[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3585 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3585

To authorize surface transportation research and development programs, 
                        and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 22, 2015

  Mrs. Comstock (for herself, Mr. Smith of Texas, Mr. Moolenaar, Mr. 
  Lucas, Mr. Hultgren, Mr. Westerman, and Mr. Abraham) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, 
and Technology, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and 
   Infrastructure, 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 authorize surface transportation research and development programs, 
                        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 ``Surface Transportation Research and 
Development Act of 2015''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the followings findings:
            (1) Federal transportation research and development 
        planning and coordination--
                    (A) should occur within the Office of the Secretary 
                of Transportation; and
                    (B) should be, to the extent practicable, 
                multimodal and not occur solely within the subagencies 
                of the Department of Transportation.
            (2) Managing a multimodal research and development 
        portfolio within the Office of the Secretary will--
                    (A) help identify opportunities where research 
                could be applied across modes; and
                    (B) prevent duplication of efforts and waste of 
                limited Federal resources.
            (3) Increasing transparency of transportation research and 
        development efforts will--
                    (A) build stakeholder confidence in the final 
                product; and
                    (B) lead to the improved implementation of research 
                and development findings.

SEC. 3. TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT 5-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Transportation shall develop a 5-
year transportation research and development strategic plan for fiscal 
years 2018 through 2022 to guide future Federal transportation research 
and development activities.
    (b) Consistency.--The strategic plan developed under subsection (a) 
shall be consistent with--
            (1) section 306 of title 5, United States Code;
            (2) sections 1115 and 1116 of title 31, United States Code; 
        and
            (3) any other research and development plan within the 
        Department of Transportation.
    (c) Contents.--The strategic plan developed under subsection (a) 
shall--
            (1) describe the primary purposes of the transportation 
        research and development program, which shall include--
                    (A) improving mobility of people and goods;
                    (B) reducing congestion;
                    (C) promoting safety; and
                    (D) improving the durability and extending the life 
                of transportation infrastructure;
            (2) for each of the purposes referred to in paragraph (1), 
        list the proposed research and development activities that the 
        Department of Transportation intends to pursue to accomplish 
        that purpose, which may include--
                    (A) fundamental research pertaining to the applied 
                physical and natural sciences;
                    (B) applied science and research;
                    (C) technology development research; and
                    (D) social science research; and
            (3) for each research and development activity--
                    (A) identify the anticipated annual funding levels 
                for the period covered by the strategic plan; and
                    (B) describe the research findings the Department 
                of Transportation expects to discover at the end of the 
                period covered by the strategic plan.
    (d) Considerations.--The Secretary shall ensure that the strategic 
plan developed under this section--
            (1) reflects input from external stakeholders;
            (2) includes and integrates the research and development 
        programs of all of the Department of Transportation's modal 
        administrations and joint programs;
            (3) takes into account research and development by other 
        Federal, State, local, private sector, and nonprofit 
        institutions; and
            (4) is published on a public website by December 31, 2016.
    (e) Report.--
            (1) National research council review.--The Secretary shall 
        enter into an agreement with the National Research Council for 
        a review and analysis of the Department's 5-year research and 
        development strategic plan described in this section. By March 
        31, 2017, the Secretary shall publish on a public website the 
        National Research Council's analysis of the Department's plan.
            (2) Interim report.--By June 30, 2019, the Secretary shall 
        publish on a public website an interim report that--
                    (A) provides an assessment of the Department's 5-
                year research and development strategic plan described 
                in this section that includes a description of the 
                extent to which the research and development is or is 
                not successfully meeting the purposes described under 
                subsection (c)(1); and
                    (B) addresses any concerns and identifies any gaps 
                that may have been raised by the National Research 
                Council analysis under paragraph (1), including how the 
                plan is or is not responsive to the National Research 
                Council review.
    (f) Technical and Conforming Amendments.--
            (1) Chapter 5 of title 23.--Chapter 5 of title 23, United 
        States Code, is amended--
                    (A) by striking section 508;
                    (B) in the table of contents, by striking the item 
                relating to section 508;
                    (C) in section 502--
                            (i) in subsection (a)(9), by striking 
                        ``transportation research and technology 
                        development strategic plan developed under 
                        section 508'' and inserting ``transportation 
                        research and development strategic plan under 
                        section 3 of the Surface Transportation 
                        Research and Development Act of 2015''; and
                            (ii) in subsection (b)(4), by striking 
                        ``transportation research and development 
                        strategic plan of the Secretary developed under 
                        section 508'' and inserting ``transportation 
                        research and development strategic plan under 
                        section 3 of the Surface Transportation 
                        Research and Development Act of 2015''; and
                    (D) in section 512(b), by striking ``as part of the 
                transportation research and development strategic plan 
                developed under section 508''.
            (2) Intelligent transportation systems.--The Intelligent 
        Transportation Systems Act of 1998 (23 U.S.C. 502 note) is 
        amended--
                    (A) in section 5205(b), by striking ``as part of 
                the Surface Transportation Research and Development 
                Strategic Plan developed under section 508 of title 23, 
                United States Code'' and inserting ``as part of the 
                transportation research and development strategic plan 
                under section 3 of the Surface Transportation Research 
                and Development Act of 2015''; and
                    (B) in section 5206(e)(2)(A), by striking ``or the 
                Surface Transportation Research and Development 
                Strategic Plan developed under section 508 of title 23, 
                United States Code'' and inserting ``or the 
                transportation research and development strategic plan 
                under section 3 of the Surface Transportation Research 
                and Development Act of 2015''.
            (3) Intelligent transportation system research.--Subtitle C 
        of title V of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient 
        Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (23 U.S.C. 512 
        note) is amended--
                    (A) in section 5305(h)(3)(A), by striking ``the 
                strategic plan under section 508 of title 23, United 
                States Code'' and inserting ``the 5-year transportation 
                research and development strategic plan under section 3 
                of the Surface Transportation Research and Development 
                Act of 2015''; and
                    (B) in section 5307(c)(2)(A), by striking ``or the 
                surface transportation research and development 
                strategic plan developed under section 508 of title 23, 
                United States Code'' and inserting ``or the 5-year 
                transportation research and development strategic plan 
                under section 3 of the Surface Transportation Research 
                and Development Act of 2015''.

SEC. 4. ANNUAL RESEARCH PLANS AND RESEARCH ABSTRACT DATABASE.

    (a) In General.--Not later than May 1 of each year, the head of 
each modal administration and joint program office of the Department of 
Transportation shall submit a comprehensive annual research plan for 
the fiscal year following the upcoming fiscal year to the Assistant 
Secretary for Research and Technology of the Department of 
Transportation (referred to in this section as the ``Assistant 
Secretary''). Each plan submitted under this subsection, after 2016, 
shall be consistent with the strategic plan developed under section 3.
    (b) Review.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than September 1 of each year, 
        the Assistant Secretary, for each plan submitted pursuant to 
        subsection (a), shall--
                    (A) review the scope of the research; and
                    (B)(i) approve the plan; or
                    (ii) request that the plan be revised and 
                resubmitted for approval.
            (2) Publications.--Not later than January 30 of each year, 
        the Assistant Secretary shall publish on a public website each 
        plan that has been approved under paragraph (1)(B)(i).
            (3) Rejection of duplicative research efforts.--The 
        Assistant Secretary may not approve any plan submitted by the 
        head of a modal administration or joint program office pursuant 
        to subsection (a) if such plan duplicates significant aspects 
        of research projects of any other modal administration.
    (c) Funding Limitations.--No funds may be expended by the 
Department of Transportation on research that has not previously been 
approved as part of a research plan approved by the Assistant Secretary 
unless--
            (1) such research is required by an Act of Congress;
            (2) such research was part of a contract that was funded 
        before the date of enactment of this Act; or
            (3) the Secretary of Transportation certifies to Congress 
        that such research is necessary and provides justification for 
        the certification.
    (d) Duplicative Research.--
            (1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), no 
        funds may be expended by the Department of Transportation on 
        more than one research project that the Assistant Secretary 
        identifies as duplicative under subsection (b)(3).
            (2) Exceptions.--Paragraph (1) shall not apply to--
                    (A) research commissioned before the date of 
                enactment of this Act;
                    (B) updates to previously commissioned research, 
                including replication studies; or
                    (C) research specifically required by law.
    (e) Research Abstract Database.--
            (1) In general.--The Assistant Secretary shall annually 
        publish on a public website a comprehensive database of all 
        research projects conducted by the Department of 
        Transportation, including, to the extent practicable, research 
        funded through University Transportation Centers.
            (2) Contents.--The database published under paragraph (1) 
        shall--
                    (A) include the research plans approved under 
                subsection (b)(1)(B)(i);
                    (B) describe the research objectives, progress, 
                findings, and allocated funds for each research 
                project;
                    (C) identify research projects with multimodal 
                applications;
                    (D) specify how relevant modal administrations have 
                assisted, will contribute to, or plan to use the 
                findings from the research projects identified under 
                paragraph (1);
                    (E) identify areas in which more than 1 modal 
                administration is conducting research on a similar 
                subject or a subject which has a bearing on more than 1 
                mode;
                    (F) describe the interagency and cross-modal 
                communication and coordination that has occurred to 
                develop the research plans approved under subsection 
                (b)(1)(B)(i), and to prevent duplication of research 
                projects within the Department of Transportation;
                    (G) indicate how the findings of research are being 
                disseminated to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, 
                and safety of transportation systems; and
                    (H) describe the specific content and sources of 
                public and stakeholder input to the research plans 
                approved under subsection (b)(1)(B)(i).
    (f) Funding Report.--In conjunction with each of the President's 
annual budget requests under section 1105 of title 31, United States 
Code, the Secretary of Transportation shall submit to Congress and 
annually publish on a public website a report that describes--
            (1) the amount spent in the last completed fiscal year on 
        each transportation research and development project; and
            (2) the amount that the Secretary plans or estimates the 
        Department will spend during the current fiscal year on each 
        transportation research and development project.

SEC. 5. TRAFFIC CONGESTION.

    (a) Working Group.--The Secretary of Transportation shall establish 
a working group consisting of appropriate representatives from the 
different modal administrations of the Department of Transportation, 
chaired by the Assistant Secretary of Transportation for Research and 
Technology, to design, develop, and propose a program of research on 
the reduction of traffic congestion.
    (b) Duties.--The working group established under subsection (a), 
shall--
            (1) establish goals and objectives for the program under 
        this section;
            (2) recommend research to accelerate the adoption of 
        transportation management systems that allow traffic to flow in 
        the safest and most efficient manner possible while alleviating 
        current and future traffic congestion challenges;
            (3) assess and analyze traffic, transit, and freight data 
        from various sources relevant to efforts to reduce traffic 
        congestion so as to maximize mobility, efficiency, and capacity 
        while decreasing congestion and travel times;
            (4) examine the use and integration of multiple data types 
        from multiple sources and technologies, including road weather 
        data, private vehicle (including Global Positioning System) 
        data, arterial and highway traffic conditions, transit vehicle 
        arrival and departure times, real time navigation routing, 
        construction zone information, and reports of incidents, to 
        suggest improvements in effective communication of such data 
        and information in real time;
            (5) study and propose solutions to the traffic congestion 
        issues on high-traffic roads in the Washington, DC, area to 
        alleviate and prevent gridlock in and around the Nation's 
        Capital, reflecting its significance as the seat of the Federal 
        Government and headquarters for several critical national 
        security agencies;
            (6) develop and disseminate suggested strategies and 
        solutions to reduce congestion for high-density traffic regions 
        nationwide; and
            (7) collaborate with other relevant Federal agencies, State 
        and local agencies, industry and industry associations, and 
        university research centers to fulfill its goals and 
        objectives.
    (c) Identifying Information.--The working group shall ensure that 
information used pursuant to this section does not contain identifying 
information of any individual.
    (d) Congressional Notification.--The working group shall keep the 
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and the Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and 
the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the 
Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate apprised of the 
activities and progress of the working group at least once every 6 
months.
    (e) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the working group shall transmit to the Committee on Science, 
Space, and Technology and the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the Committee on Environment 
and Public Works of the Senate a report on its activities under this 
section, including a transportation strategy that enables our 
transportation system in and around Washington, DC, to provide mobility 
in the event of an emergency or natural disaster.

SEC. 6. HIGHWAY EFFICIENCY.

    (a) Study.--
            (1) In general.--The Assistant Secretary of Transportation 
        for Research and Technology shall examine the impact of 
        pavement durability and sustainability on vehicle fuel 
        consumption, vehicle wear and tear, road conditions, and road 
        repairs.
            (2) Methodology.--In carrying out the study, the Assistant 
        Secretary shall--
                    (A) conduct a thorough review of relevant peer-
                reviewed research published during at least the past 5 
                years;
                    (B) analyze impacts of different types of pavement 
                on all motor vehicle types, including commercial 
                vehicles;
                    (C) specifically examine the impact of pavement 
                deformation and deflection; and
                    (D) analyze impacts of different types of pavement 
                on road conditions and road repairs.
            (3) Consultation.--In carrying out the study, the Assistant 
        Secretary shall consult with--
                    (A) experts from the different modal 
                administrations of the Department of Transportation and 
                from other Federal agencies, including the National 
                Institute of Standards and Technology;
                    (B) State departments of transportation;
                    (C) local government engineers and public works 
                professionals;
                    (D) industry stakeholders; and
                    (E) appropriate academic experts active in the 
                field.
    (b) Report.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the Assistant Secretary shall publish on 
        a public website the results of the study.
            (2) Contents.--The report shall include--
                    (A) a summary of the different types of pavements 
                analyzed in the study and the impacts of pavement 
                durability and sustainability on vehicle fuel 
                consumption, vehicle wear and tear, road conditions, 
                and road repairs; and
                    (B) recommendations for State and local governments 
                on best practice methods for improving pavement 
                durability and sustainability to maximize vehicle fuel 
                economy, ride quality, and road conditions and to 
                minimize the need for road and vehicle repairs.

SEC. 7. INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION TECHNOLOGIES.

    (a) In General.--The Assistant Secretary of Transportation for 
Research and Technology, as part of the Intelligent Transportation 
Systems research program, with the goal of reducing traffic congestion 
and vehicle crashes and accelerating testing and research on the 
introduction of safe, connected, and automated vehicle technology 
systems, shall--
            (1) seek to identify and understand--
                    (A) new and innovative vehicle technologies, 
                including active safety technologies, and their safe 
                application in vehicles; and
                    (B) emerging vehicle technologies and advanced 
                communications and sensing techniques that may require 
                additional exploration and understanding by the 
                Department of Transportation of how such technologies 
                work alone and in conjunction with other vehicle and 
                relevant nonvehicle technologies;
            (2) assess wireless technologies' capabilities to achieve a 
        deployable system in which vehicles of all types (including 
        automobiles, trucks, motor coaches, transit vehicles, and other 
        fleets), traffic signals, other infrastructure systems, 
        pedestrians, motorcyclists, bicyclists, and mobile devices can 
        interact with and among each other through secure 
        communications, including by conducting rigorous, real-world 
        testing, in cooperation with representatives of the Federal 
        Communications Commission, the National Telecommunications and 
        Information Administration, the automotive, Wi-Fi, cellular, 
        and Intelligent Transportation Systems communities, of viable 
        spectrum sharing technologies that could enable the safe 
        operation of unlicensed devices, including Wi-Fi, in the 5.9 
        GHz band without interfering with connected and automated 
        vehicle communications; and
            (3) assist in the development of cybersecurity standards in 
        cooperation with relevant modal administrations of the 
        Department of Transportation and other Federal agencies, 
        including the National Institute of Standards and Technology, 
        to help prevent hacking, spoofing, and disruption of connected 
        and automated transportation applications among surface 
        transportation vehicles of all types.
    (b) Report.--Upon completion of the testing described in subsection 
(a)(2), the Secretary of Transportation shall send to Congress and the 
Federal Communications Commission, and publish on a public website, a 
report identifying any potential signal interference risks to connected 
and automated vehicle communications that may exist due to unlicensed 
devices, including Wi-Fi, operating in the 5.9 GHz band, including a 
determination of whether such devices can safely operate in the 5.9 GHz 
band without creating signal interference that could jeopardize or 
delay the deployment of an effective connected and automated vehicle 
communications system.
    (c) Analysis.--In carrying out this section, the Assistant 
Secretary of Transportation for Research and Technology shall document 
and analyze the technologies described in subsection (a), and share 
results of the analysis with the National Highway Traffic Safety 
Administration annually.
    (d) Privacy.--In carrying out this section, the Secretary and the 
Assistant Secretary shall ensure the privacy of individuals.
    (e) Definition.--In this section, the term ``active safety 
technologies'' means technologies which actively assist drivers or 
vehicles in preventing or mitigating a crash.

SEC. 8. RAIL SAFETY.

    Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Assistant Secretary of Transportation for Research and Technology shall 
transmit to Congress a report containing--
            (1) the results of a study to examine the state of rail 
        safety technologies and an analysis of whether the passenger, 
        commuter, and transit rail transportation industries are 
        keeping up with innovations in technologies to make rail cars 
        safer for passengers and transport of commerce;
            (2) a determination of how much additional time and public 
        and private resources will be required for railroad carriers to 
        meet the positive train control system implementation 
        requirements under section 20157 of title 49, United States 
        Code; and
            (3) an identification of technologies that in whole or in 
        part achieve the safety goals of the positive train control 
        implementation requirements under section 20157 that could be 
        implemented sooner than positive train control systems, along 
        with an analysis of the advantages and disadvantages, including 
        costs, of incorporating those alternative technologies to 
        supplement or substitute for positive train control systems.

SEC. 9. UNIVERSITY TRANSPORTATION CENTERS PROGRAM.

    Section 5505 of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)(2)(B) by inserting ``multimodal'' 
        before ``transportation knowledge'';
            (2) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the 
                following:
            ``(2) Restrictions.--
                    ``(A) Limitation on applications.--
                            ``(i) In general.--A nonprofit institution 
                        of higher education may only submit 1 grant 
                        application described in clause (ii) per fiscal 
                        year for each of the transportation centers 
                        described under paragraphs (2), (3), and (4) of 
                        subsection (c).
                            ``(ii) Applications.--Applications referred 
                        to in clause (i) are applications submitted by 
                        a nonprofit institution of higher education--
                                    ``(I) in an individual capacity, 
                                not through participation in a 
                                consortium of nonprofit institutions of 
                                higher education; or
                                    ``(II) as the lead institution of a 
                                consortium of nonprofit institutions of 
                                higher education.
                    ``(B) Limitation on awards.--A nonprofit 
                institution of higher education may not receive in any 
                fiscal year more than 1 grant under paragraphs (2), 
                (3), and (4) of subsection (c) based on applications 
                described in subparagraph (A)(ii) of this paragraph.'';
                    (B) in paragraph (4)(B)(iii) by inserting 
                ``multimodal'' before ``transportation problems''; and
                    (C) in paragraph (4)(B)(v)(II) by inserting ``, 
                including women and underrepresented populations'' 
                after ``field''; and
            (3) in subsection (c)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``1 year after 
                the date of enactment of the Transportation Research 
                and Innovative Technology Act of 2012'' and inserting 
                ``June 1, 2017'';
                    (B) by amending paragraph (3)(E) to read as 
                follows:
                    ``(E) Focused research.--
                            ``(i) Comprehensive transportation 
                        safety.--The Secretary shall make a grant to 1 
                        of the 10 regional university transportation 
                        centers established under this paragraph for 
                        the purpose of furthering the objectives 
                        described in subsection (a)(2) in the field of 
                        comprehensive transportation safety.
                            ``(ii) Traffic congestion.--The Secretary 
                        shall make a separate grant to 1 of the 10 
                        regional university transportation centers 
                        established under this paragraph for the 
                        purpose of furthering the objectives described 
                        in subsection (a)(2) in the field of traffic 
                        congestion.''; and
                    (C) in paragraph (4)--
                            (i) by striking subparagraph (B);
                            (ii) by redesignating subparagraphs (C) and 
                        (D) as subparagraphs (B) and (C), respectively; 
                        and
                            (iii) in subparagraph (C), as so 
                        redesignated by clause (ii) of this 
                        subparagraph, by striking ``paragraph'' and 
                        inserting ``section''.

SEC. 10. PRIZE COMPETITIONS.

    Section 502(b)(7) of title 23, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (D)--
                    (A) by inserting ``(such as www.challenge.gov)'' 
                after ``public website'';
                    (B) by redesignating clauses (iii) and (iv) as 
                clauses (iv) and (v), respectively;
                    (C) by inserting after clause (ii) the following:
                            ``(iii) the process for participants to 
                        register for the competition;''; and
                    (D) in clause (iv) (as redesignated by subparagraph 
                (B) of this paragraph), by striking ``prize'' and 
                inserting ``cash prize purse'';
            (2) in subparagraph (E), by striking ``prize'' both places 
        it appears and inserting ``cash prize purse'';
            (3) by redesignating subparagraphs (F) through (K) as 
        subparagraphs (G) through (L), respectively;
            (4) by inserting after subparagraph (E) the following:
                    ``(F) Use of federal facilities; consultation with 
                federal employees.--An individual or entity is not 
                ineligible to receive a cash prize purse under this 
                paragraph as a result of the individual or entity using 
                a Federal facility or consulting with a Federal 
                employee related to the individual or entity's 
                participation in a prize competition under this 
                paragraph if the same facility or employee is made 
                available to all individuals and entities participating 
                in the prize competition on an equitable basis.'';
            (5) in subparagraph (G) (as redesignated by paragraph (3) 
        of this section)--
                    (A) in clause (i)(I), by striking ``competition'' 
                and inserting ``prize competition under this 
                paragraph'';
                    (B) in clause (ii)(I)--
                            (i) by striking ``participation in a 
                        competition'' and inserting ``participation in 
                        a prize competition under this paragraph''; and
                            (ii) by striking ``competition activities'' 
                        and inserting ``prize competition activities''; 
                        and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
                            ``(iii) Intellectual property.--
                                    ``(I) Prohibition on requiring 
                                waiver.--The Secretary may not require 
                                a participant to waive claims against 
                                the Department arising out of the 
                                unauthorized use or disclosure by the 
                                Department of the intellectual 
                                property, trade secrets, or 
                                confidential business information of 
                                the participant.
                                    ``(II) Prohibition on government 
                                acquisition of intellectual property 
                                rights.--The Federal Government may not 
                                gain an interest in intellectual 
                                property developed by a participant for 
                                a prize competition under this 
                                paragraph without the written consent 
                                of the participant.
                                    ``(III) Licenses.--The Federal 
                                Government may negotiate a license for 
                                the use of intellectual property 
                                developed by a participant for a prize 
                                competition under this paragraph.'';
            (6) in subparagraph (H)(i) (as redesignated by paragraph 
        (3) of this section), by striking ``subparagraph (H)'' and 
        inserting ``subparagraph (I)'';
            (7) in subparagraph (I) (as redesignated by paragraph (3) 
        of this section), by striking ``an agreement with a private, 
        nonprofit entity'' and inserting ``a grant, contract, 
        cooperative agreement, or other agreement with a private sector 
        for-profit or nonprofit entity'';
            (8) in subparagraph (J) (as redesignated by paragraph (3) 
        of this section)--
                    (A) in clause (i)--
                            (i) in subclause (I), by striking ``the 
                        private sector'' and inserting ``private sector 
                        for-profit and nonprofit entities, to be 
                        available to the extent provided by 
                        appropriations Acts'';
                            (ii) in subclause (II), by striking ``and 
                        metropolitan planning organizations'' and 
                        inserting ``metropolitan planning 
                        organizations, and private sector for-profit 
                        and nonprofit entities''; and
                            (iii) in subclause (III), by inserting 
                        ``for-profit or nonprofit'' after ``private 
                        sector'';
                    (B) in clause (ii), by striking ``prize awards'' 
                and inserting ``cash prize purses'';
                    (C) in clause (iv)--
                            (i) by inserting ``competition'' after ``A 
                        prize''; and
                            (ii) by striking ``the prize'' and 
                        inserting ``the cash prize purse'';
                    (D) in clause (v)--
                            (i) by striking ``amount of a prize'' and 
                        inserting ``amount of a cash prize purse'';
                            (ii) by inserting ``competition'' after 
                        ``announcement of the prize''; and
                            (iii) in subclause (I), by inserting 
                        ``competition'' after ``prize'';
                    (E) in clause (vi), by striking ``offer a prize'' 
                and inserting ``offer a cash prize purse''; and
                    (F) in clause (vii), by striking ``cash prizes'' 
                and inserting ``cash prize purses'';
            (9) in subparagraph (K) (as redesignated by paragraph (3) 
        of this section), by striking ``or providing a prize'' and 
        inserting ``a prize competition or providing a cash prize 
        purse''; and
            (10) in subparagraph (L)(ii) (as redesignated by paragraph 
        (3) of this section)--
                    (A) in subclause (I), by striking ``The Secretary'' 
                and inserting ``Not later than March 1 of each year, 
                the Secretary''; and
                    (B) in subclause (II)--
                            (i) in item (cc), by striking ``cash 
                        prizes'' both places it appears and inserting 
                        ``cash prize purses''; and
                            (ii) in item (ee), by striking ``agency'' 
                        and inserting ``Department''.

SEC. 11. MOTORCYCLE SAFETY.

    (a) Study.--The Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology of 
the Department of Transportation shall enter into an agreement, within 
45 days after the date of enactment of this Act, with the National 
Academy of Sciences to conduct a study on the most effective means of 
preventing motorcycle crashes.
    (b) Limitation.--The Department of Transportation may not provide a 
grant or any funds to a State, county, town, township, Indian tribe, 
municipal, or other local government to be used for any program to 
check helmet usage or create checkpoints for an operator of a 
motorcycle or passenger on a motorcycle until the Assistant Secretary 
submits to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and the 
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate a report on the study required under 
subsection (a).
    (c) Submittal to Congressional Committees.--The Assistant Secretary 
shall submit the report to the committees as described in subsection 
(b) within 30 days after receiving the results of the study from the 
National Academy of Sciences.

SEC. 12. PROHIBITION OF LOBBYING ACTIVITIES.

    No funds appropriated to the Secretary of Transportation shall be 
available for any activity whose purpose is to influence any pending 
Federal, State, or local legislation, except that this section shall 
not prevent officers or employees of the United States or of its 
departments or agencies from communicating to Members of Congress on 
the request of any Member or to Congress, through the proper channels, 
requests for legislation or appropriations which they deem necessary 
for the efficient conduct of the public business. Nothing in this 
section shall prohibit officers or employees of the United States or 
its departments or agencies from testifying before any Federal, State, 
or local legislative body upon the invitation of such legislative body.

SEC. 13. BRIDGE SAFETY.

    (a) Highway and Bridge Infrastructure Research and Development.--
Section 503(b)(3)(A)(i) of title 23, United States Code, is amended by 
inserting ``, including through corrosion prevention measures for 
structural integrity of bridges'' before the semicolon.
    (b) Research, Development, Testing, and Training for Railroad 
Safety.--Section 20108(a) of title 49, United States Code, is amended 
by inserting ``, including corrosion prevention measures and structural 
integrity of rail bridges'' before the period at the end.

SEC. 14. HAZARDOUS MATERIALS RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.

    Section 5118 of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)(2)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``and'';
                    (B) in subparagraph (B), by striking the period at 
                the end and inserting ``; and'' ; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following new 
                subparagraph:
                    ``(C) coordinate, as appropriate, with other 
                Federal agencies, including the National Institute of 
                Standards and Technology, the Department of Homeland 
                Security, and the Department of Energy.''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(c) Cooperative Research.--
            ``(1) In general.--As part of the program established in 
        subsection (a), the Secretary may carry out cooperative 
        research on hazardous materials transport.
            ``(2) National academies.--The Secretary may enter into an 
        agreement with the National Academies to support such research.
            ``(3) Research.--Research conducted under this subsection 
        may include activities related to--
                    ``(A) emergency planning and response, including 
                information and programs that can be readily assessed 
                and implemented in local jurisdictions;
                    ``(B) risk analysis and perception and data 
                assessment;
                    ``(C) commodity flow data, including voluntary 
                collaboration between shippers and first responders for 
                secure data exchange of critical information;
                    ``(D) integration of safety and security;
                    ``(E) cargo packaging and handling;
                    ``(F) hazmat release consequences; and
                    ``(G) materials and equipment testing.''.

SEC. 15. WEB-BASED TRAINING FOR EMERGENCY RESPONDERS.

    Section 5115(a) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by 
inserting ``, including online curriculum as appropriate,'' after ``a 
current curriculum of courses''.
                                 <all>