[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 144 (Thursday, October 6, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: October 6, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
               FEDERAL RAILROAD SAFETY AUTHORIZATION ACT

                                 ______


                        EXON AMENDMENT NO. 2633

  Mr. Ford (for Mr. Exon) proposed an amendment to the bill (S. 2132) 
to authorize appropriations to carry out the Federal Railroad Safety 
Act of 1970, and for other purposes; as follows:

           SUBTITLE A--HIGH-RISK AND ALCOHOL-IMPAIRED DRIVERS

     SEC. 211. FINDINGS.

       The Congress makes the following findings:
       (1) The Nation's traffic fatality rate has declined from 
     5.5 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled in 1966 to 
     an historic low of an estimated 1.8 deaths per 100 million 
     vehicle miles traveled during 1992. In order to further this 
     desired trend, the safety programs and policies implemented 
     by the Department of Transportation must be continued, and at 
     the same time, the focus of these efforts as they pertain to 
     high risk drivers of all ages must be strengthened.
       (2) Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death 
     among teenagers, and teenage drivers tend to be at fault for 
     their fatal crashes more often than older drivers. Drivers 
     who are 16 to 20 years old comprised 7.4 percent of the 
     United States population in 1991 but were involved in 15.4 
     percent of fatal motor vehicle crashes. Also, on the basis of 
     crashes per 100,000 licensed drivers, young drivers are the 
     highest risk group of drivers.
       (3) During 1991, 6,630 teenagers from age 15 through 20 
     died in motor vehicle crashes. This tragic loss demands that 
     the Federal Government intensify its efforts to promote 
     highway safety among members of this high risk group.
       (4) The consumption of alcohol, speeding over allowable 
     limits or too fast for road conditions, inadequate use of 
     occupant restraints, and other high risk behaviors are 
     several of the key causes for this tragic loss of young 
     drivers and passengers. The Department of Transportation, 
     working cooperatively with the States, student groups, and 
     other organizations, must reinvigorate its current programs 
     and policies to address more effectively these pressing 
     problems of teenage drivers.
       (5) In 1991 individuals aged 70 years and older, who are 
     particularly susceptible to injury, were involved in 12 
     percent of all motor vehicle traffic crash fatalities. These 
     deaths accounted for 4,828 fatalities out of 41,462 total 
     traffic fatalities.
       (6) The number of older Americans who drive is expected to 
     increase dramatically during the next 30 years. 
     Unfortunately, during the last 15 years, the Department of 
     Transportation has supported an extremely limited program 
     concerning older drivers. Research on older driver behavior 
     and licensing has suffered from intermittent funding at 
     amounts that were insufficient to address the scope and 
     nature of the challenges ahead.
       (7) A major objective of United States transportation 
     policy must be to promote the mobility of older Americans 
     while at the same time ensuring public safety on our Nation's 
     highways. In order to accomplish these two objectives 
     simultaneously, the Department of Transportation must support 
     a vigorous and sustained program of research, technical 
     assistance, evaluation, and other appropriate activities that 
     are designed to reduce the fatality and crash rate of older 
     drivers who have identifiable risk characteristics.

     SEC. 212. DEFINITIONS.

       For purposes of this subtitle--
       (1) The term ``high risk driver'' means a motor vehicle 
     driver who belongs to a class of drivers that, based on 
     vehicle crash rates, fatality rates, traffic safety violation 
     rates, and other factors specified by the Secretary, presents 
     a risk of injury to the driver and other individuals that is 
     higher than the risk presented by the average driver.
       (2) The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of 
     Transportation.

     SEC. 213. POLICY AND PROGRAM DIRECTION.

       (a) General Responsibility of Secretary.--The Secretary 
     shall develop and implement effective and comprehensive 
     policies and programs to promote safe driving behavior by 
     young drivers, older drivers, and repeat violators of traffic 
     safety regulations and laws.
       (b) Safety Promotion Activities.--The Secretary shall 
     promote or engage in activities that seek to ensure that--
       (1) cost effective and scientifically-based guidelines and 
     technologies for the nondiscriminatory evaluation and 
     licensing of high risk drivers are advanced;
       (2) model driver training, screening, licensing, control, 
     and evaluation programs are improved;
       (3) uniform or compatible State driver point systems and 
     other licensing and driver record information systems are 
     advanced as a means of identifying and initially evaluating 
     high risk drivers; and
       (4) driver training programs and the delivery of such 
     programs are advanced.
       (c) Driver Training Research.--The Secretary shall explore 
     the feasibility and advisability of using cost efficient 
     simulation and other technologies as a means of enhancing 
     driver training; shall advance knowledge regarding the 
     perceptual, cognitive, and decision making skills needed for 
     safe driving and to improve driver training; and shall 
     investigate the most effective means of integrating 
     licensing, training, and other techniques for preparing 
     novice drivers for the safe use of highway systems.
                   SUBTITLE B--YOUNG DRIVER PROGRAMS

     SEC. 221. STATE GRANTS FOR YOUNG DRIVER PROGRAMS.

       (a) Establishment of Grant Program.--Chapter 4 of title 23, 
     United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
     following new section:

     ``Sec. 411. Programs for young drivers

       ``(a) General Authority.--Subject to the provisions of this 
     section, the Secretary shall make basic and supplemental 
     grants to those States which adopt and implement programs for 
     young drivers which include measures, described in this 
     section, to reduce traffic safety problems resulting from the 
     driving performance of young drivers. Such grants may only be 
     used by recipient States to implement and enforce such 
     measures.
       ``(b) Maintenance of Effort.--No grant may be made to a 
     State under this section in any fiscal year unless such State 
     enters into such agreements with the Secretary as the 
     Secretary may require to ensure that such State will maintain 
     its aggregate estimated expenditures from all other sources 
     for programs for young drivers at or above the average level 
     of such expenditures in its 2 fiscal years preceding the 
     fiscal year in which the High Risk Drivers Act of 1994 is 
     enacted.
       ``(c) Federal Share.--No State may receive grants under 
     this section in more than 5 fiscal years. The Federal share 
     payable for any grant under this section shall not exceed--
       ``(1) in the first fiscal year a State receives a grant 
     under this section, 75 percent of the cost of implementing 
     and enforcing in such fiscal year the young driver program 
     adopted by the State pursuant to subsection (a);
       ``(2) in the second fiscal year the State receives a grant 
     under this section, 50 percent of the cost of implementing 
     and enforcing in such fiscal year such program; and
       ``(3) in the third, fourth, and fifth fiscal years the 
     State receives a grant under this section, 25 percent of the 
     cost of implementing and enforcing in such fiscal year such 
     program.
       ``(d) Maximum Amount of Basic Grants.--Subject to 
     subsection (c), the amount of a basic grant made under this 
     section for any fiscal year to any State which is eligible 
     for such a grant under subsection (e) shall equal 30 percent 
     of the amount apportioned to such State for fiscal year 1989 
     under section 402 of this title. A grant to a State under 
     this section shall be in addition to the State's 
     apportionment under section 402, and basic grants during any 
     fiscal year may be proportionately reduced to accommodate an 
     applicable statutory obligation limitation for that fiscal 
     year.
       ``(e) Eligibility for Basic Grants.--
       ``(1) General.--For purposes of this section, a State is 
     eligible for a basic grant if such State--
       ``(A) establishes and maintains a graduated licensing 
     program for drivers under 18 years of age that meets the 
     requirements of paragraph (2); and
       ``(B)(i) in the first year of receiving grants under this 
     section, meets three of the seven criteria specified in 
     paragraph (3);
       ``(ii) in the second year of receiving such grants, meets 
     four of such criteria;
       ``(iii) in the third year of receiving such grants, meets 
     five of such criteria;
       ``(iv) in the fourth year of receiving such grants, meets 
     six of such criteria; and
       ``(v) in fifth year of receiving such grants, meets six of 
     such criteria. For purposes of subparagraph (B), a State 
     shall be treated as having met one of the requirements of 
     paragraph (3) for any year if the State demonstrates to the 
     satisfaction of the Secretary that, for the 3 preceding 
     years, the alcohol fatal crash involvement rate for 
     individuals under the age of 21 has declined in that State 
     and the alcohol fatal crash involvement rate for such 
     individuals has been lower in that State than the average 
     such rate for all States.
       ``(2) Graduated licensing program.--
       ``(A) A State receiving a grant under this section shall 
     establish and maintain a graduated licensing program 
     consisting of the following licensing stages for any driver 
     under 18 years of age:
       ``(i) An instructional license, valid for a minimum period 
     determined by the Secretary, under which the licensee shall 
     not operate a motor vehicle unless accompanied in the front 
     passenger seat by the holder of a full driver's license.
       ``(ii) A provisional driver's license which shall not be 
     issued unless the driver has passed a written examination on 
     traffic safety and has passed a roadtest administered by the 
     driver licensing agency of the State.
       ``(iii) A full driver's license which shall not be issued 
     until the driver has held a provisional license for at least 
     1 year with a clean driving record.
       ``(B) For purposes of subparagraph (A)(iii), subsection 
     (f)(1), and subsection (f)(6)(B), a provisional licensee has 
     a clean driving record if the licensee--
       ``(i) has not been found, by civil or criminal process, to 
     have committed a moving traffic violation during the 
     applicable period;
       ``(ii) has not been assessed points against the license 
     because of safety violations during such period; and
       ``(iii) has satisfied such other requirements as the 
     Secretary may prescribe by regulation.
       ``(C) The Secretary shall determine the conditions under 
     which a State shall suspend provisional driver's licenses in 
     order to be eligible for a basic grant. At a minimum, the 
     holder of a provisional license shall be subject to driver 
     control actions that are stricter than those applicable to 
     the holder of a full driver's license, including warning 
     letters and suspension at a lower point threshold.
       ``(D) For a State's first 2 years of receiving a grant 
     under this section, the Secretary may waive the clean driving 
     record requirement of subparagraph (A)(iii) if the State 
     submits satisfactory evidence of its efforts to establish 
     such a requirement.
       ``(3) Criteria for basic grant.--The seven criteria 
     referred to in paragraph (1)(B) are as follows:
       ``(A) The State requires that any driver under 21 years of 
     age with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.02 percent or 
     greater when driving a motor vehicle shall be deemed to be 
     driving while intoxicated for the purpose of (i) 
     administrative or judicial sanctions or (ii) a law or 
     regulation that prohibits any individual under 21 years of 
     age with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.02 percent or 
     greater from driving a motor vehicle.
       ``(B) The State has a law or regulation that provides a 
     mandatory minimum penalty of at least $500 for anyone who in 
     violation of State law or regulation knowingly, or without 
     checking for proper identification, provides or sells alcohol 
     to any individual under 21 years of age.
       ``(C) The State requires that the license of a driver under 
     21 years of age be suspended for a period specified by the 
     State if such driver is convicted of the unlawful purchase or 
     public possession of alcohol. The period of suspension shall 
     be at least 6 months for a first conviction and at least 12 
     months for a subsequent conviction; except that specific 
     license restrictions may be imposed as an alternative to such 
     minimum periods of suspension where necessary to avoid undue 
     hardship on any individual.
       ``(D) The State conducts youth-oriented traffic safety 
     enforcement activities, and education and training programs--
       ``(i) with the participation of judges and prosecutors, 
     that are designed to ensure enforcement of traffic safety 
     laws and regulations, including those that prohibit drivers 
     under 21 years of age from driving while intoxicated, 
     restrict the unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, and 
     establish other moving violations; and
       ``(ii) with the participation of student and youth groups, 
     that are designed to ensure compliance with such traffic 
     safety laws and regulations.
       ``(E) The State prohibits the possession of any open 
     alcoholic beverage container, or the consumption of any 
     alcoholic beverage, in the passenger area of any motor 
     vehicle located on a public highway or the right-of-way of a 
     public highway; except as allowed in the passenger area, by 
     persons (other than the driver), of a motor vehicle designed 
     to transport more than 10 passengers (including the driver) 
     while being used to provide charter transportation of 
     passengers.
       ``(F) The State provides, to a parent or legal guardian of 
     any provisional licensee, general information prepared with 
     the assistance of the insurance industry on the effect of 
     traffic safety convictions and at-fault accidents on 
     insurance rates for young drivers.
       ``(G) The State requires that a provisional driver's 
     license may be issued only to a driver who has satisfactorily 
     completed a State-accepted driver education and training 
     program that meets Department of Transportation guidelines 
     and includes information on the interaction of alcohol and 
     controlled substances and the effect of such interaction on 
     driver performance, and information on the importance of 
     motorcycle helmet use and safety belt use.
       ``(f) Supplemental Grant Program.--
       ``(1) Extended application of provisional license 
     requirement.--For purposes of this section, a State is 
     eligible for a supplemental grant for a fiscal year in an 
     amount, subject to subsection (c), not to exceed 10 percent 
     of the amount apportioned to such State for fiscal year 1989 
     under section 402 of this title if such State is eligible for 
     a basic grant and in addition such State requires that a 
     driver under 21 years of age shall not be issued a full 
     driver's license until the driver has held a provisional 
     license for at least 1 year with a clean driving record as 
     described in subsection (e)(2)(B).
       ``(2) Remedial driver education.--For purposes of this 
     section, a State is eligible for a supplemental grant for a 
     fiscal year in an amount, subject to subsection (c), not to 
     exceed 5 percent of the amount apportioned to such State for 
     fiscal year 1989 under section 402 of this title if such 
     State is eligible for a basic grant and in addition such 
     State requires, at a lower point threshold than for other 
     drivers, remedial driver improvement instruction for drivers 
     under 21 years of age and requires such remedial instruction 
     for any driver under 21 years of age who is convicted of 
     reckless driving, excessive speeding, driving under the 
     influence of alcohol, or driving while intoxicated.
       ``(C) The driver shall be--
       ``(3) Record of serious convictions; habitual or repeat 
     offender sanctions.--For purposes of this section, a State is 
     eligible for a supplemental grant for a fiscal year in an 
     amount, subject to subsection (c), not to exceed 5 percent of 
     the amount apportioned to such State for fiscal year 1989 
     under section 402 of this title if such State is eligible for 
     a basic grant and in addition such State--
       ``(A) requires that a notation of any serious traffic 
     safety conviction of a driver be maintained on the driver's 
     permanent traffic record for at least 10 years after the date 
     of the conviction; and
       ``(B) provides additional sanctions for any driver who, 
     following conviction of a serious traffic safety violation, 
     is convicted during the next 10 years of one or more 
     subsequent serious traffic safety violations.
       ``(4) Interstate Driver License Compact.--The State is a 
     member of and substantially complies with the interstate 
     agreement known as the Driver License Compact, promptly and 
     reliably transmits and receives through electronic means 
     interstate driver record information (including information 
     on commercial drivers) in cooperation with the Secretary and 
     other States, and develops and achieves demonstrable annual 
     progress in implementing a plan to ensure that (i) each court 
     of the State report expeditiously to the State driver 
     licensing agency all traffic safety convictions, license 
     suspensions, license revocations, or other license 
     restrictions, and driver improvement efforts sanctioned or 
     ordered by the court, and that (ii) such records be available 
     electronically to appropriate government officials (including 
     enforcement, officers, judges, and prosecutors) upon request 
     at all times.
       ``(5) The State has a law or regulation that provides a 
     minimum penalty of at least $100 for anyone who in violation 
     of State law or regulation drives any vehicle through, 
     around, or under any crossing, gate, or barrier at a railroad 
     crossing while such gate or barrier is closed or being opened 
     or closed.
       ``(6) Vehicle Seizure Program.--The State ha a law or 
     regulation that--
       ``(A) mandates seizure by the State or any political 
     subdivision thereof of any vehicle driven by an individual in 
     violation of an alcohol-related traffic safety law, if such 
     violator has been convicted on more than one occasion of an 
     alcohol-related traffic offense within any 5-year period 
     beginning after the date of enactment of this section, or has 
     been convicted of driving while his or her driver's license 
     is suspended or revoked by reason of a conviction for such an 
     offense;
       ``(B) mandates that the vehicle be forfeited to the State 
     or a political subdivision thereof if the vehicle was solely 
     owned by such violator at the time of the violation;
       ``(C) requires that the vehicle be returned to the owner if 
     the vehicle was a stolen vehicle at the time of the 
     violation; and
       ``(D) authorizes the vehicle to be released to a member of 
     such violator's family, the co-owner, or the owner, if the 
     vehicle was not a stolen vehicle and was not solely owned by 
     such violator at the time of the violation, and if the family 
     member, co-owner, or owner, prior to such release, executes a 
     binding agreement that the family member, co-owner, or owner 
     will not permit such violator to drive the vehicle and that 
     the vehicle shall be forfeited to the State or a political 
     subdivision thereof in the event such violator drives the 
     vehicle with the permission of the family member, co-owner or 
     owner.
       ``(g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are 
     authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section, 
     $9,000,000 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1996, 
     $12,000,000 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1997, 
     and $14,000,000 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 
     1998, $16,000,000 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 
     1999, and $18,000,000 for the fiscal year ending September 
     30, 2000.''.
       (b) Conforming Amendment.--The analysis of chapter 4 of 
     title 23, United States Code, is amended by inserting 
     immediately after the item relating to section 410 the 
     following new item:

``411. Programs for young drivers.''.
       (c) Deadlines for Issuance of Regulations.--The Secretary 
     shall issue and publish in the Federal Register proposed 
     regulations to implement section 411 of title 23, United 
     States Code (as added by this section), not later than 6 
     months after the date of enactment of this Act. The final 
     regulations for such implementation shall be issued, 
     published in the Federal Register, and transmitted to 
     Congress not later than 12 months after such date of 
     enactment.

     SEC. 222. PROGRAM EVALUATION.

       (a) Evaluation by Secretary.--The Secretary shall, under 
     section 403 of title 23, United States Code, conduct an 
     evaluation of the effectiveness of State provisional driver's 
     licensing programs and the grant program authorized by 
     section 411 of title 23, United States Code (as added by 
     section 101 of this Act).
       (b) Report to Congress.--By January 1, 1997, the Secretary 
     shall transmit a report on the results of the evaluation 
     conducted under subsection (a) and any related research to 
     the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
     Senate and the Committee on Public Works and Transportation 
     of the House of Representatives. The report shall include any 
     related recommendations by the Secretary for legislative 
     changes.
                   SUBTITLE C--OLDER DRIVER PROGRAMS

     SEC. 231. OLDER DRIVER SAFETY RESEARCH.

       (a) Research on Predictability of High Risk Driving.--
       (1) The Secretary shall conduct a program that funds, 
     within budgetary limitations, the research challenges 
     presented in the Transportation Research Board's report 
     entitled ``Research and Development Needs for Maintaining the 
     Safety and Mobility of Older Drivers'' and the research 
     challenges pertaining to older drivers presented in a report 
     to Congress by the National Highway Traffic Safety 
     Administration entitled ``Addressing the Safety Issues 
     Related to Younger and Older Drivers''.
       (2) To the extent technically feasible, the Secretary shall 
     consider the feasibility and further the development of cost 
     efficient, reliable tests capable of predicting increased 
     risk of accident involvement or hazardous driving by older 
     high risk drivers.
       (b) Specialized Training for License Examiners.--The 
     Secretary shall encourage and conduct research and 
     demonstration activities to support the specialized training 
     of license examiners or other certified examiners to increase 
     their knowledge and sensitivity to the transportation needs 
     and physical limitations of older drivers, including 
     knowledge of functional disabilities related to driving, and 
     to be cognizant of possible countermeasures to deal with the 
     challenges to safe driving that may be associated with 
     increasing age.
       (c) Counseling Procedures and Consultation Methods.--The 
     Secretary shall encourage and conduct research and 
     disseminate information to support and encourage the 
     development of appropriate counseling procedures and 
     consultation methods with relatives, physicians, the traffic 
     safety enforcement and the motor vehicle licensing 
     communities, and other concerned parties. Such procedures and 
     methods shall include the promotion of voluntary action by 
     older high risk drivers to restrict or limit their driving 
     when medical or other conditions indicate such action is 
     advisable. The Secretary shall consult extensively with the 
     American Association of Retired Persons, the American 
     Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, the American 
     Occupational Therapy Association, the American Automobile 
     Association, the Department of Health and Human Services, the 
     American Public Health Association, and other interested 
     parties in developing educational materials on the 
     interrelationship of the aging process, driver safety, and 
     the driver licensing process.
       (d) Alternative Transportation Means.--The Secretary shall 
     ensure that the agencies of the Department of Transportation 
     overseeing the various modes of surface transportation 
     coordinate their policies and programs to ensure that funds 
     authorized under the Intermodal Surface Transportation 
     Efficiency Act of 1991 (Public Law 102-240; 105 Stat. 1914) 
     and implementing Department of Transportation and Related 
     Agencies Appropriation Acts take into account the 
     transportation needs of older Americans by promoting 
     alternative transportation means whenever practical and 
     feasible.
       (e) State Licensing Practices.--The Secretary shall 
     encourage State licensing agencies to use restricted licenses 
     instead of canceling a license whenever such action is 
     appropriate and if the interests of public safety would be 
     served, and to closely monitor the driving performance of 
     older drivers with such licenses. The Secretary shall 
     encourage States to provide educational materials of benefit 
     to older drivers and concerned family members and physicians. 
     The Secretary shall promote licensing and relicensing 
     programs in which the applicant appears in person and shall 
     promote the development and use of cost effective screening 
     processes and testing of physiological, cognitive, and 
     perception factors as appropriate and necessary. Not less 
     than one model State program shall be evaluated in light of 
     this subsection during each of the fiscal years 1996 through 
     1998. Of the sums authorized under subsection (i), $250,000 
     is authorized for each such fiscal year for such evaluation.
       (f) Improvement of Medical Screening.--The Secretary shall 
     conduct research and other activities designed to support and 
     encourage the States to establish and maintain medical review 
     or advisory groups to work with State licensing agencies to 
     improve and provide current information on the screening and 
     licensing of older drivers. The Secretary shall encourage the 
     participation of the public in these groups to ensure 
     fairness and concern for the safety and mobility needs of 
     older drivers.
       (g) Intelligent Vehicle-Highway Systems.--In implementing 
     the Intelligent Vehicle-Highway Systems Act of 1991 (23 
     U.S.C. 307 note), the Secretary shall ensure that the 
     National Intelligent Vehicle-Highway Systems Program devotes 
     sufficient attention to the use of intelligent vehicle-
     highway systems to aid older drivers in safely performing 
     driver functions. Federally-sponsored research, development, 
     and operational testing shall ensure the advancement of night 
     vision improvement systems, technology to reduce the 
     involvement of older drivers in accidents occurring at 
     intersections, and other technologies of particular benefit 
     to older drivers.
       (h) Technical Evaluations Under Intermodal Surface 
     Transportation Efficiency Act.--In conducting the technical 
     evaluations required under section 6055 of the Intermodal 
     Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (Public Law 
     102-240; 105 Stat. 2192), the Secretary shall ensure that the 
     safety impacts on older drivers are considered, with special 
     attention being devoted to ensuring adequate and effective 
     exchange of information between the Department of 
     Transportation and older drivers or their representatives.
       (i) Authorization of Appropriations.--Of the funds 
     authorized under section 403 of title 23, United States Code, 
     $1,250,000 is authorized for each of the fiscal years 1995 
     through 1997, to support older driver programs described in 
     subsections (a), (b), (c), (e), and (f).
                     SUBTITLE D--HIGH RISK DRIVERS

     SEC. 241. STUDY ON WAYS TO IMPROVE TRAFFIC RECORDS OF ALL 
                   HIGH RISK DRIVERS.

       (a) In General.--Within 1 year after the date of enactment 
     of this Act, the Secretary shall complete a study to 
     determine whether additional or strengthened Federal 
     activities, authority, or regulatory actions are desirable or 
     necessary to improve or strengthen the driver record and 
     control systems of the States to identify high risk drivers 
     more rapidly and ensure prompt intervention in the licensing 
     of high risk drivers. The study, which shall be based in part 
     on analysis obtained from a request for information published 
     in the Federal Register, shall consider steps necessary to 
     ensure that State traffic record systems are unambiguous, 
     accurate, current, accessible, complete, and (to the extent 
     useful) uniform among the States.
       (b) Specific Matters for Consideration.--Such study shall 
     at a minimum consider--
       (1) whether specific legislative action is necessary to 
     improve State traffic record systems;
       (2) the feasibility and practicality of further encouraging 
     and establishing a uniform traffic ticket citation and 
     control system;
       (3) the need for a uniform driver violation point system to 
     be adopted by the States;
       (4) the need for all the States to participate in the 
     Driver License Reciprocity Program conducted by the American 
     Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators;
       (5) ways to encourage the States to cross-reference driver 
     license files and motor vehicle files to facilitate the 
     identification of individuals who may not be in compliance 
     with driver licensing laws; and
       (6) the feasibility of establishing a national program that 
     would limit each driver to one driver's license from only one 
     State at any time.
       (c) Evaluation of National Information Systems.--As part of 
     the study required by this section, the Secretary shall 
     consider and evaluate the future of the national information 
     systems that support driver licensing. In particular, the 
     Secretary shall examine whether the Commercial Driver's 
     License Information System, the National Driver Register, and 
     the Driver License Reciprocity program should be more closely 
     linked or continue to exist as separate information systems 
     and which entities are best suited to operate such systems 
     effectively at the least cost. The Secretary shall cooperate 
     with the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators 
     in carrying out this evaluation.

     SEC. 242. STATE PROGRAMS FOR HIGH RISK DRIVERS.

       The Secretary shall encourage and promote State driver 
     evaluation, assistance, or control programs for high risk 
     drivers. These programs may include in-person license 
     reexaminations, driver education or training courses, license 
     restrictions or suspensions, and other actions designed to 
     improve the operating performance of high risk drivers.
                          SUBTITLE E--FUNDING

     SEC. 251. FUNDING.

       (b) Increase in Amounts Available for Alcohol-impaired 
     Driving Countermeasures Grants.--In addition to any amount 
     otherwise appropriated or available for such use, the 
     Secretary of Transportation is authorized to obligate 
     $15,000,000 for fiscal years 1995, 1996, and 1997 for the 
     purpose of carrying out section 410 of title 23, United 
     States Code.

     SEC. 251. FUNDING FOR 23 USC 410 PROGRAM.

       In addition to any amount otherwise appropriated or 
     available for such use, there are authorized to be 
     appropriated $15,000,000 for fiscal years 1995, 1996, and 
     1997 for the purpose of carrying out section 410 of title 23, 
     United States Code.

                          ____________________