[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 638 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 638

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


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 16, 2005

 Mrs. Murray (for herself, Ms. Collins, Mrs. Boxer, Ms. Cantwell, Mrs. 
  Clinton, Mr. Corzine, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Schumer, Ms. 
 Snowe, and Mr. Stevens) introduced the following bill; which was read 
  twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


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

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Ferry Transportation Enhancement 
Act''.

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

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

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

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

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

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

SEC. 5. FERRY JOINT PROGRAM OFFICE.

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

SEC. 6. NATIONAL FERRY DATA BASE.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Transportation shall maintain a 
national ferry database, which shall contain current information 
regarding ferry systems, routes, vessels, passengers and vehicles 
carried, funding sources, and any other information that the Secretary 
determines to be useful. The Secretary shall utilize data from the 
study conducted under section 1207(c) of the Transportation Equity Act 
for the 21st Century (23 U.S.C. 129 note), and make modifications to 
that data, as appropriate.
    (b) Updated Database.--The Secretary shall produce the first 
updated version of the national ferry database not later than 1 year 
after the date of enactment of this Act and shall update such database 
every 2 years after such date.
    (c) Public Accessibility.--The Secretary shall ensure that the 
national ferry database is easily accessible to the public.

SEC. 7. NATIONAL FERRY TRANSPORTATION INSTITUTE.

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