[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5105 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






114th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5105

   To ensure that the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority 
 includes board members who have certified expertise in certain areas, 
                        and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 28, 2016

 Mr. Delaney (for himself, Mr. Meadows, and Mrs. Comstock) introduced 
    the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the 
Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government 
 Reform, 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 ensure that the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority 
 includes board members who have certified expertise in certain areas, 
                        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 ``WMATA Governance Reform Act''.

SEC. 2. WMATA BOARD APPOINTMENTS.

    (a) Federal Approval.--The Government shall not approve an 
amendment to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Compact 
(an interstate compact created effective February 20, 1967), unless the 
signatories of the compact, the District of Columbia, the State of 
Maryland, and the Commonwealth of Virginia, certify that beginning 
after the date of implementation of the amended compact and thereafter, 
that each signatory will appoint an absolute majority of the Board of 
Directors of the Authority with the expertise described in subsection 
(b).
    (b) Areas of Expertise.--
            (1) In general.--The expertise of an absolute majority of 
        Directors referred to in subsections (a) and (c) shall include 
        1 or more of the following qualifications:
                    (A) A certified transit expert who has served in a 
                senior executive capacity, or the equivalent, of a 
                transit authority in the United States.
                    (B) A certified management expert who is currently 
                or has previously served for 5 or more years and has in 
                his or her capacity managed, directly or indirectly, 
                more than 1,000 full-time employees--
                            (i) as a president, chief operating 
                        officer, chief executive officer, chairman, or 
                        managing partner of an equivalent position of a 
                        qualifying business or nonprofit entity; or
                            (ii) as the president or most senior 
                        manager of a division of a qualifying business.
                    (C) A certified financial expert who meets the 
                standards of an audit committee financial expert under 
                New York Stock Exchange rules.
                    (D) A certified safety expert who has a minimum of 
                5 years of experience as a chairman, director, senior 
                investigator or equivalent position of a transportation 
                or transit safety board in the United States.
            (2) Other signatory appointments.--If a signatory appoints 
        an individual to the Board of Directors who does not meet the 
        qualifications of subsection (b), the signatory shall provide 
        the Board with an explanation of the individual's 
        qualifications and why such qualifications will be beneficial 
        to the Board.
    (c) Federal Appointments.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of Transportation shall 
        ensure that the next 3 Federal appointments to the Board of 
        Directors of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority 
        and an absolute majority thereafter have the qualifications 
        described in subsection (b) and to the extent practicable, 
        include appointees who reflect the diversity of the communities 
        in the region served by the Authority.
            (2) Other possible federal appointments.--If the Secretary 
        of Transportation appoints an individual to the Board of 
        Directors who does not meet the qualifications of subsection 
        (b), the Secretary shall provide the Board with an explanation 
        of the individual's qualifications and why such qualifications 
        will be beneficial to the Board.
    (d) Definition of Qualifying Business.--For purposes of this 
section, the term ``qualifying business'' means a corporation, 
partnership, or limited liability entity that is engaged primarily in 
operating activities and not investing activities.
                                 <all>