation.--The products of all research grants, 
cooperative agreements, and contracts awarded under this section shall 
be subject to peer review.
    ``(h) Programmatic Evaluations.--Within 2 years after the first 
research project grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts are 
awarded under this section, the Secretary shall enter into an 
arrangement with the National Academy of Public Administration to 
review the program under this section, and to recommend improvements. 
The review shall--
            ``(1) assess the degree to which projects funded under this 
        section have addressed the research topics identified in the 
        research agenda established in Transportation Research Board 
        Special Report 260, including identifying those topics which 
        have not yet been addressed;
            ``(2) assess the merit and peer review process for project 
        proposals, and assess research project results; and
            ``(3) assess the extent of stakeholder involvement in all 
        facets of the program.
    ``(i) Annual Progress and Performance Report.--The National Academy 
of Sciences shall produce an annual progress and performance report for 
the program under this section. The report shall summarize the status, 
funding, and sponsors of all funded projects by the research areas 
specified in subsection (f). It shall document the progress of each 
project relative to milestones included in the project proposal. The 
report shall identify research areas and projects remaining unfunded, 
and anticipated funding needs for completing that research. The report 
shall be submitted to the Secretary, to the Committee on Transportation 
and Infrastructure and the Committee on Science of the House of 
Representatives, and to the Committee on Environment and Public Works 
of the Senate.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--The analysis of chapter 5 of title 23, 
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new 
item:

``509. Future strategic highway research program.''.

SEC. 107. UNIVERSITY TRANSPORTATION CENTERS.

    Section 5505 of title 49, United States Code, is amended to read as 
follows:
``Sec. 5505. University transportation research
    ``(a) Regional Centers.--The Secretary of Transportation shall make 
grants to nonprofit institutions of higher learning to establish and 
operate 1 university transportation center in each of the 10 United 
States Government regions that comprise the Standard Federal Regional 
Boundary System.
    ``(b) Other Centers.--The Secretary shall make grants to nonprofit 
institutions of higher learning to establish and operate university 
transportation centers, in addition to the centers receiving grants 
under subsection (a), to address transportation management and research 
and development matters, with special attention to increasing the 
number of highly skilled individuals entering the field of 
transportation.
    ``(c) Selection of Grant Recipients.--
            ``(1) Applications.--In order to be eligible to receive a 
        grant under this section, a nonprofit institution of higher 
        learning shall submit to the Secretary an application that is 
        in such form and contains such information as the Secretary may 
        require.
            ``(2) Selection criteria.--Except as otherwise provided by 
        this section, the Secretary shall select each recipient of a 
        grant under this section through a competitive, peer-reviewed 
        process on the basis of the following:
                    ``(A) For regional centers, the location of the 
                center within the Federal region to be served.
                    ``(B) The demonstrated research and extension 
                resources available to the recipient to carry out this 
                section.
                    ``(C) The capability of the recipient to provide 
                leadership in making national and regional 
                contributions to the solution of immediate and long-
                range transportation problems.
                    ``(D) The recipient's establishment of a surface 
                transportation program encompassing several modes of 
                transportation.
                    ``(E) The recipient's demonstrated commitment of at 
                least $200,000 in regularly budgeted institutional 
                amounts each year to support ongoing transportation 
                research and education programs.
                    ``(F) The recipient's demonstrated ability to 
                disseminate results of transportation research and 
                education programs through a statewide or regionwide 
                continuing education program.
                    ``(G) The strategic plan the recipient proposes to 
                carry out under the grant.
    ``(d) Objectives.--Each university transportation center receiving 
a grant under this section shall conduct the following programs and 
activities:
            ``(1) Basic and applied research that supports the 
        Department's research agenda consistent with section 508 of 
        title 23, the products of which are peer-reviewed by other 
        experts in the field to advance the body of knowledge in 
        transportation.
            ``(2) An education program that includes multidisciplinary 
        course work, faculty and student participation in research, and 
        an opportunity for practical experience.
            ``(3) An ongoing program of technology transfer that makes 
        research results available to potential users in a form that 
        can be implemented, utilized, or otherwise applied.
    ``(e) Maintenance of Effort.--To be eligible to receive a grant 
under this section, an applicant shall--
            ``(1) enter into an agreement with the Secretary to ensure 
        that the applicant will maintain total expenditures from all 
        other sources to establish and operate a university 
        transportation center and related educational and research 
        activities at a level that is at least equal to the average 
        level of those expenditures during the 2 fiscal years before 
        the date on which the grant is provided;
            ``(2) provide the annual institutional contribution 
        required under subsection (c)(2);
            ``(3) submit to the Secretary, in a timely manner, for use 
        by the Secretary in the preparation of the annual research 
        report under section 508(c)(5) of title 23, an annual report on 
        the projects and activities of the university transportation 
        center for which funds are made available for the fiscal year 
        covered by the report, a description of--
                    ``(A) the goals of the center;
                    ``(B) the educational activities carried out by the 
                center (including a detailed summary of the budget for 
                those educational activities);
                    ``(C) teaching activities of faculty at the center;
                    ``(D) each research project carried out by the 
                center, including--
                            ``(i) the identity and location of each 
                        investigator working on a research project;
                            ``(ii) the overall funding amount for each 
                        research project (including the amounts 
                        expended for the project as of the date of the 
                        report);
                            ``(iii) the current schedule for each 
                        research project; and
                            ``(iv) the results of each research project 
                        through the date of submission of the report, 
                        with particular emphasis on results for the 
                        fiscal year covered by the report; and
                    ``(E) overall technology transfer and 
                implementation efforts of the center;
            ``(4) make use of National Research Council, Transportation 
        Research Board, and Transportation Research Information 
        Services online databases for--
                    ``(A) program development and strategic planning;
                    ``(B) reporting of activities funded under this 
                section; and
                    ``(C) input and dissemination of results and 
                reports from completed research; and
            ``(5) recommend a representative to serve as liaison to the 
        Transportation Research Board.
    ``(f) Federal Share.--The Federal share of the costs of activities 
carried out using a grant made under subsection (a) is 80 percent of 
costs, and under subsection (b) is 50 percent of costs. The non-Federal 
share may include funds provided to a recipient under section 503, 
504(b), or 505 of title 23, United States Code.
    ``(g) Program Coordination.--
            ``(1) Coordination.--The Secretary shall coordinate the 
        research, education, training, and technology transfer 
        activities that grant recipients carry out under this section, 
        disseminate the results of the research, and establish and 
        operate a clearinghouse.
            ``(2) Annual review and evaluation.--At least annually and 
        consistent with the plan developed under section 508 of title 
        23, United States Code, the Secretary shall review and evaluate 
        programs the grant recipients carry out.
            ``(3) Funding limitation.--The Secretary may use not more 
        than 1 percent of amounts made available from Government 
        sources to carry out this subsection.
    ``(h) Limitation on Availability of Funds.--Funds made available to 
carry out this program shall remain available for obligation for a 
period of 2 years after the last day of the fiscal year for which such 
funds are authorized.
    ``(i) Grants.--The Secretary may make grants under this section as 
follows:
            ``(1) For grants under subsection (a)--
                    ``(A) $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2005;
                    ``(B) $3,000,000 for fiscal year 2006;
                    ``(C) $4,000,000 for fiscal year 2007;
                    ``(D) $4,000,000 for fiscal year 2008;
                    ``(E) $4,000,000 for fiscal year 2009; and
                    ``(F) $4,000,000 for fiscal year 2010.
            ``(2) For grants under subsection (b) to centers that 
        received funding for fiscal years 2002 and 2003 under this 
        section--
                    ``(A) $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2005;
                    ``(B) $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2006; and
                    ``(C) $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2007.
            ``(3) For 6 additional grants under subsection (b)--
                    ``(A) $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2005;
                    ``(B) $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2006; and
                    ``(C) $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2007.
            ``(4) For 16 grants under subsection (b), which may include 
        grants to centers described in paragraph (2)--
                    ``(A) $3,000,000 for fiscal year 2008;
                    ``(B) $3,000,000 for fiscal year 2009; and
                    ``(C) $3,000,000 for fiscal year 2010.
    ``(j) Transportation Education Development Pilot Program.--
            ``(1) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish a 
        program to make grants to State Departments of Transportation, 
        who in conjunction with nonprofit institutions of higher 
        education, will develop and test new curricula to educate the 
        transportation workforce.
            ``(2) Selection of grant recipients.--In selecting 
        applications for awards under this subsection, the Secretary 
        shall consider--
                    ``(A) the degree to which the new curricula will 
                address the specific workforce needs of the State, 
                evaluated on the basis of a State's development of a 
                strategic human resources plan and how the new 
                curricula will help fulfill the plan;
                    ``(B) the degree to which the new curricula will 
                provide expertise in areas other than engineering, such 
                as business administration, economics, information 
                technology, environmental science, and law, as 
                determined necessary by the State; and
                    ``(C) a State's commitment to continuing the 
                program beyond the pilot effort.
            ``(3) Number and amount of grants.--For fiscal years 2005, 
        2006, and 2007, the Secretary shall make 4 grants under this 
        subsection, each in the amount of $1,000,000. For fiscal years 
        2008, 2009, and 2010, the Secretary shall make 4 grants under 
        this subsection, each in the amount of $500,000.''.

SEC. 108. INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS.

    (a) Amendment.--Subtitle C of title V of the Transportation Equity 
Act for the 21st Century is amended to read as follows:

            ``Subtitle C--Intelligent Transportation Systems

``SEC. 5201. SHORT TITLE.

    ``This subtitle may be cited as the `Intelligent Transportation 
Systems Act of 2005' .

``SEC. 5202. GOALS AND PURPOSES.

    ``(a) Goals.--The goals of the intelligent transportation system 
program include--
            ``(1) enhancement of surface transportation efficiency and 
        facilitation of intermodalism and international trade to enable 
        existing facilities to meet a significant portion of future 
        transportation needs, including public access to employment, 
        goods, and services, and to reduce regulatory, financial, and 
        other transaction costs to public agencies and system users;
            ``(2) achievement of national transportation safety goals, 
        including the enhancement of safe operation of motor vehicles 
        and nonmotorized vehicles, with particular emphasis on 
        decreasing the number and severity of collisions;
            ``(3) protection and enhancement of the natural environment 
        and communities affected by surface transportation, with 
        particular emphasis on assisting State and local governments to 
        achieve national environmental goals;
            ``(4) accommodation of the needs of all users of surface 
        transportation systems, including operators of commercial 
        vehicles, passenger vehicles, motorcycles, and bicycles, and 
        including pedestrians and individuals with disabilities; and
            ``(5) improvement of the Nation's ability to respond to 
        security related or other man made emergencies and natural 
        disasters, and enhancement of national defense mobility.
    ``(b) Purposes.--The Secretary shall implement activities under the 
intelligent transportation system program to, at a minimum--
            ``(1) develop and test new and emerging technologies to 
        meet the goals described in subsection (a);
            ``(2) expedite deployment, in both metropolitan and rural 
        areas, and ensure integration and interoperability of proven 
        intelligent transportation systems;
            ``(3) ensure that Federal, State, and local transportation 
        officials have adequate knowledge of intelligent transportation 
        systems for full consideration in the transportation planning 
        process;
            ``(4) improve regional cooperation and operations planning 
        for effective intelligent transportation system deployment;
            ``(5) promote the innovative use of private resources;
            ``(6) develop a workforce capable of developing, operating, 
        and maintaining intelligent transportation systems; and
            ``(7) evaluate costs and benefits of intelligent 
        transportation systems projects.

``SEC. 5203. GENERAL AUTHORITIES AND REQUIREMENTS.

    ``(a) Scope.--Subject to the provisions of this subtitle, the 
Secretary shall conduct an ongoing intelligent transportation system 
program to research, develop, and operationally test intelligent 
transportation systems and advance nationwide deployment of proven 
systems through research on barriers to deployment as a component of 
the surface transportation systems of the United States.
    ``(b) Policy.--Intelligent transportation system research, 
development, operational tests, and deployment projects funded pursuant 
to this subtitle shall encourage and not displace public-private 
partnerships or private sector investment in such research and 
development tests and projects.
    ``(c) Cooperation With Governmental, Private, and Educational 
Entities.--The Secretary shall carry out the intelligent transportation 
system program in cooperation with State and local governments and 
other public entities, the United States private sector, the Federal 
laboratories, and colleges and universities, including historically 
black colleges and universities and other minority institutions of 
higher education.
    ``(d) Consultation With Federal Officials.--In carrying out the 
intelligent transportation system program, the Secretary, as 
appropriate, shall consult with the Secretary of Commerce, the 
Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Homeland Security, the 
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, the Director of 
the National Science Foundation, and the heads of other Federal 
departments and agencies.
    ``(e) Technical Assistance, Training, and Information.--The 
Secretary shall provide technical assistance, training, and information 
to State and local governments seeking to implement, operate, maintain, 
or evaluate intelligent transportation system technologies and 
services.
    ``(f) Transportation Planning.--The Secretary may provide funding 
to support adequate consideration of transportation system management 
and operations, including intelligent transportation systems, within 
metropolitan and statewide transportation planning processes.
    ``(g) Information Clearinghouse.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall--
                    ``(A) maintain a repository for technical and 
                safety data collected as a result of federally 
                sponsored projects carried out under this subtitle; and
                    ``(B) make that information (except for proprietary 
                information and data) readily available to all users of 
                the repository at an appropriate cost.
            ``(2) Delegation of authority.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Secretary may delegate the 
                responsibility of the Secretary under this subsection, 
                with continuing oversight by the Secretary, to an 
                appropriate entity not within the Department of 
                Transportation.
                    ``(B) Federal assistance.--If the Secretary 
                delegates the responsibility, the entity to which the 
                responsibility is delegated shall be eligible for 
                Federal assistance under this section.
    ``(h) Advisory Committee.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall establish an 
        Advisory Committee to advise the Secretary on carrying out this 
        subtitle.
            ``(2) Membership.--The Advisory Committee shall have no 
        more than 20 members and include, at a minimum--
                    ``(A) a representative from a State highway 
                department;
                    ``(B) a representative from a local highway 
                department;
                    ``(C) a representative from a State, local, or 
                regional transit agency;
                    ``(D) a representative from a metropolitan planning 
                organization;
                    ``(E) a private sector vendor of intelligent 
                transportation system technologies;
                    ``(F) a private sector user of intelligent 
                transportation system technologies;
                    ``(G) a academic researcher who is a civil 
                engineer;
                    ``(H) a academic researcher who is a social 
                scientist;
                    ``(I) a representative from the Intelligent 
                Transportation Society of America;
                    ``(J) a representative from a public interest group 
                concerned with safety;
                    ``(K) a representative from a public interest group 
                concerned with community development; and
                    ``(L) members with expertise in planning, safety, 
                and operations.
            ``(3) Duties.--The Advisory Committee shall, at a minimum, 
        perform the following duties--
                    ``(A) Provide input into the development of the 
                National ITS Program Plan, and the Intelligent 
                Transportation System portion of each strategic plan 
                under section 508 of title 23, United States Code.
                    ``(B) Review the National ITS Program Plan and the 
                Intelligent Transportation System portion of each 
                strategic plan under section 508 of title 23, United 
                States Code, and transmit the Advisory Committee's 
                views on the plans to Congress.
                    ``(C) Analyze intelligent transportation systems 
                technologies, for which a plan or budget proposal has 
                recommended funding for research and development 
                activities or operational tests, to advise the 
                Department on--
                            ``(i) whether the intelligent 
                        transportation system technologies are likely 
                        to be deployed by users, and, if not, to 
                        determine the barriers to deployment;
                            ``(ii) the appropriate roles for government 
                        and the private sector in investing in specific 
                        intelligent transportation system technologies; 
                        and
                            ``(iii) whether these activities are likely 
                        to advance either the state-of-the-practice or 
                        state-of-the-art in intelligent transportation 
                        systems.
            ``(4) Applicability of federal advisory committee act.--The 
        Advisory Committee shall be subject to the Federal Advisory 
        Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.).
    ``(i) Procurement Methods.--
            ``(1) Technical assistance.--The Secretary shall develop 
        appropriate technical assistance and guidance to assist State 
        and local agencies in evaluating and selecting appropriate 
        methods of procurement for intelligent transportation system 
        projects carried out using funds made available from the 
        Highway Trust Fund, including innovative and nontraditional 
        methods such as the Information Technology Omnibus Procurement.
            ``(2) Intelligent transportation system software.--To the 
        maximum extent practicable, contracting officials shall use as 
        a critical evaluation criterion the Software Engineering 
        Institute's Capability Maturity Model, or another similar 
        recognized software design and development methodology, to 
        reduce the cost, schedule, and performance risks associated 
        with the development, management, and integration of 
        intelligent transportation system software.
    ``(j) Evaluations.--
            ``(1) Guidelines and requirements.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Secretary shall issue 
                guidelines and requirements for the evaluation of 
                operational tests and model deployment projects carried 
                out under this subtitle.
                    ``(B) Content.--Such evaluations shall include 
                specific, quantitative measures to determine whether a 
                technology is meeting its intended goal. To the maximum 
                extent practicable, these measures shall evaluate the 
                outcome of the technology (such as accidents avoided or 
                decreased travel times or travel time variability).
                    ``(C) Objectivity and independence.--The guidelines 
                and requirements issued under subparagraph (A) shall 
                include provisions to ensure the objectivity and 
                independence of the evaluator so as to avoid any real 
                or apparent conflict of interest or potential influence 
                on the outcome by parties to any such test or 
                deployment project or by any other formal evaluation 
                carried out under this subtitle.
                    ``(D) Funding.--The guidelines and requirements 
                issued under subparagraph (A) shall establish 
                evaluation funding levels, based on the size and scope 
                of each test or project, that ensure adequate 
                evaluation of the results of the test or project.
                    ``(E) Dissemination.--The Secretary shall make 
                readily available through the Internet all information 
                collected through evaluations carried out under this 
                subtitle.
            ``(2) Special rule.--Any survey, questionnaire, or 
        interview that the Secretary considers necessary to carry out 
        the evaluation of any test, deployment project, or program 
        assessment activity under this subtitle shall not be subject to 
        chapter 35 of title 44, United States Code.
    ``(k) Use of Rights-of-way.--Intelligent transportation system 
projects specified in section 5117(b)(3) and 5117(b)(6) and involving 
privately owned intelligent transportation system components that are 
carried out using funds made available from the Highway Trust Fund 
shall not be subject to any law or regulation of a State or political 
subdivision of a State prohibiting or regulating commercial activities 
in the rights-of-way of a highway for which Federal-aid highway funds 
have been utilized for planning, design, construction, or maintenance, 
if the Secretary of Transportation determines that such use is in the 
public interest. Nothing in this subsection shall affect the authority 
of a State or political subdivision of a State to regulate highway 
safety.

``SEC. 5204. NATIONAL ITS PROGRAM PLAN.

    ``(a) In General.--
            ``(1) Updates.--The Secretary shall publish an update of 
        the `National Intelligent Transportation Systems Program Plan 
        Five-Year Horizon', published in August, 2000. The Secretary 
        shall consult with the Advisory Committee established under 
        section 5203(h) in carrying out this section.
            ``(2) Scope.--The National ITS Program Plan update shall--
                    ``(A) specify the goals, objectives, and milestones 
                for the research and deployment of intelligent 
                transportation systems in the context of major 
                metropolitan areas, smaller metropolitan and rural 
                areas, and commercial vehicle operations;
                    ``(B) evaluate how the intelligent transportation 
                systems program has progressed in achieving the goals, 
                objectives, and milestones referred to in subparagraph 
                (A);
                    ``(C) compare actual outcomes of the intelligent 
                transportation systems program over the last 5 years to 
                projections from the 2000 Plan referred to in paragraph 
                (1);
                    ``(D) for each goal, objective, milestone, or 
                projection found under subparagraph (B) or (C) not to 
                have been achieved, document the barriers to 
                achievement;
                    ``(E) specify how specific programs and projects 
                will achieve the goals, objectives, and milestones 
                referred to in subparagraph (A), in the next 5 years;
                    ``(F) specify necessary and realistically 
                achievable timeframes and funding levels to conduct the 
                programs and projects referred to in subparagraph (E) 
                in order to achieve the goals, objectives, and 
                milestones referred to in subparagraph (A);
                    ``(G) develop a plan for addressing barriers 
                documented under subparagraph (D);
                    ``(H) identify activities that provide for the 
                dynamic development of standards and protocols to 
                promote and ensure interoperability in the 
                implementation of intelligent transportation system 
                technologies, including actions taken to establish 
                critical standards; and
                    ``(I) establish a cooperative process with State 
                and local governments for determining desired surface 
                transportation system performance levels and developing 
                plans for incorporation of specific intelligent 
                transportation system capabilities into surface 
                transportation systems.
    ``(b) Reporting.--The National ITS Program Plan shall be 
transmitted to the Congress not later than August 31, 2007.
    ``(c) Advisory Committee Review.--The Advisory Committee 
established under section 5203(h) shall review the National ITS Program 
Plan that is transmitted to Congress under this section, and shall 
transmit the Advisory Committee's views on the Plan to Congress.

``SEC. 5205. INFORMATION STRATEGY.

    ``(a) Development and Implementation.--The Secretary shall develop 
and implement a strategy to use information collected from intelligent 
transportation system technologies (including technologies used in 
roadway, transit, and in-vehicle applications) for traffic management 
and for planning, performance monitoring, program assessment, and 
policy applications. The Secretary shall ensure that the Bureau of 
Transportation Statistics plays a significant role in the development 
of the strategy under this section.
    ``(b) Considerations.--The strategy developed under this section 
shall--
            ``(1) consider current data sources and propose future data 
        sources, as well as proposing strategies for both real-time use 
        and archived use of data;
            ``(2) determine what data should be centralized nationally 
        in support of national planning and goals, what information 
        should be aggregated regionally, and what information should be 
        kept locally, and for nationally centralized data, identify how 
        to ensure that data is collected and reported consistently;
            ``(3) assess the need for data standards;
            ``(4) outline how transportation decision processes can 
        make best use of real-time data;
            ``(5) outline a vision for the future linkages between 
        intelligent transportation system technologies and data;
            ``(6) identify public and private data sources other than 
        intelligent transportation system data sources (such as roadway 
        characteristics inventories and incident information) that, 
        combined with intelligent transportation system data, would 
        enhance the utility of intelligent transportation system data 
        to decisionmakers, and how these data sources can be merged;
            ``(7) identify how to make data most accessible and useful 
        to users; and
            ``(8) identify what information would be useful to 
        stakeholders at the local, State, regional, and national 
        levels.
    ``(c) Stakeholder Involvement.--In developing the strategy under 
this section, the Secretary shall involve developers and users of 
intelligent transportation system technologies, including State and 
local highway departments, metropolitan planning organizations, transit 
agencies, travelers, the private sector, not-for-profit organizations, 
and representatives from the planning, safety, operations, and research 
communities.
    ``(d) Incorporation Into National Architecture.--The strategy 
developed under this section shall, to the extent practicable, be 
incorporated into the national architecture.
    ``(e) Report to Congress.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
the enactment of this subsection, the Secretary shall transmit to the 
Congress a report outlining the strategy developed under this section.

``SEC. 5206. NATIONAL ARCHITECTURE AND STANDARDS.

    ``(a) In General.--
            ``(1) Development, implementation, and maintenance.--
        Consistent with section 12(d) of the National Technology 
        Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995 (15 U.S.C. 272 note; 110 
        Stat. 783), the Secretary shall develop, implement, and 
        maintain a national architecture and supporting standards and 
        protocols to promote the widespread use and evaluation of 
        intelligent transportation system technology as a component of 
        the surface transportation systems of the United States.
            ``(2) Goal.--The goal of the national architecture and 
        standards shall be to ensure interoperability among, and 
        efficiency of, intelligent transportation system technologies 
        implemented throughout the United States.
            ``(3) Use of standards development organizations.--In 
        carrying out this section, the Secretary may use the services 
        of such standards development organizations as the Secretary 
        determines to be appropriate.
            ``(4) Standard validation.--The Secretary shall ensure that 
        new standards promulgated for intelligent transportation system 
        technologies are tested and validated, and shall ensure that 
        the results of such testing and validation are made publicly 
        available.
    ``(b) Provisional Standards.--
            ``(1) In general.--If the Secretary finds that the 
        development or balloting of an intelligent transportation 
        system standard jeopardizes the timely achievement of the 
        objectives identified in subsection (a)(1) and (2), the 
        Secretary may establish a provisional standard after 
        consultation with affected parties, and using, to the extent 
        practicable, the work product of appropriate standards 
        development organizations.
            ``(2) Period of effectiveness.--A provisional standard 
        established under paragraph (1) shall be published in the 
        Federal Register and remain in effect until the appropriate 
        standards development organization adopts and publishes a 
        standard.
    ``(c) Conformity With National Architecture.--
            ``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraphs (2) and 
        (3), the Secretary shall ensure that intelligent transportation 
        system projects carried out using funds made available from the 
        Highway Trust Fund, including funds made available to deploy 
        intelligent transportation system technologies, conform to the 
        national architecture, applicable standards or provisional 
        standards, and protocols developed under subsection (a).
            ``(2) Secretary's discretion.--The Secretary may authorize 
        exceptions to paragraph (1) for--
                    ``(A) projects designed to achieve specific 
                research objectives outlined in the National ITS 
                Program Plan under section 5204 or the Surface 
                Transportation Research and Development Strategic Plan 
                developed under section 508 of title 23, United States 
                Code; or
                    ``(B) the upgrade or expansion of an intelligent 
                transportation system in existence on the date of 
                enactment of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st 
                Century, if the Secretary determines that the upgrade 
                or expansion--
                            ``(i) would not adversely affect the goals 
                        or purposes of this subtitle;
                            ``(ii) is carried out before the end of the 
                        useful life of such system; and
                            ``(iii) is cost-effective as compared to 
                        alternatives that would meet the conformity 
                        requirement of paragraph (1).
            ``(3) Exceptions.--Paragraph (1) shall not apply to funds 
        used for operation or maintenance of an intelligent 
        transportation system in existence on the date of enactment of 
        the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century.

``SEC. 5207. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall carry out a comprehensive 
program of research, development, and operational tests of intelligent 
vehicles and intelligent infrastructure systems, as well as research 
into barriers to their deployment, and other similar activities that 
are necessary to carry out this subtitle.
    ``(b) Priority Areas.--Under the program, the Secretary shall give 
higher priority to funding projects that--
            ``(1) reduce congestion in metropolitan regions;
            ``(2) improve mobility and efficiency by addressing traffic 
        management, incident management, transit management, toll 
        collection, traveler information, or highway operations 
        systems;
            ``(3) improve safety by focusing on crash-avoidance and 
        integration of in-vehicle crash protection technologies with 
        other onboard safety systems, including the interaction of air 
        bags and safety belts;
            ``(4) improve security by focusing on responding to 
        security-related emergencies, and preventing such emergencies, 
        through tracking the movement of goods;
            ``(5) incorporate human factors research, including the 
        science of the driving process;
            ``(6) improve deployment of proven technologies by 
        addressing nontechnical barriers to the deployment of 
        intelligent transportation system technologies, including 
        institutional barriers such as fragmented authority at the 
        local level, privacy considerations, and rigid procurement 
        rules, and the best ways to develop partnerships to 
        successfully deploy intelligent transportation system 
        technologies;
            ``(7) facilitate the integration of intelligent 
        infrastructure, vehicle, and control technologies, including 
        magnetic guidance control systems or other materials or 
        magnetics research;
            ``(8) incorporate research on the impact of environmental, 
        weather, and natural conditions on intelligent transportation 
        systems, including the effects of cold climates; or
            ``(9) facilitate high-performance transportation systems, 
        through methods such as congestion pricing, real-time facility 
        management, rapid emergency response, and just-in-time transit.
    ``(c) Operational Tests.--Operational tests shall be used to 
evaluate promising technologies that have not yet been demonstrated. 
Operational tests conducted under this section shall be designed for 
the collection of data to permit objective evaluation of the results of 
the tests, derivation of cost-benefit information that is useful to 
others contemplating deployment of similar systems, and development and 
implementation of standards.
    ``(d) Federal Share.--The Federal share of the cost of operational 
tests and demonstrations under subsection (a) shall not exceed 80 
percent.

``SEC. 5208. USE OF FUNDS.

    ``(a) Congestion Reduction.--At least \1/3\ of funds spent under 
section 5207 for intelligent transportation systems research and 
development shall be used to research, develop, and operationally test 
technologies whose primary purpose is to reduce congestion.
    ``(b) Outreach and Public Relations Limitation.--
            ``(1) In general.--For each fiscal year, not more than 
        $5,000,000 of the funds made available to carry out this 
        subtitle shall be used for intelligent transportation system 
        outreach, public relations, displays, scholarships, tours, and 
        brochures.
            ``(2) Applicability.--Paragraph (1) shall not apply to 
        intelligent transportation system training or the publication 
        or distribution of research findings, technical guidance, or 
        similar documents.
    ``(c) Infrastructure Development.--Funds made available to carry 
out this subtitle for operational tests--
            ``(1) shall be used primarily for the development of 
        intelligent transportation system infrastructure; and
            ``(2) to the maximum extent practicable, shall not be used 
        for the construction of physical highway and transit 
        infrastructure unless the construction is incidental and 
        critically necessary to the implementation of an intelligent 
        transportation system project.
    ``(d) Use of Innovative Financing.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary may use up to 25 percent 
        of the funds made available to carry out this subtitle to make 
        available loans, lines of credit, and loan guarantees for 
        projects that are eligible for assistance under this subtitle 
        and that have significant intelligent transportation system 
        elements.
            ``(2) Consistency with other law.--Credit assistance 
        described in paragraph (1) shall be made available in a manner 
        consistent with the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and 
        Innovation Act of 1998.

``SEC. 5209. PROGRAM EVALUATION.

    ``The Secretary shall enter into an arrangement with the National 
Academy of Sciences, or another independent institution, to evaluate 
the Department of Transportation's intelligent transportation system 
program. The evaluation shall assess, at a minimum--
            ``(1) how well the intelligent transportation system 
        program has achieved its goals as set forth in the 2000 5-year 
        plan referred to in section 5204(a)(1), including--
                    ``(A) expediting integrated intelligent 
                transportation system deployment in metropolitan and 
                rural areas for both passenger and freight 
                transportation;
                    ``(B) ensuring that Federal, State, and local 
                transportation officials consider intelligent 
                transportation systems in the transportation planning 
                process and have adequate knowledge to do so;
                    ``(C) improving regional cooperation and operations 
                planning for effective intelligent transportation 
                system deployment;
                    ``(D) promoting the innovative use of private 
                resources; and
                    ``(E) developing a workforce capable of deploying, 
                operating, and maintaining intelligent transportation 
                systems; and
            ``(2) in areas where the intelligent transportation system 
        program has not met its goals, assess the barriers to meeting 
        those goals, and make recommendations for how those barriers 
        may be overcome.

``SEC. 5210. DEFINITIONS.

    ``In this subtitle, the following definitions apply:
            ``(1) Intelligent transportation infrastructure.--The term 
        `intelligent transportation infrastructure' means fully 
        integrated public sector intelligent transportation system 
        components, as defined by the Secretary.
            ``(2) Intelligent transportation system.--The term 
        `intelligent transportation system' means electronics, 
        communications, or information processing used singly or in 
        combination to improve the efficiency or safety of a surface 
        transportation system.
            ``(3) National architecture.--The term `national 
        architecture' means the common framework for interoperability 
        adopted by the Secretary that defines--
                    ``(A) the functions associated with intelligent 
                transportation system user services;
                    ``(B) the physical entities or subsystems within 
                which the functions reside;
                    ``(C) the data interfaces and information flows 
                between physical subsystems; and
                    ``(D) the communications requirements associated 
                with the information flows.
            ``(4) National its program plan.--The term `National ITS 
        Program Plan' means the plan update required under section 
        5204(a).
            ``(5) Standard.--The term `standard' means a document 
        that--
                    ``(A) contains technical specifications or other 
                precise criteria for intelligent transportation systems 
                that are to be used consistently as rules, guidelines, 
                or definitions of characteristics so as to ensure that 
                materials, products, processes, and services are fit 
                for their purposes; and
                    ``(B) may support the national architecture and 
                promote--
                            ``(i) the widespread use and adoption of 
                        intelligent transportation system technology as 
                        a component of the surface transportation 
                        systems of the United States; and
                            ``(ii) interoperability among intelligent 
                        transportation system technologies implemented 
                        throughout the States.
            ``(6) State.--The term `State' has the meaning given the 
        term under section 101 of title 23, United States Code.''.
    (b) Table of Contents Amendment.--The items relating to subtitle C 
of title V in the table of contents of the Transportation Equity Act 
for the 21st Century are amended to read as follows:

            ``Subtitle C--Intelligent Transportation Systems

``Sec. 5201. Short title.
``Sec. 5202. Goals and purposes.
``Sec. 5203. General authorities and requirements.
``Sec. 5204. National ITS Program Plan.
``Sec. 5205. Information strategy.
``Sec. 5206. National architecture and standards.
``Sec. 5207. Research and development.
``Sec. 5208. Use of funds.
``Sec. 5209. Program evaluation.
``Sec. 5210. Definitions.''.
    (c) Repeal.--The Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act 
of 1991 is amended by striking part B of title VI (23 U.S.C. 307 note; 
105 Stat. 2189).

SEC. 109. NATIONAL MULTIMODAL TRENDS POLICY RESEARCH PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish and carry out a 
National Multimodal Trends Policy Research Program that systematically 
addresses critical short-term, medium-term, and long-term social 
science issues affecting and affected by the transportation system.
    (b) Contents.--The program to be carried out under this section 
shall include--
            (1) research on--
                    (A) the critical factors and major trends affecting 
                the success and performance of the Nation's 
                transportation system, as well as how such information 
                can be incorporated into national, State, and local 
                decisionmaking;
                    (B) the short-term, medium-term, and especially 
                long-term economic, demographic, and social trends that 
                are affecting and are affected by the transportation 
                system, including topics such as--
                            (i) economic trends, including 
                        globalization and it effects on the 
                        transportation of people and goods, rapidly 
                        changing information technology, the growing 
                        importance of metropolitan economies, 
                        diversification of employment sites, 
                        innovations in goods movement, and larger 
                        capacity and faster goods movement;
                            (ii) demographic trends, including 
                        population growth, increasing minority 
                        populations, increasing urbanization, and the 
                        aging of the population; and
                            (iii) social trends and issues, including 
                        increasing income disparity and its implication 
                        for mobility and access to jobs, services and 
                        health care, the unique needs of rural 
                        populations, and the link between human factors 
                        and driver behavior;
                    (C) improvements in evaluation methodologies and 
                performance measures, and the evaluation of project and 
                transportation system performance relative to the goals 
                set forth in section 102;
                    (D) how institutional factors within and among the 
                public and private sectors affect the development and 
                successful deployment of new technologies;
                    (E) links between public health and the 
                transportation system; and
                    (F) other critical issues identified by the 
                Advisory Board established under subsection (e); and
            (2) research on and the development of policy analysis 
        tools and methods.
    (c) Establishment.--Not later than 120 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall enter into an arrangement 
with the National Academy of Sciences to establish an advisory board 
under subsection (e) and, except as provided in subsection (e), to 
support, administer, and manage the program.
    (d) Strategic Plan.--Not later than 2 years after entering into the 
arrangement under subsection (c) and upon each update thereafter, the 
National Academy of Sciences shall transmit the strategic plan 
developed by the advisory board under subsection (e) to the Secretary, 
to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Committee 
on Science of the House of Representatives, and to the Committee on 
Environment and Public Works of the Senate.
    (e) Advisory Board.--
            (1) Establishment.--The National Academy of Sciences shall 
        establish an independent advisory board.
            (2) Membership.--
                    (A) In general.--A majority of members of the 
                advisory board shall be experts in--
                            (i) transportation social science research; 
                        or
                            (ii) other social science fields with 
                        important or potentially important 
                        relationships to transportation, selected after 
                        consultation with the Consortium of Social 
                        Science Associations.
                Members selected under this subparagraph shall, to the 
                extent practicable, be evenly divided between experts 
                described in clause (i) and experts described in clause 
                (ii).
                    (B) Additional members.--Additional members of the 
                advisory board shall be evenly balanced among 
                representatives of Federal, State, and local 
                transportation agencies, other agencies with 
                appropriate expertise, metropolitan planning 
                organizations, transit operating agencies, and 
                environmental and other nonprofit organizations.
            (3) Responsibilities.--The advisory board shall be 
        responsible for--
                    (A) the development of a strategic plan which shall 
                specify at a minimum the goals, research priorities, 
                and fiscal needs of the program, and which shall be 
                updated periodically;
                    (B) overseeing the awarding of grants and contracts 
                to carry out the research strategy;
                    (C) the development of the annual request for 
                proposals and the solicitation of proposals through 
                open competition with peer review; and
                    (D) the development of project selection criteria, 
                through an open and public consultation process with 
                stakeholders.
            (4) Evaluation of research.--Research contracts and grants 
        under this section shall require peer review of the research 
        results.
            (5) Eligible research.--At least 75 percent of funds made 
        available for research under this section shall support 
        research directed to the priorities in the strategic plan, and 
        up to 25 percent of such funds may support appropriate sponsor 
        directed research.
    (f) Dissemination of Research Findings.--The National Academy of 
Sciences and the Department of Transportation shall disseminate 
research findings under this section to researchers, practitioners, and 
decisionmakers, through conferences and seminars, field demonstrations, 
workshops, training programs, presentations, testimony to government 
officials, the Internet, and publications for the general public.

                        TITLE II--MISCELLANEOUS

SEC. 201. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of 
Transportation to carry out sections 5312, 5313, 5314, 5315, and 5322 
of title 49, United States Code, and section 202 of this Act, relating 
to research and development, $75,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 
2005 through 2010.

SEC. 202. TRANSIT RESEARCH.

    (a) Amendment.--Chapter 5 of title 23, United States Code, as 
amended by this Act, is further amended by adding at the end the 
following new section:
``Sec. 510. Innovative Practices and Technologies Demonstration and 
              Deployment Program
    ``(a) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish an Innovative 
Practices and Technologies Demonstration and Deployment Program.
    ``(b) Program Goals.--The goals of the program are to--
            ``(1) demonstrate promising new transit practices and 
        technologies, including new business models for managing and 
        operating transit systems, that may increase ridership, 
        increase accessibility, reduce cost, improve customer 
        satisfaction, and improve safety;
            ``(2) evaluate, refine, and document the performance, 
        benefits, and costs of innovative practices and technologies; 
        and
            ``(3) effectively disseminate information to accelerate 
        deployment of innovative practices and technologies.
    ``(c) Grants, Cooperative Agreements, and Contracts.--The Secretary 
may make grants to, or enter into cooperative agreements or contracts 
with, transit agencies, States, other Federal agencies, universities 
and colleges, private sector entities, and nonprofit organizations to 
pay the Federal share of the cost of demonstration and deployment 
projects concerning innovative practices and technologies.
    ``(d) Applications.--To receive a grant, cooperative agreement, or 
contract under this section, an entity described in subsection (c) 
shall submit an application to the Secretary. The application shall be 
in such form and contain such information as the Secretary may require. 
The Secretary shall select and approve the applications based on the 
following criteria:
            ``(1) Whether the project meets the goals of the program.
            ``(2) Merit review.
            ``(3) The likelihood that the project will result in more 
        widespread deployment of the practice or technology being 
        proposed.
            ``(4) Preference shall be given to an application that 
        represents a public-private partnership.
    ``(e) Technology and Information Transfer.--The Secretary shall 
ensure that information about innovative practices and technologies 
supported under this section is made available to transit agencies, 
State and local transportation departments, and other interested 
parties. Information disseminated under this subsection shall include 
both the costs and benefits of deploying an innovative practice or 
technology, and shall document--
            ``(1) best practices for adopting successful practices or 
        technologies; and
            ``(2) the transferability of these practices and 
        technologies.
    ``(f) Federal Share.--The Federal share of the cost of a project 
under this section shall be determined by the Secretary.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--The analysis of chapter 5 of title 23, 
United States Code, as amended by this Act, is further amended by 
adding at the end the following new item:

``510. Innovative Practices and Technologies Demonstration and 
                            Deployment Program.''.

SEC. 203. TRANSPORTATION, ENERGY, AND ENVIRONMENT.

    (a) In General.--As part of the National Climate Change Technology 
Initiative and the Climate Change Research Initiative, the Secretary 
shall establish and carry out a multimodal energy and climate change 
program to study the relationship of transportation, energy, and 
climate change.
    (b) Contents.--The program to be carried out under this section 
shall include, but not be limited to, research designed to--
            (1) identify, develop and evaluate strategies to improve 
        energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from 
        transportation sources; and
            (2) identify and evaluate the potential effects of climate 
        changes on the nation's transportation systems, and strategies 
        to address these effects.
    (c) Project Selection.--Activities to be undertaken in this program 
will be determined by an internal steering committee established by the 
Secretary of Transportation. This intermodal committee shall include 
representatives from the Office of the Secretary and operating 
administrations within the Department of Transportation as designated 
by the Secretary.
    (d) Grants, Cooperative Agreements and Contracts.--The Secretary 
may carry out this program independently or by making grants to, or 
entering into contracts and cooperative agreements with, a Federal 
agency, State agency, local agency, authority, association, nonprofit 
or for-profit corporation, or institution of higher education.

SEC. 204. NATIONAL COOPERATIVE FREIGHT TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH PROGRAM.

    (a) Authorization.--To carry out a national cooperative freight 
transportation research program, there is authorized the following 
sums:
            (1) $8,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2005 and 2006.
            (2) $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2007 and 2008.
            (3) $12,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2009 and 2010.
    (b) In General.--Chapter 5 of title 23, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 509. National Cooperative Freight Transportation Research 
              Program
    ``(a) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish and support a 
national cooperative freight transportation research program.
    ``(b) Agreement.--The Secretary shall enter into an agreement with 
the National Academy of Sciences to support and carry out 
administrative and management activities relating to the governance of 
the national cooperative freight transportation research program.
    ``(c) Advisory Committee.--The National Academy of Sciences shall 
select an advisory committee consisting of a representative cross-
section of freight stakeholders, including the Department of 
Transportation, other Federal agencies, State transportation 
departments, local governments, the American Association of State 
Highway and Transportation Officials and other nonprofit entities 
(including environmental groups), academia, and the private sector.
    ``(d) Governance.--The national cooperative freight transportation 
research program established under this section shall include the 
following administrative and management elements:
            ``(1) National research agenda.--The advisory committee, in 
        consultation with stakeholders, shall recommend a national 
        research agenda for the national cooperative freight 
        transportation research program. The national research agenda 
        shall include a multi-year strategic plan.
            ``(2) Stakeholder involvement.--Stakeholders may--
                    ``(A) submit research proposals to the advisory 
                committee;
                    ``(B) participate in merit reviews of research 
                proposals and peer reviews of research products; and
                    ``(C) receive research results.
            ``(3) Open competition and peer review of research 
        proposals.--The National Academy of Sciences shall award 
        research contracts and grants through open competition and 
        merit review conducted on a regular basis.
            ``(4) Evaluation of research.--
                    ``(A) Peer review.--Research contracts and grants 
                shall allow peer review of the research results.
                    ``(B) Programmatic evaluations.--The National 
                Academy of Sciences may conduct periodic programmatic 
                evaluations on a regular basis.
            ``(5) Dissemination of research findings.--The National 
        Academy of Sciences shall disseminate research findings to 
        researchers, practitioners, and decision-makers, through 
        conferences and seminars, field demonstrations, workshops, 
        training programs, presentations, testimony to government 
        officials, world wide web, publications for the general public, 
        and other appropriate means.
    ``(e) Contents.--The national research agenda for the national 
cooperative freight transportation research program required under 
subsection (d)(1) shall include research in the following areas:
            ``(1) Techniques for estimating and quantifying public 
        benefits derived from freight transportation projects.
            ``(2) Alternative approaches to calculating the 
        contribution of truck traffic to congestion on specific highway 
        segments.
            ``(3) The feasibility of freight villages as a means of 
        consolidating origins and destinations for freight movement.
            ``(4) Methods for incorporating estimates of international 
        trade into landside transportation planning.
            ``(5) The use of technology applications to increase 
        capacity of highway lanes dedicated to truck-only traffic.
            ``(6) Development of physical and policy alternatives for 
        separating car and truck traffic.
            ``(7) Ways to synchronize infrastructure improvements with 
        freight transportation demand.
            ``(8) The effect of changing patterns of freight movement 
        on transportation planning decisions relating to rest areas.
            ``(9) Additional priorities to identify and address the 
        emerging and future research needs related to freight 
        transportation.
    ``(f) Funding.--
            ``(1) Federal share.--The Federal share of the cost of an 
        activity carried out using such funds shall be up to 100 
        percent, and such funds shall remain available until expended.
            ``(2) Use of non-federal funds.--In addition to using funds 
        authorized for this section, the National Academy of Sciences 
        may seek and accept additional funding sources from public and 
        private entities capable of accepting funding from the United 
        States Department of Transportation (Federal Highway 
        Administration, Federal Transit Administration, Federal 
        Railroad Administration, Research and Special Programs 
        Administration, and the National Highway Traffic Safety 
        Administration), states, local governments, nonprofit 
        foundations, and the private sector.''.
    (c) Conforming Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 5 of title 23, 
United States Code, is amended by redesignating section 509 as follows:

``509. National cooperative freight transportation research program.''.
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