[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 971 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 971

  To implement a pilot program to establish truck parking facilities.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 5, 2009

  Mr. Schumer introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
       referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To implement a pilot program to establish truck parking facilities.

    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 ``Jason's Law''.

SEC. 2. TRUCK PARKING FACILITIES.

    (a) Establishment.--In cooperation with appropriate State, 
regional, and local governments, the Secretary of Transportation 
(referred to in this Act as the ``Secretary'') shall implement a pilot 
program to address the shortage of long-term parking for commercial 
motor vehicles on the National Highway System.
    (b) Allocation of Funds.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall allocate funds made 
        available to carry out this section among States, metropolitan 
        planning organizations, and local governments.
            (2) Applications.--To be eligible for an allocation under 
        this section, a State (as defined in section 101(a) of title 
        23, United States Code), metropolitan planning organization, or 
        local government shall submit to the Secretary an application 
        at such time and containing such information as the Secretary 
        may require.
            (3) Eligible projects.--
                    (A) In general.--Funds allocated under this 
                subsection shall be used by the recipient for projects 
                described in an application approved by the Secretary.
                    (B) Types of projects.--A project carried out using 
                funds allocated under this subsection--
                            (i) shall serve the National Highway 
                        System; and
                            (ii) may include--
                                    (I) construction of safety rest 
                                areas (as defined in section 120(c) of 
                                title 23, United States Code) that 
                                include parking for commercial motor 
                                vehicles;
                                    (II) construction of commercial 
                                motor vehicle parking facilities 
                                adjacent to commercial truck stops and 
                                travel plazas;
                                    (III) the opening of existing 
                                facilities to commercial motor vehicle 
                                parking, including inspection and weigh 
                                stations and park-and-ride facilities;
                                    (IV) promotion of the availability 
                                of publicly or privately provided 
                                commercial motor vehicle parking on the 
                                National Highway System using 
                                intelligent transportation systems and 
                                other means;
                                    (V) construction of turnouts along 
                                the National Highway System for 
                                commercial motor vehicles;
                                    (VI) making capital improvements to 
                                public commercial motor vehicle parking 
                                facilities that, as of the date of 
                                enactment of this Act, are closed on a 
                                seasonal basis; and
                                    (VII) improvement of the geometric 
                                design of interchanges on the National 
                                Highway System to improve access to 
                                commercial motor vehicle parking 
                                facilities.
            (4) Priority.--In allocating funds made available to carry 
        out this section, the Secretary shall give priority to 
        applicants that--
                    (A) demonstrate a severe shortage of commercial 
                motor vehicle parking capacity in the corridor to be 
                addressed;
                    (B) have consulted with affected State and local 
                governments, community groups, private providers of 
                commercial motor vehicle parking, and motorist and 
                trucking organizations; and
                    (C) demonstrate that the proposed projects are 
                likely to have positive effects on highway safety, 
                traffic congestion, or air quality.
    (c) Report to Congress.--Not later than 3 years after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report 
on the results of the pilot program.
    (d) Funding.--
            (1) In general.--There is authorized to be appropriated 
        from the Highway Trust Fund (other than the Mass Transit 
        Account) to carry out this section $20,000,000 for each of 
        fiscal years 2010 through 2015.
            (2) Contract authority.--Funds authorized under this 
        subsection shall be available for obligation in the same manner 
        as if the funds were apportioned under chapter 1 of title 23, 
        United States Code, except that--
                    (A) the funds shall not be transferable and shall 
                remain available until expended; and
                    (B) the Federal share of the cost of a project 
                under this section shall be determined in accordance 
                with subsections (b) and (c) of sections 120 of that 
                title.
    (e) Treatment of Projects.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
law, projects funded under this section shall be treated as projects on 
a Federal-aid system under chapter 1 of title 23, United States Code.
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