[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 138 (Tuesday, August 3, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5782-S5783]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 2450. Mr. BARRASSO (for himself, Mr. Tester, Mr. Daines, Mr. 
Thune, and Mr. Cramer) submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
to amendment SA 2137 proposed by Mr. Schumer (for Ms. Sinema (for 
herself, Mr. Portman, Mr. Manchin, Mr. Cassidy, Mrs. Shaheen, Ms. 
Collins, Mr. Tester, Ms. Murkowski, Mr. Warner, and Mr. Romney)) to the 
bill H.R. 3684, to authorize funds for Federal-aid highways, highway 
safety programs, and transit programs, and for other purposes; which 
was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

        At the end of subtitle B of title I of division A, add the 
     following:

     SEC. 112__. EXEMPTIONS FOR LOW POPULATION DENSITY STATES.

       Section 150 of title 23, United States Code, is amended by 
     adding at the end the following:
       ``(f) Exemptions for Low Population Density States.--
       ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall grant, on the 
     election of and in consultation with a State, an exemption 
     from 1 or more of the requirements described in paragraph 
     (2)(A) if the State--
       ``(A) is on the list of eligible States under paragraph (5) 
     for the applicable performance period; and
       ``(B) provides a written notice of the election that 
     includes an explanation under paragraph (4)(A).
       ``(2) Requirements described.--
       ``(A) State requirements.--The requirements from which a 
     State described in paragraph (1) may elect an exemption are--
       ``(i) requirements established under subclauses (IV) and 
     (V) of subsection (c)(3)(A)(ii);
       ``(ii) requirements established under subsection (c)(5)(A);
       ``(iii) requirements established under subsection (c)(6); 
     and
       ``(iv) targeting, data, reporting, or administrative 
     requirements established under subsections (d) and (e) that 
     are related to a requirement described in clause (i), (ii), 
     or (iii) from which the State elects to receive an exemption.
       ``(B) Metropolitan planning organization requirements.--A 
     metropolitan planning organization with a metropolitan 
     planning area that is located entirely within a State that is 
     exempt shall be exempt from the requirements under section 
     134(h)(2)(B) that relate to each measure described in 
     subparagraph (A) from which the State of the metropolitan 
     planning organization is exempt.
       ``(3) Term.--An exemption applied under paragraph (1) --
       ``(A) shall be in effect until the date that is 4 years 
     after the date on which the performance period promulgated by 
     the Secretary under subsection (d) in effect at the time the 
     exemption is applied ends; and
       ``(B) may be renewed by the State for an additional 4-year 
     term at the end of each performance period if, in accordance 
     with paragraph (4)--
       ``(i) the State submits another written explanation; and
       ``(ii) the State continues to be included on the list of 
     eligible States under paragraph (5).
       ``(4) Notification of election of exemption.--
       ``(A) In general.--To be eligible to make an election under 
     paragraph (1), not later than September 1 of the calendar 
     year preceding the calendar year in which the next 
     performance period promulgated by the Secretary under 
     subsection (d) begins, a State described in that paragraph--
       ``(i) shall submit to the Secretary--

       ``(I) identification of the 1 or more requirements 
     described in paragraph (2)(A) for which an exemption is 
     elected; and
       ``(II) a written notice that includes an explanation 
     advising the Secretary that the State is not experiencing 
     significant performance issues on the surface transportation 
     system of the State with respect to each requirement referred 
     to in subclause (I); and

       ``(ii) may submit to the Secretary any other information or 
     material that the State chooses to include in the notice.
       ``(B) Special rule.--Notwithstanding the deadline described 
     in subparagraph (A), a State described in paragraph (1) may 
     submit a notice under subparagraph (A) at any time before 
     September 1, 2022.
       ``(5) Eligible states.--
       ``(A) In general.--Not later than 60 days after the date of 
     enactment of this subsection and thereafter, on each 
     September 1 of the calendar year 2 years prior to the 
     calendar year in which the next performance period 
     promulgated by the Secretary under subsection (d) begins, the 
     Secretary shall publish a list of States that may elect to 
     receive an exemption from a requirement described in 
     paragraph (2)(A).
       ``(B) Inclusions.--The Secretary shall include on the list 
     under subparagraph (A)--
       ``(i) any State that--

       ``(I) has a population per square mile of area that is less 
     than the population per square mile of area of the United 
     States, based on the latest available Bureau of the Census 
     data at the time the Secretary publishes the list;
       ``(II) does not include an urbanized area with a population 
     of over 200,000 within the State; and
       ``(III) has no repeated delays or other persistent 
     impediments to travel reliability on the portions of the 
     National Highway System in the State that the Secretary 
     determines to be excessive; and

       ``(ii) based on the latest available Bureau of the Census 
     data at the time the Secretary publishes the list, any State 
     that--

       ``(I) has a population density of less than 15 persons per 
     square mile of area; and
       ``(II) does not include an urbanized area with a population 
     of over 200,000.

       ``(6) National reporting.--
       ``(A) Eligible states.--For each State included on the list 
     of eligible States under paragraph (5), the Secretary shall 
     submit to the Committee on Environment and Public Works of 
     the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and 
     Infrastructure of the House of Representatives a report on 
     the status of traffic congestion, travel reliability, truck 
     travel reliability, and any other relevant performance 
     metrics on the portions of the National Highway System in the 
     State, including any delays or impediments that the Secretary 
     determines to be excessive.

[[Page S5783]]

       ``(B) Exempt states.--For each eligible State under 
     paragraph (5) that elects to receive an exemption under 
     paragraph (1), the Secretary shall--
       ``(i) submit to the Committee on Environment and Public 
     Works of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and 
     Infrastructure of the House of Representatives a report on 
     the results of performance measures for all exemptions 
     applied to that State under this subsection; and
       ``(ii) make publicly available as part of the State 
     performance dashboard on the Department of Transportation 
     website information on the performance of the State with 
     respect to any requirements from which the State is 
     exempt.''.
                                 ______