[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2724 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2724

     To amend title 49, United States Code, to establish national 
 transportation objectives and performance targets for the purpose of 
 assessing progress toward meeting national transportation objectives.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              June 4, 2009

  Mr. Holt (for himself, Mr. Inslee, and Mr. Carnahan) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation 
                           and Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
     To amend title 49, United States Code, to establish national 
 transportation objectives and performance targets for the purpose of 
 assessing progress toward meeting national transportation objectives.

    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 ``National Transportation Objectives 
Act of 2009''.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION OBJECTIVES AND 
              PERFORMANCE TARGETS.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 3 of title 49, United States Code, in 
amended:
            (1) by redesignating sections 304 through 309 as sections 
        307 through 312;
            (2) by redesignating sections 303 and 303a as sections 305 
        and 306, respectively; and
            (3) by inserting after section 302, the following:
``Sec. 303. National transportation objectives and performance targets
    ``(a) Statement of Purpose.--The purpose of this section is to 
establish national transportation objectives to provide a 21st century 
vision for the national surface transportation system and national 
transportation performance targets to ensure that transportation 
investments result in a national surface transportation system that 
meets the needs of the 21st century.
    ``(b) National Transportation Objectives.--The national 
transportation objectives are established and prioritized, as follows:
            ``(1) Promote energy efficiency and achieve energy 
        security.
            ``(2) Ensure environmental protection, restore climate 
        stability, and resolve persistent environmental justice issues.
            ``(3) Improve economic competitiveness, system efficiency, 
        and workplace development opportunities.
            ``(4) Ensure safety for all transportation users and 
        improved public health outcomes.
            ``(5) Improve transportation system conditions and 
        connectivity.
            ``(6) Provide equal and equitable access to transportation 
        options in urban, suburban, and rural communities.
    ``(c) National Transportation Performance Targets.--The national 
transportation performance targets are established for the purpose of 
assessing progress in the 20-year period beginning the day after the 
date of enactment of the National Transportation Objectives Act of 2009 
toward meeting the national transportation objectives, as follows:
            ``(1) Reduce per capita vehicle miles traveled by 16 
        percent.
            ``(2) Triple walking, biking, and public transportation 
        usage.
            ``(3) Reduce transportation-generated carbon dioxide level 
        by 40 percent.
            ``(4) Reduce delay per capita by 10 percent.
            ``(5) Increase proportion of freight transportation 
        provided by railroad and intermodal services by 20 percent.
            ``(6) Achieve 0 percent population exposure to at-risk 
        levels of air pollution.
            ``(7) Improve public safety and lower congestion costs by 
        reducing traffic crashes by 50 percent.
            ``(8) Increase share of major highways, regional transit 
        fleets and facilities, and bicycling/pedestrian infrastructure 
        in good state of repair condition by 20 percent.
            ``(9) Reduce average household combined housing plus 
        transportation costs by 25 percent, using 2000 as a base year.
            ``(10) Increase by 50 percent the number of essential 
        destinations (work and non-work) accessible within 30 minutes 
        by public transportation or 15 minutes by walking, for low-
        income, senior, and disabled populations.
    ``(d) Development of Baseline Levels.--Not later than one year 
after the date of enactment of the National Transportation Objectives 
Act of 2009, the Secretary of Transportation shall develop baseline 
levels for the national transportation performance targets established 
by this section and determine appropriate methods of data collection to 
assess success in meeting such performance targets.
    ``(e) Requirements.--The Secretary, consistent with the plan 
developed under section 304 and notwithstanding any other provision of 
law in effect as of the date of enactment of the National 
Transportation Objectives Act of 2009, shall--
            ``(1) develop appropriate data collections systems for each 
        Federal surface transportation program in order to evaluate:
                    ``(A) whether such programs are consistent with the 
                policy, objectives, and performance targets established 
                by this section; and
                    ``(B) how effective such programs are in 
                contributing to the achievement of the policy, 
                objectives, and performance targets established by this 
                section;
            ``(2) using the criteria developed under paragraph (1), 
        annually evaluate each such program and provide the results to 
        the public;
            ``(3) based on the evaluation performed under paragraph 
        (2), make any necessary changes or improvements to such 
        programs to ensure such consistency and effectiveness;
            ``(4) align the availability and award of Federal surface 
        transportation funding to meet the policy, objectives, and 
        performance targets established by this section, consistent 
        with the evaluation performed under paragraph (2);
            ``(5) carry out this section in a manner that is consistent 
        with sections 302, 5503, 10101, and 13101 of this title and 
        section 101 of title 23 to the extent that such sections do not 
        conflict with the policy, objectives, and performance targets 
        established by this section;
            ``(6) review, update, and reissue all relevant surface 
        transportation planning requirements to ensure that such 
        requirements require that regional, State, and local surface 
        transportation planning efforts funded with Federal funds are 
        consistent with the policy, objectives, and performance targets 
        established by this section; and
            ``(7) require recipients of Federal surface transportation 
        funds to annually report on the use of such funds, including a 
        description of--
                    ``(A) which projects and priorities were funded 
                with such funds;
                    ``(B) the rationale and method employed for 
                apportioning such funds to the projects and priorities; 
                and
                    ``(C) how the obligation of such funds is 
                consistent with or advances the policy, objectives, and 
                performance targets established by this section.
    ``(f) Authority.--
            ``(1) In general.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
        law in effect as of the date of enactment of the National 
        Transportation Objectives Act of 2009, the Secretary may, 
        through a process of public notice and comment and with 
        reasonable prior notice to the Senate Committee on Commerce, 
        Science, and Transportation and the House of Representatives 
        Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure preceding any 
        significant change, consistent with the public interest, amend 
        the performance targets under subsection (c) or develop 
        additional performance targets to effectively meet the policy 
        and objectives set forth in this section.
            ``(2) Recommendations.--The Secretary may also make 
        recommendations to those Committees for reorganizing the 
        Department of Transportation, as necessary and consistent with 
        the requirements of section 304(b)(6), in order to achieve the 
        policy, objectives, and performance targets established by this 
        section.
``Sec. 304. National surface transportation performance plan
    ``(a) Development.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
enactment of the National Transportation Objectives Act of 2009, the 
Secretary of Transportation shall develop and implement a National 
Surface Transportation Performance Plan to achieve the policy, 
objectives, and performance targets set forth in section 303.
    ``(b) Contents.--The plan shall include--
            ``(1) an assessment of the current performance of the 
        national surface transportation system and an analysis of the 
        system's ability to achieve the policy, objectives, and 
        performance targets set forth in section 303;
            ``(2) an analysis of emerging and long-term projected 
        trends that will impact the performance, needs, and uses of the 
        national surface transportation system;
            ``(3) a description of the major impediments to effectively 
        meeting the policy, objectives, and performance targets set 
        forth in section 303 and recommended actions to address such 
        impediments;
            ``(4) a comprehensive strategy and investment plan to meet 
        the policy, objectives, and performance targets set forth in 
        section 303;
            ``(5) initiatives to improve transportation modeling, 
        research, data collection, and analysis; and
            ``(6) a plan for any reorganization of the Department of 
        Transportation or its agencies necessary to meet the policy, 
        objectives, and performance targets set forth in section 303.
    ``(c) Consultation.--In developing the plan required by subsection 
(a), the Secretary shall--
            ``(1) consult with local, State, and tribal governments, 
        public and private transportation providers and carriers, non-
        profit organizations representing transportation employees, 
        appropriate foreign governments, and other interested parties; 
        and
            ``(2) provide public notice and hearings and solicit public 
        comments on the plan.
    ``(d) Submittal.--The Secretary shall submit the completed plan to 
the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the 
House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure.
    ``(e) Progress Reports.--The Secretary shall submit biennial 
progress reports on the implementation of the plan beginning 2 years 
after the date of submittal of the plan under subsection (d) to the 
Committees. The progress report shall--
            ``(1) describe progress made toward fully implementing the 
        plan and achieving the policies, objectives, and performance 
        targets established under section 303;
            ``(2) describe challenges and obstacles to full 
        implementation;
            ``(3) describe updates to the plan necessary to reflect 
        changed circumstances or new developments; and
            ``(4) make policy and legislative recommendations the 
        Secretary believes are necessary and appropriate to fully 
        implement the plan.
    ``(f) Data.--The Secretary shall have the authority to conduct 
studies, gather information, and require the production of data 
necessary to develop or update this plan, consistent with Federal 
privacy standards.
    ``(g) Funding.--The Secretary may use such sums as may be necessary 
from any funds provided to the Department of Transportation for surface 
transportation programs for the purpose of completing and updating the 
plan and developing and issuing the progress reports pursuant to this 
section.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendments.--
            (1) Section 302(a) of title 49, United States Code, is 
        amended by striking ``10101 and 13101'' and inserting ``303, 
        10101, and 13101''.
            (2) Section 308, as redesignated, of title 49, United 
        States Code, is amended by striking ``sections 301-09304'' and 
        inserting ``sections 301 through 307''.
            (3) The table of contents for chapter 3 of title 49, United 
        States Code, is amended--
                    (A) by redesignating the items relating to sections 
                303 through 309 as relating to sections 305 through 
                312; and
                    (B) by inserting after the item relating to section 
                302 the following:

``303. National surface transportation policy.
``304. National surface transportation performance plan.''.
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