[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 202 (Friday, December 21, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H10516-H10517]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION REPORTS HARMONIZATION ACT

  Mr. MAST. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass 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.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows

                                S. 3367

       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 ``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.

[[Page H10517]]

``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--
       (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''.



  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Mast) and the gentlewoman from Nevada (Ms. Titus) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida.


                             General Leave

  Mr. MAST. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on S. 3367.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Florida?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. MAST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, S. 3367 enhances transparency for certain Department of 
Transportation reports, eliminates or sunsets certain advisory boards, 
and makes technical amendments to the rail improvement grants.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve 
the balance of my time.
  Ms. TITUS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill makes changes to reporting requirements for 
the Department of Transportation, requiring various agencies to be more 
transparent to the public by making some of these reports available on 
DOT's website. Those would include the Northeast Corridor Safety 
Committee report and some Federal environmental reviews.
  The bill also requires that any changes in fees or charges for 
attending the Merchant Marine Academy be posted publicly online as 
well.
  The bill makes the results of State performance targets set in the 
State highway safety plans publicly available and directs GAO to review 
States' progress in achieving these performance targets, including how 
States are utilizing grants and problems that may be encountered in 
achieving their targets.
  The review will be important to Congress when considering the next 
reauthorization of the surface transportation bill.
  Finally, this bill sunsets the Northeast Corridor Safety Committee 
and the National Rail Cooperative Research Program Oversight Committee 
upon full completion of positive train control along the Northeast 
Corridor, and it makes technical changes in reorganizing the rail 
improvement grant section under title 49.
  It does a lot of good things to improve transparency, both for the 
public and for Congress.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the bill, 
and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. MAST. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mast) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, S. 3367.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. MASSIE. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

                          ____________________