[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 185 (Monday, December 5, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8184-S8185]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. KOHL (for himself and Mr. Wyden):
  S. 1942. A bill to amend title 49, United States Code, to improve 
transportation for seniors, and for other purposes; to the Committee on 
Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
  Mr. KOHL. Mr President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the 
bill be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                S. 1942

       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 ``Senior Transportation and 
     Mobility Improvement Act of 2011''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds the following:
       (1) According to projections from the 2010 decennial 
     census, the number of individuals in the United States who 
     are 65 years of age or older will increase from 40,000,000 in 
     2010 to 72,000,000 in 2030. Yet, a 2004 report by the Surface 
     Transportation Policy Project found that more than 1 in 5 (or 
     21 percent) of individuals who are 65 years of age or older 
     do not drive.
       (2) According to a 2011 report by the National Association 
     of Area Agencies on Aging, inadequate transportation options 
     for older adults has emerged as the second greatest challenge 
     identified by communities during the 5-year period ending in 
     2011.
       (3) According to a 2004 report by the Surface 
     Transportation Policy Project, more than \1/2\ of seniors who 
     are 65 years of age and older (numbering 3,600,000 
     individuals) who no longer drive due to a decline in health, 
     stay at home on any given day partially because they lack 
     transportation options. Alternatives to driving are 
     particularly sparse in some regions and in rural and small 
     town communities.
       (4) According to a 2004 report by the Surface 
     Transportation Policy Project, compared with older drivers, 
     older non-drivers in the United States make 15 percent fewer 
     trips to the doctor, 59 percent fewer shopping trips, and 65 
     percent fewer trips for social, family, and religious 
     activities.
       (5) In 2009, the program under section 5310 of title 49, 
     United States Code, provided more than 43,000,000 rides to 
     older adults and people with disabilities.
       (6) Access to mobility management services help transit and 
     human services systems meet the needs of older adults and 
     people with disabilities. This person-centered strategy helps 
     individuals and families review available transportation 
     options and support their decisions regarding the 
     transportation options that are best suited to their 
     circumstances, preferences and mobility needs.

     SEC. 3. PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SERVICES FOR ELDERLY 
                   INDIVIDUALS AND INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES.

       (a) Elderly Individuals and Individuals With 
     Disabilities.--
       (1) Use of funds.--Section 5310 of title 49, United States 
     Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(i) Operating Costs.--

[[Page S8185]]

       ``(1) Definition.--In this subsection, the term `covered 
     amounts' means, for a fiscal year, any amounts apportioned to 
     a State under this section in excess of the amounts 
     apportioned to the State under this section for fiscal year 
     2010.
       ``(2) Use of funds.--A State may use not more than 33 
     percent of any covered amounts for costs relating to the 
     operation and maintenance of vehicles and other capital 
     assets acquired by the State using funds under this section, 
     including insurance, fuel, and driver compensation.
       ``(3) Federal share.--The Federal share of the cost of 
     operation and maintenance carried out using funds under this 
     subsection may not exceed 50 percent.''.
       (2) Additional requirements for grant recipients.--Section 
     5310(d) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding 
     at the end the following:
       ``(3) Reporting requirements.--Each recipient of funding 
     under this section shall submit to the Administrator of the 
     Federal Transit Administration an annual report that 
     describes how the recipient will coordinate, or is 
     coordinating, the activities carried out by the recipient 
     using a grant under this section with the activities, if any, 
     carried out by the recipient using a grant under title III of 
     the Older Americans Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3021 et seq.).''.
       (3) Federal share.--Section 5310(c)(1)(B) of title 49, 
     United States Code, is amended--
       (A) by striking ``(B) Exception.--A State'' and inserting 
     the following:
       ``(B) Exceptions.--
       ``(i) Certain states.--A State''; and
       (B) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(ii) Mobility management.--A grant under this section for 
     a capital project described in section 5302(a)(1)(L) shall be 
     for 90 percent of the capital costs of the project, as 
     determined by the Secretary.''.
       (b) National Transit Database.--Section 5335 of title 49, 
     United States Code, is amended--
       (1) in subsection (b), by striking ``section 5307 or 5311'' 
     and inserting ``section 5307, 5310, or 5311''; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(c) Data Relating to Sections 5310 and 5311.--The 
     reporting and uniform systems established under subsection 
     (a) shall include information with respect to activities 
     carried out using a grant under section 5310 or 5311, 
     including, for each recipient of a grant under section 5310 
     or 5311 and for each State--
       ``(1) the number of vehicles purchased; and
       ``(2) the number of rides provided.''.

     SEC. 4. METROPOLITAN AND STATEWIDE TRANSPORTATION PLANNING.

       (a) Metropolitan Transportation Planning.--Section 5303(i) 
     of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the 
     end the following:
       ``(8) Participation by older individuals and people with 
     disabilities.--
       ``(A) Definitions.--In this paragraph, the terms 
     `disability' and `older individual' have the same meanings as 
     in section 102 of the Older Americans Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 
     3002).
       ``(B) Participation required.--In developing a 
     transportation plan under this section, a metropolitan 
     planning organization shall--
       ``(i) ensure that organizations that represent older 
     individuals and individuals with disabilities (including 
     community action agencies, area agencies on aging, aging and 
     disability resource centers, and other representatives of the 
     aging and disability networks) have a reasonable opportunity 
     to comment on the transportation plan and document the 
     efforts of the metropolitan planning organization to solicit 
     such comments;
       ``(ii) take into consideration any comments received under 
     clause (i) and document how any such comments were taken into 
     consideration in the development of the transportation plan; 
     and
       ``(iii) give organizations that represent older individuals 
     and individuals with disabilities (including community action 
     agencies, area agencies on aging, aging and disability 
     resource centers, and other representatives of the aging and 
     disability networks) an opportunity to review and comment on 
     the transportation plan before the transportation plan 
     becomes final.''.
       (b) Statewide Transportation Planning.--Section 5304 of 
     title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end 
     the following:
       ``(k) Participation by Older Individuals and People With 
     Disabilities.--
       ``(1) Definitions.--In this subsection, the terms 
     `disability' and `older individual' have the same meanings as 
     in section 102 of the Older Americans Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 
     3002).
       ``(2) Participation required.--In developing a statewide 
     transportation plan or a statewide transportation improvement 
     program under this section, a State shall--
       ``(A) ensure that organizations that represent older 
     individuals and individuals with disabilities have a 
     reasonable opportunity to comment on the plan or program and 
     document the efforts of the State to solicit such comments;
       ``(B) take into consideration any comments received under 
     subparagraph (A) and document how any such comments were 
     taken into consideration in the development of the plan or 
     program; and
       ``(C) give organizations that represent older individuals 
     and individuals with disabilities an opportunity to review 
     and comment on the plan or program before the plan or program 
     becomes final.''.

     SEC. 5. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND MOBILITY MANAGEMENT.

       (a) Technical Assistance.--
       (1) Definition.--For purposes of this subsection--
       (A) the term ``eligible entity'' means a nonprofit 
     organization that provides transportation services to older 
     individuals;
       (B) the term ``older individual'' has the same meaning as 
     in section 102 of the Older Americans Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 
     3002); and
       (C) the term ``urbanized area'' has the same meaning as in 
     section 5302 of title 49, United States Code.
       (2) In general.--The Administrator of the Federal Transit 
     Administration shall enter into a cooperative agreement with 
     the National Center on Senior Transportation--
       (A) to provide technical assistance to transit and human 
     services organizations;
       (B) to disseminate best practices with respect to 
     transportation for older individuals to consumers, Federal, 
     State, and local transportation and aging services providers, 
     and researchers; and
       (C) to make grants to eligible entities to test innovative 
     and replicable approaches for addressing the mobility needs 
     of older individuals, including individuals in other than 
     urbanized areas.
       (3) Authorization of appropriations.--There are authorized 
     to be appropriated to carry out this subsection--
       (A) $5,500,000 for fiscal year 2012; and
       (B) $6,000,000 for fiscal year 2013.
       (b) Mobility Management Program.--
       (1) In general.--The Federal Transit Administration shall 
     make grants to nonprofit aging services organizations--
       (A) to offer mobility management services, including 
     mobility management activities and projects described in 
     section 5302(a)(1)(L) of title 49, United States Code; and
       (B) to develop and implement enhanced technology to support 
     mobility management services.
       (2) Authorization of appropriations.--There are authorized 
     to be appropriated to carry out this subsection--
       (A) $3,000,000 for fiscal year 2012; and
       (B) $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2013.
                                 ______