II 109th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 913 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES April 27, 2005 Mr. Domenici (for himself and Mr. Bingaman) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works A BILL To amend title 49, United States Code, to establish a university transportation center to be known as the Southwest Bridge Research Center.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Southwest Bridge Research Center Establishment Act of 2005.

2.

Bridge research Center

Section 5505 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: (k)

Southwest Bridge Research Center

(1)

In general

In addition to the university transportation centers receiving grants under subsections (a) and (b), the Secretary shall provide grants to New Mexico State University, in collaboration with the Oklahoma Transportation Center, to establish and operate a university transportation center to be known as the Southwest Bridge Research Center (referred to in this subsection as the Center). (2)

Purpose

The purpose of the Center shall be to contribute at a national level to a systems approach to improving the overall performance of bridges, with an emphasis on— (A)increasing the number of highly skilled individuals entering the field of transportation; (B)improving the monitoring of structural health over the life of bridges; (C)developing innovative technologies for bridge testing and assessment; (D)developing technologies and procedures for ensuring bridge safety, reliability, and security; and (E)providing training in the methods for bridge inspection and evaluation. (3)

Objectives

The Center shall carry out— (A)basic and applied research, the products of which shall be judged by peers or other experts in the field to advance the body of knowledge in transportation; (B)an education program that includes multidisciplinary course work and participation in research; and (C)an ongoing program of technology transfer that makes research results available to potential users in a form that can be implemented. (4)

Maintenance of effort

To be eligible to receive a grant under this subsection, the institution specified in paragraph (1) shall enter into an agreement with the Secretary to ensure that, for each fiscal year after establishment of the Center, the institution will fund research activities relating to transportation in an amount that is at least equal to the average annual amount of funds expended for the activities for the 2 fiscal years preceding the fiscal year in which the grant is received. (5)

Cost sharing

(A)

Federal share

The Federal share of the cost of any activity carried out using funds from a grant provided under this subsection shall be 50 percent. (B)

Non-federal share

The non-Federal share of the cost of any activity carried out using funds from a grant provided under this subsection may include funds provided to the recipient under any of sections 503, 504(b), and 505 of title 23. (C)

Ongoing programs

After establishment of the Center, the institution specified in paragraph (1) shall obligate for each fiscal year not less than $200,000 in regularly budgeted institutional funds to support ongoing transportation research and education programs. (6)

Program coordination

(A)

Coordination

The Secretary shall— (i)coordinate the research, education, training, and technology transfer activities carried out by the Center; (ii)disseminate the results of that research; and (iii)establish and operate a clearinghouse for information derived from that research. (B)

Annual review and evaluation

At least annually, and in accordance with the plan developed under section 508 of title 23, the Secretary shall review and evaluate each program carried out by the Center using funds from a grant provided under this subsection. (7)

Limitation on availability of funds

Funds made available to carry out this subsection shall remain available for obligation for a period of 2 years after the last day of the fiscal year for which the funds are authorized. (8)

Amount of grant

For each of fiscal years 2005 through 2010, the Secretary shall provide a grant in the amount of $3,000,000 to the institution specified in paragraph (1) to carry out this subsection. (9)

Authorization of appropriations

There is authorized to be appropriated from the Highway Trust Fund (other than the Mass Transit Account) to carry out this subsection $3,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2005 through 2010. .