[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 199 (Tuesday, December 18, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7804-S7805]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 4159. Mr. BOOZMAN (for Mr. Thune) proposed an amendment to the
bill S. 3367, to amend certain transportation-related reporting
requirements to improve congressional oversight, reduce reporting
burdens, and promote transparency, and for other purposes; as follows:
Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the
following:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Department of Transportation
Reports Harmonization Act''.
SEC. 2. PUBLIC AVAILABILITY OF CHARGES AND FEES FOR
ATTENDANCE AT UNITED STATES MERCHANT MARINE
ACADEMY.
Section 51314(b) of title 46, United States Code, is
amended by striking ``shall notify Congress of'' and
inserting ``shall present at the next meeting of the Board of
Visitors, and post on a publicly available website,''.
SEC. 3. PUBLIC AVAILABILITY OF INFORMATION ON ALIGNING
FEDERAL ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEWS.
Section 310(f)(1) of title 49, United States Code, is
amended by inserting ``, and make publicly available on the
Department of Transportation website,'' after ``House of
Representatives''.
SEC. 4. REPORTING ON THE NORTHEAST CORRIDOR.
(a) Northeast Corridor Safety Committee Report.--Section
24905(e) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by
striking paragraph (3).
(b) Contents of Grant Requests.--
(1) In general.--Section 24319(c) of title 49, United
States Code, is amended--
(A) in paragraph (2), by striking ``; and'' and inserting a
semicolon;
(B) in paragraph (3), by striking the period at the end and
inserting ``; and''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(4) describe the status of efforts to improve safety and
security on the Northeast Corridor main line, including a
description of any efforts to implement recommendations of
relevant railroad safety advisory committees.''.
(2) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this subsection or an
amendment made by this subsection shall affect a grant
request made under section 24319 of title 49, United States
Code, before the date of enactment of this Act.
SEC. 5. HIGHWAY SAFETY PROGRAMS REPORT TO CONGRESS.
(a) DOT Reports.--Section 402 of title 23, United States
Code, is amended by striking subsection (n) and inserting the
following:
``(n) Public Transparency.--The Secretary shall publicly
release on its website information that contains each State's
performance with respect to the State's highway safety plan
under subsection (k) and performance targets set by the
States in such plans. Such information shall be posted on the
website within 45 calendar days of approval of a State's
highway safety plan.''.
(b) GAO Report.--
(1) In general.--The Comptroller General of the United
States shall conduct a review of the highway safety programs
under section 402 of title 23, United States Code. In
carrying out the review, the Comptroller General shall review
States' progress in achieving safety performance targets,
including how States are utilizing grants and problems
encountered in achieving such targets.
(2) Submission.--Not later than 2 years after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United
States shall submit a report to the Committee on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation of the Senate and Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of
Representatives that contains the results of the study
conducted under paragraph (1), including any recommendations
for improvements to State activities and the Secretary of
Transportation's administration of the highway safety
programs.
SEC. 6. CESSATION OF CERTAIN ADVISORY COUNCILS AND ADVISORY
COMMITTEES.
(a) Northeast Corridor Safety Committee.--Section 24905(e)
of title 49, United States Code, as amended by this Act, is
further amended by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the
following:
``(2) Sunset.--The Committee established under this
subsection ceases to exist on the date that the Secretary
determines positive train control, as required by section
20157, is fully implemented along the Northeast Corridor.''.
(b) National Rail Cooperative Research Program Oversight
Committee.--Section 24910(c) of title 49, United States Code,
is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(3) Sunset.--The advisory board established under this
subsection ceases to exist effective January 1, 2019.''.
SEC. 7. TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS TO RAIL IMPROVEMENT GRANTS.
(a) Redesignation.--Subtitle V of title 49, United States
Code, is amended--
(1) by redesignating sections 24401 through 24408 as
sections 22901 through 22908, respectively;
(2) by redesignating chapter 244 as chapter 229;
(3) by moving chapter 229, as redesignated, to appear at
the end of part B;
(4) in the table of chapters--
(A) by striking the item relating to chapter 244; and
(B) by inserting after the item relating to chapter 227 the
following:
``Chapter 229. Rail Improvement Grants....................22901'';....
and
(5) by amending the table of sections for chapter 229, as
redesignated, to read as follows:
``CHAPTER 229--RAIL IMPROVEMENT GRANTS
``Sec.
``22901. Definitions.
``22902. Capital investment grants to support intercity passenger rail
services.
``22903. Project management oversight.
``22904. Use of capital grants to finance first-dollar liability of
grant project.
``22905. Grant conditions.
``22906. Authorization of appropriations.
``22907. Consolidated rail infrastructure and safety improvements.
``22908. Restoration and enhancement grants.''.
(b) Technical and Conforming Amendments.--
(1) Technical amendments.--Chapter 229 of title 49, United
States Code, as redesignated, is amended--
(A) in section 22902, as redesignated--
(i) in subsection (c)(3)(A)--
(I) in the matter preceding clause (i), by inserting ``of''
after ``other modes''; and
(II) in clause (vi) by striking ``environmentally'' and
inserting ``environmental''; and
(ii) in subsection (k), by striking ``state rail plan'' and
inserting ``State rail plan''; and
(B) in section 22905(e)(1), as redesignated--
(i) by striking ``government authority'' and inserting
``governmental authority''; and
(ii) by striking ``section 5302(11) and (6), respectively,
of this title'' and inserting ``section 5302''.
(2) Conforming amendments.--Chapter 229 of title 49, United
States Code, as redesignated, is amended--
(A) in section 22901(2)(D), as redesignated, by striking
``24404'' and inserting ``22904'';
(B) in section 22904, as redesignated, by striking
``24402'' and inserting ``22902'';
(C) in section 22905(e)(1), as redesignated, by striking
``24102(4) of this title'' and inserting ``24102'';
(D) in section 22907, as redesignated--
[[Page S7805]]
(i) in subsection (c)(2), by striking ``24401(2)'' and
inserting ``22901(2)''; and
(ii) in subsection (k), by striking ``of sections 24402,
24403, and 24404 and the definition contained in 24401(1)''
and inserting ``under sections 22902, 22903, and 22904, and
the definition contained in section 22901(1)''; and
(E) in section 22908, as redesignated--
(i) in subsection (a), in the matter preceding paragraph
(1), by striking ``24401(1)'' and inserting ``22901(1)''; and
(ii) in subsection (i)(3), by striking ``24405'' and
inserting ``22905''.
(3) Additional conforming amendments.--
(A) Subtitle v.--Subtitle V of title 49, United States
Code, is amended--
(i) in part C--
(I) in section 24102(7)(D)(ii), by striking ``chapter 244''
and inserting ``chapter 229'';
(II) in section 24103, by inserting ``or chapter 229''
after ``this part'' each place it appears;
(III) in section 24711(c)(3), by striking ``24405'' and
inserting ``22905''; and
(IV) in section 24911(i), by striking ``24405'' and
inserting ``22905''; and
(ii) in part D, in section 26106(e)(3), by striking ``24405
of this title'' and inserting ``22905''.
(B) Railroad safety enhancement act of 2008.--The Passenger
Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 (division B of
Public Law 110-432) is amended--
(i) in section 301(c) (49 U.S.C. 24405 note), by striking
``24405(a)'' and inserting ``22905(a)''; and
(ii) in section 502(a)(4)(I) (49 U.S.C. 26106 note), by
striking ``24405'' and inserting ``22905''.
(C) FAST act.--The Fixing America's Surface Transportation
Act (Public Law 114-94; 129 Stat. 1312) is amended--
(i) in section 11102, by adding at the end the following:
``(c) Conforming Provision for Redesignation of Applicable
Section.--Any amounts authorized under this section for
grants or project management oversight under section 24407 of
such title shall be deemed to refer to grants or project
management oversight under section 22907 of such title on or
after the date of enactment of the Department of
Transportation Reports Harmonization Act.'';
(ii) in section 11104, by adding at the end the following:
``(c) Conforming Provision for Redesignation of Applicable
Section.--Any amounts authorized under this section for
grants or project management oversight under section 24408 of
such title shall be deemed to refer to grants or project
management oversight under section 22908 of such title on or
after the date of enactment of the Department of
Transportation Reports Harmonization Act.'';
(iii) in section 11308(a)(4)(I), by striking ``24405'' and
inserting ``22905''; and
(iv) in section 11401(b)(5), by striking ``chapter 244''
and inserting ``chapter 229''.
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