[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3311 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3311

To direct the Secretary of the Treasury to establish a pilot program to 
study alternatives to the current system of taxing motor vehicle fuels, 
    including systems based on the number of miles traveled by each 
                                vehicle.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 23, 2009

Mr. Blumenauer introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
   Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on 
Transportation and Infrastructure, Energy and Commerce, and Science and 
Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, 
 in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the 
                jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To direct the Secretary of the Treasury to establish a pilot program to 
study alternatives to the current system of taxing motor vehicle fuels, 
    including systems based on the number of miles traveled by each 
                                vehicle.

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

SECTION 1. ROAD USER FEE PILOT PROJECT; TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH PROGRAM.

    (a) Road User Fee Pilot Project.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of the Treasury shall 
        establish a pilot program under this subsection to study 
        alternatives to the current system of taxing motor vehicle 
        fuels. Such program shall be known as the ``Road User Fee Pilot 
        Project''.
            (2) Mileage based program.--The Road User Fee Pilot Project 
        shall study technology and methods for recording and reporting 
        the number of miles traveled by particular vehicles, 
        including--
                    (A) the manner in which a Federal system would 
                receive payments with respect to the number of miles 
                traveled by such vehicles, and
                    (B) integration of such technology and methods with 
                State and local revenue systems and demand management 
                systems.
            (3) Evaluation of methods and technologies.--Technologies 
        and methods tested under the Road User Fee Pilot Project shall 
        be evaluated on the basis of--
                    (A) protection of personal privacy,
                    (B) ease of compliance,
                    (C) public acceptance,
                    (D) geographic and income equity,
                    (E) integration with State and local transportation 
                revenue mechanisms (including demand management 
                systems),
                    (F) administrative, cost, and enforcement issues, 
                and
                    (G) potential for fraud and evasion.
            (4) Geographic diversity.--The programs carried out under 
        the Road User Fee Pilot Project shall be conducted in each 
        State and shall be conducted in areas that are diverse 
        geographically and in vehicle density.
    (b) Establishment of Working Groups.--The Secretary shall 
coordinate with the following agencies to coordinate the creation of 
three working groups and integrate their findings into the final report 
required under subsection (d):
            (1) Technology working group.--In coordination with the 
        Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology 
        Policy, the Secretary shall convene a working group to study 
        appropriate technology platforms and standards to facilitate 
        the most effective revenue systems.
            (2) Transportation system working group.--In coordination 
        with the Secretary of Transportation, the Secretary shall 
        convene a working group to evaluate the costs of collection and 
        administration.
            (3) Environmental working group.--In coordination with the 
        Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, the 
        Secretary shall convene a working group to study the potential 
        to manage demand and to reduce the emission of greenhouse 
        gases.
    (c) Technology Research Program.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall establish a grant 
        program to aid the development of on-board technologies 
        necessary for a miles based program described in subsection 
        (a)(2).
            (2) Entities eligible for grants.--The following entities 
        shall be eligible for grants for grants under paragraph (1):
                    (A) Institutions of higher education, as defined in 
                section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
                U.S.C. 1001(a)).
                    (B) Commercial manufacturers with an established 
                record of passenger vehicle innovation.
                    (C) Technology manufacturers with an established 
                record of wireless networking and communications.
    (d) Report.--Not later than 18 months after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Treasury shall submit a 
written report to the Congress, providing initial findings from 
activities authorized by this section. Not later than 36 months after 
such date, the Secretary of the Treasury shall submit a written report 
detailing final findings and conclusions from the activities authorized 
by this section.
    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary of the Treasury--
            (1) to carry out this section (other than subsection (c)), 
        $150,000,000, to remain available until expended, and
            (2) to carry out subsection (c), $4,500,000, to remain 
        available until expended.
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