[House Report 114-606]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


114th Congress    }                                          {    Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 2d Session       }                                          {   114-606

======================================================================



 
 DEPARTMENTS OF TRANSPORTATION, AND HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, AND 
               RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS BILL, 2017

                                _______
                                

  June 7, 2016.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 
              State of the Union and ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

        Mr. Diaz-Balart, from the Committee on Appropriations, 
                        submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                             together with

                             MINORITY VIEWS

                        [To accompany H.R. 5394]

    The Committee on Appropriations submits the following 
report in explanation of the accompanying bill making 
appropriations for the Departments of Transportation, and 
Housing and Urban Development, and related agencies for the 
fiscal year ending September 30, 2017.

                        INDEX TO BILL AND REPORT

                      __________________________


                                                            Page number

                                                            Bill Report
Title I--Department of Transportation......................     2    5
                                                                      
Title II--Department of Housing and Urban Development......    68   64
                                                                     
Title III--Related Agencies................................   146   100
                                                                    
Title IV--General Provisions...............................   150   105
                                                                    

                     PROGRAM, PROJECT, AND ACTIVITY

    During fiscal year 2017, for the purposes of the Balanced 
Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Public Law 
99-177), as amended, with respect to appropriations contained 
in the accompanying bill, the terms ``program, project, and 
activity'' (PPA) shall mean any item for which a dollar amount 
is contained in appropriations acts (including joint 
resolutions providing continuing appropriations) and 
accompanying reports of the House and Senate Committees on 
Appropriations, or accompanying conference reports and joint 
explanatory statements of the committee of conference. This 
definition shall apply to all programs for which new budget 
(obligational) authority is provided, as well as to 
discretionary grants and discretionary grant allocations made 
through either bill or report language. In addition, the 
percentage reductions made pursuant to a sequestration order to 
funds appropriated for facilities and equipment, Federal 
Aviation Administration, shall be applied equally to each 
budget item that is listed under said account in the budget 
justifications submitted to the House and Senate Committees on 
Appropriations as modified by subsequent appropriations acts 
and accompanying committee reports, conference reports, or 
joint explanatory statements of the committee of conference.
    The Committee expects that the operating plans will address 
each number listed in the reports, and warns that efforts to 
operate programs at levels contrary to the levels recommended 
and directed in these reports would not be advised.

              OPERATING PLANS AND REPROGRAMMING GUIDELINES

    The Committee includes a provision (Sec. 405) establishing 
the authority by which funding available to the agencies funded 
by this act may be reprogrammed for other purposes. The 
provision specifically requires the advance approval of the 
House and Senate Committees on Appropriations of any proposal 
to reprogram funds that:
           creates a new program;
           eliminates a program, project, or activity 
        (PPA);
           increases funds or personnel for any PPA for 
        which funds have been denied or restricted by the 
        Congress;
           redirects funds that were directed in such 
        reports for a specific activity to a different purpose;
           augments an existing PPA in excess of 
        $5,000,000 or 10 percent, whichever is less;
           reduces an existing PPA by $5,000,000 or 10 
        percent, whichever is less; or
           creates, reorganizes, or restructures 
        offices different from the congressional budget 
        justifications or the table at the end of the Committee 
        report, whichever is more detailed.
    The Committee retains the requirement that each agency 
submit an operating plan to the House and Senate Committees on 
Appropriations not later than 60 days after enactment of this 
Act to establish the baseline for application of reprogramming 
and transfer authorities provided in this Act. Specifically, 
each agency must provide a table for each appropriation with 
columns displaying the budget request; adjustments made by 
Congress; adjustments for rescissions, if appropriate; and the 
fiscal year enacted level. The table shall delineate the 
appropriation both by object class and by PPA. The report also 
must identify items of special Congressional interest. In 
certain instances, the Committee may direct the agency to 
submit a revised operating plan for approval or may direct 
changes to the operating plan if the plan is not consistent 
with the directives of the conference report and statement of 
the managers.
    The Committee expects the agencies and bureaus to submit 
reprogramming requests in a timely manner and to provide a 
thorough explanation of the proposed reallocations, including a 
detailed justification of increases and reductions and the 
specific impact of proposed changes on the budget request for 
the following fiscal year. Any reprogramming request shall 
include any out-year budgetary impacts and a separate 
accounting of program or mission impacts on estimated carryover 
funds. Reprogramming procedures shall apply to funds provided 
in this bill, unobligated balances from previous appropriations 
Acts that are available for obligation or expenditure in fiscal 
year 2017, and non-appropriated resources such as fee 
collections that are used to meet program requirements in 
fiscal year 2017.
    The Committee expects each agency to manage its programs 
and activities within the amounts appropriated by Congress. The 
Committee reminds agencies that reprogramming requests should 
be submitted only in the case of an unforeseeable emergency or 
a situation that could not have been anticipated when 
formulating the budget request for the current fiscal year. 
Except in emergency situations, reprogramming requests should 
be submitted no later than June 30, 2017. Further, the 
Committee notes that when a Department or agency submits a 
reprogramming or transfer request to the Committees on 
Appropriations and does not receive identical responses from 
the House and Senate, it is the responsibility of the 
Department to reconcile the House and Senate differences before 
proceeding and, if reconciliation is not possible, to consider 
the request to reprogram funds unapproved.
    The Committee would also like to clarify that this section 
applies to working capital funds of both HUD and DOT and that 
no funds may be obligated from working capital fund accounts to 
augment programs, projects or activities for which 
appropriations have been specifically rejected by the Congress, 
or to increase funds or personnel for any PPA above the amounts 
appropriated by this Act.

                  CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET JUSTIFICATIONS

    Budget justifications are the primary tool used by the 
House and Senate Committees on Appropriations to evaluate the 
resource requirements and fiscal needs of agencies. The 
Committee is aware that the format and presentation of budget 
materials is largely left to the agency within presentation 
objectives set forth by the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB). In fact, OMB Circular A-11, part 1 specifically 
instructs agencies to consult with congressional committees 
beforehand. The Committee expects that all agencies funded 
under this Act will heed this directive.
    The Committee expects all of the budget justifications to 
provide the data needed to make appropriate and meaningful 
funding decisions. The Committee continues the direction that 
justifications submitted with the fiscal year 2018 budget 
request by agencies funded under this Act contain the customary 
level of detailed data and explanatory statements to support 
the appropriations requests at the level of detail contained in 
the funding table included at the end of this report. Among 
other items, agencies shall provide a detailed discussion of 
proposed new initiatives, proposed changes in the agency's 
financial plan from prior year enactment, detailed data on all 
programs, and comprehensive information on any office or agency 
restructurings. At a minimum, each agency must also provide 
adequate justification for funding and staffing changes for 
each individual office and materials that compare programs, 
projects, and activities that are proposed for fiscal year 2018 
to the fiscal year 2017 enacted levels.
    The Committee is aware that the analytical materials 
required for review by the Committee are unique to each agency 
in this Act. Therefore, the Committee expects that each agency 
will coordinate with the House and Senate Committees on 
Appropriations in advance on its planned presentation for its 
budget justification materials in support of the fiscal year 
2018 budget request.

                 TITLE I--DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

                        Office of the Secretary

                         SALARIES AND EXPENSES

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................      $108,750,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................       114,396,000
Recommended in the bill...............................       112,000,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................        +3,250,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................        -2,396,000
 

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The bill provides $112,000,000 for the salaries and 
expenses of the offices comprising the Office of the Secretary 
of Transportation (OST). The Committee's recommendation is 
$3,250,000 above the 2016 enacted level and $2,396,000 below 
the request. The Committee's recommendation includes individual 
funding for each of these offices as has been done in prior 
years. The following table (dollars in thousands) compares the 
fiscal year 2016 enacted level to the fiscal year 2017 budget 
request and the Committee's recommendation by office. The 
Committee strongly urges the Department to manage hiring and 
attrition in 2016 to meet these levels for 2017. Reductions are 
also encouraged in the areas of travel and contracts.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                 2016 enacted     2017 request   2017 House Bill
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Office of the Secretary......................................           $2,734           $2,758           $2,758
Deputy Secretary.............................................            1,025            1,040            1,040
Executive Secretariat........................................            1,737            1,760            1,760
Under Secretary for Transportation Policy....................            9,941           11,108           10,033
Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization.................            1,434            - - -            - - -
Intelligence and Security and Emergency Response.............           10,793           11,089           11,089
Chief Information Officer....................................           16,280           17,084           16,485
General Counsel..............................................           20,609           20,772           20,772
Assistant Secretary for Government Affairs...................            2,546            2,569            2,546
Assistant Secretary for Budget and Programs..................           13,697           14,020           14,019
Assistant Secretary for Administration.......................           25,925           30,054           29,356
Public Affairs...............................................            2,029            2,142            2,142
                                                              --------------------------------------------------
      Total: Salaries and Expenses...........................          108,750          114,396          112,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Immediate Office of the Secretary.--The immediate Office of 
the Secretary has primary responsibility to provide overall 
planning, direction, and control of departmental affairs.
    Immediate Office of the Deputy Secretary.--The Office of 
the Deputy Secretary has primary responsibility to assist the 
Secretary in the overall planning, direction, and control of 
departmental affairs. The Deputy Secretary serves as the chief 
operating officer of the Department of Transportation.
    Executive Secretariat.--The Executive Secretariat assists 
the Secretary and Deputy Secretary in carrying out their 
responsibilities by controlling and coordinating internal and 
external documents.
    Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization.--
The budget request proposed merging the Office of Small and 
Disadvantaged Business Utilization with the appropriation for 
Minority Business Outreach to create one office addressing the 
needs of these stakeholders. The Committee's recommendation 
reflects this reorganization and funds are provided under the 
header ``Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization and 
Outreach.''
    Office of the Chief Information Officer.--The Office of the 
Chief Information Officer serves as the principal advisor to 
the Secretary on information resources and information systems 
management.
    Office of the Assistant Secretary for Governmental 
Affairs.--The Office of the Assistant Secretary for 
Governmental Affairs is responsible for coordinating all 
Congressional, intergovernmental, and consumer activities of 
the Department.
    The bill continues a provision (Sec. 185) that requires the 
Department to notify the Committees on Appropriations no fewer 
than three business days before any discretionary grant award, 
letter of intent, loan, loan guarantee, line of credit 
commitment or full funding grant agreement totaling $1,000,000 
or more is announced by the Department or its modal 
administrations from: (1) the Federal Highway Administration; 
(2) the airport improvement program of the Federal Aviation 
Administration; (3) the Federal Railroad Administration; (4) 
any program of the Federal Transit Administration other than 
the formula grants; (5) the Maritime Administration; and (6) 
any grant funded with the National Infrastructure Investments 
account. Such notification shall include the date on which the 
official announcement of the grant is to be made and no such 
announcement shall involve funds that are not available for 
obligation. The habit adopted by this Administration of 
selecting only certain congressional offices to receive the 
benefit of a four day advance notice is disingenuous and 
contrary to the spirit of the provision, which was created to 
give all offices an equal notice for any award.
    Office of the General Counsel.--The Office of the General 
Counsel provides legal services to the Office of the Secretary 
and coordinates and reviews the legal work of the chief 
counsels' offices of the operating administrations.
    Office of the Assistant Secretary for Budget and 
Programs.--The Assistant Secretary for Budget and Programs is 
responsible for developing, reviewing, and presenting budget 
resource requirements for the Department to the Secretary, 
Congress, and the Office of Management and Budget.
    Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration.--The 
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration serves as 
the principal advisor to the Secretary on department-wide 
administrative matters and the responsibilities include 
leadership in acquisition reform and human capital.
    Office of Public Affairs.--The Office of Public Affairs is 
responsible for the Department's press releases, articles, 
briefing materials, publications, and audio-visual materials.
    Office of Intelligence, Security, and Emergency Response.--
The Office of Intelligence, Security, and Emergency Response is 
responsible for intelligence, security policy, preparedness, 
training and exercises, national security, and operations.
    Office of the Under Secretary of Transportation for 
Policy.--The Office of the Under Secretary of Transportation 
for Policy serves as the Department's chief policy officer, and 
is responsible for the coordination and development of 
departmental policy and legislative initiatives; international 
standards development and harmonization; aviation and other 
transportation-related trade negotiations; the performance of 
policy and economic analysis; and the execution of the 
Essential Air Service program.
    Operating plan.--The Committee directs the Department to 
submit an operating plan for fiscal year 2017 signed by the 
Secretary for review by the Committees on Appropriations within 
60 days of the bill's enactment. The operating plan should 
include funding levels for the various offices, programs, and 
initiatives detailed down to the object class or program 
element covered in the budget justification and supporting 
documents, documents referenced in the House and Senate 
reports, and the statement of the managers (i.e. not simply the 
activities called out in bill language). Should the Department 
create, alter, discontinue, or otherwise change any program as 
described in the Department's budget justification, those 
changes must be a part of the Department's operating plan.
    Finally, the Department shall submit with the operating 
plan a summary of the DOT reporting requirements contained in 
the Act, the House and Senate reports, and the statement of the 
managers. The Committee requests a number of reports to gather 
information and conduct oversight. The summary should include 
Inspector General and Government Accountability Office reports 
as well.
    Non-motorized traffic fatalities.--Increasing traffic 
fatalities among non-motorized road users continues to be a 
problem in many areas. Select states have benefited from 
targeted technical assistance and training workshops aimed at 
updating their standards and practices to meet the needs of all 
road users, particularly non-motorized users. The Secretary, 
through its Safer People, Safer Streets initiative, is 
encouraged to conduct rigorous outreach to states and 
Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) regarding the 
availability of such training, with particular focus on states 
and MPOs with high rates of non-motorized road user fatalities, 
and ensure that such training is provided, to the maximum 
extent practicable.
    Accessibility performance measures.--The Secretary of 
Transportation, in coordination with the Federal Highway 
Administration and the Federal Transit Administration, is 
encouraged to establish an accessibility performance measure to 
be available to states, metropolitan planning organizations, 
and transit agencies to assess the degree to which the 
transportation system, including public transportation, 
provides multimodal connections to economic opportunities, 
including job concentration areas, health care services, child 
care services, and education and workforce training services, 
particularly for disadvantaged populations.
    General provisions.--The Committee renews its direction to 
justify each general provision proposed either in its relevant 
modal congressional justification or in the OST congressional 
justification. If the budget proposes to drop or delete a 
general provision, the Department is directed to explain the 
change as well.
    Bill language.--The bill continues language that permits up 
to $2,500,000 of fees to be credited to the Office of the 
Secretary for salaries and expenses, limits reception and 
representation expenses to $60,000, and allows for a transfer 
of up to five percent between offices.

                        RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................       $13,000,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................        18,007,000
Recommended in the bill...............................        13,000,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................             - - -
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................        -5,007,000
 

    The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and 
Technology coordinates, facilitates, and reviews the 
Department's research and development programs and activities; 
coordinating and developing positioning, navigation and timing 
(PNT) technology; maintaining PNT policy, coordination and 
spectrum management; managing the Nationwide Differential 
Global Positioning System; and overseeing and providing 
direction to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, the 
Intelligent Transportation Systems Joint Program Office, the 
University Transportation Centers program, the Volpe National 
Transportation Systems Center and the Transportation Safety 
Institute.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommendation provides $13,000,000 for 
research and technology activities, $5,007,000 below the budget 
request and the same level as fiscal year 2016. The 
recommendation does not include funds above the baseline 
account level for civil signal monitoring.

                  NATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................      $500,000,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................     1,250,000,000
Recommended in the bill...............................       450,000,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................       -50,000,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................      -800,000,000
 

    The National Infrastructure Investment program (also known 
as TIGER grants) was created in the American Recovery and 
Reinvestment Act to provide grants to state and local 
governments to improve the Nation's transportation 
infrastructure. The infrastructure investment program awards 
funds on a competitive basis to grantees selected because of 
the significant impact they will have on the Nation, a 
metropolitan area, or region.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $450,000,000 for National 
Infrastructure Investment grants, $50,000,000 below the 2016 
level and $800,000,000 below the request. Funds are 
discretionary from the general fund of the Treasury and 
available until September 30, 2019.
    The Committee provides funds for highway and bridge 
projects, transit projects, freight rail projects, and port 
infrastructure investments, including land ports of entry--the 
most critical areas to preserving, expanding, and improving our 
Nation's transportation infrastructure. The bill retains 
language directing an equitable distribution of funds and 
stipulates that not less than 20 percent of the funds shall be 
for projects in rural areas. Further, not more than 20 percent 
of the funds may be awarded to projects in a single state. Up 
to 20 percent of the funds may be used for the subsidy and 
administrative costs of projects eligible for Transportation 
Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act assistance. Bill 
language is included to limit grants to a minimum of $5,000,000 
and a maximum of $100,000,000 in urban areas, and a minimum of 
$1,000,000 in rural areas. The federal share for projects 
funded under this header is limited to 80 percent of the 
project cost in urban areas, and may exceed 80 percent in rural 
areas. The Secretary is directed to give priority to projects 
that require a federal contribution to complete overall 
financing. All projects must comply with subchapter IV of 
chapter 31 of title 40, United States Code. Further, the 
Secretary may utilize up to $20,000,000 of the funds available 
to fund the oversight and administrative requirements in the 
various modes.
    High growth areas are challenged by the high costs of 
infrastructure to support the growing economy, and often these 
areas must provide a local funding match that exceeds the 
federal requirement in order to complete transportation 
projects. The Committee strongly encourages the Department to 
take into consideration population growth, as well as the 
expanded port and waterways coming into operation in 2016 and 
beyond, and the matching funds when evaluating the impact and 
merit of the TIGER grant applications.

     NATIONAL SURFACE TRANSPORTATION AND INNOVATIVE FINANCE BUREAU

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................             - - -
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................        $3,000,000
Recommended in the bill...............................         3,000,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................        +3,000,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................             - - -
 

    The National Surface Transportation and Innovative Finance 
Bureau will administer and coordinate or consolidate aspects of 
the U.S. Department of Transportation's existing surface 
transportation innovative finance programs as authorized in 
section 9001 of the Fixing America's Surface Transportation 
(FAST) Act.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommendation includes $3,000,000 for the 
first year of the newly authorized National Surface 
Transportation and Innovative Finance Bureau, the same as the 
request.

                      FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT CAPITAL

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................        $5,000,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................         4,000,000
Recommended in the bill...............................         4,000,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................        -1,000,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................             - - -
 

    The financial management capital program continues funding 
beyond the deployment of DOT's multi-year project to upgrade 
DOT's financial systems, processes and reporting capabilities.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends the budget request of $4,000,000 
to complete the Department's financial management upgrade 
initiative, $1,000,000 below the prior year's funding level. 
This is the last year the Committee will provide funding for 
this initiative.

                       CYBER SECURITY INITIATIVE

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................        $8,000,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................        15,000,000
Recommended in the bill...............................        15,000,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................        +7,000,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................             - - -
 

    The cyber security initiative is an effort to close 
performance gaps in the Department's cybersecurity. The 
initiative includes support for essential program enhancements, 
infrastructure improvements and contractual resources to 
enhance the security of the Department's computer network and 
reduce the risk of security breaches.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommendation provides $15,000,000 to 
support the Secretary's cyber security initiative, which is 
$7,000,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and the 
same as the budget request.

                          DATA ACT COMPLIANCE

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................             - - -
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................        $4,000,000
Recommended in the bill...............................             - - -
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................             - - -
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................        -4,000,000
 

    The Digital Accountability and Transparency Act (DATA Act) 
(P.L. 113-101) created another set of requirements for agencies 
to report financial data.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommendation does not include specific 
funds for DATA Act activities. The Department requested 
$4,000,000. The Committee encourages the Department to refine 
existing reporting and financial statement capabilities to meet 
DATA Act goals without expending significant amounts of 
resources.

                         U.S. DIGITAL SERVICES

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................             - - -
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................        $1,000,000
Recommended in the bill...............................             - - -
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................             - - -
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................        -1,000,000
 

    The U.S digital services team is requested to provide 
private sector best practices in the disciplines of design, 
software engineering, and product management to DOT's most 
important services in consultation with DOT's Chief Information 
Officer.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommendation does not include funds for the 
creation of this new office.

                         OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................        $9,678,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................         9,751,000
Recommended in the bill...............................         9,751,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................           +73,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................             - - -
 

    The Office of Civil Rights is responsible for advising the 
Secretary on civil rights and equal opportunity issues, and 
ensuring the full implementation of the civil rights laws and 
departmental civil rights policies in all official actions and 
programs. This office is responsible for enforcing laws and 
regulations that prohibit discrimination in federally operated 
and federally assisted transportation programs and enabling 
access to transportation providers. The Office of Civil Rights 
also handles all civil rights cases affecting Department of 
Transportation employees.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $9,751,000 for the Office of Civil 
Rights, the same as the budget request and $73,000 more than 
the fiscal year 2016 funding level.

           TRANSPORTATION PLANNING, RESEARCH, AND DEVELOPMENT

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................        $8,500,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................        17,043,000
Recommended in the bill...............................        12,000,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................        +3,500,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................        -5,043,000
 

    This appropriation finances research activities and studies 
related to the planning, analysis, and information development 
used in the formulation of national transportation policies and 
plans. It also finances the staff necessary to conduct these 
efforts. The overall program is carried out primarily through 
contracts with other federal agencies, educational 
institutions, nonprofit research organizations, and private 
firms.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $12,000,000 
for transportation planning, research, and development, which 
is $3,500,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and 
$5,043,000 below the budget request.
    Of the funds provided, the recommendation includes 
approximately $7,000,000 for salaries and expenses, and 
$3,000,000 to support the permitting dashboard.
    Open skies evaluation.--The Committee recommendation 
includes $229,000 as requested for international regulatory 
cooperation and research/airline alliance research, global 
carrier research, the international transportation forum, and a 
``best practices''' initiative for implementing open skies 
aviation agreements. DOT is to use the funds to conduct 
economic analyses and review competition and regulatory 
standards, plus any signed agreements, to ensure that U.S. 
airlines and consumers realize the benefits of open skies 
agreements, but that the agreements are fair, especially as 
they relate to low-cost airlines and other emerging 
international competitors. Further, the review is to examine 
the issues and allegations of whether government subsidies have 
resulted in market distortions.
    Human trafficking prevention training for airline 
personnel.--Human trafficking is often facilitated by use of 
commercial air travel, due to its speed and convenience. The 
Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that there are 108,510 
flight attendants in the U.S. who, if properly trained, can 
help law enforcement properly identify suspected victims and 
traffickers to intercept and restrict the movement of these 
criminal networks. The Committee is concerned about the limited 
efficacy of current online training for airline personnel and 
encourages DOT to explore broad expert training for airline 
training staff at each major airline in the United States, 
which would include participation from trafficking survivors to 
help better understand the needs of victims.

                          WORKING CAPITAL FUND

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................      $190,039,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................             - - -
Recommended in the bill...............................       190,389,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................          +350,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................      +190,389,000
 

    The working capital fund was created to provide common 
administrative services to the operating administrations and 
outside entities that contract for the fund's services. The 
working capital fund operates on a fee-for-service basis and 
receives no direct appropriations; it is fully self-sustaining 
and must achieve full cost recovery.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends a limitation of $190,389,000 on 
the Working Capital Fund (WCF), an increase of $350,000 over 
the limit set in 2016. The Administration did not propose a WCF 
legislative limitation. The Committee continues to stipulate 
that the limitation is only for services provided to the 
Department of Transportation, not other entities. Further, the 
Committee directs that, as much as possible, services shall be 
provided on a competitive basis.

               MINORITY BUSINESS RESOURCE CENTER PROGRAM

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                          Limitation on
                                         Appropriation      guaranteed
                                                              loans
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......         $933,000    ($18,367,000)
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......          941,000            - - -
Recommended in the bill...............          941,000     (18,367,000)
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....           +8,000            - - -
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....            - - -    (+18,367,000)
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Through the short term lending program, the minority 
business resource center assists disadvantaged, minority, and 
women-owned businesses with obtaining short-term working 
capital for DOT and DOT-funded transportation-related 
contracts. The program enables qualified businesses to obtain 
loans at two percentage points above the prime interest rate 
with DOT guaranteeing up to 75 percent of the loan.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends a total of $941,000 for the 
resource center, the same as the budget request and $8,000 more 
than the 2016 amounts. Of the funds provided, $339,000 is to 
cover the subsidy costs of guaranteed loans and $602,000 is for 
administrative expenses to carry out the guaranteed loan 
program. The Committee recommends a limitation on guaranteed 
loans of $18,367,000, the same as the limitation in fiscal year 
2016.

       SMALL AND DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS UTILIZATION AND OUTREACH

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016\1\....................        $4,518,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................         4,646,000
Recommended in the bill...............................         4,646,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................          +128,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................             - - -
 
\1\The total of the fiscal year appropriations for Small and
  Disadvantaged Business Utilization ($1,434,000) and Minority Business
  Outreach ($3,084,000).

    The fiscal year 2017 budget proposes to merge the salaries 
and expenses of the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business 
Utilization with the minority business outreach program to 
provide contractual support to small and disadvantaged 
businesses and provide information dissemination and technical 
and financial assistance to empower those businesses to compete 
for contracting opportunities with DOT and DOT-funded contracts 
or grants for transportation-related projects.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends the budget request of $4,646,000 
for small and disadvantaged business utilization and outreach, 
which is $128,000 more than the 2016 level.
    The Committee encourages the Department to partner with 
Hispanic-serving institutions and historically black colleges 
and universities for research and information dissemination 
with regards to minority owned businesses.

                        PAYMENTS TO AIR CARRIERS

                    (AIRPORT AND AIRWAY TRUST FUND)

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................      $175,000,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................       150,000,000
Recommended in the bill...............................       150,000,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................       -25,000,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................             - - -
 

    The Essential Air Service program (EAS) was created by the 
Airline Deregulation Act of 1978 as a ten-year measure to 
continue air service to communities that had received air 
service prior to deregulation. The program currently provides 
subsidies to air carriers serving small communities that meet 
certain criteria.
    The Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act of 
1996 authorized the collection of ``overflight fees''. 
Overflight fees are a type of user fee collected by the Federal 
Aviation Administration (FAA) from aircraft that neither take 
off from, nor land in, the United States. The FAA Modernization 
and Reform Act of 2012 increased the authorized level of 
overflight fee collection, and increased the amount that the 
Department can apply to the EAS program. The budget request 
estimates that fee will provide $104,239,000 for the EAS 
program in fiscal year 2017.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    For fiscal year 2017, the Committee includes $150,000,000 
in discretionary funding for the EAS program, which is 
$25,000,000 below the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and the 
same as the budget request. This funding level is sufficient to 
continue service to all eligible EAS communities.
    The following table shows the discretionary, mandatory, and 
total program levels for the EAS program:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                   Appropriation     Mandatory     Total program
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FY 2016 Enacted.................................................    $175,000,000    $108,000,000    $283,000,000
FY 2017 Request.................................................     150,000,000     104,000,000     254,000,000
Committee Recommendation........................................     150,000,000     104,000,000     254,000,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Committee remains concerned about the growing costs 
associated with the EAS program. While limiting the program to 
current sites and eliminating the requirement that EAS carriers 
utilize 15-passenger aircraft have helped mitigate some of the 
cost growth, the Committee believes that the Department should 
continue to explore reforms to the program that will create 
greater competition among carriers and control overall costs.
    The Committee directs the Department to utilize all the 
overflight fees collected for this program to alleviate the 
discretionary funding requirement for the program.

  ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS--OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION

    Section 101. The Committee continues the provision 
prohibiting the Office of the Secretary of Transportation from 
approving assessments or reimbursable agreements pertaining to 
funds appropriated to the operating administrations in this 
Act, unless such assessments or agreements have completed the 
normal reprogramming process for Congressional notification.
    Section 102. The Committee continues the provision allowing 
the Department to use the Working Capital Fund to provide 
transit benefits to Federal employees.
    Section 103. The Committee continues the provision 
regarding administrative requirements of DOT's Credit Council.

                    Federal Aviation Administration

    The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is responsible 
for the safety and development of civil aviation and for the 
evolution of a national system of airports. The federal 
government's regulatory role in civil aviation began with the 
creation of an Aeronautics Branch within the Department of 
Commerce pursuant to the Air Commerce Act of 1926. This Act 
instructed the Secretary of Commerce to foster air commerce; 
designate and establish airways; establish, operate, and 
maintain aids to navigation; arrange for research and 
development to improve such aids; issue airworthiness 
certificates for aircraft and major aircraft components; and 
investigate civil aviation accidents. In the Civil Aeronautics 
Act of 1938, these activities were subsumed into a new, 
independent agency named the Civil Aeronautics Authority.
    After further administrative reorganizations, Congress 
streamlined regulatory oversight in 1957 with the creation of 
two separate agencies, the Federal Aviation Agency and the 
Civil Aeronautics Board. When the Department of Transportation 
began its operations on April 1, 1967, the Federal Aviation 
Agency was renamed the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), 
and became one of several modal administrations within the 
department. The Civil Aeronautics Board was later phased out 
with enactment of the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978, and 
ceased to exist at the end of 1984. FAA's mission expanded in 
1995 with the transfer of the Office of Commercial Space 
Transportation from the Office of the Secretary, and contracted 
in December 2001 with the transfer of civil aviation security 
activities to the new Transportation Security Administration.

                               OPERATIONS

                    (AIRPORT AND AIRWAY TRUST FUND)

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................    $9,909,724,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................     9,994,352,000
Recommended in the bill...............................     9,994,352,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................       +84,628,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................             - - -
 

    This appropriation provides funds for the operation, 
maintenance, communications, and logistical support of the air 
traffic control and air navigation systems. It also covers 
administrative and managerial costs for the FAA's regulatory, 
international, medical, engineering and development programs as 
well as policy oversight and overall management functions.
    The operations appropriation includes the following major 
activities: (1) operation on a 24-hour daily basis of a 
national air traffic system; (2) establishment and maintenance 
of a national system of aids to navigation; (3) establishment 
and surveillance of civil air regulations to ensure safety in 
aviation; (4) development of standards, rules and regulations 
governing the physical fitness of airmen, as well as the 
administration of an aviation medical research program; (5) 
administration of the acquisition, and research and development 
programs; (6) headquarters, administration, and other staff 
offices; and (7) development, printing, and distribution of 
aeronautical charts used by the flying public.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $9,994,352,000 for FAA operations, 
which is $84,628,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level 
and the same as the budget request.
    The following table shows a comparison of the fiscal year 
2016 enacted level, the budget request, and the Committee 
recommendation by budget activity:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                   FY 2016          FY 2017         Committee
                                                                   enacted          request       recommendation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air traffic organization.....................................    7,505,293,000    7,539,785,000    7,539,785,000
Aviation safety..............................................    1,258,411,000    1,286,982,000    1,291,982,000
Commercial space transportation..............................       17,800,000       19,826,000       19,826,000
Finance and management.......................................      760,500,000      771,342,000      770,342,000
NextGen......................................................       60,089,000       60,155,000       60,155,000
Security and Hazardous Materials Safety......................      100,880,000      107,161,000      107,161,000
Staff offices................................................      206,751,000      209,101,000      205,101,000
                                                              --------------------------------------------------
    Total....................................................    9,909,724,000    9,994,352,000    9,994,352,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Justification of general provisions.--The Committee 
continues its direction to provide a justification for each 
general provision proposed in the FAA budget, and therefore 
expects the fiscal year 2018 budget to include adequate 
information on each proposed general provision.

                     TRUST FUND SHARE OF FAA BUDGET

    The bill derives $9,049,000,000 of the total operations 
appropriation from the Airport and Airway Trust Fund. The 
balance of the appropriation, $945,352,000, will be drawn from 
the general fund of the Treasury.

                        AIR TRAFFIC ORGANIZATION

    The bill provides $7,539,785,000 for the air traffic 
organization, which is $34,492,000 above the 2016 enacted level 
and the same as the budget request.
    Contract tower program.--The Committee recommendation 
includes $159,000,000 for the contract tower program, including 
the contract tower cost-share program. The Committee continues 
to support the program as a safe, cost-efficient mechanism for 
providing air traffic services to pilots and local communities.
    Chicago O'Hare International Airport.--The Committee 
directs the FAA to continue to work expeditiously to identify 
appropriate short and long term mitigation measures to address 
local concerns that have been raised as a result of the O'Hare 
Modernization Program at Chicago O'Hare International Airport. 
The FAA is expected to provide a progress report on these 
measures to the Committee within 90 days of enactment of this 
Act.
    Contract weather observers.--Prior to eliminating the 
Contract Weather Observer (CWO) program, the Committee directs 
FAA to undertake a comprehensive study, with public and 
stakeholder input, and issue a report examining safety risks, 
hazard effects, efficiency, and operational effects on 
airports, airlines, and other stakeholders that could result 
from loss of CWO service at the 57 airports that are being 
evaluated for potential conversion from the loss of service. 
The FAA is directed to provide this report to House and Senate 
Committees on Appropriations immediately upon its completion. 
The Committee understands that this initiative could result in 
tangible savings in the operations account. The Committee 
therefore emphasizes that this direction should not preclude 
FAA from proceeding with this initiative for certain locations 
in fiscal year 2017 should it meet the above conditions for 
public outreach and analysis.
    Controller staffing.--The Committee notes FAA's inability 
to develop reliable numbers on how many controllers it needs 
and urges FAA to address the current staffing challenges as 
illustrated by a recent Inspector General (IG) report on the 
Nation's most critical facilities. The staffing challenges at 
FAA facilities are longstanding and are the result of many 
factors, including lack of management attention and an outdated 
staffing model for en route facilities. The Committee directs 
FAA to develop a plan for developing an updated controller 
staffing model for en route centers no later than 120 days 
after enactment. The IG also found that FAA facility managers 
could be more effective and bring about much needed efficiency 
gains through the use of commercially available scheduling 
tools. The Committee directs the IG to assess FAA's progress 
adopting and implementing scheduling tools and determine 
whether benefits are being realized by air traffic managers, 
particularly at the most active facilities.
    Maintenance technician staffing and training.--During the 
summer of 2015, the En Route Automation Modernization system 
(ERAM) at Washington Center suffered a software malfunction 
which disrupted air travel all along the East Coast for several 
days. FAA's after-action reports raised important concerns 
about the training and staffing of the maintenance workforce. 
The Committee is concerned this important workforce has not 
received the attention it deserves over the years. The 
Committee directs the IG to assess FAA's plans and strategy for 
the hiring and placement of maintenance technicians and whether 
the FAA Academy effectively trains this important workforce.
    Allergic reactions aboard aircraft.--The Committee directs 
the FAA to review its policies concerning severe allergic 
reactions aboard aircraft and submit a report within 90 days of 
enactment detailing: the reporting requirements for airlines 
when an allergic reaction occurs, the data collection standards 
for such a report, and the number of reports in the past year.

                            AVIATION SAFETY

    The Committee provides $1,291,982,000 for aviation safety, 
which is $33,571,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level 
and $5,000,000 above the budget request.
    The Committee continues its direction requiring the 
Secretary to provide annual reports regarding the use of the 
funds provided, including, but not limited to, the total full-
time equivalent staff years in the offices of aircraft 
certification and flight standards, total employees, vacancies, 
and positions under active recruitment.
    Aircraft certification.--The Committee provides 
$228,700,000 for the Aircraft Certification Service, an 
increase of $6,364,000 over the fiscal year 2016 enacted level 
and $2,000,000 above the request. The Committee directs FAA to 
utilize the additional resources to better utilize Organization 
Delegation Authorization (ODA), and to better focus on cutting 
edge technologies and aviation product innovations. Further, 
according to the Inspector General, FAA does not have a full 
understanding of its staffing requirements to provide oversight 
of the ODA program. This is a significant and basic program 
management issue that needs urgent attention. The IG made 
recommendations related to improving FAA's staffing process, 
developing better risk-based oversight tools, and assessing the 
effectiveness of training, and FAA has acknowledged these 
recommendations and is in the process of developing a new 
oversight process. The Committee directs FAA to provide a 
status report regarding its efforts to improve ODA oversight 
processes, including its progress addressing the IG's 
recommendations.
    Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS).--The Committee provides 
$15,185,000 for the Office of Unmanned Aircraft Systems 
Integration, an increase of $3,000,000 above the budget 
request. This increase is provided to help FAA accelerate its 
efforts to safely integrate UAS into the national airspace.
    UAS research plan.--The FAA Modernization Act of 2012 
required FAA to submit a comprehensive plan for the integration 
of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) into the national airspace. 
Although the agency did submit a plan in 2014, Congress has 
expressed concern over its lack of detail, resource 
requirements, and timelines. The Committee believes FAA, 
working in concert other agencies, needs to produce a 
comprehensive plan identifying the research needed for full UAS 
integration. FAA currently does not have a plan for beyond 
visual line of sight (BVLOS) integration, nor has it 
articulated the data needed to support the development of BVLOS 
standards. The Committee believes FAA needs to identify the 
research and data required for full integration, create a test 
and evaluation master plan with the number and types of flight 
tests required, identify the resources and planned schedule for 
critical research, and show how the results will be used in the 
standards-setting process. The Committee therefore directs FAA 
to submit to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations 
a comprehensive plan for research supporting full integration 
of unmanned aircraft systems no later than 180 days after 
enactment.
    Harmonizing flight data and cockpit voice recorder 
regulations.--The Committee understands that automatic 
deployable flight recorders are among the acceptable 
technologies that meet new International Civil Aviation 
Organization requirements. The Committee is concerned that the 
corresponding Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR) for Cockpit 
Voice and Flight Data Recorders have not been harmonized to 
reflect the allowed use of automatic deployable flight 
recorders, resulting in uncertain certification requirements 
for aircraft manufacturers and airlines wishing to voluntarily 
install deployable flight recorders. The Committee encourages 
the FAA to ensure all necessary U.S. regulations are formally 
updated to enable the voluntary use of FAA approved deployable 
flight recorder technology without the need for an applicant to 
file for an equivalent level of safety (ELS) to meet applicable 
recorder FARs.
    FAA inspectors and repair station oversight.--The Office of 
Inspector General has reported that FAA transferred its foreign 
repair station oversight duties without fully evaluating 
foreign authority oversight capabilities. The Committee is 
concerned that FAA is expanding its use of aviation safety 
agreements without sufficient planning. FAA is directed to 
provide the Committee with a report on the steps it takes 
before it relinquishes oversight responsibilities to foreign 
authorities to ensure the entities have the resources and 
expertise to conduct oversight.
    Human Intervention Motivation Study (HIMS) and the Flight 
Attendant Drug and Alcohol Program (FADAP).--The Committee 
recognizes the effectiveness of the Human Intervention 
Motivation Study (HIMS) and the Flight Attendant Drug and 
Alcohol Program (FADAP) in mitigating drug and alcohol abuse 
through a peer identification and intervention program. The 
Committee recommends that FAA continue to prioritize this 
program and urges FAA to continue this program within available 
resources.

                    COMMERCIAL SPACE TRANSPORTATION

    The Committee recommends the budget request of $19,826,000 
for the Office of Commercial Space Transportation, which is 
$2,026,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level.
    Hiring.--The recommended funding level will allow the 
Office of Commercial Space Transportation to add operational 
personnel to support an increased level of activity in its 
licensing, permitting and safety inspection functions. The 
Committee notes that the budget request includes a twenty 
percent growth in personnel in this office above the fiscal 
year 2016 personnel level. The Committee believes that the 
office should be able to judiciously hire critical operational 
staff within the amounts provided.
    Space Launch System.--The Committee commends the FAA Office 
of Commercial Space Transportation's efforts to promote private 
sector lunar exploration and development, which may require the 
use of heavy-lift launching capability, such as the Space 
Launch System. Specifically, in collaboration with the 
Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee, the 
Committee encourages the FAA to explicitly define non-
interference and to enhance its payload review process to 
provide companies planning private sector lunar development 
with the security and predictability necessary to support 
substantial investments.

                         FINANCE AND MANAGEMENT

    The Committee recommends $770,342,000 for finance and 
management activities, which is $9,842,000 above the fiscal 
year 2016 enacted level and $1,000,000 below the request.
    Workforce diversity.--The Committee directs FAA to continue 
to update the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations on 
the diversity of the controller workforce. The Committee notes 
that revised hiring procedures yielded a class of developmental 
controllers that represent a more diverse demographic. The 
Committee remains interested in the success of these new 
controllers, and requests a briefing on their progress no later 
than 180 days after enactment.

                    NEXTGEN AND OPERATIONS PLANNING

    The Committee recommends $60,155,000 for NextGen and 
Operations Planning, which is $66,000 above the fiscal year 
2016 enacted level and the same as the budget request.

                SECURITY AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SAFETY

    The Committee recommends $107,161,000 for Security and 
Hazardous Materials Safety, which is $6,281,000 above the 
fiscal year 2016 enacted level and the same as the budget 
request.

                             STAFF OFFICES

    The Committee recommends $205,101,000 for Staff Offices, 
which is $1,650,000 below the fiscal year 2016 enacted level 
and $4,000,000 below the budget request. The Committee urges 
FAA to continue to prioritize its ongoing study of the 65 day-
night average sound level (DNL) to determine whether it is the 
correct standard. The Committee expects regular updates on this 
study.

                             BILL LANGUAGE

    Second career training program.--The bill retains language 
prohibiting the use of funds for the second career training 
program. This prohibition has been in annual appropriations 
Acts for many years, and is included in the President's budget 
request.
    Aviation user fees.--The bill includes a limitation carried 
for several years prohibiting funds from being used to finalize 
or implement any new unauthorized user fees.
    Aeronautical charting and cartography.--The bill maintains 
the provision prohibiting funds in this Act from being used to 
conduct aeronautical charting and cartography (AC&C) activities 
through the working capital fund (WCF).
    Credits.--The bill includes language allowing funds 
received from specified public, private, and foreign sources 
for expenses incurred to be credited to the appropriation.

                        FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT

                    (AIRPORT AND AIRWAY TRUST FUND)

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................    $2,855,000,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................     2,838,000,000
Recommended in the bill...............................     2,838,000,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................       -17,000,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................             - - -
 

    The Facilities and Equipment (F&E) account is the principal 
means for modernizing and improving air traffic control and 
airway facilities. The appropriation also finances major 
capital investments required by other agency programs, 
experimental research and development facilities, and other 
improvements to enhance the safety and capacity of the airspace 
system.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $2,838,000,000 
for the FAA's facilities and equipment program. This level is 
$17,000,000 below the level provided in fiscal year 2016 and 
the same as the budget request. The bill provides that, of the 
total amount recommended, $2,352,000,000 is available for 
obligation until September 30, 2019, and $486,000,000 (the 
amount for personnel and related expenses) is available until 
September 30, 2018. These obligation availabilities are 
consistent with past appropriations Acts.
    The following table provides funding levels for facilities 
and equipment activities and budget line items.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                            FY 2017
                Program                     request       Recommendation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Activity 1--Engineering, Development,
 Test and Evaluation:
    Advanced Technology Development          24,800,000       24,800,000
     and Prototyping..................
    William J. Hughes Technical Center        1,000,000        1,000,000
     Laboratory Improvement...........
    William J. Hughes Technical Center       19,000,000       19,000,000
     Laboratory Sustainment...........
    William J. Hughes Technical Center       12,200,000       12,200,000
     Infrastructure Sustainment.......
    Separation Management Portfolio...       25,800,000       27,800,000
    Improved Surface Portfolio........        2,000,000        2,000,000
    On Demand NAS Portfolio...........        8,500,000       11,500,000
    Improved Multiple Runway                  6,500,000        6,500,000
     Operations Portfolio.............
    NAS Infrastructure Portfolio......       17,660,000       17,660,000
    NextGen Support Portfolio.........       12,000,000       12,000,000
    Performance Based Navigation &           17,500,000       17,500,000
     Metroplex Portfolio..............
                                       ---------------------------------
        TOTAL ACTIVITY 1..............      146,960,000      151,960,000
Activity 2-- Air Traffic Control
 Facilities and Equipment:
a. En Route Programs
    En Route Automation Modernization
     (ERAM)...........................
    En Route Automation Modernization        78,000,000       78,000,000
     (ERAM)--System Enhancements and
     Tech Refresh.....................
    En Route Communications Gateway           2,650,000        2,650,000
     (ECG)............................
    Next Generation Weather Radar             6,300,000        6,300,000
     (NEXRAD)--Provide................
    Air Route Traffic Control Center         74,870,000       74,870,000
     (ARTCC) & Combined Control
     Facility (CCF) Building
     Improvements.....................
    Air Traffic Management (ATM)......       20,000,000       20,000,000
    Air/Ground Communications                 8,750,000        8,750,000
     Infrastructure...................
    Air Traffic Control En Route Radar        5,800,000        5,800,000
     Facilities Improvements..........
    Voice Switching and Control System       11,300,000       11,300,000
     (VSCS)...........................
    Oceanic Automation System.........       24,000,000       24,000,000
    Next Generation Very High                50,500,000       50,500,000
     Frequency Air/Ground
     Communications (NEXCOM)..........
    System-Wide Information Management       28,800,000       28,800,000
    ADS-B NAS Wide Implementation.....       31,100,000      154,800,000
    Windshear Detection Service.......        4,500,000        4,500,000
    Collaborative Air Traffic                13,820,000       13,820,000
     Management Technologies..........
    Time Based Flow Management               50,600,000       50,600,000
     Portfolio........................
    ATC Beacon Interrogator (ATCBI)--         1,000,000        1,000,000
     Sustainment......................
    NextGen Weather Processors........       27,800,000       27,800,000
    Airborne Collision Avoidance              8,900,000        8,900,000
     System X (ACASX).................
    Data Communications in Support of       232,000,000      232,000,000
     NG Air Transportation System.....
    Non-Continental United States (Non-       3,000,000        3,000,000
     CONUS) Automation................
                                       ---------------------------------
        Subtotal En Route Programs....      683,690,000      807,390,000
b. Terminal Programs
    Airport Surface Detection                 8,400,000        8,400,000
     Equipment--Model X (ASDE-X)......
    Terminal Doppler Weather Radar            5,000,000        5,000,000
     (TDWR)--Provide..................
    Standard Terminal Automation             64,200,000       64,200,000
     Replacement System (STARS) (TAMR
     Phase 1).........................
    Terminal Automation Modernization/      108,900,000      108,900,000
     Replacement Program (TAMR Phase
     3)...............................
    Terminal Automation Program.......        7,700,000        7,700,000
    Terminal Air Traffic Control             58,800,000       58,800,000
     Facilities--Replace..............
    ATCT/Terminal Radar Approach             47,720,000       47,720,000
     Control (TRACON) Facilities--
     Improve..........................
    Terminal Voice Switch Replacement         6,000,000        6,000,000
     (TVSR)...........................
    NAS Facilities OSHA and                  42,700,000       42,700,000
     Environmental Standards
     Compliance.......................
    Airport Surveillance Radar (ASR 9)        4,500,000        4,500,000
    Terminal Digital Radar (ASR 11)           6,100,000        6,100,000
     Technology Refresh and Mobile
     Airport Surveillance Radar (MASR)
    Runway Status Lights..............        4,800,000        4,800,000
    National Airspace System Voice           48,400,000       48,400,000
     System (NVS).....................
    Integrated Display System (IDS)...        7,700,000        7,700,000
    Remote Monitoring and Logging             9,900,000        9,900,000
     System (RMLS)....................
    Mode S Service Life Extension            37,900,000       37,900,000
     Program (SLEP)...................
    Surveillance Interface                   26,800,000       26,800,000
     Modernization....................
    Improved Surface/TFDM Portfolio...       42,200,000       42,200,000
    National Air Space (NAS) Voice            2,000,000        2,000,000
     Recorder Program (NVRP)..........
    Integrated Terminal Weather System        1,000,000        1,000,000
     (ITWS)...........................
    Next Generation: Surveillance and         6,000,000        6,000,000
     Weather Radar Capability & Back-
     up Surveillance Capability.......
    Flight and Interfacility Data            15,000,000       15,000,000
     Interface (FIDI) Modernization...
                                       ---------------------------------
        Subtotal Terminal Programs....      561,720,000      561,720,000
c. Flight Service Programs
    Aviation Surface Observation             10,000,000       10,000,000
     System (ASOS)....................
    Future Flight Services Program....        3,000,000        3,000,000
    Alaska Flight Service Facility            2,650,000        2,650,000
     Modernization (AFSFM)............
    Weather Camera Program............        2,200,000        2,200,000
                                       ---------------------------------
        Subtotal Flight Service              17,850,000       17,850,000
         Programs.....................
d. Landing and Navigational Aids
 Program
    VHF Omnidirectional Radio Range           7,000,000        7,000,000
     (VOR) with Distance Measuring
     Equipment (DME)..................
    Instrument Landing System (ILS)--         7,000,000        7,000,000
     Establish........................
    Wide Area Augmentation System            85,000,000      111,600,000
     (WAAS) for GPS...................
    Runway Visual Range (RVR) and             6,500,000        6,500,000
     Enhanced Low Visibility
     Operations (ELVO)................
    Approach Lighting System                  3,000,000        3,000,000
     Improvement Program (ALSIP)......
    Distance Measuring Equipment (DME)        3,000,000        3,000,000
    Visual NAVAIDS--Establish/Expand..        2,000,000        2,000,000
    Instrument Flight Procedures              9,400,000        9,400,000
     Automation (IFPA)................
    Navigation and Landing Aids--             3,000,000        3,000,000
     Service Life Extension Program
     (SLEP)...........................
    VASI Replacement--Replace with            5,000,000        5,000,000
     Precision Approach Path Indicator
    Runway Safety Areas--Navigational        14,000,000       14,000,000
     Mitigation.......................
    Integrated Control and Monitoring         2,000,000        2,000,000
     System (ICMS)--NAVAIDS Monitoring
     Equipment........................
                                       ---------------------------------
        Subtotal Landing and                146,900,000      173,500,000
         Navigational Aids Programs...
e. Other ATC Facilities Programs
    Fuel Storage Tank Replacement and        22,700,000       20,700,000
     Management.......................
    Unstaffed Infrastructure                 40,490,000       40,490,000
     Sustainment......................
    Aircraft Related Equipment Program       13,000,000       13,000,000
    Airport Cable Loop Systems--              8,000,000        8,000,000
     Sustained Support................
    Alaskan Satellite                         6,000,000        6,000,000
     Telecommunications Infrastructure
     (ASTI)...........................
    Facilities Decommissioning........        6,200,000        6,200,000
    Electrical Power Systems--Sustain/      105,000,000      105,000,000
     Support..........................
    Energy Management and Compliance          2,000,000        2,000,000
     (EMC)............................
    Child Care Center Sustainment.....        1,000,000        1,000,000
    FAA Telecommunications                   10,360,000       10,360,000
     Infrastructure...................
    System Capacity, Planning, and            6,500,000        6,500,000
     Improvements.....................
                                       ---------------------------------
        Subtotal Other ATC Facilities       221,250,000      219,250,000
         Programs.....................
                                       ---------------------------------
            TOTAL ACTIVITY 2..........    1,631,410,000    1,779,710,000
Activity 3--Non-Air Traffic Control
 Facilities and Equipment:
a. Support Equipment
    Hazardous Materials Management....       31,000,000       31,000,000
    Aviation Safety Analysis System          11,300,000       11,300,000
     (ASAS)...........................
    National Air Space (NAS) Recovery        12,000,000       12,000,000
     Communications (RCOM)............
    Facility Security Risk Management.       21,000,000       21,000,000
    Information Security..............       24,970,000       24,970,000
    System Approach for Safety               17,200,000       17,200,000
     Oversight (SASO).................
    Aviation Safety Knowledge                 4,200,000        4,200,000
     Management Environment (ASKME)...
    Aerospace Medical Equipment Needs         3,000,000        3,000,000
     (AMEN)...........................
    System Safety Management Portfolio       17,000,000       17,000,000
    National Test Equipment Program...        5,000,000        5,000,000
    Mobile Assets Management Program..        5,760,000        5,760,000
    Aerospace Medicine Safety                12,000,000       12,000,000
     Information Systems (AMSIS)......
    Tower Simulation System (TSS)             3,000,000        3,000,000
     Technology Refresh...............
                                       ---------------------------------
        Subtotal Support Equipment....      167,430,000      167,430,000
b. Training, Equipment and Facilities
    Aeronautical Center Infrastructure       14,000,000       14,000,000
     Modernization....................
    Distance Learning.................        1,500,000        1,500,000
                                       ---------------------------------
        Subtotal Training, Equipment         15,500,000       15,500,000
         and Facilities...............
                                       ---------------------------------
            TOTAL ACTIVITY 3..........      182,930,000      182,930,000
Activity 4--Facilities and Equipment
 Mission Support:
a. System Support and Services
    System Engineering and Development       35,000,000       35,000,000
     Support..........................
    Program Support Leases............       46,600,000       46,600,000
    Logistics and Acquisition Support        11,000,000       11,000,000
     Services.........................
    Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center        19,300,000       19,300,000
     Leases...........................
    Transition Engineering Support....       24,100,000       24,100,000
    Technical Support Services               23,000,000       23,000,000
     Contract (TSSC)..................
    Resource Tracking Program (RTP)...        6,000,000        6,000,000
    Center for Advanced Aviation             60,000,000       60,000,000
     System Development (CAASD).......
    Aeronautical Information                 10,400,000       10,400,000
     Management Program...............
    Cross Agency NextGen Management...        2,000,000        2,000,000
                                       ---------------------------------
        TOTAL ACTIVITY 4..............      237,400,000      237,400,000
Activity 5--Personnel and Related
 Expenses:
    Personnel and Related Expenses....      489,000,000      486,000,000
Activity 6--Sustain ADS-B services and
 Wide Area Augmentation Services
 (WAAS) GEOs:
    ADS-B services and WAAS GEOs......      150,300,000           *- - -
                                       ---------------------------------
            SUB-TOTAL ALL ACTIVITIES..    2,838,000,000    2,838,000,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------
*The service support for ADS-B and WAAS GEOs are funded in their
  respective programmatic lines in Activity 2.

    Alignment of pre-implementation and established programs.-- 
The Committee notes that the FAA requested funding for 
Performance Based Navigation and Metroplex Portfolio under 
Activity 1, even though most of the funding would support 
activities that are a part of a well-established program and 
could not be considered ``pre-implementation.'' The 
congressional justifications include important details on 
complex programs at the FAA, and this material should be 
presented clearly and accurately. The Committee therefore 
directs the FAA to ensure that its fiscal year 2018 budget 
request includes funding for pre-implementation activities only 
under Activity 1 and for established programs only under 
Activity 2.
    Space-based automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast 
(ADS-B).--The Committee provides $27,800,000 for Separation 
Management Portfolio, a decrease of $3,700,000 below the fiscal 
year 2016 enacted level and an increase of $2,000,000 above the 
budget request. The increase above the request is provided to 
advance efforts related to space-based ADS-B to ensure FAA 
keeps pace with global developments in air traffic technology. 
The Committee notes that in fiscal years 2015 and 2016, it 
provided $22,500,000 to advance FAA's efforts to integrate 
space-based ADS-B into the national airspace to ensure FAA 
keeps pace with global developments in air traffic technology. 
Of these funds, over $20,000,000 remains unobligated. The 
Committee is aware that the FAA is postponing key decisions 
that will delay its schedule for space-based ADS-B and reduced 
oceanic aircraft separation. Despite delays by the FAA, the 
international aviation community is preparing to be able to use 
space-based ADS-B in 2018. The International Civil Aviation 
Organization (ICAO) is in the process of approving a 15/15 
nautical mile separation standard for oceanic traffic under 
surveillance for use in 2018, and foreign air navigation 
service providers (ANSP) in neighboring airspace are taking the 
necessary steps to implement the ICAO reduced oceanic 
separation standard in 2018. In order to increase safety and 
enhance efficiency in US-controlled oceanic airspace in the 
same timeframe as neighboring ANSPs, the Committee directs the 
FAA to streamline its current strategy by making a final 
investment decision expeditiously to implement a 15/15 nautical 
mile oceanic separation capability and provide this new 
surveillance capability in the same manner that terrestrial 
ADS-B surveillance is provided.
    Cyber testbed.--The recommendation includes $11,500,000 for 
``On Demand NAS Portfolio'', an increase of $500,000 above the 
fiscal year 2016 enacted level and a $3,000,000 increase above 
the budget request. The Committee directs FAA to use the funds 
provided above the budget request to continue to develop and 
implement an integrated Cyber Testbed at the FAA Technical 
Center to ensure that modernization programs are compliant with 
FAA data security regulations before entering the national 
airspace. The testbed will perform active and conceptual threat 
testing of vulnerabilities of cabin communications, 
entertainment, and information technology systems on civil 
passenger aircraft, and will incorporate cybersecurity threat 
modeling.
    Performance-based navigation.--The Committee recognizes 
that Performance Based Navigation (PBN) is the essential 
stepping stone to NextGen, and a top investment priority for 
the NextGen Advisory Committee. However, as the Inspector 
General has reported, the lack of automated controller tools to 
manage and sequence aircraft remains a barrier to maximizing 
benefits from new PBN routes. The Inspector General highlighted 
that while FAA deployed an automation tool to help controllers 
optimize PBN operations at high altitudes, it has not 
effectively managed the implementation of the tool or made it a 
priority. Moreover, it is unclear when the new Terminal 
Sequencing and Spacing Tool can be implemented at the Nation's 
most active airports. The Committee directs FAA to provide a 
report on the automation improvements to-date and actions still 
needed, as well as the status of deploying the Terminal 
Sequencing and Spacing tool at the Nation's most active 
airports.
    Next generation weather radar.--The Committee supports 
FAA's efforts to begin analyzing and developing a strategy for 
replacing radars that are 20 to 40 years old. The Committee 
recognizes the importance of this effort but it also reflects a 
down payment on a potentially larger program with significant 
budgetary implications. The Committee directs the Inspector 
General to examine whether FAA is effectively leveraging work 
conducted by other federal agencies to reduce development costs 
and risk, and how this new radar system fits into FAA's 
existing plans for NextGen.
    Terminal airport traffic control facilities-replace.--The 
Committee notes that there are some contract towers that are 
more than forty years of age, are non-compliant with OSHA 
standards, and have line of sight issues that adversely affect 
air traffic control safety. The Committee directs the FAA to 
conduct assessments of these towers and report back to the 
Committee within six months of enactment.
    Very high frequency (VHF) omni-directional range (VOR) and 
tactical air navigation (TACAN).--The Committee is aware of 
efforts underway to address the rationalization and 
recapitalization of aging en route navigational aids. These 
systems are critical to the safety, resiliency, and on-going 
operations of both civilian and military air navigation. The 
Committee directs FAA to move ahead with the issuance of a 
request for proposals (RFP) to implement a service based 
procurement for VHF, VOR, and TACAN systems. The RFP shall be 
released with the objective of issuing a contract during fiscal 
year 2017.
    Facility decommissioning.--The Committee encourages FAA to 
remove or relocate any non-directional beacons over fifty years 
old in which a U.S. County is requesting either its elimination 
or significant size reduction by replacing the beacon with a 
modern antenna.

                             BILL LANGUAGE

    Capital investment plan.--The bill continues to require the 
submission of a five-year capital investment plan.

                 RESEARCH, ENGINEERING, AND DEVELOPMENT

                    (AIRPORT AND AIRWAY TRUST FUND)

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................      $166,000,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................       167,500,000
Recommended in the bill...............................       167,500,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................        +1,500,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................             - - -
 

    This appropriation provides funding for long-term research, 
engineering, and development programs to improve the air 
traffic control system and to raise the level of aviation 
safety, as authorized by the Airport and Airway Improvement Act 
and the Federal Aviation Act. The appropriation also finances 
the research, engineering, and development needed to establish 
or modify federal air regulations.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $167,500,000 for FAA's research, 
engineering, and development programs, which is $1,500,000 
above the enacted level and the same as the budget request.
    The Committee recommendation includes the following funding 
levels for research, engineering, and development programs.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Program                 FY 2017 request   FY 2017 House
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fire Research & Safety................        7,925,000        7,925,000
Propulsion & Fuel Systems.............        2,574,000        2,574,000
Advanced Materials /Structural Safety.        4,113,000        4,500,000
Aircraft Icing/Digital System Safety/         5,102,000        5,102,000
 Cyber Security.......................
Continued Air Worthiness..............       10,269,000        9,269,000
Aircraft Catastrophic Failure                 1,528,000        1,528,000
 Prevention Research..................
Flightdeck/Maintenance/System                 8,513,000        7,044,000
 Integration Human Factors............
Safety System Management/Terminal Area        7,000,000        7,000,000
 Safety...............................
Air Traffic Control/Technical                 6,165,000        5,539,000
 Operations Human Factors.............
Aeromedical Research..................        9,538,000        8,467,000
Weather Research......................       17,976,000       16,500,000
Unmanned Aircraft Systems Research....        8,422,000       13,422,000
NextGen--Alternative Fuels for General        5,792,000        7,000,000
 Aviation.............................
Commercial Space Transportation Safety        2,953,000        2,000,000
                                       ---------------------------------
    Total Safety......................       97,870,000       97,870,000
NextGen--Wake Turbulence..............        8,609,000        8,609,000
NextGen--Air Ground Integration.......        8,575,000        8,575,000
NextGen--Weather Technology in the            4,059,000        4,059,000
 Cockpit..............................
NextGen--Information Security.........        1,000,000        1,000,000
                                       ---------------------------------
    Total Economic Competiveness......       22,243,000       22,243,000
Environment & Energy..................       15,013,000       15,013,000
NextGen Environmental Research--             26,174,000       26,174,000
 Aircraft Technologies, Fuels and
 Metrics..............................
                                       ---------------------------------
    Total Environmental Sustainability       41,187,000       41,187,000
System Planning and Resource                  2,788,000        2,788,000
 Management...........................
WJHTC Lab Facilities..................        3,412,000        3,412,000
                                       ---------------------------------
    Total Mission Support.............        6,200,000        6,200,000
                                       ---------------------------------
        Total.........................      167,500,000      167,500,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Advanced material/structural integrity safety.--The 
Committee recommendation includes $4,500,000 for Advanced 
Material/Structural Integrity Safety, a decrease of $2,909,000 
below the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and an increase of 
$387,000 above the budget request.
    Additive manufacturing.--The Committee is aware that 
products created through additive manufacturing processes have 
entered commercial use. As industry moves towards manufacturing 
safety-critical products through additive processes, the 
Committee encourages FAA to undertake basic and applied 
research to fully assess the safety and certification aspects 
of this new technology.
    Unmanned aircraft systems research.--The Committee provides 
$13,422,000 for Unmanned Aircraft Systems Research, a decrease 
of $4,213,000 below the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and an 
increase of $5,000,000 above the budget request. The Committee 
directs FAA to use the NextGen integrated laboratories, in 
partnership with NASA laboratories, to provide for proofs of 
concept supporting the integration of UAS into the national 
airspace (NAS). This effort will ensure interoperability with 
NAS systems through the Unmanned Traffic Management system, 
which will create an air traffic control network for UAS that 
will have the capability to communicate with existing NAS 
infrastructure.
    NextGen--alternative fuels for general aviation.--The 
Committee provides $7,000,000 for NextGen--Alternative Fuels 
for General Aviation, the same as the enacted level and an 
increase of $1,208,000 above the budget request.

                       GRANTS IN AID FOR AIRPORTS

                      (LIMITATION ON OBLIGATIONS)

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                      Liquidation of
                                         contract        Limitation on
                                      authorization       obligations
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016...     $3,600,000,000     $3,350,000,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017..      3,500,000,000      2,900,000,000
Recommended in the bill...........      3,750,000,000      3,350,000,000
Bill compared to:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.       +150,000,000              - - -
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017       +250,000,000       +450,000,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The bill includes a liquidating cash appropriation of 
$3,750,000,000 for grants-in-aid for airports, authorized by 
the Airport and Airway Improvement Act of 1982, as amended, 
which is $150,000,000 above the fiscal year 2016 level and 
$250,000,000 above the budget request. This funding provides 
for liquidation of obligations incurred pursuant to contract 
authority and annual limitations on obligations for grants-in-
aid for airport planning and development, noise compatibility 
and planning, the military airport program, reliever airports, 
airport program administration, and other authorized 
activities.

                       LIMITATION ON OBLIGATIONS

    The bill includes a limitation on obligations of 
$3,350,000,000 for fiscal year 2017, which is the same as the 
fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $450,000,000 above the 
budget request.
    Regulatory compliance.--The Committee is concerned about 
the findings of the 2013 Airport Cooperative Research Program 
report entitled, ``Impact of Regulatory Compliance Costs on 
Small Airports.'' The Committee directs FAA to develop a plan 
to implement the report's recommendations and report back to 
Congress within 180 days of enactment.
    Unmanned aircraft systems airports detection and mitigation 
technology.--The Committee directs the FAA Administrator, not 
later than 60 days after enactment, to establish a pilot 
program at three airports to deploy and evaluate counter-UAS 
detection and mitigation technologies that can locate and track 
unmanned aircraft and the ground operator while not interfering 
with existing airport operations, navigation, and 
communications systems. The pilot should demonstrate 
technologies that cannot be disabled or overridden by a UAS 
operator, or be dependent on the UAS manufacturer or operator 
for detection compliance. The Committee directs FAA to provide 
a report on the pilot project findings no later than 180 days 
after enactment.
    Noise insulation.--The Committee is concerned that FAA's 
current criteria restricts eligibility for federally funded 
sound insulation and limits one of the most important tools 
that airports have to address community concerns about noise 
impacts. The Committee encourages FAA to reevaluate its current 
criteria and provide airports with flexibility to expand 
eligibility where appropriate, and permit second round 
insulation to account for subsequent improvements in 
technology.

                  ADMINISTRATION AND RESEARCH PROGRAMS

    Airport administrative expenses.--Within the overall 
obligation limitation, the bill includes $107,691,000 for the 
administration of the airports program by the FAA. This funding 
level is $591,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and 
the same as the budget request.
    Airport cooperative research program (ACRP).--The 
recommendation includes $15,000,000, which is the same as the 
fiscal year 2016 enacted level and the budget request. The ACRP 
identifies shared problem areas facing airports that can be 
solved through applied research but are not adequately 
addressed by existing federal research programs.
    Airport technology research.--The Committee recommendation 
includes a minimum of $31,375,000 for the FAA's airport 
technology research program, which is $375,000 above the 
enacted level and the same as the budget request. The funds 
provided for this program are utilized to conduct research in 
the areas of airport pavement; airport marking and lighting; 
airport rescue and firefighting; airport planning and design; 
wildlife hazard mitigation; and visual guidance.
    Tarmac Vehicle Safety.--The Committee notes that there is 
no national standard that requires marking on airport vehicles 
and equipment that operate in busy night time conditions. The 
Committee directs the FAA to study one large hub airport, one 
medium hub airport and one small hub airport to determine 
whether national standards for conspicuity of surface vehicles 
operating at the airports are necessary. The FAA is directed to 
report to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations its 
finding and recommendations no later than one year after 
enactment of this Act.

                             BILL LANGUAGE

    Runway incursion prevention systems and devices.--
Consistent with prior year appropriations Acts, the bill allows 
funds under this limitation to be used for airports to procure 
and install runway incursion prevention systems and devices.

       ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS--FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION

    Section 110. The Committee retains a provision limiting the 
number of technical work years at the Center for Advanced 
Aviation Systems Development to 600 in fiscal year 2017.
    Section 111. The Committee retains a provision prohibiting 
FAA from requiring airport sponsors to provide the agency 
`without cost' building construction, maintenance, utilities 
and expenses, or space in sponsor-owned buildings, except in 
the case of certain specified exceptions.
    Section 112. The Committee continues a provision allowing 
reimbursement for fees collected and credited under 49 U.S.C. 
45303.
    Section 113. The Committee continues a provision allowing 
reimbursement of funds for providing technical assistance to 
foreign aviation authorities to be credited to the operations 
account.
    Section 114. The Committee continues a provision 
prohibiting FAA from paying Sunday premium pay, except in those 
cases where the individual actually worked on a Sunday.
    Section 115. The Committee continues a provision 
prohibiting FAA from using funds to purchase store gift cards 
or gift certificates through a government-issued credit card.
    Section 116. The Committee continues a provision that 
requires approval from the Deputy Assistant Secretary for 
Administration of the Department of Transportation for 
retention bonuses for any FAA employee.
    Section 117. The Committee continues a provision that 
requires the Secretary to block the display of an owner or 
operator's aircraft registration number in the Aircraft 
Situational Display to Industry program, upon the request of an 
owner or operator.
    Section 118. The Committee continues a provision that 
limits the number of FAA political appointees to 9.
    Section 119. The Committee continues a provision that 
prohibits funds for any increase in fees for navigational 
products until FAA has reported a justification for such fees 
to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations.
    Section 119A. The Committee continues a provision that 
requires FAA to notify the House and Senate Committees on 
Appropriations at least 90 days before closing a regional 
operations center or reducing the services it provides.
    Section 119B. The Committee continues a provision 
prohibiting funds to change weight restrictions or prior 
permission rules at Teterboro Airport in Teterboro, New Jersey.

                     Federal Highway Administration

    The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) provides 
financial assistance to the states to construct and improve 
roads and highways. It also provides technical assistance to 
other agencies and organizations involved in road building 
activities. Title 23 of the United States Code and other 
supporting statutes provide authority for the activities of the 
FHWA. Funding is provided by contract authority, while program 
levels are established by annual limitations on obligations, as 
set forth in appropriations Acts.

                 LIMITATION ON ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES

                          (HIGHWAY TRUST FUND)

                     (INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................      $429,000,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................       435,795,000
Recommended in the bill...............................       435,795,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................        +6,795,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................             - - -
 

    The limitation on administrative expenses caps the amount, 
from within the limitation on obligations, that FHWA may spend 
on salaries and expenses necessary to conduct and administer 
the federal-aid highway program, highway-related research, and 
most other federal highway programs.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends a limitation on FHWA 
administrative expenses of $435,795,000, including $3,248,000 
transferred to the Appalachian Regional Commission. The 
recommendation is $6,795,000 above the enacted level, and the 
same as the budget request.

                          FEDERAL-AID HIGHWAYS

                      (LIMITATION ON OBLIGATIONS)

                          (HIGHWAY TRUST FUND)

                                            [In thousands of dollars]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                          Fiscal year 2016     Fiscal 2017
                        Program                               enacted           request\1\        Recommended
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Federal-aid highways (obligation limitation)...........         42,361,000         50,766,100         43,266,100
Exempt contract authority..............................            739,000            739,000            739,000
Rescission of contract authority.......................                  0         -2,436,000                  0
    Total program level................................         43,100,000         49,069,100         44,005,100
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\Includes $7,500,000 requested for new programs called 21st Century Clean Transportation Plan Investments.

    The federal-aid highways program is designed to aid in the 
development, operations, and management of an intermodal 
transportation system that is economically efficient and 
environmentally sound, to provide the foundation for the nation 
to compete in the global economy, and to move people and goods 
safely.
    Federal-aid highways and bridges are managed through a 
federal-state partnership. States and localities maintain 
ownership of and responsibility for the maintenance, repair and 
new construction of roads. State highway departments have the 
authority to initiate federal-aid projects, subject to FHWA 
approval of the plans, specifications, and cost estimates. The 
federal government provides financial support, on a 
reimbursable basis, for construction and repair through 
matching grants.
    Programs included within the federal-aid highways program 
are financed from the highway trust fund. The federal-aid 
highways program is funded by contract authority, and 
liquidating cash appropriations are subsequently provided to 
fund outlays resulting from obligations incurred under contract 
authority. The Committee sets, through the annual 
appropriations process, an overall limitation on the total 
contract authority that can be obligated under the program in a 
given year.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends a total program level of 
$44,005,100,000 for the activities of FHWA in fiscal year 2017. 
This amount is $905,100,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted 
level and $5,064,000,000 below the budget request. Included 
within the recommended amount is an obligation limitation of 
$43,266,100,000 and $739,000,000 in contract authority that is 
exempt from the obligation limitation.
    Right-of-way advertising revenue study.--Not later than one 
year after the date of enactment of this Act, FHWA shall report 
to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations on 
opportunities for, and impediments to, permitting states to 
allow advertising in the form of logos on the back of highway 
signs in highway rights-of-way as a means to generate state 
revenue. Such report shall identify applicable statutory and 
regulatory provisions, design issues, and safety 
considerations.
    Highway guide sign fonts.--In early 2016, FHWA notified 
state transportation agencies of its intention to rescind 
approval for the use of an alternate font on highway guide 
signs. The decision was made without adequate public 
consideration and input, and immediately impacted an estimated 
26 states that had been given prior approval for alternate font 
use as a safe way to communicate with the traveling public. 
FHWA is directed to suspend enforcement of actions terminating 
the interim approval of this alternate font for highway guide 
signs until the agency provides an opportunity for public 
comment on this matter, and documents the safety and cost 
implications of this decision for affected states. FHWA is 
directed within 30 days of enactment of this Act to brief the 
House and Senate Committees on Appropriations regarding the 
process it will undertake to receive public comment.
    Corrosion prevention.--The Committee directs FHWA to 
conduct a study comparing the cost-effectiveness of industry-
recognized corrosion prevention worker certifications on 
Federally-funded corrosion prevention bridge and overpass 
projects. The study shall compare no less than twelve currently 
obligated projects preserving the structure of bridges using 
corrosion prevention and mitigation systems, including at least 
six projects that utilize an industry recognized corrosion 
prevention worker standard, and no less than six similar 
projects that do not use an industry recognized worker 
standard. The study shall include a comparison of the time to 
complete projects, initial quality control reports, and 
budgetary overruns. FHWA shall submit the results from its 
study in a report to the House and Senate Committees on 
Appropriations no more than two years after the date of 
enactment of this Act.
    Innovative engineering and design approaches.--The 
Committee understands that pavement design requires continuous 
improvement and that Pavement ME Design is the next generation 
of pavement design software based upon the national cooperative 
highway research program's mechanistic-empirical pavement 
design guide. Other innovative approaches such as project level 
life-cycle cost analysis help to identify best value solutions 
with the desired performance at the lowest cost over the 
project's life. With limited funding available for 
transportation projects, it is imperative that the Department 
promote the most efficient use of federal funding. The 
Committee directs the Secretary to treat Pavement ME Design 
combined with life-cycle cost analysis as eligible under 
subsection 120(c) of title 23, United States Code as an 
innovative engineering and design approach that will both 
optimize the design and lower the cost of projects. FHWA shall 
issue guidance to division offices and State departments of 
transportation on this eligibility.
    Bridge and structure product and technology innovations 
clearing house.--The Committee directs the Department to 
facilitate implementation of new and advanced transportation 
infrastructure by promoting and advancing new products and 
innovations related to highway bridges and structures. 
Unfortunately, the mainstreaming of new innovations within the 
surface transportation communities is a lengthy, complex, and 
difficult process. As part of this action, the Committee 
directs the Department to serve as clearing house for new 
innovations by providing a specific location for bridge and 
structure stakeholders to find technically robust and unbiased 
information and reports that evaluate innovations and 
accelerate acceptance and implementation of new bridge and 
structure materials and technologies.
    Autonomous vehicle technology.--The Committee recognizes 
the rapid pace at which autonomous vehicle technology is 
developing, and is interested in validating the safety of the 
new technology. To help facilitate the deployment and safety 
testing of autonomous vehicles, the Committee encourages the 
Secretary to solicit applications under the advanced 
transportation and congestion management technologies 
deployment program for autonomous vehicle projects to test the 
feasibility of deployment through geographically contained 
ridesharing pilot programs. In reviewing applications, the 
Secretary should consider the extent to which applicants 
propose to include the gathering and sharing of critical safety 
data with the government and the extent to which applicants 
propose to test the benefits of the technology with groups that 
might otherwise have limited transportation options, such as 
older people who no longer drive, those with disabilities, or 
those with no driver's license.
    Geosynthetic reinforced soil-integrated bridge system 
program.--The Committee supports continuing the geosynthetic 
reinforced soil-integrated bridge system program including 
research and deployment to capitalize on investments in the 
program. The Committee encourages FHWA to fund research to 
address development of technical specifications for segmental 
facing material durability, connections between geosynthetics 
and segmental facing materials in retaining walls, including 
bridge abutments, segmental unit sound barriers, and scour 
countermeasures in erosion control systems. The Committee 
encourages FHWA to complete currently planned cost studies of 
geosynthetic-reinforced soil abutments and to prepare and 
distribute reports to state DOTs to enhance state and local 
application. The Committee encourages FHWA to use demonstration 
grants to deploy innovations in geosynthetics and segmental 
retaining walls.
    Permeable pavements.--The Committee encourages the 
Secretary to accelerate research, demonstration, and deployment 
of permeable pavements to achieve flood mitigation, pollutant 
reduction, stormwater runoff reduction, and conservation. 
Projects may include roadway shoulder load testing and 
documenting life-cycle cost efficiency.
    Recycled materials.--Recycled materials help the 
environment and provide a cost-effective alternative. Section 
1428 of the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act (FAST 
Act) requires the Secretary to encourage use of durable and 
sustainable materials. The Committee encourages FHWA to fulfill 
these objectives and to consider working collaboratively with 
the Expert Task Group, the American Association of State 
Highway and Transportation Officials, and industry stakeholders 
in developing revised standards that allow for the maximum use 
of recycled materials without detrimental impact to life-cycle 
cost.
    Advanced composite bridge technologies.--The Committee 
supports FHWA's efforts to improve the safety, efficiency, 
reliability, and performance of transportation infrastructure. 
It also notes the growing need to accelerate adoption of best 
practices, technologies, and materials that lead to faster 
construction and cost-effective rehabilitation of bridges. The 
Committee encourages the Department to support the 
demonstration and deployment of advanced composite materials in 
bridge replacement and rehabilitation.
    Federally-owned bridges.--The Committee recognizes that 
there are a number of infrastructure projects owned solely by 
the federal government that are in serious need of repair. The 
Committee strongly encourages the Department to give the 
highest priority to grant applications for federal 
infrastructure projects which serve the greatest purpose in 
terms of public use. The attributes of infrastructure projects 
that should be given the highest priority must include, but 
should not be limited to, high rates of traffic, facilitation 
of regional traffic patterns, proximity to major metropolitan 
areas, facilitation of interstate commerce, accessibility to 
and from major metropolitan areas, and national security 
purpose including evacuation. Other attributes--such as 
projects which link states, federal districts, national parks, 
or territories to other major national monuments and parks--
should also be considered.
    Transportation infrastructure and military installations.--
Since the passage of the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 (P.L. 
84-627), investments in transportation infrastructure have been 
directly tied to supporting national defense. Access to and 
from military installations continues to impact operations and 
local communities. The Committee strongly encourages the 
Secretary to work with the Secretary of Defense to assess the 
transportation infrastructure that supports access to and from 
domestic military installations and to develop a strategy for 
addressing opportunities to improve base access and egress, 
impact on the local community, and national security.
    Streamlining of environmental impact reviews.--The 
Committee recognizes the efforts by the Department to implement 
the updated FAST Act provisions designed to streamline 
environmental impact review processes, and encourages the 
Department to continue efforts to work cooperatively with 
federal and state agencies. The Committee urges the Department 
to continue participating in the facilitation of environmental 
impact process improvements for regional and national 
transportation projects, to coordinate with relevant federal 
agencies, state and local governments, and other public 
interest groups, and to periodically provide updates on the 
progress of such activities.
    Critical commerce corridors.--The Committee believes 
critical commerce corridors, an authorized use of funds in the 
nationally significant freight and highway projects program, 
can improve our economic efficiency, reduce travel times, and 
promote safe travel on our nation's roads and highways. These 
corridors include existing highways where a barrier physically 
separates lanes dedicated to heavy commercial trucks from lanes 
dedicated to passenger vehicles. The Committee encourages DOT 
to strongly consider applications for the creation of critical 
commerce corridors when awarding grants to individual states.
    Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act 
(TIFIA) program.--The Committee notes the significant role of 
TIFIA credit assistance in expanding the capacity of the 
federal-aid highways program to deliver projects. The Committee 
encourages the Department to fully obligate amounts available 
for credit assistance and to complete new credit agreements 
with eligible project sponsors in a timely manner.
    Modeling and simulation technology.--The utilization of 
modeling and simulation technology can save taxpayer dollars 
and can more efficiently design, build, operate and maintain 
our nation's infrastructure. The Department should utilize 
modeling and simulation technology to analyze highway and 
public transportation projects to ensure that these projects 
will increase transportation capacity and safety, alleviate 
congestion, and reduce travel time and environmental impacts 
cost effectively.
    Freight transportation projects.--The Committee encourages 
the Secretary to give priority consideration to projects that 
advance exports and imports, increase the efficiency of 
national and international freight movement, promote economic 
growth on a regional and national basis, and increase 
employment.
    Border state infrastructure.--The Department of 
Transportation shall encourage states using federal funds 
designated for border state infrastructure to ensure 
participation of city and county governments along the U.S.-
Mexico border in project selection processes.

                (LIQUIDATION OF CONTRACT AUTHORIZATION)

                          (HIGHWAY TRUST FUND)

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................   $43,100,000,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017\1\...................    51,505,100,000
Recommended in the bill...............................    44,005,100,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................      +905,100,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................    -7,500,000,000
 
\1\Includes $7,500,000,000 requested for a new program called 21st
  Century Clean Transportation Plan Investments.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends a liquidating cash appropriation 
of $44,005,100,000, which is $905,100,000 above the enacted 
level and $7,500,000,000 below the budget request. This is the 
amount required to pay the outstanding obligations of the 
highway program at levels provided in this Act and prior 
appropriations Acts.

       ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS--FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION

    Section 120 distributes obligation authority among federal-
aid highway programs. The provision has been updated to be 
consistent with changes to the underlying authorizing statute.
    Section 121 credits funds received by the Bureau of 
Transportation Statistics to the Federal-Aid Highways account.
    Section 122 provides requirements for any waiver of the Buy 
America Act.
    Section 123 requires congressional notification before the 
Department provides credit assistance under the TIFIA program.

              Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

    The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) was 
established within the Department of Transportation (DOT) by 
Congress through the Motor Carrier Safety Improvement Act of 
1999. FMCSA's mission is to promote safe commercial motor 
vehicle operations and reduce truck and bus crashes. FMCSA 
works with federal, state, and local entities, the motor 
carrier industry, highway safety organizations, and the public 
to further its mission.
    FMCSA resources are used to prevent and mitigate commercial 
vehicle accidents through regulation, enforcement, stakeholder 
training, technological innovation, and improved information 
systems. FMCSA also is responsible for enforcing federal motor 
carrier safety and hazardous materials regulations for all 
commercial vehicles entering the United States along its 
southern and northern borders.

              MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY OPERATIONS AND PROGRAMS

                (LIQUIDATION OF CONTRACT AUTHORIZATION)

                      (LIMITATION ON OBLIGATIONS)

                          (HIGHWAY TRUST FUND)

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              Liquidation of contract    Limitation on
                                    authorization         obligations
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appropriation, fiscal year               $267,400,000     ($267,400,000)
 2016.......................
Budget request, fiscal year               427,200,000      (427,200,000)
 2017\1\....................
Recommended in the bill.....              277,200,000      (277,200,000)
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year               +9,800,000       (+9,800,000)
 2016.......................
  Budget request, fiscal                 -150,000,000     (-150,000,000)
 year 2017..................
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\Includes $150,000,000 requested for new programs called 21st Century
  Clean Transportation Plan Investments.

    This limitation controls FMCSA spending on salaries, 
operating expenses, and research. It provides resources to 
support motor carrier safety program activities and to maintain 
the agency's administrative infrastructure. This funding 
supports nationwide motor carrier safety and consumer 
enforcement efforts, including the Compliance, Safety, and 
Accountability Program, regulation and enforcement of freight 
transport, and federal safety enforcement at the U.S. borders. 
These resources also fund regulatory development and 
implementation, information management, research and 
technology, grants to state and local partners, safety 
education and outreach, and the safety and consumer telephone 
hotline.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $277,200,000 in liquidating cash 
for motor carrier safety operations and programs. The Committee 
also recommends limiting obligations from the highway trust 
fund to $277,200,000 for motor carrier safety operations and 
programs in fiscal year 2017. These levels are $9,800,000 above 
the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $150,000,000 below the 
budget request.
    The Committee continues bill language specifying funding 
amounts for the research and technology program available until 
September 30, 2019.
    Bus lease and interchange rule.--On March 16, 2016, FMCSA 
announced it was extending the compliance date for its final 
rule concerning the lease and interchange of passenger carrying 
motor vehicles based on issues raised in numerous petitions for 
reconsideration. The Committee directs FMCSA to expeditiously 
complete its review and modify the rule to resolve the issues 
raised, and ensure the rule appropriately targets unsafe 
passenger carriers without unduly interfering in compliant 
business operations. If FMCSA is unable to effect a 
modification of the rule by January 2018, the Committee expects 
FMCSA to grant an additional extension until the rule can be 
modified.
    Commercial permitting and licensing.--The Committee 
recognizes security concerns exist regarding licensing of 
commercial drivers and issuing commercial learner's permits. 
However, the demand for commercial truck drivers continues to 
rise. The Committee encourages FMCSA to work with the states 
and industry on balancing the mitigation of security concerns 
with the needs of the commercial driving workforce and 
industry.
    The FMCSA shall deliver a report to the House and Senate 
Committees on Appropriations within 90 days of enactment on the 
history of domicile requirements for commercial drivers, 
including requirements for military personnel stationed outside 
of their home state, the feedback and concerns posed by states 
and other stakeholders, and the potential for improvements to 
domicile requirements for commercial permitting and licensing.
    The Committee recognizes the commercial driving industry 
faces workforce shortfalls. In an effort to minimize 
unnecessary barriers to entry to the commercial driving 
industry, the Committee directs FMSCA to evaluate the merits of 
a pilot program for permitting states to license drivers 18 to 
21 years old, and report recommendations to the House and 
Senate Committees on Appropriations within 180 days of 
enactment. As part of this evaluation, FMSCA shall gather input 
from states on a pilot program.
    Natural gas vehicles.--The Secretary is encouraged to 
assess new developments and advances with respect to natural 
gas vehicles, to oversee implementation of new safety 
regulations for liquefied natural gas fuel tanks and fuel 
systems on commercial motor vehicles, to revise and update 
regulations for compressed natural gas (CNG) cylinders, 
including inspection requirements for such cylinders, to issue 
guidelines on the ability of bus manufacturers to deploy 
transit buses that have roof-top mounted CNG cylinders, and to 
clarify through guidance that rules restricting alternative 
fuel vehicle access to bridges and tunnels should not be any 
more restrictive than those addressing gasoline and diesel 
fueled vehicles.

                      MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY GRANTS

                (LIQUIDATION OF CONTRACT AUTHORIZATION)

                      (LIMITATION ON OBLIGATIONS)

                          (HIGHWAY TRUST FUND)

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              Liquidation of contract    Limitation on
                                    authorization         obligations
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appropriation, fiscal year               $313,000,000     ($313,000,000)
 2016.......................
Budget request, fiscal year               367,000,000      (367,000,000)
 2017.......................
Recommended in the bill.....              367,000,000      (367,000,000)
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year              +54,000,000      (+54,000,000)
 2016.......................
  Budget request, fiscal                        - - -              - - -
 year 2017..................
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    FMCSA's motor carrier safety grants are used to support 
compliance reviews in the states, identify and apprehend 
traffic violators, conduct roadside inspections, and conduct 
safety audits of new entrant carriers. Additionally, grants are 
provided to states for safety enforcement at the U.S. borders, 
improvement of state commercial driver's license oversight 
activities, and improvements in linking states' motor vehicle 
registration systems and carrier safety data.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $367,000,000 in liquidating cash 
for this program, as well as a $367,000,000 limitation on 
obligations, in fiscal year 2017. These levels are $54,000,000 
above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and the same as the 
budget request.
    The Committee recommends the following obligation 
limitations for grants funded under this account:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Motor carrier safety assistance program..............     ($292,600,000)
High priority activities program.....................       (42,200,000)
Commercial motor vehicle operator grants program.....        (1,000,000)
Commercial driver's license program implementation          (31,200,000)
 program.............................................
------------------------------------------------------------------------

 ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS--FEDERAL MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY ADMINISTRATION

    Section 130 subjects the funds appropriated in this Act to 
certain terms and conditions regarding Mexican-domiciled motor 
carriers.
    Section 131 requires FMCSA to send notice of 49 CFR section 
385.308 violations by certified mail, registered mail, or some 
other manner of delivery that records receipt of the notice by 
the persons responsible for the violations.
    Section 132 suspends enforcement of changes made to the 
restart provisions of the hours of service regulation that went 
into effect on July 1, 2013, and clarifies congressional intent 
that DOT shall continue to enforce the restart provisions that 
were in effect prior to those changes.
    Section 133 prohibits funds from being used for a wireless 
roadside inspection program until 180 days after the Secretary 
makes specific certifications to the House and Senate 
Committees on Appropriations.
    Section 134 clarifies the preemption of state and local 
laws and regulations by federal laws and regulations related to 
motor carrier driver hours of service, and makes such 
preemption retroactive to the date of enactment of the Federal 
Aviation Administration Authorization Act of 1994 (Public Law 
103-305).
    Section 135 prohibits funds from being used to amend, 
revise, or otherwise modify safety fitness determination 
regulations until certain conditions are met.

             National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

    The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) 
was established in March of 1970 to administer motor vehicle 
and highway safety programs. It was the successor agency to the 
National Highway Safety Bureau, which was housed in the Federal 
Highway Administration.
    NHTSA's mission is to save lives, prevent injuries, and 
reduce economic costs due to road traffic crashes through 
education, research, safety standards, and enforcement 
activity. To accomplish these goals, NHTSA establishes and 
enforces safety performance standards for motor vehicles and 
motor vehicle equipment, investigates safety defects in motor 
vehicles, and conducts research on driver behavior and traffic 
safety.
    NHTSA provides grants and technical assistance to state and 
local governments to enable them to conduct effective local 
highway safety programs. Together with state and local 
partners, NHTSA works to reduce the threat of drunk, impaired, 
and distracted drivers, and to promote policies and devices 
with demonstrated safety benefits including helmets, child 
safety seats, airbags, and graduated licenses.
    NHTSA establishes and ensures compliance with fuel economy 
standards, investigates odometer fraud, establishes and 
enforces vehicle anti-theft regulations, and provides consumer 
information on a variety of motor vehicle safety topics.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends a total of $918,327,000 for NHTSA, 
which is $49,295,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level 
and $262,945,000 below the budget request.
    The following table summarizes the Committee's 
recommendations:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                    Committee
                                                                 2016 enacted     2017 request    recommendation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Operations and research (general fund and highway trust fund).    $295,700,000  \1\$595,900,000     $332,955,000
Highway traffic safety grants (highway trust fund)............     573,332,000      585,372,000      585,372,000
    Total.....................................................     869,032,000    1,181,272,000      918,327,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\Includes $200,000,000 requested for new programs called 21st Century Clean Transportation Plan Investments.

    The Committee recommends funding levels that provide NHTSA 
with sufficient resources to continue its critical work 
improving the safety of passenger travel on the nation's 
highway system.

                        OPERATIONS AND RESEARCH

                (LIQUIDATION OF CONTRACT AUTHORIZATION)

                      (LIMITATION ON OBLIGATIONS)

                          (HIGHWAY TRUST FUND)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                   (General      (Highway trust
                                                                   fund)\1\         fund)\2\          Total
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016..............................     $152,800,000     $142,900,000     $295,700,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017.............................      250,000,000      345,900,000      595,900,000
Recommended in the bill......................................      187,055,000      145,900,000      332,955,000
Bill compared to:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016............................      +34,255,000       +3,000,000      +37,255,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017...........................      -62,945,000     -200,000,000     -262,945,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\For comparison purposes, the table does not reflect the budget proposal to fund all of NHTSA's Operations and
  Research activities with mandatory budget authority.
\2\Request includes $200,000,000 for autonomous vehicle development that is within new programs called 21st
  Century Clean Transportation Plan Investments.

    The operations and research appropriations support 
research, demonstrations, technical assistance, and national 
leadership for highway safety programs. Many of these programs 
are conducted in partnership with state and local governments, 
the private sector, universities, research units, and various 
safety associations and organizations. These programs address 
alcohol and drug countermeasures, vehicle occupant protection, 
traffic law enforcement, emergency medical and trauma care 
systems, traffic records and licensing, traffic safety 
evaluations, motorcycle safety, pedestrian and bicycle safety, 
pupil transportation, distracted and drowsy driving, young and 
older driver safety programs, and development of improved 
accident investigation procedures.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $332,955,000, which is $37,255,000 
above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $262,945,000 below 
the budget request. Of this total, $187,055,000 is from the 
general fund for operations and vehicle safety research, and 
$145,900,000 is from the highway trust fund for operations and 
behavioral highway safety research. The Committee rejects the 
request to fund vehicle safety activities out of the highway 
trust fund rather than the general fund. The recommendation 
includes a $24,000,000 increase for safety defects 
investigation, a $7,200,000 increase for vehicle electronics 
and emerging technologies, and $3,000,000 to fund grants to 
States that use their vehicle registration process to notify 
vehicle owners and lessees of any open recalls on their 
vehicles as authorized under Section 24105 of the FAST Act 
(Pub. L. 114-94).
    Office of safety defects investigations.--The office of 
safety defects investigation (ODI) enhances safety by allowing 
NHTSA to investigate motor vehicles and motor vehicle equipment 
for possible defect trends, and where appropriate, seek recalls 
of vehicles and equipment that pose an unreasonable safety 
risk. The multiple deadly automobile equipment failure crises, 
which have occurred in recent years, underscore the importance 
of a robust defect investigation and recall capability. To 
support improvements in this area, the Committee recommendation 
provides a significant increase in resources for ODI to enhance 
and expand this critical function, and to ensure NHTSA remains 
on track to not only implement, but also sustain all DOT Office 
of the Inspector General (OIG) recommendations from the 2011, 
2015, and 2016 ODI audit reports. The Committee expects ODI to 
expand stakeholder outreach for the reporting of potential 
safety problems, to significantly enhance data gathering and 
analysis capabilities, and to promptly resolve and respond to 
safety investigation petitions. The Committee directs NHTSA to 
report to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations 
within 30 days of enactment with a detailed 2017 expenditure 
plan for ODI that also includes an assessment of its 
implementation of all OIG audit recommendations. The Committee 
further directs the OIG to continue to assess NHTSA's progress 
in implementation of its recommendations for ODI and to report 
to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations within 90 
days of enactment of this Act on the agency's progress.
    Vehicle electronics and emerging technology.--As vehicle 
safety features like autonomous driving continue to advance, it 
is imperative that NHTSA have a clear understanding of these 
new technologies and related cybersecurity issues. 
Understanding how technology advances are evolving and 
converging will ensure that consumers, regulators, and safety 
advocates are best able to navigate and implement new vehicle 
capabilities. To forward this understanding, the Committee 
recommendation provides $10,800,000 for vehicle electronics and 
emerging technologies research, a $7,200,000 increase above the 
fiscal year 2016 enacted level.
    Vehicle safety rulemaking safety standards support.--
NHTSA's vehicle safety rulemaking safety standards support is 
funded at the request. This funding will allow NHTSA to provide 
the technical support needed to develop motor vehicle safety 
standards, including implementation of the provisions of the 
Tire Efficiency, Safety, and Registration Act of 2015 that were 
included in the FAST Act. Funding will support the planning, 
infrastructure, and outreach to support the electronic 
registration of tires by independent dealers, as well as 
facilitate a publicly available tire identification number 
search application.
    Highway-rail grade crossing safety.--NHTSA has vast 
experience in addressing driver behaviors that threaten highway 
safety. Highway-rail grade crossings pose a major risk to 
highway safety and are an ongoing challenge for the safety 
community. Eliminating the most hazardous grade crossings will 
help reduce the risk to automobile and train passengers. The 
Committee urges NHTSA to work with states to target resources 
toward the most hazardous crossings. Additionally, increased 
public awareness will help educate drivers on the dangers of 
entering active highway-rail grade crossings. Therefore, the 
Committee provides $6,500,000 for NHTSA to develop a high 
visibility enforcement paid-media campaign in the area of 
highway-rail grade crossing safety. The Committee directs NHTSA 
to coordinate these resources with the media on other highway 
safety campaigns, and to work collaboratively with the Federal 
Railroad Administration on the campaign's message development.
    Marijuana-impaired driving study.--The Committee directs 
the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 
coordination with the National Institute on Drug Abuse and 
other related agencies, to conduct a study of marijuana-
impaired driving to fulfill the requirement of Section 4008 of 
the Funding America's Surface Transportation Act (Public Law 
114-94). The study shall examine methods to detect marijuana 
impaired driving, including devices capable of measuring 
marijuana levels in motor vehicle operators, impairment 
standards research for driving under the influence of 
marijuana, methods to differentiate the cause of driving 
impairment between alcohol and marijuana, state-based policies 
on marijuana impaired driving, and the role and extent of 
marijuana impairment in motor vehicle accidents.
    Plastics and polymer-based composite materials.--The 
Committee recognizes the importance that plastics and polymer 
composites play in reducing vehicle weight. They provide 
vehicle manufacturers with innovative tools to reduce fuel 
consumption and, by association, vehicle emissions, including 
air toxics and greenhouse gasses. As manufacturers plan for 
future fleets, composite materials offer benefits for meeting 
new targets established under NHTSA's recent vehicle fuel 
efficiency rules. At the same time, the Committee recognizes 
that composite manufacturing is a new and growing industry, 
providing highly skilled jobs in the automotive industry. The 
Committee directs NHTSA's vehicle safety research program to 
accelerate the advancement of the state of the art for computer 
modeling of advanced plastics and polymer composites, including 
testing and evaluation techniques, while validating the safety 
performance of plastics and polymer composites in structural 
applications for the automotive industry in fiscal year 2017. 
The program will help facilitate a foundation of cooperation 
between DOT, the Department of Energy, and industry 
stakeholders for the development of safety-centered approaches 
for future light-weight automotive design.

                     HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY GRANTS

                (LIQUIDATION OF CONTRACT AUTHORIZATION)

                      (LIMITATION ON OBLIGATIONS)

                          (HIGHWAY TRUST FUND)

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Liquidation of
                                       contract          Limitation on
                                     authorization        obligation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.        $573,332,000      ($573,332,000)
Budget request, fiscal year 2017         585,372,000       (585,372,000)
Recommended in the bill.........         585,372,000       (585,372,000)
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year             +12,040,000       +(12,040,000)
 2016...........................
  Budget request, fiscal year                  - - -               - - -
 2017...........................
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The highway traffic safety state grant programs authorized 
under the FAST Act include: Highway Safety Programs, the 
National Priority Safety Programs, and the High Visibility 
Enforcement Program.
    These grant programs provide resources to states for 
highway safety programs that are data-driven and that meet 
states' most pressing highway safety problems. They are a 
critical asset in reducing highway traffic fatalities and 
injuries.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $585,372,000 in liquidating cash 
from the highway trust fund to pay outstanding obligations of 
the highway safety grant programs at the levels provided in 
this Act and prior appropriations Acts. The Committee also 
recommends limiting the obligations from the highway trust fund 
in fiscal year 2017 for the highway traffic safety grants 
programs to $585,372,000. These levels are $12,040,000 above 
the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and the same as the budget 
request. The recommendation includes $5,494,000 for the driver 
alcohol detection system for safety (DADSS) program, which 
funds in-vehicle alcohol detection device research.
    The Committee recommends the following funding allocations 
for grant programs:

 
 
 
Highway safety programs (section 402).................    ($252,300,000)
National priority safety programs (section 405).......     (277,500,000)
High visibility enforcement program...................      (29,500,000)
Administrative expenses...............................      (26,072,000)
 

    Driver alcohol detection system for safety (DADSS).--The 
FAST Act includes a total of $21,248,000 million through fiscal 
year 2020 for the ongoing advanced drunk driving detection 
technology program known as DADSS. The DADSS program is an 
ambitious public-private research effort to develop a publicly-
acceptable and commercially-viable technology that will prevent 
a drunk driver (at or over 0.08 BAC) from operating a vehicle. 
Technology development progress to date was demonstrated at DOT 
headquarters in June 2015. The accompanying bill includes 
$5,494,000 for continued research, the amount requested by 
NHTSA for fiscal year 2017. In light of the significant life-
saving potential of the program, approximately 7,000 lives 
annually, the Committee urges NHTSA to take steps to accelerate 
the program, including additional support from the auto 
industry partners in this activity.
    Safety promotional materials.--For the purpose of federal 
grants administered by NHTSA, safety equipment purchased for 
traffic safety educational trainings, such as child car seats, 
bicycle helmets and lights, and reflective vests, shall not be 
considered promotional materials or memorabilia.

      ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS--NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY 
                             ADMINISTRATION

    Section 140 provides limited funding for travel and related 
expenses associated with state management reviews and highway 
safety core competency development training.
    Section 141 exempts from the current fiscal year's 
obligation limitation any obligation authority that was made 
available in previous public laws.
    Section 142 prohibits funding for the national roadside 
survey and further prohibits NHTSA from funding other roadside 
surveys.
    Section 143 prohibits funds from being used to mandate 
global positioning system tracking without providing full and 
appropriate consideration of privacy concerns under 5 U.S.C. 
Chapter 5, subchapter II.

                    Federal Railroad Administration

    The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) was established 
by the Department of Transportation Act, on October 15, 1966. 
The FRA plans, develops, and administers programs and 
regulations to promote the safe operation of freight and 
passenger rail transportation in the United States. The U.S. 
railroad system consists of over 650 railroads with 200,000 
freight employees, 171,000 miles of track, and 1.35 million 
freight cars. In addition, the FRA continues to oversee grants 
to the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) with 
the goal of assisting Amtrak with improvements to its passenger 
service and physical infrastructure.

                         SAFETY AND OPERATIONS

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................      $199,000,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................       213,298,000
Recommended in the bill...............................       207,000,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................        +8,000,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................        -6,298,000
 

    The safety and operations account provides funding for 
FRA's safety program activities related to passenger and 
freight railroads. Funding also supports salaries and expenses 
and other operating costs related to FRA staff and programs.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $207,000,000 for safety and 
operations, which is $8,000,000 above the fiscal year 2016 
enacted level and $6,298,000 below the budget request. Of the 
amount provided under this heading, $15,900,000 is available 
until expended. The recommended level fully funds personnel 
provided in fiscal year 2016, and does not provide additional 
positions in fiscal year 2017.
    Nationwide bridge safety.--The Committee is concerned about 
increasing traffic volume and load traveling over aging 
bridges. In 2010, FRA issued a bridge safety standards rule 
requiring railroad track owners to implement bridge management 
programs that include procedures for determining bridge load 
capacities and inspecting bridges. An IG audit published April 
21, 2016, revealed significant gaps in FRA's leadership, 
management, and oversight of track owner's compliance with 
bridge safety standards. It found that FRA did not have a 
comprehensive list of track owners that must comply with bridge 
standards, had not developed guidance on prioritization of 
track owners for bridge safety reviews, and did not have 
guidance for its specialists on conducting bridge safety 
reviews. In addition, it did not have guidance on how to track 
and follow up on non-compliance and recommend civil penalties.
    The Committee notes that FRA concurred with and is 
addressing each of the IG's recommendations. Implementation of 
these improvements will allow FRA to ensure effective 
deployment of oversight resources to the highest risk track 
owners and ensure its specialists appropriately address all 
safety issues.
    To advance this effort, the Committee's recommendation 
includes $500,000 for a nationwide bridge inventory. These 
funds will allow FRA to create a web-based portal to collect 
electronic data from railroads on the number, condition of 
bridges, and date of last inspection.
    Railroad safety information system (RSIS).--The 
recommendation includes a total of $4,300,000 for RSIS, an 
increase of $500,000. This will increase the capabilities of 
FRA's principal repository of safety data, and allows FRA to 
enforce safety regulation that have data collection and 
management requirements.
    Automated track inspection program (ATIP).--The Committee's 
recommendation includes $10,500,000 for ATIP, an increase of 
$700,000. ATIP uses track geometry measurement vehicles to 
automatically measure track conditions. These vehicles 
supplement the work of FRA's inspectors to ensure railroads are 
compliant with the FRA Track Safety Standards.
    The Committee emphasizes the importance of robust data 
collection and analysis during track inspection operations, and 
encourages the FRA and the private rail industry to increase 
the use of predictive analytics, trend spotting, and targeted 
audits stemming from track inspection data. Utilizing real-time 
track data in concert with predictive modelling will provide 
for a more efficient use of inspectors and track inspection 
programs as a whole. We encourage close collaboration between 
FRA and the private rail industry to better focus urgent 
attention on areas of greatest need.
    Safe transportation of energy products.--The Committee 
includes funding for FRA's safe transport of energy products 
programs. These include crude oil safety inspectors, safety 
route managers and tank car quality assurance specialists, tank 
car research and increased mileage of ATIP on routes that carry 
energy produces.
    Passenger rail between Mexico & United States.--The 
Committee understands that standards or protocols for passenger 
rail between the United States and Mexico do not currently 
exist. The Committee encourages FRA to work with all relevant 
state and federal agencies and their Mexican counterparts to 
study what standards and protocols are needed to facilitate a 
passenger and freight rail line between the United States and 
Mexico, in Texas, and other international land crossings.
    Congestion at international rail crossings.--The Committee 
understands that there are a number of international rail 
crossings where the switching of train operators has caused 
delays and resulted in street blockage on the United States 
side of the border. GAO conducted an assessment of best 
practices that can be used to reduce rail border crossing times 
and reduce the blockage of street crossings. The Committee 
encourages the Secretary of Transportation to improve the 
availability of national data to quantify freight trends, 
impacts on local traffic and continue to work with all relevant 
state and federal agencies and their Mexican counterparts to 
harmonize regulations and address congestion at international 
rail crossings per the recommendations made in the GAO report. 
The Committee directs FRA to report to the Committee on its 
progress within 90 days of the enactment of this Act.
    System safety and risk reduction programs.--The Committee 
recognizes that continued investments in critical rail 
infrastructure programs will make our rails, railcars, and 
trains safer for all who use them. Therefore, the Committee 
urges the Federal Railroad Administration to prioritize 
investments in the development of technologies designed to 
verify the functional performance of complex electronic systems 
such as: positive train control, electronically controlled 
pneumatic brakes, automated train control, passenger door 
control, train communications, train environmental control, and 
railcar signs.
    Freight rail information sharing.--Timely, accurate, and 
accessible data about freight rail movements is critical to 
understanding the multimodal movement of freight across the 
country. The Committee understands the FRA receives detailed 
information about freight volumes and performance metrics on 
Class 1 railroads on a weekly basis from the American 
Association of Railroad Companies. The Committee encourages FRA 
to continue to work with the freight rail industry and 
encourage rail companies to share data about freight movements, 
including system volumes, detailed speed and volume for 
individual terminals and lines, and transit times through 
critical rail bottlenecks like Chicago. This information will 
enhance local, state, and national transportation, track 
progress over time and identify key barometers of the rail 
system's overall health.

                   RAILROAD RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................       $39,100,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................        53,500,000
Recommended in the bill...............................        43,100,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................        +4,000,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................       -10,400,000
 

    The railroad research and development program provides 
science and technology support for FRA's policy and regulatory 
efforts. The program's objectives are to reduce the frequency 
and severity of railroad accidents through scientific 
advancement, and to support technological innovations in 
conventional and high speed railroads.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $43,100,000 
for railroad research and development, which is $4,000,000 
above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $10,400,000 less 
than the budget request.
    Safe transportation of energy products (STEP).--The 
Committee provides $2,000,000 for FRA to research and mitigate 
risks associated with frequent and large volume rail transport 
of crude oil.
    Southeast Corridor Rail Commission.--The Committee's 
recommendation includes $1,000,000 to stand-up the Southeast 
Corridor Rail Commission. The Commission will develop a 
regional rail plan and improve mutual cooperation and planning 
between states and stakeholders.
    Short-line safety.--The Committee's recommendation includes 
$2,000,000 to improve safety practices and safety training for 
Class II and Class III freight railroads. This supports FRA's 
initiative to partner with short-line and regional railroads to 
build a stronger, sustainable safety culture in this segment of 
the rail industry. The initiative will support safety 
compliance assessments and training on short lines that 
transport crude oil.
    Intelligent railroad systems.--The Committee's 
recommendation includes $1,000,000 to facilitate research with 
universities on intelligent railroad systems.

       RAILROAD REHABILITATION AND IMPROVEMENT FINANCING PROGRAM

    The Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing 
(RRIF) program was established by Public Law 109-178 to provide 
direct loans and loan guarantees to state and local 
governments, government-sponsored entities, and railroads. 
Credit assistance under the program may be used for 
rehabilitating or developing rail equipment and facilities. No 
federal appropriation is required to implement the program, 
because a non-federal partner may contribute the subsidy amount 
required by the Credit Reform Act of 1990 in the form of a 
credit risk premium.
    The Committee includes bill language specifying that no new 
direct loans or loan guarantee commitments may be made using 
federal funds for the payment of any credit premium amount 
during fiscal year 2017, except for federal funds awarded in 
accordance with section 3028(c) of Public Law 114-94.

                    RAIL SERVICE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................             - - -
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................  \1\$3,700,000,00
                                                                       0
Recommended in the bill...............................             - - -
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................             - - -
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................    -3,700,000,000
 
\1\The Administration's budget requested $3,700,000,000 in mandatory
  spending from the Highway Trust Fund for an unauthorized rail service
  improvement program.

    The FRA budget documents include a new rail service 
improvement program. The program is a new, unauthorized program 
that results in mandatory spending.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends no funding for the rail service 
improvement program in fiscal year 2017. The recommendation is 
the same as the fiscal year 2016 enacted level, and 
$3,700,000,000 below the budget request.

                 CURRENT PASSENGER RAIL SERVICE PROGRAM

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................             - - -
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................  \1\$2,300,000,00
                                                                       0
Recommended in the bill...............................             - - -
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................             - - -
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................    -2,300,000,000
 
\1\The Administration requested $2,300,000,000 in mandatory spending
  from the Highway Trust Fund for an unauthorized rail service
  improvement program.

    In fiscal year 2017, the FRA requested a new current 
passenger rail service program that replaces the National 
Railroad Passenger Corporation appropriation. It is an 
unauthorized program that results in mandatory spending.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends no funding for the current 
passenger rail service program in fiscal year 2017; instead the 
Committee provides funds for this purpose consistent with the 
Public Law 114-94, the FAST Act. The recommendation is the same 
as the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $2,300,000,000 below 
the budget request.

           Federal-State Partnership for State of Good Repair


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................          \1\- - -
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................          \2\- - -
Recommended in the bill...............................       $25,000,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................             - - -
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................             - - -
 
\1\The fiscal year 2016 Appropriations Act included $19,163,000 for
  capital projects on the Northeast Corridor.
\2\The budget request provided funding for these purposes under a
  mandatory unauthorized program.

    The FAST Act authorized the federal-state partnership for 
state of good repair under section 11302. The purpose of these 
grants is to reduce the state of good repair backlog on 
publically-owned or Amtrak-owned infrastructure, equipment, and 
facilities. Eligible activities include capital projects to (1) 
replace existing assets in-kind or with assets that increase 
capacity or service levels, (2) ensure that service can be 
maintained while existing assets are brought into a state of 
good repair, (3) bring existing assets into a state of good 
repair.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $25,000,000 for the federal-state 
partnership for state of good repair grants, $25,000,000 more 
than the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $25,000,000 more 
than the budget request.

    CONSOLIDATED RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE AND SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS GRANTS

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................          \1\- - -
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................          \2\- - -
Recommended in the bill...............................       $25,000,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................       +25,000,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................       +25,000,000
 
\1\Rail Safety Grants, a program with some similar eligibilities,
  received $50,000,000 in fiscal year 2016.
\2\The budget request provided funding for these purposes under the rail
  service improvement program, a mandatory, unauthorized program.

    Authorized under Section 11301 of the FAST Act, the purpose 
of the consolidated rail infrastructure and safety improvement 
(CRISI) grants is to improve the safety, efficiency, and 
reliability of passenger and freight rail systems. Eligible 
activities include a wide range of capital, regional and 
corridor planning, environmental analyses, research, workforce 
development, and training projects.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $25,000,000 for CRISI grants, 
$25,000,000 more than the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and 
$25,000,000 more than the budget request. The Committee 
recognizes that communities with high volume international 
inland ports on the U.S.-Mexico border face unique 
transportation challenges caused by international trade. The 
Committee encourages the agency to consider the impacts of 
these freight movements, including traffic, highway-rail grade 
crossings, congestion and safety when awarding grants.

     GRANTS TO THE NATIONAL RAILROAD PASSENGER CORPORATION (AMTRAK)

    Amtrak, created as a for-profit business in 1970, operates 
trains over 20,000 miles of track owned by freight railroad 
carries, and over about 654 miles of its own track, most of 
which is on the Northeast Corridor (NEC) from Washington, D.C., 
to Boston, Massachusetts. Amtrak operates both electrified 
trains, which can achieve speeds of up to 150 mph on the 
highest quality track on the NEC, and diesel locomotives, which 
currently can achieve speeds between 74-110 miles per hour.
    Amtrak runs a deficit each year and requires a federal 
subsidy to cover its losses. In the past, it was impossible to 
discern from Amtrak's or FRA's budget request or other publicly 
available data federal funds required to operate Amtrak's 
network by line of business. In fact, funding requests 
consistently exceeded operating losses by one-third.
    The FAST Act authorizes funds for Amtrak through 2020 under 
a new structure that includes two lines of businesses, the 
Northeast Corridor (NEC) that runs from Boston to Washington, 
D.C., and the National Network (which encompasses Amtrak's 
state-supported and long-distance routes, as well as other non-
NEC activities). Amtrak's annual Federal funding was previously 
provided through an operating grant and a capital/debt grant. 
This new account structure, when combined with new planning and 
reporting requirements focused on Amtrak's business lines and 
asset categories, will significantly improve the transparency 
of Amtrak funding and the delivery of its services. It is now 
transparent to Congress and the American taxpayers where Amtrak 
is using is federal appropriations.
    The Committee recommends $1,420,000,000 for Amtrak, an 
increase of $30,000,000 from the fiscal year 2016 enacted 
level. The Committee provides funding consistent with the 
authorized structure.
    Congressional budget justification.--The Committee 
appreciates the level of detail in the fiscal year 2017 budget 
justification and directs Amtrak to submit justification with a 
similar level of detail for fiscal year 2018.

     NORTHEAST CORRIDOR GRANTS TO THE NATIONAL RAILROAD PASSENGER 
                              CORPORATION

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................          \1\- - -
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................             - - -
Recommended in the bill...............................      $420,000,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................             - - -
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................             - - -
 
\1\In fiscal year 2016, funds were provided in a different structure.
\2\The budget request included $2,300,000,000 in mandatory funds for
  Amtrak.

    The Committee recommends $420,000,000 for grants to the 
northeast corridor for operating and capital purposes. In 
addition to these funds, the Northeast Corridor retains its 
operating profits for use on the corridor. This funding level 
provides $5,000,000 to the Northeast Corridor Commission 
established under section 24905 of title 49, United States 
Code.

 NATIONAL NETWORK GRANTS TO THE NATIONAL RAILROAD PASSENGER CORPORATION

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................          \1\- - -
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................          \2\- - -
Recommended in the bill...............................    $1,000,000,000
Bill compared with:
   Appropriation, fiscal year 2016....................             - - -
   Budget request, fiscal year 2017...................             - - -
 
\1\In fiscal year 2016, funds were provided in a different structure.
\2\The budget request included $2,300,000,000 in mandatory funds for
  Amtrak.

    The Committee recommends $1,000,000,000 for national 
network grants to Amtrak. These funds subsidize operating and 
capital losses on Amtrak's long-distance routes, state-
supported routes, as well as other non-NEC activities. The FAST 
Act allows Amtrak to transfer operating profits from the 
Northeast Corridor to this appropriation under certain 
conditions.

                       ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS

    Section 150. The Commission continues a provision that 
limits overtime to $35,000 per employee, allows Amtrak's 
president to waive this restriction for specific employees for 
safety or operational efficiency reasons, and requires 
notification to the House and Senate Committees on 
Appropriations within 30 days of granting such waivers. It also 
requires Amtrak to submit an annual report summarizing overtime 
payments incurred by the Corporation for calendar year 2017 and 
the prior three years. The summary shall include total number 
of employees that received waivers, total overtime payments 
paid to employees receiving waivers for each month for 2017 and 
the prior three calendar years.

                     Federal Transit Administration

    The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) was established as 
a component of the Department of Transportation on July 1, 
1968, when most of the functions and programs under the Federal 
Transit Act (78 Stat. 302; 49 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) were 
transferred from the Department of Housing and Urban 
Development. Known as the Urban Mass Transportation 
Administration until enactment of the Intermodal Surface 
Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991, the Federal Transit 
Administration administers federal financial assistance 
programs for planning, developing, and improving comprehensive 
mass transportation systems in both urban and non-urban areas.
    The most recent authorization for the programs under the 
Federal Transit Administration is contained in the Fixing 
America's Surface Transportation Act (P.L. 114-94) and 
extensions. Annual Appropriations Acts included annual 
limitations on obligations for the transit formula grants 
programs, and direct appropriations of budget authority from 
the general fund of the Treasury for the FTA's administrative 
expenses, some research programs, and capital investment 
grants.

                        ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................      $108,000,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................       115,017,000
Recommended in the bill...............................       110,665,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................        +2,665,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................        -4,352,000
 

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends a total of $110,665,000 for FTA's 
administrative expenses, a decrease of $4,352,000 below the 
budget request and an increase of $2,665,000 above the 2016 
enacted level. The Committee's recommendation provides these 
funds from the General Fund, as usual, and rejects the proposal 
to fund basic salaries and expenses from a trust fund. The 
request was a significant increase over the fiscal year 2016 
level and proposed 39 new FTE. The Committee provided a 
moderate funding increase and directs FTA to target FTE 
increases to the following offices: safety, planning, budget, 
and regional offices.
    Operating plans.--The Committee reiterates its direction 
from previous years that requires the FTA's operating plan to 
include a specific allocation of administrative expenses 
resources. The operating plan should include a delineation of 
full time equivalent employees, for the following offices: 
Office of the Administrator; Office of Administration; Office 
of Chief Counsel; Office of Communications and Congressional 
Affairs; Office of Program Management; Office of Budget and 
Policy; Office of Research, Demonstration and Innovation; 
Office of Civil Rights; Office of Planning and Environment; 
Office of Safety and Oversight; and regional offices. Further, 
the operating plan must include any new programs or changes to 
the budget request, including new grant programs. In addition, 
the Committee directs FTA to notify the House and Senate 
Committees on Appropriations at least thirty days in advance of 
any change that results in an increase or decrease of more than 
five percent from the initial operating plan submitted to the 
Committees for fiscal year 2017.
    Budget justifications.--FTA's budget justification for 
fiscal year 2017 is a tremendous improvement over the prior 
year's document. From the various resource tables to the 
thoughtful narratives to each administrative provision 
justification--the agency's effort and attention given to 
producing a quality budget justification is greatly 
appreciated. The Committee strongly encourages FTA to continue 
the format and content in the fiscal year 2018 documents.
    Annual new starts report.--The Committee has again included 
bill language requiring FTA to submit the annual new starts 
report with the initial submission of the budget request due in 
February, 2017.
    Transit security.--The Committee continues bill language 
prohibiting FTA from creating a permanent office of transit 
security.
    Full funding grant agreements (FFGAs).--Title 49 requires 
that the FTA notify the House and Senate Committees on 
Appropriations as well as the House Committee on Transportation 
and Infrastructure and the Senate Committee on Banking sixty 
days before executing a full funding grant agreement. In its 
notification to the House and Senate Committees on 
Appropriations, the Committee directs the FTA to include the 
following: (1) a copy of the proposed full funding grant 
agreement; (2) the total and annual federal appropriations 
required for that project; (3) yearly and total federal 
appropriations that can be reasonably planned or anticipated 
for future FFGAs for each fiscal year through 2021; (4) a 
detailed analysis of annual commitments for current and 
anticipated FFGAs against the program authorization, by 
individual project; (5) a financial analysis of the project's 
cost and sponsor's ability to finance the project, which shall 
be conducted by an independent examiner and which shall include 
an assessment of the capital cost estimate and the finance 
plan; (6) the source and security of all public- and private-
sector financial instruments; (7) the project's operating plan, 
which enumerates the project's future revenue and ridership 
forecasts; and (8) a listing of all planned contingencies and 
possible risks associated with the project.
    The Committee continues the direction to FTA to inform the 
House and Senate Committees on Appropriations in writing thirty 
days before approving schedule, scope, or budget changes to any 
full funding grant agreement. Correspondence relating to 
changes shall include any budget revisions or program changes 
that materially alter the project as originally stipulated in 
the full funding grant agreement, including any proposed change 
in rail car procurements.
    In addition, the Committee directs FTA to continue 
reporting monthly to the House and Senate Committees on 
Appropriations on the status of each project with a full 
funding grant agreement or that is within two years of a full 
funding grant agreement.
    Oil re-refining.--Studies conducted by National 
Laboratories and other federal agencies conclude that the re-
refining of used motor oils into regenerated base oils achieve 
substantial energy conservation and environmental benefits 
while meeting all applicable industry standards for quality. 
The continued and expanded acceptance of the practice of 
recycling used motor oil through the process of re-refining, 
including in the management of federal and local transit agency 
fleets, will be essential to capturing these benefits. The 
Committee encourages FTA to consider the development of 
voluntary programs to encourage local transit fleets to promote 
sustainable used oil management, recycling, and procurement.

                         TRANSIT FORMULA GRANTS

                (LIQUIDATION OF CONTRACT AUTHORIZATION)

                      (LIMITATION ON OBLIGATIONS)

                          (HIGHWAY TRUST FUND)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                     Liquidation of           Limitation on
                                                                 contract authorization        obligations
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016...............................          $10,400,000,000           $9,347,605,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017..............................           10,800,000,000            9,733,706,000
Recommended in the bill.......................................           10,800,000,000            9,733,706,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.............................             +400,000,000             +386,101,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017............................                    - - -                    - - -
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The FAST Act provides contract authority for the transit 
formula grant programs from the mass transit account of the 
highway trust fund. These programs include: urbanized area 
formula, state of good repair grants, formula grants for rural 
areas, growing states and high density states, mobility for 
seniors and persons with disabilities, bus and bus facilities 
grants, bus testing facilities, planning programs, transit 
oriented development, a pilot program for enhanced mobility, 
public transportation innovation, technical assistance and 
workforce development, positive train control, and the National 
Transit Database. The Appropriations Act sets an annual 
obligation limitation for such authority. This account is the 
only FTA account funded from the Highway Trust Fund.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends an obligation limitation of 
$9,733,706,000 for the formula programs and activities, the 
same as the budget request and the program authorization. The 
Committee's recommendation also includes $10,800,000,000 in 
liquidating funds.
    The Committee strongly encourages the Federal Transit 
Administration to follow the guidance set forth in the FAST Act 
when developing scoring criteria for the competitive Bus and 
Bus Facilities Program. Per the legislation, the age and 
mileage of fleet should be the primary consideration for 
scoring applications.
    Positive train control.--The FAST Act created a new 
category of funding under the transit formula obligation 
limitation to assist commuter railroads to comply with positive 
train control (PTC) requirements. The Committee's 
recommendation includes $199,000,000 for PTC work, as 
authorized.

                   TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................             - - -
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................             - - -
Recommended in the bill...............................        $5,000,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................        +5,000,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................        +5,000,000
 

    The FAST Act authorizes FTA to provide technical assistance 
under section 5314 of title 49 for human resource and training 
activities, and workforce development programs.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $5,000,000 for technical 
assistance and training authorized under section 5314, 
$5,000,000 above the appropriated 2016 level and the budget 
request. In addition to the directly appropriated funds, 
another $9,000,000 is provided through the obligation 
limitation under the header ``Transit formula grants.'' The 
funds provided under this header are to support activities 
specified in section 5314 (a) and (b) of title 49.

                       CAPITAL INVESTMENT GRANTS

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................    $2,177,000,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................     3,500,000,000
Recommended in the bill...............................     2,500,470,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................      +323,470,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................      -999,530,000
 

    Grants for capital investment to rail or other fixed 
guideway transit systems are awarded to public bodies and 
agencies (transit authorities and other state and local public 
bodies and agencies thereof) including states, municipalities, 
other political subdivisions of states; public agencies and 
instrumentalities of one or more states; and certain public 
corporations, boards and commissions under state law.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $2,500,470,000 for capital 
investment grants which is $323,470,000 above the fiscal year 
2016 enacted level and $999,530,000 below the budget request.
    The fiscal year 2017 recommendation provides $1,234,790,000 
for all current and on-going full funding grant agreements 
(FFGA) consistent with the agreed-upon payout schedules for 
each project.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                     Fiscal year 2017
                  Signed FFGAs                        recommendation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CA--Regional Connector Transit Corridor........             $100,000,000
CA--Westside Subway Extension..................              100,000,000
CA--Third Street Light Rail Phase 2--Central...              150,000,000
CA--Silicon Valley Berryessa Extension.........              125,000,000
CO--RTD Eagle Denver...........................              150,000,000
MA--Cambridge to Medford, Green Line...........              150,000,000
HI--Honolulu...................................              243,730,000
NC--Blue Line Extension, NE Corridor...........              100,000,000
OR--Milwaukie LRT..............................              100,000,000
FL--SunRail Phase II...........................               16,060,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Committee's recommendation provides $500,000,000 for 
projects that will be signed under a FFGA by September 30, 
2017.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                     Fiscal year 2017
               Anticipated FFGAs                      recommendation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CA--Westside Section 2 Los Angeles.............             $100,000,000
CA--Santa Ana and Garden Grove Streetcar.......               75,000,000
CA--San Diego Midcoast Corridor................              100,000,000
MD--Purple Line DC Area........................              100,000,000
MN--Southwest LRT Minneapolis..................               10,000,000
TX--TEX Rail, Fort Worth.......................              100,000,000
WA--Seattle Lynwood............................               15,000,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    In addition, $407,830,000 is provided for ten new small 
start projects proposed in the budget.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                     Fiscal year 2017
                  Small starts                        recommendation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
AZ--Tempe Streetcar............................              $50,000,000
CA--Sacramento Riverfront Streetcar............               50,000,000
FL--Ft. Lauderdale Wave Streeetcar.............               11,010,000
FL--Jacksonville East Corridor.................               16,930,000
IN--Indianapolis Red Rapid Transit Line........               50,000,000
MI--Grand Rapids Laker Line BRT................               56,810,000
MO--Kansas City Prospect MAX BRT...............               29,890,000
NM--Albuquerque Rapid Transit..................               50,000,000
WA--Everett Swift II BRT.......................               43,190,000
WA--Seattle City Center Connector..............               50,000,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Further, the Committee recommends $332,850,000 for projects 
funded through core capacity grants and proposed in the budget 
request.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                     Fiscal year 2017
                 Core capacity                        recommendation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CA--Caltrain Electrification San Carlos........             $100,000,000
IL--Red and Purple Line Chicago................              100,000,000
NY--Carnarsie New York.........................               83,680,000
TX--DART Red and Blue Dallas...................               49,170,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Finally, the Committee's recommendation includes 
$25,000,000 (about 1.0 percent) for oversight activities 
related to the investments of this account.

             WASHINGTON METROPOLITAN AREA TRANSIT AUTHORITY

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................      $150,000,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................       150,000,000
Recommended in the bill...............................       150,000,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................             - - -
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................             - - -
 

    Section 601 of Division B of the Passenger Rail Investment 
and Improvement Act of 2008 (PRIIA) (Public Law 110-432) 
authorized $1,500,000,000 over a ten-year period for preventive 
maintenance and capital grants for the Washington Metropolitan 
Area Transportation Authority (WMATA). The law requires that 
the federal funds be matched dollar-for-dollar by Virginia, 
Maryland and the District of Columbia in equal proportions. The 
compact required under the law has been established and 
Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia have all 
committed to providing $50,000,000 each in local matching 
funds. Fiscal year 2017 represents the 8th year of payments 
under PRIIA.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommendation includes $150,000,000 for 
safety capital grants for WMATA, which is equal to both the 
budget request and last year's enacted level.
    The Committee directs WMATA to continue addressing the 
safety issues within the agency, specifically the safety hazard 
repairs identified, and in many cases mandated by the National 
Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and FTA. WMATA is further 
directed to continue implementing any and all corrective 
actions to address financial, contracting, and accounting 
concerns raised by FTA's financial management oversight audit.
    Finally, should the WMATA board endorse any effort to defer 
state of good repair maintenance, or move funds from safety 
improvements to operating expenses in order to address an 
operating budget shortfall, the Committee will view those 
budgetary shifts as a lack of commitment to the spirit in which 
these PRIIA funds were provided and the Committee will 
reconsider its financial contributions accordingly.
    Wireless service extension.--The bill again includes a one-
year extension of the wireless service requirement in PRIIA. 
The Committee urges WMATA to complete the installation of 
infrastructure necessary to comply with the mandate most 
expeditiously.
    The Committee would like to ensure that WMATA is not 
missing an opportunity to seize the most cost-effective and 
efficient sources for their much needed, extensive repairs. The 
Committee directs GAO to report to the House and Senate 
Committees on Appropriations by March 31, 2017 on WMATA's plans 
for future maintenance, repairs, and construction. The 
evaluation should include safety improvement measures, levels 
of efficiency, and practices that will increase cost-
effectiveness.

       ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS--FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION

    Section 160. The Committee continues the provision that 
exempts previously made transit obligations from limitations on 
obligations.
    Section 161. The Committee continues the provision that 
allows funds appropriated for capital investment grants and bus 
and bus facilities not obligated by September 30, 2020, plus 
other recoveries to be available for other projects under 49 
U.S.C. 5309.
    Section 162. The Committee continues the provision that 
allows for the transfer of prior year appropriations from older 
accounts to be merged into new accounts with similar, current 
activities.
    Section 163. The Committee continues the provision that 
prohibits a full funding grant agreement for a project with a 
new starts share greater than 50 percent.
    Section 164. The Committee includes a provision regarding a 
certain fixed guideway project in Houston, Texas.

             Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation


       OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE (HARBOR MAINTENANCE TRUST FUND)

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................       $28,400,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................        36,028,000
Recommended in the bill...............................        36,028,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................        +7,628,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................             - - -
 

    The Great Lakes Saint Lawrence Seaway System, located 
between Montreal and Lake Erie, is a binational, 15-lock system 
jointly operated by the U.S. Saint Lawrence Seaway Development 
Corporation (SLSDC) and its Canadian counterpart, the Canadian 
St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation. The SLSDC was 
established by the St. Lawrence Seaway Act of 1954 and is a 
wholly owned government corporation and an operating 
administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). 
The SLSDC is charged with operating and maintaining the U.S. 
portion of the St. Lawrence Seaway. This responsibility 
includes the two U.S. locks in Massena, New York, vessel 
traffic control in portions of the St. Lawrence River and Lake 
Ontario, and trade development functions to enhance the 
utilization of the St. Lawrence Seaway.
    The Water Resources Development Act of 1986 authorized the 
Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund as a source of appropriations for 
SLSDC operations and maintenance. Additionally, the SLSDC 
generates non-federal revenues which can then be used for 
operations and maintenance.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends a total appropriation of 
$36,028,000 to fund the operations, maintenance, and capital 
asset renewal needs of the SLSDC. This funding level is 
$7,628,000 above the fiscal year 2016 appropriation and equal 
to the budget request. The Committee continues the direction to 
the SLSDC to provide semiannual reports consistent with the 
requirements stated in the Explanatory Statement of the 
Department of Transportation Appropriations Act of 2009.
    The Committee's recommendation includes funds as requested 
for the continued replacement of the Robinson Bay tugboat due 
to the safety, emergency response, and ice breaking missions of 
the vessel, as well as funds for the hands-free mooring system 
installation at Snell Lock.
    The Committee recognizes the increasingly competitive 
environment of global multimodal and waterborne capacity in the 
Americas and around the world. The Committee requests the 
Department to provide a report within 180 days of enactment of 
this Act, on opportunities that could improve the Great Lakes 
navigation system's capabilities to support economic 
development in Great Lakes states and increase trade and 
traffic on the Saint Lawrence Seaway.

                        Maritime Administration

    The Maritime Administration (MARAD) is responsible for 
programs that strengthen the U.S. maritime industry in support 
of the Nation's security and economic needs, as authorized by 
the Merchant Marine Act of 1936. MARAD's mission is to promote 
the development and maintenance of an adequate, well-balanced 
United States merchant marine, sufficient to carry the Nation's 
domestic waterborne commerce and a substantial portion of its 
waterborne foreign commerce, and capable of serving as a naval 
and military auxiliary in time of war or national emergency. 
MARAD, working with the Department of Defense (DoD), helps 
provide a seamless, time-phased transition from peacetime to 
wartime operations, while balancing the defense and commercial 
elements of the maritime transportation system. MARAD also 
manages the maritime security program, the voluntary intermodal 
sealift agreement program and the ready reserve force, which 
assures DoD access to commercial and strategic sealift and 
associated intermodal capability. Further, MARAD's education 
and training programs through the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy 
and six state maritime academies help create skilled U.S. 
merchant marine officers.

                       MARITIME SECURITY PROGRAM

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................      $210,000,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................       211,000,000
Recommended in the bill...............................       300,000,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................       +90,000,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................       +89,000,000
 

    The purpose of the Maritime Security Program (MSP) is to 
maintain and preserve a U.S. flag merchant fleet to serve the 
national security needs of the United States. The MSP provides 
direct payments to U.S. flagship operators engaged in U.S.-
foreign trade. Participating operators are required to keep the 
vessels in active commercial service and are required to 
provide intermodal sealift support to the Department of Defense 
in times of war or national emergency.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $300,000,000 for the maritime 
security program, consistent with the authorized funding level, 
which is $90,000,000 more than provided in fiscal year 2016 and 
$89,000,000 above the request. Funds are available until 
expended.

                        OPERATIONS AND TRAINING

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................      $171,155,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................       194,146,000
Recommended in the bill...............................       175,079,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................        +3,924,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................       -19,067,000
 

    The operations and training account provides funding for 
headquarters and field offices to administer and direct MARAD 
operations and programs. The account also provides funding for 
the operation of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and financial 
assistance to the six state maritime academies.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $175,079,000 for MARAD operations 
and training expenses, $3,924,000 more than the fiscal year 
2016 funding level and $19,067,000 below the fiscal year 2017 
budget request.
    MARAD operations.--Of the funds provided, a total of 
$54,000,000 is for headquarters and regional office operations, 
of which $3,000,000 is for maritime environment and compliance 
program expenses.
    The Committee continues the reporting requirement that 
MARAD submit information on the number of vacancies at MARAD 
headquarters and regional offices, and the duties associated 
with each vacancy concurrent with the fiscal year 2018 budget 
submission. The Committee's recommendation assumes no new FTE 
in the new fiscal year. However, the recommended funding level 
will support expenses associated with the Port of Anchorage 
litigation, contract wiring system conversion, reserve fleet 
realignment, current services adjustments and at least 
$1,000,000 for IT upgrades. The Committee directs MARAD to 
provide details on changes to the budget request in the 
Department's operating plan submission.
    United States Merchant Marine Academy.--The U.S. Merchant 
Marine Academy (the Academy or USMMA) provides educational 
programs for men and women to become shipboard officers and 
leaders in the maritime industry. The Committee continues to 
include language requiring all funding for the Academy go 
directly to the Secretary, and that 50 percent of the funding 
will not be available until MARAD submits a plan detailing how 
the funding will be spent. The Committee's funding 
recommendation includes a total of $85,879,000 in fiscal year 
2017 for the USMMA, of which up to $74,700,000 is for Academy 
operations and not less than $11,179,000 is for capital 
improvements. The committee's recommendation includes 
$7,179,000 as requested for seawall repairs and the 
architecture and engineering work associated with future 
renovations of Patten, Gibbs, Fitch, and Fulton Halls. Funds 
requested for the renovation of Fulton Hall are not included in 
the recommended funding level, a reduction taken without 
prejudice.
    State maritime academies.--The Committee recommends 
$35,200,000 for the state maritime academies. Of the funds 
provided, $3,000,000 is for direct payments, $2,400,000 is for 
student payments, and $1,200,000 is for fuel assistance. Funds 
requested for enhanced mariner compliance and training are not 
included in the funding recommendation.
    Schoolships.--The Committee's recommendation for the state 
maritime academies includes $22,000,000 for the repair and 
maintenance of existing schoolships. Further, another 
$6,000,000 is recommended for the design and construction of a 
common schoolship design for all maritime academies under 
MARAD. The Committee directs MARAD to report to the Committees 
within 180 days of enactment of this Act a cost-benefit 
analysis of undertaking a design and build effort for new 
schoolships versus purchasing and retrofitting ships less than 
10 years old available on the open market.
    Mariner numbers.--The success of the maritime security 
program relies not only on the availability of U.S.-flagged 
ships, but U.S. mariners available for contingency operations. 
Current trends indicate that the number of credentialed and 
active mariners continues to drop despite high graduation rates 
at the existing six state schools and the USMMA. The Committee 
directs MARAD to report by February 6, 2017 on opportunities 
and challenges to increasing the number of U.S. Coast Guard 
credentialed officers. Further, the Committee encourages MARAD 
to consider the costs and benefits associated with increasing 
the number of state schools, and identify coastal states and 
localities that could support a new school. Consideration 
should be given to states that currently do not have a maritime 
or other national service academy, and areas with a diverse 
population.

                             SHIP DISPOSAL

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................        $5,000,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................        20,000,000
Recommended in the bill...............................        10,000,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................        +5,000,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................       -10,000,000
 

    MARAD serves as the federal government's disposal agent for 
government-owned merchant vessels weighing 1,500 gross tons or 
more. The ship disposal program provides resources to dispose 
of obsolete merchant-type vessels in the National Defense 
Reserve Fleet (NDRF). The Maritime Administration was required 
by Public Law 106-398 to dispose of its obsolete inventory by 
the end of 2006. These vessels pose a significant environmental 
threat due to the presence of hazardous substances such as 
asbestos and solid and liquid polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $10,000,000 for ship disposal 
activities, $5,000,000 above the fiscal year 2016 funding level 
and $10,000,000 below the budget request. Funds are available 
until expended.
    The Committee's recommendation includes $7,000,000 for ship 
disposal costs. The Committee directs MARAD to prioritize funds 
to first dispose of ships held in the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet 
in order to comply with the April 2010 California court consent 
decree.
    Finally, $3,000,000 is recommended for continued 
maintenance of the NS SAVANNAH. The Committee again encourages 
MARAD to explore the possibility of making costs associated 
with maintenance and disposal of the NS SAVANNAH an eligible 
activity at the National Maritime Heritage Grant program in the 
2018 request.

              MARITIME GUARANTEED LOAD (TITLE XI) PROGRAM

              (INCLUDING RESCISSION AND TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................        $8,135,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................        -2,000,000
Recommended in the bill...............................        -2,000,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................       -10,135,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................             - - -
 

    The maritime guaranteed loan program, as provided for by 
Title XI of the Merchant Marine Act of 1936, provides for 
guaranteed loans for purchasers of ships from the U.S. 
shipbuilding industry and for modernization of U.S. shipyards. 
Funds for administrative expenses for the Title XI program are 
appropriated to this account, and then paid to operations and 
training to be obligated and expended.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends the budget request for 
appropriated funds of $3,000,000 for the maritime guaranteed 
loan (Title XI) Program, which is $35,000 less than the amount 
provided in fiscal year 2016. Funds are transferred to the 
``Operations and Training'' account.
    Further, the Committee's recommendation adopts the 
Administration's proposed rescission of $5,000,000 in excess 
prior year funds for the costs associated with the federal 
government subsidizing the loans in this program.

                       ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS

    Section 170. The Committee continues a provision that 
allows the Maritime Administration to furnish utilities and 
services and make repairs to any lease, contract, or occupancy 
involving government property under the control of MARAD and 
rental payments shall be paid into the Treasury as 
miscellaneous receipts.
    Section 171. The Committee continues a provision regarding 
MARAD ship disposal.

         Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

    The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration 
(PHMSA) administers nationwide safety programs designed to 
protect the public and the environment from risks inherent in 
the commercial transportation of hazardous materials by 
pipeline, air, rail, vessel, and highway. Many of these 
materials are essential to the national economy. The agency's 
highest priority is safety, and it uses safety management 
principles and security assessments to promote the safe 
transport of hazardous materials and the security of the 
nation's pipelines.

                          OPERATIONAL EXPENSES

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................       $21,000,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................        23,688,000
Recommended in the bill...............................        21,000,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................             - - -
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................        -2,688,000
 

    This appropriation finances the operational support costs 
for PHMSA, including agency-wide functions of administration, 
management, policy development, legal counsel, budget, 
financial management, civil rights, human resources, 
acquisition services, information technology, and governmental 
and public affairs.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $21,000,000 for PHMSA operational 
expenses. This is the same as the fiscal year 2016 enacted 
level, and $2,688,000 below the budget request. The 
recommendation does not include funding for pipeline 
information grants to communities.

                       HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SAFETY

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................       $55,619,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................        68,249,000
Recommended in the bill...............................        57,000,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................        +1,381,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................       -11,249,000
 

    The hazardous materials safety program advances the safe 
and secure transport of hazardous materials (hazmat) in 
commerce by air, truck, railroad and vessel. PHMSA evaluates 
hazmat safety risks, develops and enforces regulations for 
transporting hazmat, educates shippers and carriers, 
investigates hazmat incidents and failures, conducts research, 
and provides grants to improve emergency response to 
transportation incidents involving hazmat.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $57,000,000, which is $1,381,000 
above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $11,249,000 below 
the budget request. This funding level supports the agency's 
existing hazardous materials safety program, including prior 
year increases provided to support the safe transport of energy 
products. Funding is provided to continue research on hazardous 
petroleum products, including work with the Department of 
Energy on test methods for crude oil, carrying out combustion 
experiments, and modeling to develop hazard profiles of 
different crude oils. The Committee recommends $7,570,000 of 
the total to remain available for three years for long-term 
research and development contracts.
    Inland ports of entry.--The Committee directs PHMSA to work 
with local governments at international inland ports of entry 
with a high volume of hazardous material border crossings to 
reduce the risk associated with crossing and storing hazardous 
material and to enhance the capacity of local officials in 
dealing with threats of hazardous material incidents.

                            PIPELINE SAFETY

                         (PIPELINE SAFETY FUND)

                    (OIL SPILL LIABILITY TRUST FUND)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                  (Oil spill       (Pipeline
                                                 (Pipeline     liability trust   safety design        Total
                                                safety fund)        fund)         review fund)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.............     $124,500,000      $22,123,000               $0     $146,623,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017............      153,443,000       19,500,000        2,000,000      174,943,000
Recommended in the bill.....................      128,000,000       22,000,000                0      150,000,000
Bill compared to:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016...........       +3,500,000         -123,000            - - -       +3,377,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017..........      -25,443,000       +2,500,000       -2,000,000      -24,943,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    PHMSA oversees the safety, security, and environmental 
protection of pipelines through analysis of data, damage 
prevention, education and training, development and enforcement 
of regulations and policies, research and development, grants 
for states pipeline safety programs, and emergency planning and 
response to accidents. The pipeline safety program is 
responsible for a national regulatory program to protect the 
public against the risks to life and property in the 
transportation of natural gas, petroleum, and other hazardous 
materials by pipeline.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $150,000,000 to continue pipeline 
safety operations, research and development, and state grants-
in-aid, which is $3,377,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted 
level and $24,943,000 below the budget request. Of the total, 
$22,000,000 is from the oil spill liability trust fund, and 
$128,000,000 is from the pipeline safety fund.
    The Committee recommendation provides $12,000,000 for 
research and development, $43,000,000 for state pipeline safety 
grants, $1,058,000 for state one-call grants, and $1,500,000 
for state damage prevention grants. Funding is provided for 
full year costs of additional staff hired in 2016, net of 
attrition. However, no additional program or personnel 
increases are funded in 2017. Funding requested for a national 
pipeline safety database is not provided. PHMSA shall deliver a 
report to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations 
within 120 days of enactment that details staffing and hiring 
plans for fiscal year 2017 as well as actual turnover and 
hiring in fiscal year 2016.

                     EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS GRANTS

                     (EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS FUND)

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................     ($28,318,000)
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................      (28,318,000)
Recommended in the bill...............................      (28,318,000)
Bill compared to:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................           (- - -)
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................           (- - -)
 

    The Hazardous Materials Transportation Uniform Safety Act 
of 1990 (Public Law 101-616) requires PHMSA to: (1) develop and 
implement a reimbursable emergency preparedness grant program; 
(2) monitor public sector emergency response training and 
planning and provide technical assistance to states, political 
subdivisions, and Indian tribes; and (3) develop and update 
periodically a mandatory training curriculum for emergency 
responders.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $28,318,000 for the emergency 
preparedness grants program, which is the same as the fiscal 
year 2016 enacted level and the budget request.

                      OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL

                         SALARIES AND EXPENSES

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................       $87,472,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................        90,152,000
Recommended in the bill...............................        90,152,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................        +2,680,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................             - - -
 

    The Office of Inspector General was established in 1978 to 
provide an objective and independent organization that would be 
more effective in: (1) preventing and detecting fraud, waste, 
and abuse in departmental programs and operations; and (2) 
providing a means of keeping the Secretary of Transportation 
and the Congress fully and currently informed of problems and 
deficiencies in the administration of such programs and 
operations. According to the authorizing legislation, the 
Inspector General (IG) is to report dually to the Secretary of 
Transportation and to the Congress.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommendation provides $90,152,000 for the 
Office of Inspector General, which is $2,680,000 greater than 
the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and equal to the budget 
request. The Committee continues to highly value IG's oversight 
of departmental programs and activities.
    Unfair business practices.--The bill maintains language 
first enacted in fiscal year 2000, which authorizes the OIG to 
investigate allegations of fraud and unfair or deceptive 
practices and unfair methods of competition by air carriers and 
ticket agents.
    Audit reports.--The Committee requests the OIG to continue 
forwarding copies of all audit reports to the Committee 
immediately after they are issued, and to continue to make the 
Committee aware immediately of any review that recommends 
cancellation or modifications to any major acquisition project 
or grant, or which recommends significant budgetary savings. 
The OIG is also directed to withhold from public distribution 
for a period of 15 days any final audit or investigative report 
that was requested by the House or Senate Committees on 
Appropriations.
    Audit of Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, 
Texas.--The Committee directs the IG to provide progress 
updates on the status of the audit into the financial solvency 
of the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas 
(Houston METRO).

            GENERAL PROVISIONS--DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

    Section 180. The Committee continues the provision allowing 
the Department of Transportation (DOT) to use funds for 
aircraft, motor vehicles, liability insurance, uniforms, or 
allowances, as authorized by law.
    Section 181. The Committee continues the provision limiting 
appropriations for services authorized by 5 U.S.C. 3109 to the 
rate for an Executive Level IV.
    Section 182. The Committee continues the provision 
prohibiting funds from being used for salaries and expenses of 
more than 110 political and Presidential appointees in DOT. The 
provision also requires that none of the personnel covered by 
this provision may be assigned on temporary detail outside DOT.
    Section 183. The Committee continues the provision 
prohibiting recipients of funds made available in this Act from 
releasing certain personal information and photographs from a 
driver's license or motor vehicle record without express 
consent of the person to whom such information pertains, and 
prohibits the withholding of funds provided in this Act for any 
grantee if a state is in noncompliance with this provision.
    Section 184. The Committee continues the provision 
permitting funds received by specified DOT agencies from states 
or other private or public sources for expenses incurred for 
training to be credited to certain specified agency accounts.
    Section 185. The Committee continues the provision 
prohibiting funds for loans, loan guarantees, lines of credit, 
or grants unless the Secretary of Transportation notifies the 
House and Senate Committees on Appropriations no less than 
three days in advance, and directs the Secretary to give 
concurrent notification for any ``quick release'' of funds from 
the Federal Highway Administration's emergency release program.
    Section 186. The Committee continues the provision allowing 
funds received from rebates, refunds, and similar sources to be 
credited to appropriations of the DOT.
    Section 187. The Committee continues the provision allowing 
amounts from improper payments to a third party contractor that 
are lawfully recovered by the DOT to be available to cover 
expenses incurred in the recovery of such payments, and allows 
the Secretary to credit an account that is associated with such 
improper payments.
    Section 188. The Committee continues the provision 
mandating that reprogramming action notifications shall be 
transmitted solely to the House and Senate Committees on 
Appropriations, and are to be approved or denied solely by the 
House and Senate Committees on Appropriations.
    Section 189. The Committee continues the provision allowing 
funds appropriated to modal administrations to be obligated for 
the Office of the Secretary for costs related to assessments 
only when such funds provide a direct benefit to that modal 
administration.
    Section 190. The Committee continues the provision 
authorizing DOT to set uniform standards for transit benefits 
for agency transit passes and transit benefits.
    Section 191. The Committee continues the provision that 
prohibits the use of funds to implement any geographic, 
economic, or other hiring preference not otherwise authorized 
by law, unless certain requirements are met related to 
availability of local labor, displacement of existing 
employees, and delays in transportation plans.
    Section 192. The Committee includes a provision prohibiting 
funds from being used for high-speed rail in the State of 
California.
    Section 193. The Committee includes a provision modifying 
penalty wages regarding foreign and intercoastal voyages and 
coastwise voyages.
    Section 194. The Committee includes a provision prohibiting 
funds from being used in contravention of section 24305(c)(4) 
of title 49 U.S.C. regarding Amtrak food and beverage service.
    Section 195. The Committee includes a provision making 
technical corrections to section 5303 of title 49 regarding a 
bi-state metropolitan planning organization.

         TITLE II--DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT


                     Management and Administration

    Management and administration accounts provide operating 
support to the Department of Housing and Urban Development 
(HUD). Funding supports the salaries and expenses of nearly all 
HUD employees, as well as certain non-personnel expenses 
critical to carrying out HUD's mission, including funding for 
shared service agreements. The Committee supports the 
Department's efforts to transform the way it does business and 
encourages the Department to continue efforts to streamline 
operations while making targeted technology and human capital 
investments.
    Shared service agreements.--The Committee supports the 
Department's efforts to improve its operations through shared 
service arrangements with the Department of Treasury. The 
Committee recommendation reflects an expectation that the 
Department will continue to offset the cost of these agreements 
with reductions or reallocations of budgetary resources 
previously dedicated to delivering these services. The 
Department shall deliver a report to the House and Senate 
Committees on Appropriations within 60 days of enactment that 
compares projections of shared service agreement transaction 
volumes used to calculate payments for fiscal year 2016 with 
actual volumes for the year, reconciliation payments or credits 
associated with discrepancies between actual and projected 
volumes for 2016, and the projected transaction volumes and 
related payment amounts for fiscal year 2017.
    Budget presentation.--The Committee directs HUD to continue 
to clearly identify and explain within its budget request the 
movement, reclassification, or transfer of budgetary resources 
from one account, program, project, or activity to another 
account, program, project, or activity in order to facilitate 
year-over-year comparisons. Any programs, projects, or 
activities that are newly requested or transferred from 
accounts outside Management and Administration shall also be 
clearly identified and clearly distinguished from adjustments 
to baseline spending.
    New initiatives.--The Committee reiterates that the 
Department must limit the reprogramming of funds between the 
programs, projects, and activities within each account and that 
no changes may be made to any program, project, or activity 
without prior approval of the House and Senate Committees on 
Appropriations. Unless otherwise identified in the bill or 
report, the most detailed allocation of budgetary resources 
presented in the budget justifications is approved with any 
deviation from such approved allocation subject to 
reprogramming requirements. All carryover funds, including 
recaptures and deobligations, are also subject to reprogramming 
requirements.
    HUD Office of Inspector General (OIG) audit findings.--In a 
November 2015 audit report, HUD OIG expressed a disclaimer of 
opinion on HUD's fiscal years 2015 and 2014 (restated) 
consolidated financial statements because of the significant 
effects of certain unresolved audit matters. These unresolved 
audit matters relate to HUD's improper use of cumulative and 
first-in, first-out budgetary accounting methods, $5.4 billion 
in non-pooled loan assets from Ginnie Mae, $19.8 billion in 
Ginnie Mae budgetary resources, and improper accounting of 
advances made to public housing agencies and indian housing 
block grant grantees and loans receivable from the emergency 
homeowners' loan program. These weaknesses were due to an 
inability to establish a compliant control environment, 
implement adequate financial accounting systems, retain key 
financial management staff, and identify appropriate accounting 
principles and policies. It is astonishing that a financial 
institution as important as HUD would receive such disclaimers 
on its financial statements. The Department is directed to 
prioritize resources provided under this heading toward 
activities that will help mitigate the nine material 
weaknesses, eight significant deficiencies in internal 
controls, and six instances of noncompliance with applicable 
laws and regulations uncovered by the OIG audit. In addition, 
the Department is directed to report to the House and Senate 
Committees on Appropriation within 30 days of enactment on its 
plan for such resource prioritization in fiscal year 2017, as 
well as what progress has been made to date in implementing and 
addressing the HUD OIG's recommendations made in audit reports 
2016-FO-0001, 2016-FO-0002, 2016-FO-0003, and 2016-FO-0004.

                           Executive Offices


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................       $13,800,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................        14,479,000
Recommended in the bill...............................        14,000,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................          +200,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................          -479,000
 

    The Executive Offices account funds the salaries and 
expenses of the Immediate Office of the Secretary, the 
Immediate Office of the Deputy Secretary, the Office of 
Adjudicatory Services, the Office of Congressional and 
Intergovernmental Relations, the Office of Public Affairs, the 
Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization, and the 
Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships.
    The Immediate Office of the Secretary provides program and 
policy guidance, and operations management and oversight in 
administering all programs, functions, and authorities of the 
Department.
    The Immediate Office of the Deputy Secretary provides 
operations management and helps the Department achieve its 
strategic goals by providing management support to program 
offices under the direction of the Office of the Secretary.
    The Office of Adjudicatory Services, formerly known as the 
Office of Hearings and Appeals, conducts hearings and makes 
determinations regarding formal complaints or adverse actions 
initiated by HUD based upon alleged violations of federal 
statutes and implementing regulations.
    The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Congressional and 
Intergovernmental Relations is responsible for coordinating 
Congressional and intergovernmental relations activities 
involving program offices to ensure the effective and accurate 
presentation of the Department's views.
    The Office of Public Affairs educates the American people 
about the Department's mission through media outreach and other 
communication tools, such as press releases, press conferences, 
the Internet, media interviews, new media, and community 
outreach.
    The Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization 
provides small business program design and outreach to the 
business community and serves as the central referral point for 
small business regulatory compliance information.
    The Center for Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships 
conducts outreach, recommends changes to HUD policies and 
programs that present barriers to grassroots organizations, and 
initiates special projects, such as grant writing training.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The committee recommends $14,000,000, which is $200,000 
above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $479,000 below the 
budget request.
    The bill also provides that no more than $25,000 provided 
under the immediate Office of the Secretary shall be available 
for official reception and representation expenses as the 
Secretary may determine.
    Notice of HUD assistance.--HUD provides many different 
types of financial assistance to accomplish the missions of 
housing and development. Grants, loans, mortgages, contracts, 
and cooperative agreements are provided in support of many 
different types of stakeholders including individuals, public 
housing authorities, not-for-profit organizations, states and 
governors, mayors and cities, and landlords. As a consequence, 
there is no single HUD point of contact in a given community, 
or one single grant recipient and it is difficult to 
comprehensively track all of HUD's investments, projects, and 
programs across a single community. The Committee directs the 
Secretary, either through the various program offices or 
through technical assistance initiatives, to notify local 
officials where HUD assistance is, or will be, used for new 
construction, hazard remediation, or substantial rehabilitation 
of multifamily units, public buildings, or other projects which 
involve the construction of or rehabilitation of properties 
other than single family homes.

                     ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT OFFICES

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................      $559,100,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................       520,062,000
Recommended in the bill...............................       516,000,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................       -43,100,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................        -4,062,000
 

    The Administrative Support Offices account funds the 
salaries and expenses of the Office of Administration, the 
Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer, the Office of 
General Counsel, the Office of the Chief Financial Officer, the 
Office of the Chief Procurement Officer, the Office of 
Departmental Equal Employment Opportunity, the Office of Field 
Policy and Management, the Office of Strategic Planning and 
Management, and the Office of the Chief Information Officer.
    The Office of Administration provides general operational 
support services to all offices and divisions throughout HUD. 
These services include HUD's non-information technology 
infrastructure in the following areas: nationwide management 
and operation of buildings, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 
processing, records management, Privacy Act administration, 
protective and physical security for HUD's Secretary and Deputy 
Secretary, and disaster and emergency response coordination.
    The Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer provides 
human resource services to all offices and divisions throughout 
HUD. These services include HUD's non-information technology 
infrastructure in the following areas: strategic human capital 
management, enterprise level training and learning, recruitment 
and staffing, workforce planning, retention, engagement, 
succession planning and Departmental performance management.
    The Office of Field Policy and Management (FPM) serves as 
the principal advisor providing oversight and communicating 
Secretarial priorities and policies to field office staff and 
HUD clients. The Regional and Field Office Directors act as the 
operational managers in each of the field offices and manage 
and coordinate cross-program delivery in the field.
    The Office of the Chief Procurement Officer's (OCPO) 
mission is to provide high-quality acquisition support services 
to all HUD program offices by purchasing necessary operational 
and mission-related goods and services; provide advice, 
guidance, and technical assistance to all departmental offices 
on matters concerning procurement; assist program offices in 
defining and specifying their procurement needs; develop and 
maintain all procurement guidance, including regulations, 
policies, and procedures; and assist in the development of 
sound acquisition strategies.
    The Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO) provides 
leadership in instituting financial integrity, fiscal 
responsibility, and accountability. The CFO is responsible for 
all aspects of financial management, accounting, and budgetary 
matters; ensuring the Department establishes and meets 
financial management goals and objectives; ensuring the 
Department is in compliance with financial management 
legislation and directives; analyzing budgetary implications of 
policy and legislative proposals; and providing technical 
oversight with respect to all budget activities throughout the 
Department.
    The Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) is led 
by the Chief Information Officer (CIO) who reports to the 
Office of the Secretary/Deputy Secretary. HUD's CIO advises 
senior managers on the strategic use of information technology 
to support core business processes and to achieve mission 
critical goals. OCIO is responsible for providing modern 
information technology that is secure, accessible and cost 
effective while ensuring compliance with applicable regulatory 
requirements.
    The General Counsel, as the chief legal officer and legal 
voice of the Department, is the legal adviser to the Secretary 
and other principal staff of the Department. It is the 
responsibility of the Office of the General Counsel (OGC) to 
provide legal opinions, advice and services with respect to all 
programs and activities, and to provide counsel and assistance 
in the development of the Department's programs and policies.
    The mission of the Office of Departmental Equal Employment 
Opportunity (ODEEO) is to ensure the enforcement of Federal 
laws relating to the elimination of all forms of discrimination 
in the Department's employment practices. The mission is 
carried out through the functions of three divisions: the 
Affirmative Employment division, the Alternative Dispute 
Resolution division, and the Equal Employment Opportunity 
division.
    The Office of Strategic Planning and Management drives 
organizational, programmatic, and operational change across the 
Department to maximize efficiency and performance. The office 
facilitates HUD's strategic planning process by identifying the 
Department's strategic priorities and transformational change 
initiatives, creating and managing work plans for targeted 
transformation projects, and developing key program performance 
measures and targets for monitoring.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $516,000,000 for this account, 
which is $43,100,000 below the fiscal year 2016 enacted level 
and $4,062,000 below the budget request.
    Funding specified for each office is as follows:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         Office                               Amount
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Office of Administration................................    $202,500,000
Office of the Chief Financial Officer...................      53,500,000
Office of the General Counsel...........................      95,250,000
Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer...............      40,250,000
Office of Field Policy and Management...................      51,250,000
Office of the Chief Procurement Officer.................      19,000,000
Office of the Departmental Equal Employment Opportunity.       3,500,000
Office Strategic Planning and Management................       4,500,000
Office of the Chief Information Officer.................      46,250,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

                  Program Office Salaries and Expenses


                       PUBLIC AND INDIAN HOUSING

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................      $205,500,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................       220,932,000
Recommended in the bill...............................       216,000,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................       +10,500,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................        -4,932,000
 

    The Office of Public and Indian Housing (PIH) oversees the 
administration of HUD's Public Housing, Housing Choice Voucher, 
and Native American Programs. PIH is responsible for 
administering and managing programs authorized and funded by 
Congress under the basic provisions of the U. S. Housing Act of 
1937.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $216,000,000 for this account, 
which is the $10,500,000 above the level enacted in fiscal year 
2016, and $4,932,000 below the fiscal year 2017 budget request.

                   COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................      $104,800,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................       110,259,000
Recommended in the bill...............................       109,000,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................        +4,200,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................        -1,259,000
 

    The Office of Community Planning and Development (CPD) 
assists communities in their efforts to provide affordable 
housing and expanded economic opportunities for low and 
moderate-income persons. The primary means toward this end is 
the development of partnerships among all levels of government 
and the private sector. This Office is responsible for the 
effective administration of Community Development Block Grants 
(CDBG), the Home Investment Partnership (HOME), Homeless 
Assistance Grants, and other HUD community development 
programs.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $109,000,000 for this account, 
which is $4,200,000 above the level enacted in fiscal year 
2016, and $1,259,000 below the budget request.

                                HOUSING

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................      $375,000,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................       393,148,000
Recommended in the bill...............................       387,000,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................       +12,000,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................        -6,148,000
 

    The Office of Housing implements programmatic, regulatory, 
financial, and operational responsibilities under the 
leadership of six deputy assistant secretaries and the field 
staff for activities related to Federal Housing Administration 
(FHA) multifamily and single family homeownership programs, and 
assisted rental housing programs.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $387,000,000 for this account, 
which is $12,000,000 above the level enacted in fiscal year 
2016, and $6,148,000 below the budget request. The Committee 
expects the Department to leverage the reorganization of the 
office of multifamily to realize budgetary savings and to 
reallocate resources to other baseline functions.

                    POLICY DEVELOPMENT AND RESEARCH

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................       $23,100,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................        24,500,000
Recommended in the bill...............................        23,000,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................          -100,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................        -1,500,000
 

    The Office of Policy Development and Research (PD&R) 
directs the Department's annual research agenda to support the 
research and evaluation of housing and other departmental 
initiatives to improve HUD's effectiveness and operational 
efficiencies. Research proposals are determined through 
consultation with senior staff from each HUD program office, 
the Office of Management and Budget, and Congress.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $23,000,000 for this account, 
which is $100,000 below the level enacted in fiscal year 2016 
and $1,500,000 below the budget request.

                   FAIR HOUSING AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................       $72,000,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................        74,235,000
Recommended in the bill...............................        72,000,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................             - - -
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................        -2,235,000
 

    The Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO) is 
responsible for developing policies and guidance, and for 
providing technical support for enforcement of the Fair Housing 
Act and the civil rights statutes. FHEO serves as the central 
point for the formulation, clearance and dissemination of 
policies, intra-departmental clearances, and public information 
related to fair housing issues. FHEO receives, investigates, 
conciliates and recommends the issuance of charges of 
discrimination and determinations of non-compliance for 
complaints filed under Title VIII and other civil rights 
authorities. Additionally, FHEO conducts civil rights 
compliance reviews and compliance reviews under Section 3.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $72,000,000 for this account, 
which is the same as the level enacted in fiscal year 2016 and 
$2,235,000 below the budget request.

            OFFICE OF LEAD HAZARD CONTROL AND HEALTHY HOMES

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................        $7,000,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................         7,826,000
Recommended in the bill...............................         8,000,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................        +1,000,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................          +174,000
 

    The Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control 
(OHHLHC) is directly responsible for the administration of the 
Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction program authorized by Title X 
of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992. The 
office also addresses multiple housing-related hazards 
affecting the health of residents, particularly children. The 
office develops lead-based paint regulations, guidelines, and 
policies applicable to HUD programs, and enforces the Lead 
Disclosure Rule issued under Title X.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $8,000,000 for this account, which 
is $1,000,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and 
$174,000 above the budget request.

                          WORKING CAPITAL FUND

                     (INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

    The Department of Housing and Urban Development's Working 
Capital Fund (WCF) was established by the Consolidated 
Appropriations Act, 2016 to consolidate by transfer resources 
that support certain centrally performed administrative 
functions. The purpose of the WCF is to promote economy, 
efficiency, and accountability among the various HUD offices 
that rely on these functions.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommendation provides the Secretary with 
the authority to transfer amounts provided in this title for 
salaries and expenses, except those for the Office of Inspector 
General, to this account for the purpose of funding centralized 
activities. The Department is required to centralize and fund 
from this account any shared service agreements executed 
between HUD and another federal agency. For fiscal year 2017, 
the Department is permitted to centralize and fund from this 
account: financial management, procurement, travel, relocation, 
human resources, printing, records management, space 
renovation, furniture, and supply services. The Committee 
expects that, prior to exercising discretion to centrally fund 
an activity, the Secretary shall have established transparent 
and reliable unit cost accounting for the offices and agencies 
of the Department that use the activity, and shall have 
adequately trained staff within each affected office and agency 
on resource planning and accounting processes associated with 
the centralization of funds to this account.
    Further, prior to centralizing either furniture or space 
renovation, the Committee directs the Department to deliver a 
comprehensive, multi-year real property improvement plan that 
details all planned space realignments, capital improvements, 
maintenance requirements, and other costs associated with 
carrying out HUD's most recent strategic plan, including any 
elements of the General Service Administration (GSA) study on 
the Weaver Building that HUD plans to include as part of its 
Reimbursable Work Agreement with GSA.
    Prior to exercising its authority to transfer funds for 
activities beyond what is required for shared service 
agreements, the Committee expects HUD to establish a clear 
execution plan for centralizing the additional activities, and 
to transmit that plan to the House and Senate Committees on 
Appropriations 30 days prior to transferring such funds into 
the WCF.
    HUD shall include in its annual operating plan a detailed 
outline of its plans for transferring budgetary resources to 
the WCF in fiscal year 2017.

                       Public and Indian Housing


                     TENANT-BASED RENTAL ASSISTANCE

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................   $19,628,525,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................    20,854,000,000
Recommended in the bill...............................    20,188,675,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................      +560,150,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................      -665,325,000
 

    In fiscal year 2005, the Housing Certificate Fund was 
separated into two new accounts: Tenant-Based Rental Assistance 
and Project-Based Rental Assistance. This account administers 
the tenant-based Section 8 rental assistance program otherwise 
known as the Housing Choice Voucher program.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $20,188,675,000 for tenant-based 
rental assistance, which is $560,150,000 above the fiscal year 
2016 enacted level and $665,325,000 below the budget request. 
Consistent with the budget request, the Committee continues the 
advance of $4,000,000,000 of the funds appropriated under this 
heading for Section 8 programs to October 1, 2017.
    Voucher renewals.--The Committee provides $18,311,675,000 
for the renewal of tenant-based vouchers. This level is 
$630,224,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and 
$135,325,000 below the budget request. The Committee directs 
the Department to monitor and report to the House and Senate 
Committees on Appropriations each quarter on the trends in 
Section 8 subsidies and to report on the required program 
alterations due to changes in rent or changes in tenant income.
    The Committee recommendation does not include bill language 
proposed in the budget request for new special purpose 
vouchers. However, the Committee encourages HUD to facilitate 
the issuance of vouchers for vulnerable populations, including 
families that face homelessness, as vouchers become available 
to PHAs upon turnover.
    Veterans affairs supportive housing (VASH).--The Committee 
provides funding to renew approximately 86,000 existing VASH 
vouchers to continue the effort to eliminate homelessness among 
our Nation's veterans.
    Vouchers for homeless Native American veterans.--The 
Committee provides $7,000,000 for renewal of vouchers for 
Native American veterans who are homeless or at risk of 
homelessness living on or near a reservation, or other Indian 
areas. This program was first funded in fiscal year 2015, and 
because of the unique nature of the program, a separate renewal 
line is required.
    Homeless veterans on U.S.-Mexico border.--The Committee 
notes that there are many homeless veterans living on the U.S.-
Mexico border, many of whom have not historically been counted 
in the Point-In-Time Homeless Survey. The Committee directs HUD 
to develop strategies and recommendations for addressing and 
reducing U.S. veteran homelessness in the U.S. on the border.
    Tenant protection.--The Committee provides $110,000,000 for 
tenant protection vouchers, which is $20,000,000 below the 
fiscal year 2016 enacted level and the same as the budget 
request.
    Administrative fees.--The Committee provides $1,650,000,000 
for allocations to public housing authorities (PHAs) to conduct 
activities associated with placing and maintaining individuals 
under Section 8 assistance. This amount is equal to the fiscal 
year 2016 enacted level and $427,000,000 below the budget 
request.
    Mainstream voucher renewals.--The Committee provides 
$110,000,000 to renew expiring Section 811 tenant-based 
subsidies. This level is $2,926,000 above the fiscal year 2016 
enacted level and equal to the budget request. The Committee 
directs HUD to issue guidance to the housing agencies 
administering these vouchers to continue to serve people with 
disabilities upon turnover.
    PHA notification.--The Committee continues in bill language 
the direction to the Department to communicate to each PHA, 
within 60 days of enactment, the amount that will be made 
available to each PHA for fiscal year 2017. The amount provided 
in this account is the only source of federal funds that may be 
used to renew tenant-based vouchers. The amounts appropriated 
here may not be augmented from any other source.
    Public housing assessment system.--The Committee directs 
HUD to study and report back to the Committee on potential 
changes to the Public Housing Assessment System for PHAs that 
operate 550 or fewer public housing units and Housing Choice 
Vouchers combined by taking into consideration physical 
inspections and an annual financial assessment based on current 
assets and liabilities. The Department shall update the House 
and Senate Committees on Appropriations of their findings 
within 180 days of enactment of this Act. The Committee remains 
interested in ways to reduce onerous regulations for small 
public housing authorities.
    Over-income residents.--The Committee encourages HUD to 
continue to work with PHAs to reduce the number of residents in 
public housing who are over-income and to address the demand 
for affordable housing by low-income individuals and families 
on waiting lists. The Committee emphasizes that, in addressing 
the issue of over-income residents, the Department should not 
impede policies that increase self-sufficiency of residents. 
The Committee directs HUD to provide a report to the Committee 
identifying measures the Department is taking to address over-
income tenants no later than 180 days after enactment.
    The Committee has been looking at barriers to permanent 
housing that youth face when exiting foster care. The Committee 
encourages HUD and PHAs to reevaluate their policies to ensure 
that youth exiting foster care transition to housing without 
experiencing homelessness. When eligible, these youth should 
receive consideration for tenant based rental assistance and 
other forms of permanent housing assistance. HUD is directed to 
notify the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations if the 
provisions of Section 213 of this Act pose a barrier to 
providing such assistance.
    The Committee is concerned about reports that some public 
housing authorities are requiring residents to declaw their pet 
cats, although HUD regulations do not contain such a 
requirement. The Committee urges HUD to notify all PHAs that 
declawing is not required in public housing under HUD policy.

                    RENTAL ASSISTANCE DEMONSTRATION

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................             - - -
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................       $50,000,000
Recommended in the bill...............................             - - -
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................             - - -
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................       -50,000,000
 

    The Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) was authorized in 
fiscal year 2012 to preserve public housing by enabling Public 
Housing Authorities to use a portion of their operating and 
capital funds to leverage private sector funding to 
recapitalize their housing stock and maintain their units of 
affordable housing primarily through the conversion to long-
term Section 8 rental assistance contracts. The budget request 
includes a request of $50,000,000 for an expansion of the 
program to public housing properties that cannot convert their 
housing at their existing funding levels, and to include 
Section 202 Project Rental Assistance Contracts (PRAC) 
properties.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee does not provide a separate line of funding 
or expanded authorities requested for the program. The 
Committee believes that the current cap of 185,000 units 
eligible for conversion will allow a significant number of PHAs 
to undertake RAD conversions in fiscal year 2017, as 
conversions have been completed on only a fraction of the 
185,000 total unit cap.

                        HOUSING CERTIFICATE FUND

                              (RESCISSION)

    The Housing Certificate Fund, until fiscal year 2005, 
provided funding for both the project-based and tenant-based 
components of the Section 8 program. Project-Based Rental 
Assistance and Tenant-Based Rental Assistance are now 
separately funded accounts. The Housing Certificate Fund 
retains balances from previous years' appropriations.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    Language is included to allow unobligated balances from 
specific accounts to renew or amend Project-Based Rental 
Assistance contracts.

                      PUBLIC HOUSING CAPITAL FUND

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................    $1,900,000,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................     1,865,000,000
Recommended in the bill...............................     1,900,000,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................             - - -
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................       +35,000,000
 

    The public housing capital fund provides funding for public 
housing capital programs, including public housing development 
and modernization. Examples of capital modernization projects 
include replacing roofs and windows, improving common spaces, 
upgrading electrical and plumbing systems, and renovating the 
interior of an apartment.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $1,900,000,000 for the public 
housing capital fund, which is the same as the fiscal year 2016 
enacted level and $35,000,000 above the budget request.
    Within the amounts provided, the Committee directs that:
    --No more than $10,000,000 is directed to support the 
ongoing public housing financial and physical assessment 
activities of the Real Estate Assessment Center;
    --Up to $1,000,000 is for administrative and judicial 
receiverships;
    --Up to $20,000,000 is made available for emergency capital 
needs, excluding Presidentially-declared disasters. The 
Committee includes language to ensure that funds are used only 
for repairs needed due to an unforeseen and unanticipated 
emergency event or natural disaster that occurs during fiscal 
year 2017, or for certain security measures;
    --$35,000,000 is for the Resident Opportunity and Self-
Sufficiency (ROSS) program; and
    --$15,000,000 is provided for the Jobs Plus program to 
improve employment opportunities and earnings of public housing 
residents.
    Physical needs assessment prohibition.--The Committee has 
included bill language prohibiting funds for HUD's Physical 
Needs Assessment (PNA) requirement for PHAs. Implementation of 
PNA requirements on PHAs unnecessarily increase administrative 
burdens on PHAs and appear to have no operational benefit for 
local housing programs.

                     PUBLIC HOUSING OPERATING FUND

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................    $4,500,000,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................     4,569,000,000
Recommended in the bill...............................     4,500,000,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................             - - -
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................       -69,000,000
 

    The public housing operating fund subsidizes the costs 
associated with operating and maintaining public housing. This 
subsidy supplements funding received by public housing 
authorities from tenant rent contributions and other income. In 
accordance with section 9 of the United States Housing Act of 
1937, as amended, funds are allocated by formula to public 
housing authorities for the following purposes: utility costs; 
anti-crime and anti-drug activities, including the costs of 
providing adequate security; routine maintenance cost; 
administrative costs; and general operating expenses.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $4,500,000,000 for the federal 
share of PHA operating expenses. This amount is the same as the 
fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $69,000,000 below the budget 
request.

                    CHOICE NEIGHBORHOODS INITIATIVE

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................      $125,000,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................       200,000,000
Recommended in the bill...............................       100,000,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................       -25,000,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................      -100,000,000
 

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $100,000,000 for the Choice 
Neighborhoods Initiative Program, which is $25,000,000 below 
the 2016 enacted level and $100,000,000 below the budget 
request. The Committee encourages the Department to give prior 
year planning grant recipients priority consideration when 
awarding implementation grants.

                        FAMILY SELF SUFFICIENCY

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................       $75,000,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................        75,000,000
Recommended in the bill...............................        75,000,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................             - - -
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................             - - -
 

    The Family Self-Sufficiency program funds coordinators to 
help HUD-assisted residents achieve economic independence.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee provides $75,000,000 to support the Family 
Self-Sufficiency program. This is the same as the fiscal year 
2016 enacted level and the same as the budget request. The 
Committee expects the Department to prioritize assistance to 
individuals and families that results in job stability, 
increased tenant incomes, and greater rent contributions.

                  NATIVE AMERICAN HOUSING BLOCK GRANTS

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................      $650,000,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................       700,000,000
Recommended in the bill...............................       655,000,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................        +5,000,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................       -45,000,000
 

    The Native American Housing Block Grants program, 
authorized by the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-
Determination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 4111 et seq.), provides 
funds to American Indian tribes and their Tribally Designated 
Housing Entities (TDHEs) to address affordable housing needs 
within their communities.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $655,000,000 for Native American 
Housing Block Grants, which is $5,000,000 above the fiscal year 
2016 enacted level and $45,000,000 below the budget request.
    --$3,500,000 is for organizations representing Native 
American housing interests to provide training and technical 
assistance to Indian housing authorities and TDHEs. Of this 
amount, no less than $2,000,000 is for a national organization 
as authorized under NAHASDA.
    --$2,000,000 is for Title VI loan guarantees up to 
$17,857,142.
    Bill language is included to reduce formula allocation 
funding from any grantee that has an unexpended balance greater 
than three times its formula allocation, unless that grantee's 
formula allocation is less than $8,000,000.

                  NATIVE HAWAIIAN HOUSING BLOCK GRANT

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................             - - -
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................          $500,000
Recommended in the bill...............................             - - -
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................             - - -
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................          -500,000
 

    The Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant program provides 
grants to the State of Hawaii Department of Hawaiian Home Lands 
for housing and housing-related assistance to develop, maintain 
and operate affordable housing for eligible low-income native 
Hawaiian families.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee does not recommend funding for this program, 
which is the same as the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and 
$500,000 below the budget request.

           INDIAN HOUSING LOAN GUARANTEE FUND PROGRAM ACCOUNT

 
 
 
Credit subsidy:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................        $7,500,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................         5,500,000
  Recommended in the bill.............................         5,500,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................        -2,000,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................             - - -
Limitation on guaranteed loans:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................     1,190,476,190
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................     1,341,463,415
  Recommended in the bill.............................     1,341,463,415
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................      +150,987,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................             - - -
 

    Section 184 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 
1992 establishes a loan guarantee program for Native American 
individuals and housing authorities to build new housing or 
purchase existing housing on trust land. This program provides 
access to private financing that otherwise might be unavailable 
because of the unique legal status of Indian trust land.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $5,500,000 in new credit subsidy 
for the Section 184 loan guarantee program, which is $2,000,000 
below the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and the same as the 
budget request. This will guarantee a loan volume of 
$1,341,463,415, which is $150,987,000 above the fiscal year 
2016 enacted level and the same as the budget request.

                   Community Planning and Development


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................    $6,650,700,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................     6,829,000,000
Recommended in the bill...............................     6,882,000,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................      +231,300,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................       +53,000,000
 

    The Office of Community Planning and Development (CPD) is 
responsible for administering the Community Development Block 
Grants (CDBG), the Home Investment Partnership (HOME), Housing 
Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA), Homeless 
Assistance Grants (HAG), and other HUD community development 
programs. Most of these programs pass Federal funds through to 
state and local governments and other entities to address 
housing and development needs.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $6,882,000,000 for Community 
Planning and Development programs, which is $231,300,000 above 
the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $53,000,000 above the 
budget request.

              HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PERSONS WITH AIDS

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................      $335,000,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................       335,000,000
Recommended in the bill...............................       335,000,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................             - - -
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................             - - -
 

    The Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) 
program provides states and localities with resources to 
address the housing needs of low-income persons living with 
HIV/AIDS. Funding is distributed by formula to qualifying 
states and metropolitan areas based on the cumulative 
incidences of AIDS reported to the Centers for Disease Control. 
Government recipients are required to have a HUD-approved 
Comprehensive Plan or Comprehensive Housing Affordability 
Strategy.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends a total of $335,000,000 for the 
HOPWA program, which is the same as the fiscal year 2016 
enacted level and the same as the budget request. The Committee 
recommendation includes formula grants and funding for the 
renewal of certain expiring contracts that were previously 
funded under HOPWA competitive grants.
    Formula modernization.--The current HOPWA formula, which is 
based on cumulative AIDS cases and area incidence, no longer 
reflects the nature of an epidemic that has been transformed by 
both advances in HIV health care and surveillance, and by the 
increasingly disproportionate impact of the virus on 
communities of poverty and color. The Committee encourages the 
Department to work with the authorizing committees on any 
additional statutory authority needed to modernize the HOPWA 
formula.

                       COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FUND

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................    $3,060,000,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................     2,880,000,000
Recommended in the bill...............................     3,060,000,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................             - - -
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................      +180,000,000
 

    The Community Development Fund, authorized by the Housing 
and Community Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5301 et seq.), 
provides funding, primarily through Community Development Block 
Grants, to state and local governments and other eligible 
entities to carry out community and economic development 
activities.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends a total of $3,060,000,000 for the 
Community Development Fund account, which is the same as the 
fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $180,000,000 above the 
budget request.
    Of the amounts made available:
    --$3,000,000,000 is for the Community Development Block 
Grants (CDBG) formula program for entitlement communities and 
states. This is the same as the fiscal year 2016 enacted level 
and $200,000,000 above the budget request; and
    --$60,000,000 is for the Native American Housing and 
Economic Development Block Grant (also known as ``Indian 
CDBG''), which is the same as the fiscal year 2016 enacted 
level and $20,000,000 below the budget request.
    Of the amount provided for the CDBG formula program, 
$7,000,000 is for insular areas, per 42 U.S.C. 5306(a)(2), 
which is the same as the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and the 
budget request. The recommendation continues language requiring 
the Department to notify grantees of their formula allocation 
within 60 days of enactment of this Act.
    Entitlement community eligibility.--The Committee has not 
included language establishing a minimum grant amount necessary 
to become or remain an entitlement community. The Committee is 
concerned about the impact of this change on smaller 
communities. Under the proposal, communities that would 
otherwise have directly received funding would have to compete 
with other communities for a portion of the funding allocated 
to their state. The Committee notes that communities that have 
voluntarily joined an urban county for purposes of CDBG 
allocations have achieved similar efficiencies.
    Veterans service organizations.--The Committee encourages 
the Department to examine ways to work with existing, eligible 
veterans service organizations to improve their facilities 
through the community development block grant program. The 
Committee recognizes the important role local veterans service 
organizations play in community development and support.
    National disaster resilience competition.--The Disaster 
Relief Appropriations Act (P.L. 113-2) provided much needed 
resources to assist the victims of Superstorm Sandy. However, 
despite concerns from Congressional delegations from affected 
states, HUD went forward with a $1 billion national disaster 
resilience competition (NRDC). The results of this competition 
have furthered concerns regarding the allocation of funding for 
NRDC. The Committee directs the Secretary to provide a report 
to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations within 60 
days of enactment which details the process by which HUD 
decided to create such a competition and how awards were 
determined. The report shall include an analysis of need in 
communities that still have unmet needs as a result of 
Superstorm Sandy, and an explanation of why NRDC funding was 
not directed to address those unmet needs.
    Low-moderate income data.--The Committee directs HUD to 
publish the margin of error at the place level for the low-and-
moderate income (LMI) American Community Survey data HUD used 
to determine CDBG eligibility for each place that has a margin 
of error that is 20% or greater. The Committee expects HUD to 
make this data public within 90 days of enactment of this Act.

         COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT LOAN GUARANTEES PROGRAM ACCOUNT

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                         Limitation on
                                   Budget Authority    guaranteed loans
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.               - - -      ($300,000,000)
Budget request, fiscal year 2017               - - -      ($300,000,000)
Recommended in the bill.........               - - -      ($300,000,000)
Bill compared with:.............
  Appropriation, fiscal year                   - - -               - - -
 2016...........................
  Budget request, fiscal year                  - - -               - - -
 2017...........................
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Section 108 Loan Guarantee program is a source of 
variable and fixed-rate financing for communities undertaking 
projects eligible under the Community Development and Block 
Grant (CDBG) program. Such activities may include economic 
development, housing rehabilitation, public facilities, and 
large-scale physical development projects, By pledging their 
current and future CDBG allocations to cover the loan amount as 
security, communities are able to finance large-scale projects 
with a federally guaranteed loan. HUD may require additional 
security for a loan, as determined on a case-by-case basis.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommendation continues the Section 18 Loan 
Guarantee program as a borrower-paid subsidy program, and 
therefore recommends providing no budget authority, which is 
the same as fiscal year 2016 enacted and the budget request. 
The Committee also accepts the requested limit on guaranteed 
loan volume of $300,000,000 which is the same as the fiscal 
year 2016 enacted level.

                  HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAM

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................      $950,000,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................       940,000,000
Recommended in the bill...............................       950,000,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................             - - -
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................       +10,000,000
 

    The HOME investment partnerships program provides block 
grants to participating jurisdictions (states, units of local 
government, Indian tribes, and insular areas) to undertake 
activities that expand the supply of affordable housing in the 
jurisdiction. HOME block grants are distributed based on 
formula allocations. Upon receipt of these Federal funds, state 
and local governments develop a housing affordability strategy 
to acquire, rehabilitate, or construct new affordable housing, 
or to provide rental assistance to eligible families.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $950,000,000 for activities funded 
under this account, which is the same as fiscal year 2016 
enacted and $10,000,000 above the budget request.
    People with disabilities and the elderly.--The Committee 
encourages the Department and grantees to utilize HOME funds to 
modernize, rehabilitate, and develop housing for people with 
disabilities and the elderly. The Committee notes that HOME 
funding is a flexible funding source that can leverage other 
capital to address the shortage of housing for the elderly and 
the disabled.
    Statutory reforms.--The Committee does not include the 
statutory reforms to HOME requested in the budget that would 
eliminate communities from the program that receive less than 
$500,000. HOME funding is a vital resource for communities 
working to meet the needs of low-income families and 
individuals in need of supportive housing, including veterans, 
persons with disabilities, seniors and persons experiencing 
homelessness. The program allows states and localities to 
respond to individuals' most pressing housing needs. HOME 
provides gap financing that is critical to the creation and 
provision of affordable housing for the families who need it 
the most.

        SELF-HELP AND ASSISTED HOMEOWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITY PROGRAM

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................       $55,700,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................        10,000,000
Recommended in the bill...............................        50,000,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................        -5,700,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................       +40,000,000
 

    Self-Help Homeownership Opportunity Program (SHOP) funds 
are distributed through grants to nonprofit organizations and 
consortia that have experience in providing or facilitating 
self-help homeownership opportunities. Grant funds are used for 
land acquisition and improvements associated with developing 
new, decent dwellings for low-income persons, including those 
living in colonias, using the self-help model.
    Section 4 Capacity Building funds are set-aside within this 
account for activities described under section 4(a) of the HUD 
Demonstration Act of 1993 (42 U.S.C. 9816 note). Section 4 
funds are awarded to a limited number of non-profits, which use 
the funds to develop the capacity of community development 
corporations (CDCs) and community housing development 
organizations (CHDOs). The CDCs and CHDOs then undertake 
community development and affordable housing activities. 
Section 4 funds must be matched by recipients with at least 
three times the grant amount in private funding.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $50,000,000 for this account which 
includes $10,000,000 for SHOP, $35,000,000 for Section 4 
capacity building, and $5,000,000 for capacity building grants 
to national rural housing organizations that operate capacity 
building activities in at least seven HUD regions. The 
recommended funding level for each of these activities is 
$5,700,000 below the fiscal year 2016 enacted level. The 
Committee rejects the request to fund these activities through 
other programs or under other accounts.
    The Committee encourages that the Section 4 funds be 
awarded competitively to a limited number of non-profits to aid 
community development corporations and community housing 
development organizations. Further, the Committee recognizes 
that the Section 4 capacity building program strengthens lower-
income urban and rural communities through the expansion of 
affordable housing units. The Committee recommends at least $5 
million of the funds made available by the Section 4 Capacity 
Building program be used for rural capacity building 
activities.

                       HOMELESS ASSISTANCE GRANTS

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................    $2,250,000,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................     2,664,000,000
Recommended in the bill...............................     2,487,000,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................      +237,000,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................      -177,000,000
 

    The Homeless Assistance Grants account provides funding for 
programs under title IV of the McKinney Act, as amended by the 
Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing 
(HEARTH) Act of 2009. HEARTH Act programs include the Continuum 
of Care (CoC) competitive grants, the Emergency Solutions 
Grants (ESG) program, and the Rural Housing Stability Grants 
program.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends funding the homeless assistance 
grant programs at $2,487,000,000, which is $237,000,000 above 
the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $177,000,000 below the 
budget request. The recommendation includes funding to support 
continuum of care project renewals of no less than 
$2,014,000,000, at least $270,000,000 in formula emergency 
solutions grants, and $40,000,000 for discretionary grants to 
fund rapid re-housing or other critical activities in 
communities that have recently lost significant capacity to 
serve persons experiencing homelessness. Up to $7,000,000 is 
available for the national homeless data analysis project.
    Performance-driven funding awards.--Holding projects 
accountable to their ability to demonstrate effectiveness 
through performance data is essential to getting the most out 
of limited federal resources. The recommendation continues 
language which directs the Secretary to award an increasing 
share of funding on the basis of system performance.
    Continuum of care funding reallocation.--The recommendation 
includes language that directs the Secretary to prioritize 
funding to grantees that, when appropriate, reallocate funding 
from lower performing projects to higher performing projects. 
Reallocation drives higher return on investment and can also 
serve as a mechanism for containing annual inflation.
    Supplementary emergency solutions grant funding for 
negatively impacted communities.--The Committee supports HUD's 
efforts to ensure that the continuum of care program funds 
high-quality, evidence-based projects through a rigorous 
national competition based on performance. The actions taken by 
the Department to increase competitiveness in the program have 
been responsive to the Committee's direction. However, the 
Committee also recognizes that changes of this nature may be 
difficult for communities to implement at the local level, and 
has included an appropriation of $40,000,000 to assist 
communities that lost significant capacity in the national 
competition. The Committee directs HUD to distribute this 
allocation via a formula, as determined by the Secretary, to 
the communities that lost the most funding in the continuum of 
care program after January 1, 2016 relative to the total 
funding the community was eligible to receive. Funds shall be 
used in accordance with the emergency solutions grant (ESG) 
program, shall be allocated to the largest ESG recipient in 
each continuum of care, and shall be awarded at the same time 
as the overall ESG allocation.
    Technical assistance.--The Committee recommendation 
provides at least $15,000,000 for technical assistance to 
continuum of care communities. Of this amount, no less than 
$5,000,000 shall fund technical assistance and capacity 
building in communities with high need. HUD shall not exceed 
the statutory cap on technical assistance.
    Trauma-informed care.--The Committee recognizes the value 
of trauma-informed care and housing services and supports 
expanding the availability of these services to families, 
families with children, and individuals that are currently or 
on the verge of being homeless. Therefore, the Committee 
directs the Department to report to the House and Senate 
Committees on Appropriations within 180 days of enactment on 
what steps can be taken to improve access to services across 
all federal, state, and local homeless services, outreach, and 
prevention programs.

                            Housing Programs


                    PROJECT BASED RENTAL ASSISTANCE

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................   $10,620,000,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................    10,816,000,000
Recommended in the bill...............................    10,901,000,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................      +281,000,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................       +85,000,000
 

    The Project-Based Rental Assistance account provides a 
rental subsidy to a private landlord tied to a specific housing 
unit so that the properties themselves, rather than the 
individual living in the unit, remain subsidized. Amounts 
provided in this account include funding for the renewal of 
expiring project-based contracts, including Section 8, moderate 
rehabilitation, and single room occupancy contracts, amendments 
to Section 8 project-based contracts, and administrative costs 
for contract administration.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee provides a total of $10,901,000,000, 
including $400,000,000 provided as advance appropriations, for 
the annual renewal of project-based contracts. This funding 
level is $281,000,000 above the enacted level for fiscal year 
2016 and $85,000,000 above the budget request. Up to 
$235,000,000 is available for performance-based contract 
administrators (PBCA).
    Performance-based contract administrators.--PBCAs are 
public housing agencies, as defined by 42 USC 1437(a), which 
include state and local public housing authorities and their 
instrumentalities. They are responsible for conducting on-site 
management reviews of assisted properties, adjusting contract 
rents, and reviewing, processing, and paying monthly vouchers, 
among other tasks. The Committee notes that PBCAs are integral 
to the Department's efforts to reduce improper payments, 
protect residents, and ensure properties are well maintained. 
The Committee directs the Department to solicit and award PBCA 
contracts under full and open competition and without 
geographic limitation in accordance with the Competition in 
Contracting Act and the Federal Acquisition Regulation. 
Notwithstanding any provision of state law, the Committee 
rejects any attempt to weaken the PBCAs' comprehensive 
oversight of the properties administered under their 
management, diminish the applicability of federal law, or limit 
out-of-state competition by reliance on letters from state 
attorneys general, as seen in the 2012 NOFA process, or 
otherwise.

                        HOUSING FOR THE ELDERLY

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................      $432,700,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................       505,000,000
Recommended in the bill...............................       505,000,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................       +72,300,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................             - - -
 

    The Housing for the Elderly (Section 202) program provides 
eligible private, non-profit organizations with capital grants 
to finance the acquisition, rehabilitation or construction of 
housing intended for low income elderly people. In addition, 
the program provides project-based rental assistance contracts 
(PRAC) to support operational costs for units constructed under 
the program.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $505,000,000, which is $72,300,000 
above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and equal to the 
budget request. This amount will fully fund contract renewals 
and amendments in fiscal year 2017 for the elderly program.
          The recommendation allocates available funding as 
        follows:
         $427,000,000 for the renewal and amendment of 
        project rental assistance contracts (PRAC);
         Up to $75,000,000 for service coordinators and 
        the continuation of congregate services grants; and
         $3,000,000 for property inspections and 
        related costs.
        The Committee continues to include bill language 
        relating to the initial contract and renewal terms for 
        assistance provided under this heading and language 
        allowing these funds to be used for inspections and 
        analysis of data by HUD's REAC program office.

                 HOUSING FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................      $150,600,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................       154,000,000
Recommended in the bill...............................       154,000,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................        +3,400,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................             - - -
 

    The Housing for Persons with Disabilities (Section 811) 
program provides eligible private, non-profit organizations 
with capital grants to finance the acquisition, rehabilitation 
or construction of supportive housing for disabled persons and 
provides project-based rental assistance (PRAC) to support 
operational costs for such units.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $154,000,000 for Section 811 
activities, which is $3,400,000 above the fiscal year 2016 
enacted level and equal to the budget request. This level will 
fully fund the project rental assistance and project assistant 
contract renewals and amendments in fiscal year 2017. The 
Committee continues to include bill language allowing funds to 
be used for inspections and analysis of data by HUD's REAC 
program office.

                     HOUSING COUNSELING ASSISTANCE

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................       $47,000,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................        47,000,000
Recommended in the bill...............................        55,000,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................        +8,000,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................        +8,000,000
 

    Section 106 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 
1968 authorized HUD to provide housing counseling services to 
homebuyers, homeowners, low and moderate income renters, and 
the homeless.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $55,000,000 for Housing Counseling 
Assistance, which is $8,000,000 above the fiscal year 2016 
enacted level and equal to the budget request. The Committee 
increases funding for HUD counseling activities to offset the 
reduction in foreclosure mitigation counseling under the 
Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation appropriation.
    The Committee retains bill language that provides two year 
funding availability to allow HUD flexibility to obligate 
recaptures and unobligated balances to support counseling 
activity rather than allowing the funds to expire. The bill 
retains language that requires HUD to make grants within 180 
days of enactment, and allows multi-year agreements, subject to 
the availability of annual appropriations.
    The Committee encourages HUD to coordinate with FEMA's 
flood insurance advocate to ensure HUD counselors located in 
flood-prone states receive adequate training and information to 
educate future homeowners on their potential flood risks, 
associated flood insurance premiums, home mitigation measures 
available proven to reduce flood risk, and any federal 
assistance available for mitigation projects and activities.

                       RENTAL HOUSING ASSISTANCE

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................       $30,000,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................        20,000,000
Recommended in the bill...............................        20,000,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................       -10,000,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................             - - -
 

    The rental housing assistance account includes existing 
long-term project-based rental assistance contracts covering 
approximately affordable housing units under the rent 
supplement and section 236 rental assistance payment (RAP) 
programs. Enacted in 1965 and 1974 respectively, these programs 
created affordable units for low-income families. Monthly 
payments are made to project owners from existing contract 
balances, and new budget authority for short-term extensions of 
expiring contracts and annual contract amendments. Contract 
amendments provide additional subsidy to below-market contracts 
where rents have been constrained and owners are unable to 
adequately service properties and perform ongoing maintenance.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $20,000,000 in funding for the 
rental housing assistance program, which is $10,000,000 below 
the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and equal to the budget 
request. This appropriation will fully fund contract amendment 
and extension needs in fiscal year 2017. The Committee 
continues bill language that allows HUD to use unobligated 
balances and recaptured funds for extensions and amendments.

            PAYMENT TO MANUFACTURED HOUSING FEES TRUST FUND

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................       $10,500,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................        11,500,000
Recommended in the bill...............................        11,500,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................        +1,000,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................             - - -
 

    The National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety 
Standards Act of 1974, as amended by the Manufactured Housing 
Improvement Act of 2000, authorizes the Secretary to establish 
Federal manufactured home construction and safety standards for 
the construction, design, and performance of manufactured 
homes. All manufactured homes are required to meet the federal 
standards, and fees are charged to producers to cover the costs 
of administering the Act. HUD estimates that there are 8 
million manufactured homes built since 1976 that are currently 
in use.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends up to $11,500,000 for the 
manufactured housing standards programs to be derived from 
certification label fees collected and deposited in the 
manufactured housing fees trust fund, established pursuant to 
the Manufactured Housing Improvement Act of 2000. The Committee 
does not provide a direct appropriation for this account. The 
recommendation is $1,000,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted 
level, and equal to the budget request. This increase reflects 
the growth in production since 2011, which is projected to 
continue.
    The Committee includes language allowing the Department to 
collect fees from program participants for the dispute 
resolution and installation programs. These fees are to be 
deposited into the trust fund and may be used by the department 
subject to the overall cap placed on the account.
    The Committee urges HUD to work with the Department of 
Energy to evaluate the cost of duplicative energy efficiency 
standards as they relate to manufactured housing and eliminate 
overlapping regulations.

                     Federal Housing Administration


               MUTUAL MORTGAGE INSURANCE PROGRAM ACCOUNT

                     (INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                         Limitation of       Limitation of      Administrative
                                                         direct loans      guaranteed loans    contract expenses
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................          $5,000,000    $400,000,000,000        $130,000,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................           5,000,000     400,000,000,000         160,000,000
Recommended in the bill.............................           5,000,000     400,000,000,000         130,000,000
Bill compared to:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016...................               - - -               - - -               - - -
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017..................               - - -               - - -         -30,000,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Federal Housing Administration's (FHA) mutual mortgage 
insurance program account includes the mutual mortgage 
insurance (MMI) and cooperative management housing insurance 
funds. This program account covers unsubsidized programs, 
primarily the single-family home mortgage program, which is the 
largest of all the FHA programs. These include the Condominium, 
Section 203(k) rehabilitation, and Home Equity Conversion 
Mortgage programs (HECM) and the multifamily Cooperative 
Management Housing Insurance Funds (CMHI). The cooperative 
housing insurance program provides mortgages for cooperative 
housing projects of more than five units that are occupied by 
members of a cooperative housing corporation.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends the following limitations on loan 
commitments in the MMI program account: $400,000,000,000 for 
loan guarantees and $5,000,000 for direct loans. The 
recommendation also includes $130,000,000 for administrative 
contract expenses.
    The Committee's recommendation for administrative contract 
expenses is equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and 
$30,000,000 below the budget request. Although the Committee is 
committed to system automation, quality control efforts, and 
risk management improvements; the Committee denies authority to 
assess a new fee to augment administrative costs.
    HECM.--The Committee includes bill language that lifts the 
statutory aggregate cap of 275,000 HECM loan guarantees in 
fiscal year 2017. The Committee has carried similar language in 
prior years.
    Eminent Domain.--The Committee continues to carry bill 
language that prohibits financing of properties obtained 
through eminent domain. The Committee continues to be concerned 
about proposals for local governments to seize underwater 
performing mortgages and then refinance them into an FHA 
product. The Committee required HUD to submit a report on April 
1, 2014 detailing the effects using eminent domain for these 
purposes will have on the housing market, including FHA primary 
and refinance market, as well as the broader mortgage market, 
interest rates, homeownership, and affordability. The Committee 
continues to await the delivery of this report, and continues 
to prohibit HUD from financing mortgages for properties that 
have been subject to eminent domain.

                GENERAL AND SPECIAL RISK PROGRAM ACCOUNT

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                     Limitation of       Limitation of
                                     direct loans      guaranteed loans
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.          $5,000,000      30,000,000,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017           5,000,000      30,000,000,000
Recommended in the bill.........           5,000,000      30,000,000,000
Bill compared to:
  Appropriation, fiscal year                   - - -               - - -
 2016...........................
  Budget request, fiscal year                  - - -               - - -
 2017...........................
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Federal Housing Administration's (FHA) general 
insurance and special risk insurance (GI and SRI) program 
account includes 17 different programs administered by FHA. The 
GI fund includes a wide variety of insurance programs for 
special-purpose single and multifamily loans, including loans 
for property improvements, manufactured housing, multifamily 
rental housing, condominiums, housing for the elderly, 
hospitals, group practice facilities, and nursing homes. The 
SRI fund includes insurance programs for mortgages in older, 
declining urban areas that would not be otherwise eligible for 
insurance, mortgages with interest reduction payments, and 
mortgages for experimental housing and for high-risk mortgagors 
who would not normally be eligible for mortgage insurance 
without housing counseling.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends a limitation on loan guarantees of 
$30,000,000,000, which is the same as the fiscal year 2016 
enacted level and equal to the budget request. It includes a 
limitation of $5,000,000 for direct loans, which is equal to 
the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and equal to the budget 
request. This program provides short-term purchase money 
mortgages to allow non-profit and governmental agencies to 
acquire single family properties and resell to low income 
purchasers. However, use has declined recently due to the 
shortage of state/local government subsidies needed to offset 
participants' development costs associated with administering 
the program.
    The Committee encourages HUD to coordinate with FEMA's 
flood insurance advocate and identify rehabilitation activities 
eligible under section 203(k) that also fulfill FEMA's hazard 
mitigation standards and to identify qualifying disaster 
mitigation rehabilitation options on its website and other 
promotional materials.

                Government National Mortgage Association


        GUARANTEES OF MORTGAGE BACKED SECURITIES LOAN GUARANTEE

                            PROGRAM ACCOUNT

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                     Limitation of      Administrative
                                   guaranteed loans    contract expenses
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.    $500,000,000,000         $23,000,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017     500,000,000,000          23,300,000
Recommended in the bill.........     500,000,000,000          23,000,000
Bill compared to:
  Appropriation, fiscal year                   - - -               - - -
 2016...........................
  Budget request, fiscal year                  - - -               - - -
 2017...........................
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Guarantees of Mortgage-Backed Securities Program 
facilitates the financing of residential mortgage loans insured 
or guaranteed by the Federal Housing Administration, the 
Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Rural Housing Services 
program. The Government National Mortgage Association (GNMA) 
guarantees the timely payment of principal and interest on 
securities issued by private service institutions such as 
mortgage companies, commercial banks, savings banks, and 
savings and loan associations that assemble pools of mortgages 
and issue securities backed by the pools. In turn, investment 
proceeds are used to finance additional mortgage loans. 
Investors include non-traditional sources of credit in the 
housing market such as pension and retirement funds, life 
insurance companies, and individuals.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The recommendation includes a $500,000,000,000 limitation 
on loan commitments for mortgage-backed securities, as 
requested, and $23,000,000 for the personnel costs of GNMA, to 
be funded by Commitment and Multiclass fees. The recommendation 
for personnel costs is equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted 
level and equal to the budget request.

                    Policy Development and Research


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................       $85,000,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................    \1\185,000,000
Recommended in the bill...............................        80,000,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................        -5,000,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................      -105,000,000
 
\1\Of the $185,000,000 requested, $65,000,000 was to be provided by
  straight appropriation and $120,000,000 was to be transferred from
  other HUD program accounts. This bill does not recommend transfers
  from other accounts.

    Title V of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1970, 
as amended, directs the Secretary of the Department of Housing 
and Urban Development to undertake programs of research, 
evaluation, and reports relating to the Department's mission 
and programs. These functions are carried out internally and 
through grants and contracts with industry, nonprofit research 
organizations, educational institutions, and through agreements 
with state and local governments and other federal agencies. 
The research programs seek ways to improve the efficiency, 
effectiveness, and equity of HUD programs and to identify 
methods to achieve cost reductions. This appropriation is used 
to support HUD evaluation and monitoring activities and to 
conduct housing surveys. Finally, funds under this heading are 
used to support technical assistance activities to the various 
states, communities, and agencies that are charged with 
administering HUD's programs and funds.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $80,000,000 for this account, 
which is $5,000,000 below last year's level and $105,000,000 
below the budget request. Consistent with prior years, the 
Committee again rejects the Administration's proposal to fund 
research and technical assistance through a take down and 
transfer from other appropriated HUD program accounts.
    Of the activities proposed in the budget, the Committee 
recommends $50,000,000 for the core research programs: 
$41,500,000 for market surveys, $5,700,000 for research support 
and dissemination, $600,000 for data acquisition, $1,000,000 
for housing finance studies, $1,000,000 for research 
partnerships, and $200,000 for housing technology.
    The Committee recommends $5,000,000 for new and continuing 
studies and demonstration evaluations, with up to $2,000,000 
for the MTW study. Further, the Committee's recommendation 
includes $25,000,000 for all technical assistance--program-
specific, cross cutting, and place-based. Of the funds 
identified for technical assistance to troubled PHA's, the 
Committee strongly urges the Department to target truly 
troubled or at-risk PHAs requiring assistance to conduct basic 
business and housing responsibilities versus assisting with 
glitzy new and bonus endeavors, such as energy performance 
contracts.
    The Committee strongly encourages the Department to 
consider providing technical assistance to distressed cities 
and communities through a network of non-profit or private 
sector organizations that have a proven track record of 
providing assistance to multiple cities across various 
disciplines, including economic development, workforce 
development, fiscal efficiency, and promoting best practices 
and inter-city assistance.
    The Committee again continues to recommend funds for the 
SHOP program as a separate account under the Office of Housing, 
consistent with prior years.
    As in prior years, the bill includes a general provision in 
Title II that prohibits funds from being used for a doctoral 
dissertation research grant program.
    The bill includes a general provision in Title II that 
allows the Department to use prior year deobligated or 
unexpended funds made available to the Office of Policy 
Development and Research for other research and evaluations. 
The Committee provides this authority under the condition that 
any new obligations are subject to the regular reprogramming 
procedures outlined in section 405.
    Resilient construction.--The Committee supports enhanced 
resiliency for new construction and renovation. The Committee 
urges HUD to study technologies, elements, and materials that 
create more resilient single and multi-family homes such as 
lean manufacturing, safe rooms, and alternative materials to 
improve durability and safety during natural disasters. The 
term ``resilient construction'' is defined as construction 
methods that: (1) allow a structure to resist hazards brought 
on by a major disaster, (2) allow a structure to continue to 
provide the primary functions of the structure following a 
major disaster, (3) reduce the magnitude or duration of a 
disruptive event to a structure, and (4) allow the structure to 
have the absorptive capacity, adaptive capacity, and 
recoverability to withstand a potentially disruptive event.
    Fair market rents.--The Committee encourages the Department 
to improve the process concerning fair market rents (FMRs). The 
Committee recommends that proposed FMRs be published no later 
than July 1st so that parties have sufficient time to consider 
the rates before the October 1st publishing date for final 
FMRs, understanding that HUD already has an established 
procedure for public housing agencies and other interested 
parties to comment on proposed FMRs. In addition, the Committee 
recommends that HUD establish and publish a clear process for 
public housing agencies to follow in order to request 
reevaluation of FMRs, where public housing agencies are having 
demonstrable difficulty placing voucher tenants in units (e.g., 
low success rates despite high payment standards).
    The Committee recommends that, where available, HUD 
incorporate the most recent, statistically reliable, regional 
data on rents paid in a market when determining FMRs for a 
community.
    Area median income.--The Committee commends efforts to test 
alternative measurements of fair market rent using small areas 
to gauge the impact on local housing choices, but urges HUD to 
also look at the current measurement methodology of area median 
income (AMI) in metropolitan areas in order to more accurately 
and locally measure AMI to offer affordable housing. Within 180 
days of enactment of this Act, the Committee directs HUD to 
submit a report to the Committee on the options for measuring 
AMI using more localized methodologies, the feasibility of 
using these alternative measurements, and if HUD has plans to 
test the identified alternatives.
    The Committee recognizes the need for an examination of the 
effects of rapidly rising rents in urban areas across the 
nation, and strategies to create and retain affordable housing 
options, and avoid displacement in these communities. The 
Committee directs the Secretary to submit a report to the House 
and Senate Committees on Appropriations within 180 days of 
enactment detailing best practices and recommendations to 
address the displacement of lower-income families and long-time 
residents in urban areas, and loss of affordable housing across 
the nation.

                   Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity


                        FAIR HOUSING ACTIVITIES

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................       $65,300,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................        70,000,000
Recommended in the bill...............................        65,300,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................             - - -
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................        -4,700,000
 

    The Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (OFHEO) is 
responsible for developing policies and guidance, and for 
providing technical support for enforcement of the Fair Housing 
Act and the civil rights statutes. OFHEO serves as the central 
point for the formulation, clearance and dissemination of 
policies, intra-departmental clearances, and public information 
related to fair housing issues. OFHEO receives, investigates, 
conciliates and recommends the issuance of charges of 
discrimination and determinations of non-compliance for 
complaints filed under Title VIII and other civil rights 
authorities. Additionally, OFHEO conducts civil rights 
compliance reviews and compliance reviews under section 3.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $65,300,000 for fair housing 
programs, which is the same as the fiscal year 2016 level and 
$4,700,000 below the request. Of the funds provided, 
$24,300,000 is for the fair housing assistance programs, 
$300,000 is for the limited English proficiency initiative and 
$1,500,000 is for the National Fair Housing Training Academy. 
Of the $39,200,000 for the fair housing initiative programs, 
not less than $7,450,000 is for education and outreach 
programs. The Committee directs the Department to focus 
resources on education, outreach, and training initiatives, and 
supporting local and state organizations that conduct 
investigations and adjudicate claims.
    Group homes, local land use, and the Fair Housing Act.--The 
Committee is aware that the Secretary is in the process of 
updating the 1999 Joint Statement on Group Homes, Local Land 
Use, and the Fair Housing Act. The Committee stresses the 
importance of the Secretary coordinating with the Attorney 
General to complete this process in a timely manner and 
recognizing or defining the role of state or local governments 
in defining zoning ordinances, licensing, and registration 
requirements regarding sober homes.
    Affirmatively furthering fair housing (AFFH).--A number of 
communities and local organizations have expressed concern that 
the guidance provided by HUD regarding compliance with the new 
AFFH rule is vague, and the communication with stakeholders 
regarding requirements and compliance is lacking. The 
Committee's recommendation includes resources under the 
salaries and expenses and policy, development, and research 
accounts to address these concerns. Further, the Committee 
directs HUD to work with its grantees and stakeholders to 
address their concerns, and continue to refine the tools and 
resources available to stakeholders to comply with the new 
rule.
    Disparate impact and insurance.--The United States District 
Court, Northern Division of Illinois found that ``HUD's 
response to the insurance industry's concerns [regarding the 
Disparate Impact Rule] was arbitrary and capricious'' and 
remanded a portion of the ``Implementation of the Fair Housing 
Act's Discriminatory Effects Standard'' rule regarding 
insurance back to HUD for further consideration and 
explanation. The Committee directs HUD to take action 
expeditiously in response to the Court's remand.
    The Committee directs the Department to provide a spend 
plan for all funds and activities in this account concurrent 
with the fiscal year 2017 operating plan and provide 3 days' 
notice prior to the announcement of any grant.

            Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes


                         LEAD HAZARD REDUCTION

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................      $110,000,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................       130,000,000
Recommended in the bill...............................       110,000,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................       +20,000,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................       +20,000,000
 

    The Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes is 
responsible for administering the lead-based paint hazard 
reduction program authorized by Title X of the Housing and 
Community Development Act of 1992. The office also addresses 
multiple housing-related health hazards through the healthy 
homes initiative, pursuant to the Secretary's authority in 
sections 501 and 502 of the Housing and Urban Development Act 
of 1970 (12 U.S.C. 1701z-1 and 1701z-2).
    The office develops lead-based paint regulations, 
guidelines, and policies applicable to HUD programs and 
enforces the lead disclosure rule issued under Title X. For 
both lead-related and healthy homes issues, the office designs 
and administers programs for grants, training, research, 
demonstration, and education.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $130,000,000 for the lead 
programs, which is $20,000,000 above both the fiscal year 2016 
enacted level and the budget request.
    The Committee recommends no more than $20,000,000 for the 
healthy homes initiative, and directs the Department to fund 
activities aimed at reducing incidences of asthma, mold, pests 
and radon.
    Lead hazards in assisted housing.--The Committee recognizes 
the need for updated lead inspection standards for federally 
assisted housing especially given the significant impact lead 
exposure can have on children and their development. The 
Committee believes that HUD has the statutory authority 
necessary to require more stringent inspections when checking 
homes for lead paint. HUD's current visual lead inspections 
have proven insufficient, and more rigorous standards, such as 
requiring risk assessments prior to a family moving into a 
home, should be implemented to ensure that children living in 
federally assisted housing are protected from lead poisoning.
    Lead hazards in housing study.--The Committee directs the 
Government Accountability Office (GAO) to report to the House 
and Senate Committees on Appropriations, not later than 180 
days after enactment, on the issue of lead hazards in housing, 
including:
    (1) an assessment of the implications of changing 
Department regulations to align with the Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention guidance; and
    (2) an assessment of the implications of requiring a risk 
assessment (beyond a visual assessment) for initial and 
periodic inspections for lead-based paint hazards for housing 
receiving federal assistance through HUD, and the impact it 
would have on landlord participation and the availability of 
affordable housing;
    (3) an analysis of whether existing federal programs and 
funding for lead hazard control activities in housing receiving 
federal assistance meet the current and evolving needs;
    (4) recommendations on how to improve coordination and 
leveraging of public and private funds to reduce the costs 
associated with the identification and remediation of lead 
hazards; and
    (5) an identification of existing partnerships among public 
housing agencies and public health agencies to address lead-
based paint hazards, what gaps exist in compliance and 
enforcement, and whether the partnerships can be replicated and 
enhanced through better data collection and dissemination among 
stakeholders.
    The Committee directs the Department to provide a spend 
plan for all funds and activities in this account concurrent 
with the fiscal year 2017 operating plan and provide 3 days' 
notice prior to the announcement of any grant.

                      Information Technology Fund


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................      $250,000,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................       286,000,000
Recommended in the bill...............................       100,000,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................      -150,000,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................      -186,000,000
 

    The information technology fund finances the information 
technology (IT) systems that support departmental programs and 
operations, including FHA Mortgage Insurance, housing 
assistance and grant programs, as well as core financial and 
general operations.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $100,000,000 in direct 
appropriations for the IT fund to support Department-wide 
information technology system activities, $150,000,000 less 
than the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $186,000,000 below 
the budget request. The Department requires approximately 
$250,000,000 simply to operate basic telecommunication services 
and existing information technology contracts, and prior to 
enactment, the Committee will work to identify sources of funds 
to maintain and upgrade the Department's systems. The Committee 
strongly urges HUD to continue refining the services and 
contracts under the Department's Working Capital Fund so that 
IT services can be funded by the users.
    The Committee directs HUD to continue with efforts to 
retire obsolete, unproductive, and expensive information 
technology systems, and streamline and consolidate current 
services contracts in an effort to direct resources for higher 
priority and more effective systems.
    As HUD makes progress to move forward with modernizing its 
IT systems, much of the credit for any success needs to be 
given to GAO and its continued oversight and evaluation of HUD 
IT governance. The Committee strongly urges HUD to adhere to 
the direction provided by GAO.
    In addition to GAO's reviews, the Committee commends the 
Office of the Chief Information Officer for bringing IT 
investments and development under the control of the OCIO 
versus the individual program offices. The Committee is opposed 
to any program office utilizing funds outside of the IT fund 
for system development and directs HUD to maintain IT 
investments under this header or the Working Capital Fund only.

                      Office of Inspector General


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................      $126,000,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................       129,000,000
Recommended in the bill...............................       128,082,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................        +2,082,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................          -918,000
 

    The Office of Inspector General (IG) provides agency-wide 
audit and investigative functions to identify and correct 
management and administrative deficiencies that create 
conditions for existing or potential instances of waste, fraud, 
and mismanagement. The audit function provides internal audit, 
contract audit, and inspection services. Contract audits 
provide professional advice to agency contracting officials on 
accounting and financial matters relative to negotiation, 
award, administration, re-pricing, and settlement of contracts. 
Internal audits evaluate all facets of agency operations. 
Inspection services provide detailed technical evaluations of 
agency operations. The investigative function provides for the 
detection and investigation of improper and illegal activities 
involving programs, personnel, and operations.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $128,082,000 for the Office of 
Inspector General, which is $2,082,000 greater than the fiscal 
year 2016 enacted level and $918,000 below the budget request. 
The Committee does not provide funds for any additional 
personnel.
    The Committee has found the reports and investigations 
undertaken by the IG over the past few years to be interesting 
and pertinent to the work of the Committee.
    Fair and equitable pay arbitration case.--The HUD OIG shall 
review and audit all events related to the Order and Remedy, 
FMCS No. 03-07743, issued by Arbitrator Andree McKissick on 
January 10, 2012, otherwise known as Fair and Equitable Pay, 
and report to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations 
its findings and recommendations including: (1) the 
Department's past and present human resource practices with 
regard to classification, workload balancing, workforce 
restructuring, position management, and fairness of advertising 
positions and other issues raised in this case; (2) whether any 
such current practices should be changed to better align with 
applicable laws and regulations; and (3) to continue to examine 
whether HUD provided a correct assessment of liability in this 
matter as it relates to the annual Financial Statement Audit 
going back five years.

    General Provisions--Department of Housing and Urban Development


                      INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS

                        (INCLUDING RESCISSIONS)

    Section 201. The Committee continues a provision regarding 
certain overpayments to be returned to Treasury.
    Section 202. The Committee continues the provision 
prohibiting the use of funds to investigate or prosecute legal 
activities under the Fair Housing Act.
    Section 203. The Committee continues the provision 
extending HOPWA formula modifications affecting certain 
jurisdictions in New York, New Jersey, and North Carolina.
    Section 204. The Committee continues the provision 
requiring that funds be distributed on a competitive basis 
unless specified otherwise in statute.
    Section 205. The Committee continues the provision allowing 
HUD to use funds to reimburse the Government National Mortgage 
Association (GNMA), Fannie Mae and other federal entities for 
services and facilities.
    Section 206. The Committee continues the provision 
requiring HUD to comport with the budget estimates except as 
otherwise provided in this Act or through an approved 
reprogramming.
    Section 207. The Committee continues the provision 
providing authorization for HUD corporations to utilize funds 
under certain conditions and restrictions.
    Section 208. The Committee continues the provision 
requiring a report on available balances each quarter.
    Section 209. The Committee continues the provision 
requiring that the Administration's budget and the Department's 
budget justifications for fiscal year 2018 be submitted in the 
identical account and sub-account structure provided in this 
Act.
    Section 210. The Committee continues the provision 
exempting PHA Boards in Alaska, Iowa, and Mississippi and the 
County of Los Angeles from the public housing resident 
representation requirement, and provides alternative 
requirements.
    Section 211. The Committee continues the provision 
exempting GNMA from certain requirements of the Federal Credit 
Reform Act of 1990.
    Section 212. The Committee continues the provision 
authorizing HUD to transfer debt and use agreements from an 
obsolete project to a viable project, provided certain 
conditions are met.
    Section 213. The Committee continues the provision setting 
forth the requirements for eligibility for section 8 voucher 
assistance.
    Section 214. The Committee continues the provision 
distributing Native American Housing Block Grant funds to the 
same Native Alaskan recipients as in fiscal year 2005.
    Section 215. The Committee continues the provision 
authorizing the Secretary to insure mortgages under section 255 
of the National Housing Act.
    Section 216. The Committee continues the provision 
instructing HUD on managing and disposing of any multifamily 
property that is owned or held by HUD.
    Section 217. The Committee continues the provision allowing 
amounts provided under the section 108 loan guarantee program 
to be used to guarantee notes or other obligations issued by 
any State on behalf of non-entitlement communities in the 
State.
    Section 218. The Committee continues the provision allowing 
PHAs that own and operate 400 or fewer units of public housing 
to be exempt from asset management requirements.
    Section 219. The Committee continues the provision 
restricting the Secretary from imposing any requirement or 
guideline relating to asset management that restricts or limits 
the use of capital funds for central office costs, up to the 
limits established in the Quality Housing and Work 
Responsibility Act of 1998.
    Section 220. The Committee continues the provision 
directing that no HUD employee, including those working in the 
offices of the IG and GNMA, shall be designated as an allotment 
holder unless the Chief Financial Officer determines that they 
have received training.
    Section 221. The Committee continues the provision 
requiring that the Secretary publish all notice of funding 
availability on the internet for fiscal year 2017.
    Section 222. The Committee continues the provision 
requiring that attorney fees for programmatic litigation must 
be paid from the personnel and benefits accounts of affected 
offices and the Office of General Counsel, and be restricted to 
payment of attorney fees only.
    Section 223. The Committee continues the provision allowing 
the Secretary to transfer up to 10 percent of funds or 
$4,000,000, whichever is less, appropriated under the headings 
``Administrative Support Offices'' or ``Program Office Salaries 
and Expenses'' to any other office funded under such headings.
    Section 224. The Committee continues the provision allowing 
the disaster housing assistance programs to be considered a 
program of HUD for the purpose of income verifications and 
matching.
    Section 225. The Committee continues the provision 
requiring HUD to take certain actions against owners receiving 
rental subsidies that do not maintain safe properties.
    Section 226. The Committee continues the provision placing 
a salary and bonus limit on public housing agency officials and 
employees.
    Section 227. The Committee continues the provision 
prohibiting funds from being used for the doctoral dissertation 
research grant program at HUD.
    Section 228. The Committee continues the provision 
requiring the Secretary to provide the Committees on 
Appropriations advance notice of discretionary awards.
    Section 229. The Committee continues the provision 
prohibiting funds from being used to require or enforce the 
physical needs assessment (PNA).
    Section 230. The Committee continues the provision 
prohibiting funds for HUD financing of mortgages for properties 
that have been subject to eminent domain.
    Section 231. The Committee continues the provision 
prohibiting funds from being used to terminate the status of a 
unit of local government as a metropolitan city, as defined 
under section 102 of the Housing and Community Development Act 
of 1974, with respect to grants under section 106 of such Act.
    Section 232. The Committee continues the provision 
requiring unexpended funding for research, evaluation and 
statistical purposes at the completion of a contract, grant or 
cooperative agreement to be deobligated and reobligated for 
additional research, subject to reprogramming requirements in 
this Act.
    Section 233. The Committee continues the provision 
prohibiting funds to be used for financial awards for employees 
subject to administrative discipline.
    Section 234. The Committee includes a provision that 
permits HUD to consolidate funds used to manage disaster 
recovery grants.
    Section 235. The Committee includes a provision permitting 
HUD to provide one year transition grants under the continuum 
of care program.
    Section 236. The Committee includes a provision prohibiting 
funds to enforce Executive Order 13690 regarding flood risk 
management.
    Section 237. The Committee includes a provision that 
rescinds unobligated balances from various accounts.

                      TITLE III--RELATED AGENCIES

                       United States Access Board

                         SALARIES AND EXPENSES

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................        $8,023,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................         8,190,000
Recommended in the bill...............................         8,190,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................          +167,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................             - - -
 

    The United States Access Board (Access Board) was 
established by section 502 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 
with the primary mission of ensuring accessibility for people 
with disabilities. The Access Board is responsible for 
developing guidelines under the Americans with Disabilities Act 
(ADA), the Architectural Barriers Act, and the 
Telecommunications Act. The Access Board is responsible for 
developing standards under section 508 of the Rehabilitation 
Act for accessible electronic and information technology used 
by federal agencies. The Access Board also enforces the 
Architectural Barriers Act and provides training and technical 
assistance on the guidelines and standards it develops.
    The Access Board has been given responsibilities under the 
Help America Vote Act to serve on the Election Assistance 
Commission's Board of Advisors and Technical Guidelines 
Development Committee. Additionally, the Board maintains a 
small research program that develops technical assistance 
materials and provides information needed for rulemaking.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $8,190,000 for the operations of 
the Access Board, which is $167,000 greater than the fiscal 
year 2016 enacted level and equal to the budget request.
    The Committee is concerned that the 2010 Americans with 
Disabilities Act standard for automated teller machines (ATM) 
has not kept pace with improvements in technology. The 
Committee encourages the Access Board to consider new and 
innovative technology features when updating any standards 
involving ATMs, point-of-sale systems, self-service kiosks, and 
other similar devices.

                      Federal Maritime Commission

                         SALARIES AND EXPENSES

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................       $25,660,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................        27,490,000
Recommended in the bill...............................        27,490,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................        +1,830,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................             - - -
 

    Established in 1961, the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) 
is an independent government agency, responsible for the 
regulation of oceanborne transportation in the foreign commerce 
of the United States. The Federal Maritime Commission monitors 
ocean common carriers, marine terminal operators, conferences, 
ports, and ocean transportation intermediaries to ensure they 
maintain just and reasonable practices. Among other activities, 
FMC also maintains a trade monitoring and enforcement program, 
monitors the laws and practices of foreign governments and 
their impacts on shipping conditions in the U.S., and enforces 
special regulatory requirements as they apply to controlled 
carriers.
    The principal shipping statutes administered by the FMC are 
the Shipping Act of 1984 (46 U.S.C. 40101-41309), the Foreign 
Shipping Practices Act of 1988 (46 U.S.C. 42301-42307), Section 
19 of the Merchant Marine Act, 1920 (46 U.S.C. 42101-42109), 
Public Law 89-777 (46 U.S.C. 44101-44106).

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends the budget request of $27,490,000 
for the Federal Maritime Commission, which is $1,830,000 over 
the fiscal year 2016 appropriation. Of the funds provided, not 
less than $552,024 is available for the Office of Inspector 
General.

            National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak)


                      OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL

                         SALARIES AND EXPENSES

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................       $24,499,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................        23,274,000
Recommended in the bill...............................        23,274,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................        -1,225,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................             - - -
 

    The Amtrak Inspector General is an independent, objective 
unit responsible for detecting and preventing fraud, waste, 
abuse, and violations of law and for promoting economy, 
efficiency and effectiveness at Amtrak.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $23,274,000 for Amtrak's Office of 
Inspector General (Amtrak OIG), which is $1,225,000 less than 
the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and equal to the fiscal year 
2017 budget request. The recommended level will allow Amtrak 
OIG to undertake audits, evaluations, and investigations and 
will ensure the OIG's effective oversight of Amtrak's programs 
and operations.
    The OIG's efforts have resulted in valuable studies and 
recommendations for this Committee and for the Corporation that 
have yielded cost savings and management improvements. These 
studies have been in a number of areas, including food and 
beverage service, capital planning, overtime, and fraud. In 
addition, Amtrak OIG has been instrumental in developing an 
audit process to review invoices and identifying overpayments.

                  National Transportation Safety Board


                         SALARIES AND EXPENSES

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................      $105,170,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................       106,000,000
Recommended in the bill...............................       106,000,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................          +830,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................             - - -
 

    Initially established along with the Department of 
Transportation (DOT), the National Transportation Safety Board 
(NTSB) commenced operations on April 1, 1967, as an independent 
federal agency charged by Congress with investigating every 
civil aviation accident in the United States, as well as 
significant accidents in other modes of transportation--
railroad, highway, marine and pipeline--and issuing safety 
recommendations aimed at preventing future accidents. Although 
it has always operated independently, the NTSB relied on the 
DOT for funding and administrative support until the 
Independent Safety Board Act of 1974 (Public Law 93-633) 
severed all ties between the two organizations effective April 
of 1975.
    In addition to its investigatory duties, the NTSB is 
responsible for maintaining the government's database of civil 
aviation accidents and conducting special studies of 
transportation safety issues of national significance. 
Furthermore, in accordance with the provisions of international 
treaties, the NTSB supplies investigators to serve as U.S. 
Accredited Representatives for aviation accidents overseas 
involving U.S.-registered aircraft, or involving aircraft or 
major components of U.S. manufacture. The NTSB also serves as 
the court of appeals for any airman, mechanic or mariner 
whenever certificate action is taken by the Administrator of 
the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) or the U.S. Coast 
Guard Commandant, or when civil penalties are assessed by the 
FAA. In addition, the NTSB operates the NTSB Academy in 
Ashburn, Virginia.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $106,000,000 for the salaries and 
expenses of the NTSB, which is $830,000 greater than the fiscal 
year 2016 enacted level and equal to the budget request.
    NTSB Academy.--The agency is encouraged to continue to seek 
additional opportunities to lease out, or otherwise generate 
revenue from the NTSB Academy, so that the agency can 
appropriately focus its resources on the important 
investigative work that is central to the agency's mission. In 
addition, the agency is again directed to submit detailed 
information on the costs associated with the NTSB Academy, as 
well as the revenue the facility is expected to generate, as 
part of the fiscal year 2018 budget request.

                 Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation


          PAYMENT TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD REINVESTMENT CORPORATION

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................      $175,000,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................       140,000,000
Recommended in the bill...............................       140,000,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................       -35,000,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................             - - -
 

    The Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation (NRC) was created 
by the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation Act (title VI of 
the Housing and Community Development Amendments of 1978). NRC 
now operates under the trade name `NeighborWorks America.' 
NeighborWorks America helps local communities establish working 
partnerships between residents and representatives of the 
public and private sectors. These partnership-based 
organizations are independent, tax-exempt, community-based 
nonprofit entities, often referred to as NeighborWorks 
organizations.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $140,000,000 
for fiscal year 2017, which is $35,000,000 below the fiscal 
year 2016 enacted level and equal to the budget request. This 
recommendation increases funding for NRC's core program by 
$5,000,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and is 
equal to the budget request. Consistent with the budget 
request, the Committee does not include funding for the 
National Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling (NFMC) Program.
    The NFMC program originated in fiscal year 2007 and was 
envisioned as a one-time funding effort to respond to the 
housing foreclosure crisis. Instead, it has received funds for 
a total of 9 years.
    The Committee recommendation recognizes that the economy 
continues to improve and foreclosures continue to decline. 
RealtyTrac states that foreclosure filings are at a 9 year low, 
and were reported on fewer than 1.1 million properties in 2015, 
down 3 percent from 2014 and down 62 percent from the peak in 
2010. The annual foreclosure rate is less than 1 percent of all 
U.S. housing units for the second consecutive year. Further, 
the NRC has integrated foreclosure mitigation counseling into 
its other counseling programs, eliminating the need for a 
separate program. However, to offset the reduction, the 
Committee included additional funding for HUD's housing 
counseling assistance appropriation.

                      Surface Transportation Board


                         SALARIES AND EXPENSES

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................       $32,375,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................        42,401,000
Recommended in the bill...............................        37,000,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................        +4,625,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................        -5,401,000
 

    The Surface Transportation Board (STB) was created in the 
Interstate Commerce Commission Termination Act of 1995 and is 
the successor agency to the Interstate Commerce Commission. The 
STB is an economic regulatory and adjudicatory body charged by 
Congress with resolving railroad rate and service disputes and 
reviewing proposed railroad mergers, as the regulation of other 
surface transportation carriers, including intercity bus 
industry and surface pipeline carriers, and household-good 
carriers. The Surface Transportation Board Reauthorization Act 
of 2015 (P.L. 114-110) established the Board as a wholly 
independent agency and expanded the Board's membership from 
three to five Board Members.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $37,000,000 
for fiscal year 2017, which is $4,625,000 more than the fiscal 
year 2016 enacted level and $5,401,000 below the budget 
request. The STB is estimated to collect $1,250,000 in fees, 
which will offset the appropriation for a total program cost of 
$35,750,000. The recommendation includes at least $2,046,000 
for information technology system improvements, assumes the 
Board will contract with the Department of Transportation for 
administrative support functions, and funds salary and expenses 
on a half-year basis for the two new Board Members and their 
staff.

           United States Interagency Council on Homelessness


                           OPERATING EXPENSES

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.......................        $3,530,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2017......................         3,600,000
Recommended in the bill...............................         2,000,000
Bill compared with:
  Appropriation, fiscal year 2016.....................        -1,530,000
  Budget request, fiscal year 2017....................        -1,600,000
 

    The mission of the United States Interagency Council on 
Homelessness (USICH) is to coordinate the Federal response to 
homelessness and to create a national partnership at every 
level of government and with the private sector to reduce and 
end homelessness in the nation while maximizing the 
effectiveness of the Federal Government in contributing to the 
end of homelessness.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $2,000,000 for the USICH, which is 
$1,530,000 below fiscal year 2016 enacted and $1,600,000 below 
the budget request. Funding for USICH is reduced in 
anticipation of the October 1, 2017 sunset date. The 
recommendation does not include the request to extend the 
sunset date or increase the salary for the USICH executive 
director. The Committee believes that funding projects that 
directly serve the homeless is a better use of scarce budgetary 
resources going forward.
    The Committee encourages the nineteen USICH member agencies 
to use the next year to establish permanent working 
relationships that will endure USICH's sunset date at the end 
of fiscal year 2017.

                      General Provision--This Act


                        (INCLUDING RESCISSIONS)

    Section 401. The Committee continues the provision 
prohibiting pay and other expenses for non-Federal parties in 
regulatory or adjudicatory proceedings funded in this Act.
    Section 402. The Committee continues the provision 
prohibiting obligations beyond the current fiscal year and 
prohibits transfers of funds unless expressly so provided 
herein.
    Section 403. The Committee continues the provision limiting 
consulting service expenditures through a procurement contract 
to contracts where such expenditures are a matter of public 
record, with exceptions.
    Section 404. The Committee continues the provision 
prohibiting employee training not specifically related to the 
performance of official duties.
    Section 405. The Committee continues the provision 
specifying reprogramming procedures and requires tables to 
include prior year enacted levels.
    Section 406. The Committee continues the provision allowing 
up to fifty percent of unobligated balances appropriated for 
salaries and expenses to remain available for certain purposes, 
contingent upon approval by the House and Senate Committees on 
Appropriations.
    Section 407. The Committee continues the provision 
prohibiting funds from being used for any project that seeks to 
use the power of eminent domain unless eminent domain is 
employed only for a public use.
    Section 408. The Committee continues the provision denying 
the transfer of funds made available in this Act, except 
pursuant to a transfer made by this Act or by authority granted 
in this Act.
    Section 409. The Committee continues the provision 
prohibiting funds in this Act from being used to permanently 
replace an employee intent on returning to his or her past 
occupation after completion of military service.
    Section 410. The Committee continues the provision 
prohibiting funds in this Act from being used unless the 
expenditure is in compliance with the Buy American Act.
    Section 411. The Committee continues the provision 
prohibiting funds from being made available to any person or 
entity that has been found to have violated the Buy American 
Act.
    Section 412. The Committee continues the provision 
prohibiting funds for first-class airline accommodations in 
contravention of section 301-10.122 and 301-10.123 of title 41, 
C.F.R.
    Section 413. The Committee continues the provision 
prohibiting funds from being used for the approval of a new 
foreign air carrier permit or exemption application if that 
approval would contravene United States law of Article 17 bis 
of the U.S.-E.U.-Iceland-Norway Air Transport Agreement and 
specifies that nothing in this section shall prohibit, 
restrict, or preclude the Secretary of DOT from granting a 
permit or exemption where such authorization is consistent with 
the U.S.-E.U.-Iceland-Norway Air Transport Treaty and U.S. law.
    Section 414. The Committee continues the provision that 
restricts the number of employees that agencies funded in this 
Act may send to international conferences.
    Section 415. The Committee continues the provision 
prohibiting funds from being used to lease or purchase new 
light duty vehicles for any executive fleet or an agency's 
fleet inventory, except in accordance with Presidential 
Memorandum--Federal Fleet Performance, dated May 24, 2011.
    Section 416. The Committee continues the provision capping 
the amount of fees the Surface Transportation Board can charge 
and collect for rate or practice complaints filed at the amount 
authorized for court civil suit filing fees.
    Section 417. The Committee includes a provision rescinding 
all unobligated balances from various salaries and expenses 
accounts.
    Section 418. The Committee includes a provision that 
establishes a spending reduction account.

            House of Representatives Reporting Requirements

    The following materials are submitted in accordance with 
various requirements of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives:

         STATEMENT OF GENERAL PERFORMANCE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

    Pursuant to clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives, the following is a statement of 
general performance goals and objectives for which this measure 
authorizes funding: The Committee on Appropriations considers 
program performance, including a program's success in 
developing and attaining outcome-related goals and objectives, 
in developing funding recommendations.

                          RESCISSION OF FUNDS

    Pursuant to clause 3(f)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives, the following lists the rescissions 
of unexpended balances included in the accompanying bill:
     $5,000,000 of budget authority from ``Department 
of Transportation-Maritime Administration-Maritime Guaranteed 
Loan (Title XI) Program Account'';
     Such sums that are available from ``Department of 
Housing and Urban Development-Housing Certificate Fund'';
     Section 237 rescinds such sums that are available 
from ``Department of Housing and Urban Development-Management 
and Administration'', ``Department of Housing and Urban 
Development-Program Office Salaries and Expenses''; and such 
sums that are recaptured from various community development 
programs;
     Section 417 rescinds such sums that are available 
from ``Department of Transportation-Office of the Secretary-
Salaries and Expenses'', ``Department of Transportation-Office 
of the Secretary-Office of Civil Rights'', ``Department of 
Transportation-Office of the Secretary-Minority Business 
Outreach'', ``Department of Transportation-Federal Transit 
Administration-Administrative Expenses'', ``Department of 
Transportation-Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety 
Administration-Operational Expenses'', ``Department of 
Transportation-Surface Transportation Board-Salaries and 
Expenses'', ``Access Board-Salaries and Expenses'', ``Federal 
Maritime Commission-Salaries and Expenses'', ``National 
Railroad Passenger Corporation-Office of Inspector General-
Salaries and Expenses'', ``National Transportation Safety 
Board-Salaries and Expenses'', and ``United States Interagency 
Council on Homelessness-Operating Expenses''.

                           TRANSFER OF FUNDS

    Pursuant to clause 3(f)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives, the following lists the transfers of 
unexpended balances included in the accompanying bill:

              UNDER TITLE I--DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                   Account to which
 Account from which the transfer    the transfer is         Amount
             is made                     made
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Office of the Secretary.........  Office of the       5% of certain
                                   Secretary.          funds subject to
                                                       conditions
Office of the Secretary,          Federal Highway     Up to $20,000,000
 National, Infrastructure          Administration,
 Investments.                      Federal Transit
                                   Administration,
                                   Federal Railroad
                                   Administration,
                                   Maritime
                                   Administration.
Federal Aviation Administration,  Federal Aviation    2% of certain
 Operations.                       Administration,     funds subject to
                                   Operations.         conditions
FHWA: Limitation on               Appalachian         $3,248,000
 administrative expenses.          Regional
                                   Commission.
Maritime Administration,          Maritime            $3,000,000
 Maritime Guaranteed Loan (Title   Administration,
 XI) Program Account.              Operations and
                                   Training.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

      UNDER TITLE II--DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                   Account to which
 Account from which the transfer    the transfer is         Amount
             is made                     made
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Administrative Support Offices..  Program Office      $4,000,000 subject
                                   Salaries and        to conditions
                                   Expenses.
Program Office Salaries and       Administrative      $4,000,000 subject
 Expenses.                         Support Offices.    to conditions
Executive Offices,                Working Capital     Such sums as
 Administrative Support Offices,   Fund.               necessary
 Program Office Salaries and
 Expenses, Government National
 Mortgage Association''.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

   DISCLOSURE OF EARMARKS AND CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING ITEMS

    Neither the bill nor the report contains any Congressional 
earmarks, limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as 
defined in clause 9 of rule XXI.

          Compliance With Rule XIII, Cl. 3(e) (Ramseyer Rule)

  In compliance with clause 3(e) of rule XIII of the Rules of 
the House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by 
the bill, as reported, are shown as follows (existing law 
proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new 
matter is printed in italics, existing law in which no change 
is proposed is shown in roman):

                 CONSOLIDATED APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2015



           *       *       *       *       *       *       *
DIVISION K--TRANSPORTATION, HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, AND RELATED 
AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2015

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


                                TITLE I

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS--FEDERAL MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY ADMINISTRATION

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


  Sec. 133. (a) Temporary Suspension of Enforcement.--None of 
the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act 
or any other Act shall be used to enforce sections 395.3(c) and 
395.3(d) of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, and such 
sections shall have no force or effect from the date of 
enactment of this Act until the later of September 30, [2015] 
2016, or upon submission of the final report issued by the 
Secretary under this section. The restart provisions in effect 
on [June 30, 2013] December 26, 2011, shall be in effect during 
this period.
  (b) Public Notification.--As soon as possible after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation 
shall publish a Notice in the Federal Register and on the 
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration website announcing 
that the provisions in the rule referred to in subsection (a) 
shall have no force or effect from the date of enactment of 
this Act through September 30, 2015, and the restart rule in 
effect on June 30, 2013, shall immediately be in effect.
  (c) Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) Driver Restart Study.--
Within 90 days of the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary shall initiate a naturalistic study of the 
operational, safety, health and fatigue impacts of the restart 
provisions in sections 395.3(c) and 395.3(d) of title 49, Code 
of Federal Regulations, on commercial motor vehicle drivers. 
The study required under this subsection shall--
          (1) compare the work schedules and assess operator 
        fatigue between the following two groups of commercial 
        motor vehicle drivers, each large enough to produce 
        statistically significant results:
                  (A) commercial motor vehicle drivers who 
                operate under such provisions, in effect 
                between July 1, 2013, and the day before the 
                date of enactment of this Act, and
                  (B) commercial motor vehicle drivers who 
                operate under the provisions in effect on June 
                30, 2013.
          (2) compare, at a minimum, the 5-month work 
        schedules, and assess safety critical events (crashes, 
        near crashes and crash-relevant conflicts) and operator 
        fatigue between the commercial motor vehicle drivers 
        identified under subsection (c)(1) of this section from 
        a statistically significant sample of drivers comprised 
        of fleets of all sizes, including long-haul, regional 
        and short-haul operations in various sectors of the 
        industry, including flat-bed, refrigerated, tank, and 
        dry-van, to the extent practicable;
          (3) assess drivers' safety critical events, fatigue 
        and levels of alertness, and driver health outcomes by 
        using both electronic and captured record of duty 
        status, including the Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PVT), 
        e-logging data, actigraph watches and cameras or other 
        on-board monitoring systems that record or measure 
        safety critical events and driver alertness;
          (4) utilize data from electronic logging devices, 
        consistent to the extent practicable, with the 
        anticipated requirements for such devices in section 
        31137(b) of title 49, United States Code, from motor 
        carriers and drivers of commercial motor vehicles, 
        notwithstanding any limitation on the use of such data 
        under section 31137(e) of title 49, United States Code; 
        and
          (5) include the development of an initial study plan 
        and final report, each of which shall be subject to an 
        independent peer review by a panel of individuals with 
        relevant medical and scientific expertise.
  (d) Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General 
Review.--Prior to the study required under this subsection 
commencing and within 60 days of the date of enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary shall submit a plan outlining the scope and 
methodology for the study to the Department of Transportation 
Inspector General.
          (1) Within 30 days of receiving the plan, the Office 
        of Inspector General shall review and report whether it 
        includes--
                  (A) a sufficient number of participating 
                drivers to produce statistically significant 
                results consistent with subsection (c)(2);
                  (B) the use of reliable technologies to 
                assess the operational, safety and fatigue 
                components of the study to produce consistent 
                and valid results;
                  (C) appropriate performance measures to 
                properly evaluate the study outcomes; and
                  (D) an appropriate selection of the 
                independent review panel under subsection 
                (c)(5).
          (2) The Office of Inspector General shall report its 
        findings, conclusions and any recommendations to the 
        Secretary and to the House and Senate Committees on 
        Appropriations within 30 days of receipt of the plan.
  (e) Reporting Requirements.--The Secretary shall submit a 
final report on the findings and conclusions of the study and 
the Department's recommendations on whether the provisions in 
effect on July 1, 2013, provide a greater net benefit for the 
operational, safety, health and fatigue impacts of the restart 
provisions to the Inspector General within 210 days of 
receiving the Office of the Inspector General report required 
in subsection (d)(2).
          (1) Within 60 days of receipt of the Secretary's 
        findings and recommendations in subsection (e), the 
        Inspector General shall report to the Secretary and the 
        House and Senate Committees on Appropriations on the 
        study's compliance with the requirements outlined under 
        subsection (c).
          (2) Upon submission of the Office of the Inspector 
        General report in paragraph (1), the Secretary shall 
        submit its report to the House and Senate Committees on 
        Appropriations and make the report publically available 
        on its website.
  (f) Certification.--The Secretary of Transportation shall 
certify in writing in a manner addressing the Inspector 
General's findings and recommendations in subsection (d)(1) and 
(e)(1) of this section that the Secretary has met the 
requirements as described in section (c) and (d).
  (g) Paperwork Reduction Act Exception.--The study and the 
Office of the Inspector General reviews shall not be subject to 
section 3506 or 3507 of title 44, United States Code.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *

                              ----------                              


                      TITLE 49, UNITED STATES CODE



           *       *       *       *       *       *       *
SUBTITLE III--GENERAL AND INTERMODAL PROGRAMS

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


CHAPTER 53--PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


Sec. 5303. Metropolitan transportation planning

  (a) Policy.--It is in the national interest--
          (1) to encourage and promote the safe and efficient 
        management, operation, and development of resilient 
        surface transportation systems that will serve the 
        mobility needs of people and freight and foster 
        economic growth and development within and between 
        States and urbanized areas, while minimizing 
        transportation-related fuel consumption and air 
        pollution through metropolitan and statewide 
        transportation planning processes identified in this 
        chapter; and
          (2) to encourage the continued improvement and 
        evolution of the metropolitan and statewide 
        transportation planning processes by metropolitan 
        planning organizations, State departments of 
        transportation, and public transit operators as guided 
        by the planning factors identified in subsection (h) 
        and section 5304(d).
  (b) Definitions.--In this section and section 5304, the 
following definitions apply:
          (1) Metropolitan planning area.--The term 
        ``metropolitan planning area'' means the geographic 
        area determined by agreement between the metropolitan 
        planning organization for the area and the Governor 
        under subsection (e).
          (2) Metropolitan planning organization.--The term 
        ``metropolitan planning organization'' means the policy 
        board of an organization established as a result of the 
        designation process under subsection (d).
          (3) Nonmetropolitan area.--The term ``nonmetropolitan 
        area'' means a geographic area outside designated 
        metropolitan planning areas.
          (4) Nonmetropolitan local official.--The term 
        ``nonmetropolitan local official'' means elected and 
        appointed officials of general purpose local government 
        in a nonmetropolitan area with responsibility for 
        transportation.
          (5) Regional transportation planning organization.--
        The term ``regional transportation planning 
        organization'' means a policy board of an organization 
        established as the result of a designation under 
        section 5304(l).
          (6) TIP.--The term ``TIP'' means a transportation 
        improvement program developed by a metropolitan 
        planning organization under subsection (j).
          (7) Urbanized area.--The term ``urbanized area'' 
        means a geographic area with a population of 50,000 or 
        more, as determined by the Bureau of the Census.
  (c) General Requirements.--
          (1) Development of long-range plans and tips.--To 
        accomplish the objectives in subsection (a), 
        metropolitan planning organizations designated under 
        subsection (d), in cooperation with the State and 
        public transportation operators, shall develop long- 
        range transportation plans and transportation 
        improvement programs through a performance-driven, 
        outcome-based approach to planning for metropolitan 
        areas of the State.
          (2) Contents.--The plans and TIPs for each 
        metropolitan area shall provide for the development and 
        integrated management and operation of transportation 
        systems and facilities (including accessible pedestrian 
        walkways, bicycle transportation facilities, and 
        intermodal facilities that support intercity 
        transportation, including intercity buses and intercity 
        bus facilities and commuter vanpool providers) that 
        will function as an intermodal transportation system 
        for the metropolitan planning area and as an integral 
        part of an intermodal transportation system for the 
        State and the United States.
          (3) Process of development.--The process for 
        developing the plans and TIPs shall provide for 
        consideration of all modes of transportation and shall 
        be continuing, cooperative, and comprehensive to the 
        degree appropriate, based on the complexity of the 
        transportation problems to be addressed.
  (d) Designation of Metropolitan Planning Organizations.--
          (1) In general.--To carry out the transportation 
        planning process required by this section, a 
        metropolitan planning organization shall be designated 
        for each urbanized area with a population of more than 
        50,000 individuals--
                  (A) by agreement between the Governor and 
                units of general purpose local government that 
                together represent at least 75 percent of the 
                affected population (including the largest 
                incorporated city (based on population) as 
                determined by the Bureau of the Census); or
                  (B) in accordance with procedures established 
                by applicable State or local law.
          (2) Structure.--Not later than 2 years after the date 
        of enactment of the Federal Public Transportation Act 
        of 2012, each metropolitan planning organization that 
        serves an area designated as a transportation 
        management area shall consist of--
                  (A) local elected officials;
                  (B) officials of public agencies that 
                administer or operate major modes of 
                transportation in the metropolitan area, 
                including representation by providers of public 
                transportation; and
                  (C) appropriate State officials.
          (3) Representation.--
                  (A) In general.--Designation or selection of 
                officials or representatives under paragraph 
                (2) shall be determined by the metropolitan 
                planning organization according to the bylaws 
                or enabling statute of the organization.
                  (B) Public transportation representative.--
                Subject to the bylaws or enabling statute of 
                the metropolitan planning organization, a 
                representative of a provider of public 
                transportation may also serve as a 
                representative of a local municipality.
                  (C) Powers of certain officials.--An official 
                described in paragraph (2)(B) shall have 
                responsibilities, actions, duties, voting 
                rights, and any other authority commensurate 
                with other officials described in paragraph 
                (2).
          (4) Limitation on statutory construction.--Nothing in 
        this subsection shall be construed to interfere with 
        the authority, under any State law in effect on 
        December 18, 1991, of a public agency with multimodal 
        transportation responsibilities--
                  (A) to develop the plans and TIPs for 
                adoption by a metropolitan planning 
                organization; and
                  (B) to develop long-range capital plans, 
                coordinate transit services and projects, and 
                carry out other activities pursuant to State 
                law.
          (5) Continuing designation.--A designation of a 
        metropolitan planning organization under this 
        subsection or any other provision of law shall remain 
        in effect until the metropolitan planning organization 
        is redesignated under paragraph (6).
          (6) Redesignation procedures.--
                  (A) In general.--A metropolitan planning 
                organization may be redesignated by agreement 
                between the Governor and units of general 
                purpose local government that together 
                represent at least 75 percent of the existing 
                planning area population (including the largest 
                incorporated city (based on population) as 
                determined by the Bureau of the Census) as 
                appropriate to carry out this section.
                  (B) Restructuring.--A metropolitan planning 
                organization may be restructured to meet the 
                requirements of paragraph (2) without 
                undertaking a redesignation.
          (7) Designation of more than 1 metropolitan planning 
        organization.--More than 1 metropolitan planning 
        organization may be designated within an existing 
        metropolitan planning area only if the Governor and the 
        existing metropolitan planning organization determine 
        that the size and complexity of the existing 
        metropolitan planning area make designation of more 
        than 1 metropolitan planning organization for the area 
        appropriate.
  (e) Metropolitan Planning Area Boundaries.--
          (1) In general.--For the purposes of this section, 
        the boundaries of a metropolitan planning area shall be 
        determined by agreement between the metropolitan 
        planning organization and the Governor.
          (2) Included area.--Each metropolitan planning area--
                  (A) shall encompass at least the existing 
                urbanized area and the contiguous area expected 
                to become urbanized within a 20-year forecast 
                period for the transportation plan; and
                  (B) may encompass the entire metropolitan 
                statistical area or consolidated metropolitan 
                statistical area, as defined by the Bureau of 
                the Census.
          (3) Identification of new urbanized areas within 
        existing planning area boundaries.--The designation by 
        the Bureau of the Census of new urbanized areas within 
        an existing metropolitan planning area shall not 
        require the redesignation of the existing metropolitan 
        planning organization.
          (4) Existing metropolitan planning areas in 
        nonattainment.--
                  (A) In general.--Notwithstanding paragraph 
                (2), except as provided in subparagraph (B), in 
                the case of an urbanized area designated as a 
                nonattainment area for ozone or carbon monoxide 
                under the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7401 et 
                seq.) as of the date of enactment of the 
                SAFETEA-LU, the boundaries of the metropolitan 
                planning area in existence as of such date of 
                enactment shall be retained.
                  (B) Exception.--The boundaries described in 
                subparagraph (A) may be adjusted by agreement 
                of the Governor and affected metropolitan 
                planning organizations in the manner described 
                in subsection (d)(6).
          (5) New metropolitan planning areas in 
        nonattainment.--In the case of an urbanized area 
        designated after the date of enactment of the SAFETEA-
        LU, as a nonattainment area for ozone or carbon 
        monoxide, the boundaries of the metropolitan planning 
        area--
                  (A) shall be established in the manner 
                described in subsection (d)(1);
                  (B) shall encompass the areas described in 
                paragraph (2)(A);
                  (C) may encompass the areas described in 
                paragraph (2)(B); and
                  (D) may address any nonattainment area 
                identified under the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 
                7401 et seq.) for ozone or carbon monoxide.
  (f) Coordination in Multistate Areas.--
          (1) In general.--The Secretary shall encourage each 
        Governor with responsibility for a portion of a 
        multistate metropolitan area and the appropriate 
        metropolitan planning organizations to provide 
        coordinated transportation planning for the entire 
        metropolitan area.
          (2) Interstate compacts.--The consent of Congress is 
        granted to any 2 or more States--
                  (A) to enter into agreements or compacts, not 
                in conflict with any law of the United States, 
                for cooperative efforts and mutual assistance 
                in support of activities authorized under this 
                section as the activities pertain to interstate 
                areas and localities within the States; and
                  (B) to establish such agencies, joint or 
                otherwise, as the States may determine 
                desirable for making the agreements and 
                compacts effective.
          (3) Reservation of rights.--The right to alter, 
        amend, or repeal interstate compacts entered into under 
        this subsection is expressly reserved.
  (g) MPO Consultation in Plan and TIP Coordination.--
          (1) Nonattainment areas.--If more than 1 metropolitan 
        planning organization has authority within a 
        metropolitan area or an area which is designated as a 
        nonattainment area for ozone or carbon monoxide under 
        the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.), each 
        metropolitan planning organization shall consult with 
        the other metropolitan planning organizations 
        designated for such area and the State in the 
        coordination of plans and TIPs required by this 
        section.
          (2) Transportation improvements located in multiple 
        MPOs If a transportation improvement, funded under this 
        chapter or title 23, is located within the boundaries 
        of more than 1 metropolitan planning area, the 
        metropolitan planning organizations shall coordinate 
        plans and TIPs regarding the transportation 
        improvement.
          (3) Relationship with other planning officials.--
                  (A) In general.--The Secretary shall 
                encourage each metropolitan planning 
                organization to consult with officials 
                responsible for other types of planning 
                activities that are affected by transportation 
                in the area (including State and local planned 
                growth, economic development, tourism, natural 
                disaster risk reduction, environmental 
                protection, airport operations, and freight 
                movements) or to coordinate its planning 
                process, to the maximum extent practicable, 
                with such planning activities.
                  (B) Requirements.--Under the metropolitan 
                planning process, transportation plans and TIPs 
                shall be developed with due consideration of 
                other related planning activities within the 
                metropolitan area, and the process shall 
                provide for the design and delivery of 
                transportation services within the metropolitan 
                area that are provided by--
                          (i) recipients of assistance under 
                        this chapter;
                          (ii) governmental agencies and 
                        nonprofit organizations (including 
                        representatives of the agencies and 
                        organizations) that receive Federal 
                        assistance from a source other than the 
                        Department of Transportation to provide 
                        nonemergency transportation services; 
                        and
                          (iii) recipients of assistance under 
                        section 204 of title 23.
  (h) Scope of Planning Process.--
          (1) In general.--The metropolitan planning process 
        for a metropolitan planning area under this section 
        shall provide for consideration of projects and 
        strategies that will--
                  (A) support the economic vitality of the 
                metropolitan area, especially by enabling 
                global competitiveness, productivity, and 
                efficiency;
                  (B) increase the safety of the transportation 
                system for motorized and nonmotorized users;
                  (C) increase the security of the 
                transportation system for motorized and 
                nonmotorized users;
                  (D) increase the accessibility and mobility 
                of people and for freight;
                  (E) protect and enhance the environment, 
                promote energy conservation, improve the 
                quality of life, and promote consistency 
                between transportation improvements and State 
                and local planned growth and economic 
                development patterns;
                  (F) enhance the integration and connectivity 
                of the transportation system, across and 
                between modes, for people and freight;
                  (G) promote efficient system management and 
                operation;
                  (H) emphasize the preservation of the 
                existing transportation system; and
                  (I) improve the resiliency and reliability of 
                the transportation system.
          (2) Performance-based approach.--
                  (A) In general.--The metropolitan 
                transportation planning process shall provide 
                for the establishment and use of a performance-
                based approach to transportation decisionmaking 
                to support the national goals described in 
                section 150(b) of title 23 and the general 
                purposes described in section 5301.
                  (B) Performance targets.--
                          (i) Surface transportation 
                        performance targets.--
                                  (I) In general.--Each 
                                metropolitan planning 
                                organization shall establish 
                                performance targets that 
                                address the performance 
                                measures described in section 
                                150(c) of title 23, where 
                                applicable, to use in tracking 
                                progress towards attainment of 
                                critical outcomes for the 
                                region of the metropolitan 
                                planning organization.
                                  (II) Coordination.--Selection 
                                of performance targets by a 
                                metropolitan planning 
                                organization shall be 
                                coordinated with the relevant 
                                State to ensure consistency, to 
                                the maximum extent practicable.
                          (ii) Public transportation 
                        performance targets.--Selection of 
                        performance targets by a metropolitan 
                        planning organization shall be 
                        coordinated, to the maximum extent 
                        practicable, with providers of public 
                        transportation to ensure consistency 
                        with sections 5326(c) and 5329(d).
                  (C) Timing.--Each metropolitan planning 
                organization shall establish the performance 
                targets under subparagraph (B) not later than 
                180 days after the date on which the relevant 
                State or provider of public transportation 
                establishes the performance targets.
                  (D) Integration of other performance-based 
                plans.--A metropolitan planning organization 
                shall integrate in the metropolitan 
                transportation planning process, directly or by 
                reference, the goals, objectives, performance 
                measures, and targets described in other State 
                transportation plans and transportation 
                processes, as well as any plans developed by 
                recipients of assistance under this chapter, 
                required as part of a performance-based 
                program.
          (3) Failure to consider factors.--The failure to 
        consider any factor specified in paragraphs (1) and (2) 
        shall not be reviewable by any court under this 
        chapter, title 23, subchapter II of chapter 5 of title 
        5, or chapter 7 of title 5 in any matter affecting a 
        transportation plan, a TIP, a project or strategy, or 
        the certification of a planning process.
  (i) Development of Transportation Plan.--
          (1) Requirements.--
                  (A) In general.--Each metropolitan planning 
                organization shall prepare and update a 
                transportation plan for its metropolitan 
                planning area in accordance with the 
                requirements of this subsection.
                  (B) Frequency.--
                          (i) In general.--The metropolitan 
                        planning organization shall prepare and 
                        update such plan every 4 years (or more 
                        frequently, if the metropolitan 
                        planning organization elects to update 
                        more frequently) in the case of each of 
                        the following:
                                  (I) Any area designated as 
                                nonattainment, as defined in 
                                section 107(d) of the Clean Air 
                                Act (42 U.S.C. 7407(d)).
                                  (II) Any area that was 
                                nonattainment and subsequently 
                                designated to attainment in 
                                accordance with section 
                                107(d)(3) of that Act (42 
                                U.S.C. 7407(d)(3)) and that is 
                                subject to a maintenance plan 
                                under section 175A of that Act 
                                (42 U.S.C. 7505a).
                          (ii) Other areas.--In the case of any 
                        other area required to have a 
                        transportation plan in accordance with 
                        the requirements of this subsection, 
                        the metropolitan planning organization 
                        shall prepare and update such plan 
                        every 5 years unless the metropolitan 
                        planning organization elects to update 
                        more frequently.
          (2) Transportation plan.--A transportation plan under 
        this section shall be in a form that the Secretary 
        determines to be appropriate and shall contain, at a 
        minimum, the following:
                  (A) Identification of transportation 
                facilities.--
                          (i) In general.--An identification of 
                        transportation facilities (including 
                        major roadways, public transportation 
                        facilities, intercity bus facilities, 
                        multimodal and intermodal facilities, 
                        nonmotorized transportation facilities, 
                        and intermodal connectors) that should 
                        function as an integrated metropolitan 
                        transportation system, giving emphasis 
                        to those facilities that serve 
                        important national and regional 
                        transportation functions.
                          (ii) Factors.--In formulating the 
                        transportation plan, the metropolitan 
                        planning organization shall consider 
                        factors described in subsection (h) as 
                        the factors relate to a 20-year 
                        forecast period.
                  (B) Performance measures and targets.--A 
                description of the performance measures and 
                performance targets used in assessing the 
                performance of the transportation system in 
                accordance with subsection (h)(2).
                  (C) System performance report.--A system 
                performance report and subsequent updates 
                evaluating the condition and performance of the 
                transportation system with respect to the 
                performance targets described in subsection 
                (h)(2), including--
                          (i) progress achieved by the 
                        metropolitan planning organization in 
                        meeting the performance targets in 
                        comparison with system performance 
                        recorded in previous reports; and
                          (ii) for metropolitan planning 
                        organizations that voluntarily elect to 
                        develop multiple scenarios, an analysis 
                        of how the preferred scenario has 
                        improved the conditions and performance 
                        of the transportation system and how 
                        changes in local policies and 
                        investments have impacted the costs 
                        necessary to achieve the identified 
                        performance targets.
                  (D) Mitigation activities.--
                          (i) In general.--A long-range 
                        transportation plan shall include a 
                        discussion of types of potential 
                        environmental mitigation activities and 
                        potential areas to carry out these 
                        activities, including activities that 
                        may have the greatest potential to 
                        restore and maintain the environmental 
                        functions affected by the plan.
                          (ii) Consultation.--The discussion 
                        shall be developed in consultation with 
                        Federal, State, and tribal wildlife, 
                        land management, and regulatory 
                        agencies.
                  (E) Financial plan.--
                          (i) In general.--A financial plan 
                        that--
                                  (I) demonstrates how the 
                                adopted transportation plan can 
                                be implemented;
                                  (II) indicates resources from 
                                public and private sources that 
                                are reasonably expected to be 
                                made available to carry out the 
                                plan; and
                                  (III) recommends any 
                                additional financing strategies 
                                for needed projects and 
                                programs.
                          (ii) Inclusions.--The financial plan 
                        may include, for illustrative purposes, 
                        additional projects that would be 
                        included in the adopted transportation 
                        plan if reasonable additional resources 
                        beyond those identified in the 
                        financial plan were available.
                          (iii) Cooperative development.--For 
                        the purpose of developing the 
                        transportation plan, the metropolitan 
                        planning organization, transit 
                        operator, and State shall cooperatively 
                        develop estimates of funds that will be 
                        available to support plan 
                        implementation.
                  (F) Operational and management strategies.--
                Operational and management strategies to 
                improve the performance of existing 
                transportation facilities to relieve vehicular 
                congestion and maximize the safety and mobility 
                of people and goods.
                  (G) Capital investment and other 
                strategies.--Capital investment and other 
                strategies to preserve the existing and 
                projected future metropolitan transportation 
                infrastructure, provide for multimodal capacity 
                increases based on regional priorities and 
                needs, and reduce the vulnerability of the 
                existing transportation infrastructure to 
                natural disasters.
                  (H) Transportation and transit enhancement 
                activities.--Proposed transportation and 
                transit enhancement activities, including 
                consideration of the role that intercity buses 
                may play in reducing congestion, pollution, and 
                energy consumption in a cost-effective manner 
                and strategies and investments that preserve 
                and enhance intercity bus systems, including 
                systems that are privately owned and operated.
          (3) Coordination with Clean Air Act agencies.--In 
        metropolitan areas that are in nonattainment for ozone 
        or carbon monoxide under the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 
        7401 et seq.), the metropolitan planning organization 
        shall coordinate the development of a transportation 
        plan with the process for development of the 
        transportation control measures of the State 
        implementation plan required by that Act.
          (4) Optional scenario development.--
                  (A) In general.--A metropolitan planning 
                organization may, while fitting the needs and 
                complexity of its community, voluntarily elect 
                to develop multiple scenarios for consideration 
                as part of the development of the metropolitan 
                transportation plan, in accordance with 
                subparagraph (B).
                  (B) Recommended components.--A metropolitan 
                planning organization that chooses to develop 
                multiple scenarios under subparagraph (A) shall 
                be encouraged to consider--
                          (i) potential regional investment 
                        strategies for the planning horizon;
                          (ii) assumed distribution of 
                        population and employment;
                          (iii) a scenario that, to the maximum 
                        extent practicable, maintains baseline 
                        conditions for the performance measures 
                        identified in subsection (h)(2);
                          (iv) a scenario that improves the 
                        baseline conditions for as many of the 
                        performance measures identified in 
                        subsection (h)(2) as possible;
                          (v) revenue constrained scenarios 
                        based on the total revenues expected to 
                        be available over the forecast period 
                        of the plan; and
                          (vi) estimated costs and potential 
                        revenues available to support each 
                        scenario.
                  (C) Metrics.--In addition to the performance 
                measures identified in section 150(c) of title 
                23, metropolitan planning organizations may 
                evaluate scenarios developed under this 
                paragraph using locally-developed measures.
          (5) Consultation.--
                  (A) In general.--In each metropolitan area, 
                the metropolitan planning organization shall 
                consult, as appropriate, with State and local 
                agencies responsible for land use management, 
                natural resources, environmental protection, 
                conservation, and historic preservation 
                concerning the development of a long-range 
                transportation plan.
                  (B) Issues.--The consultation shall involve, 
                as appropriate--
                          (i) comparison of transportation 
                        plans with State conservation plans or 
                        maps, if available; or
                          (ii) comparison of transportation 
                        plans to inventories of natural or 
                        historic resources, if available.
          (6) Participation by interested parties.--
                  (A) In general.--Each metropolitan planning 
                organization shall provide citizens, affected 
                public agencies, representatives of public 
                transportation employees, public ports, freight 
                shippers, providers of freight transportation 
                services, private providers of transportation 
                (including intercity bus operators, employer-
                based commuting programs, such as a carpool 
                program, vanpool program, transit benefit 
                program, parking cash-out program, shuttle 
                program, or telework program), representatives 
                of users of public transportation, 
                representatives of users of pedestrian walkways 
                and bicycle transportation facilities, 
                representatives of the disabled, and other 
                interested parties with a reasonable 
                opportunity to comment on the transportation 
                plan.
                  (B) Contents of participation plan.--A 
                participation plan--
                          (i) shall be developed in 
                        consultation with all interested 
                        parties; and
                          (ii) shall provide that all 
                        interested parties have reasonable 
                        opportunities to comment on the 
                        contents of the transportation plan.
                  (C) Methods.--In carrying out subparagraph 
                (A), the metropolitan planning organization 
                shall, to the maximum extent practicable--
                          (i) hold any public meetings at 
                        convenient and accessible locations and 
                        times;
                          (ii) employ visualization techniques 
                        to describe plans; and
                          (iii) make public information 
                        available in electronically accessible 
                        format and means, such as the World 
                        Wide Web, as appropriate to afford 
                        reasonable opportunity for 
                        consideration of public information 
                        under subparagraph (A).
          (7) Publication.--A transportation plan involving 
        Federal participation shall be published or otherwise 
        made readily available by the metropolitan planning 
        organization for public review, including (to the 
        maximum extent practicable) in electronically 
        accessible formats and means, such as the World Wide 
        Web, approved by the metropolitan planning organization 
        and submitted for information purposes to the Governor 
        at such times and in such manner as the Secretary shall 
        establish.
          (8) Selection of projects from illustrative list.--
        Notwithstanding paragraph (2)(E), a State or 
        metropolitan planning organization shall not be 
        required to select any project from the illustrative 
        list of additional projects included in the financial 
        plan under paragraph (2)(E).
  (j) Metropolitan TIP.--
          (1) Development.--
                  (A) In general.--In cooperation with the 
                State and any affected public transportation 
                operator, the metropolitan planning 
                organization designated for a metropolitan area 
                shall develop a TIP for the metropolitan 
                planning area that--
                          (i) contains projects consistent with 
                        the current metropolitan transportation 
                        plan;
                          (ii) reflects the investment 
                        priorities established in the current 
                        metropolitan transportation plan; and
                          (iii) once implemented, is designed 
                        to make progress toward achieving the 
                        performance targets established under 
                        subsection (h)(2).
                  (B) Opportunity for comment.--In developing 
                the TIP, the metropolitan planning 
                organization, in cooperation with the State and 
                any affected public transportation operator, 
                shall provide an opportunity for participation 
                by interested parties in the development of the 
                program, in accordance with subsection (i)(5).
                  (C) Funding estimates.--For the purpose of 
                developing the TIP, the metropolitan planning 
                organization, public transportation agency, and 
                State shall cooperatively develop estimates of 
                funds that are reasonably expected to be 
                available to support program implementation.
                  (D) Updating and approval.--The TIP shall 
                be--
                          (i) updated at least once every 4 
                        years; and
                          (ii) approved by the metropolitan 
                        planning organization and the Governor.
          (2) Contents.--
                  (A) Priority list.--The TIP shall include a 
                priority list of proposed Federally supported 
                projects and strategies to be carried out 
                within each 4-year period after the initial 
                adoption of the TIP.
                  (B) Financial plan.--The TIP shall include a 
                financial plan that--
                          (i) demonstrates how the TIP can be 
                        implemented;
                          (ii) indicates resources from public 
                        and private sources that are reasonably 
                        expected to be available to carry out 
                        the program;
                          (iii) identifies innovative financing 
                        techniques to finance projects, 
                        programs, and strategies; and
                          (iv) may include, for illustrative 
                        purposes, additional projects that 
                        would be included in the approved TIP 
                        if reasonable additional resources 
                        beyond those identified in the 
                        financial plan were available.
                  (C) Descriptions.--Each project in the TIP 
                shall include sufficient descriptive material 
                (such as type of work, termini, length, and 
                other similar factors) to identify the project 
                or phase of the project.
                  (D) Performance target achievement.--The 
                transportation improvement program shall 
                include, to the maximum extent practicable, a 
                description of the anticipated effect of the 
                transportation improvement program toward 
                achieving the performance targets established 
                in the metropolitan transportation plan, 
                linking investment priorities to those 
                performance targets.
          (3) Included projects.--
                  (A) Projects under this chapter and title 
                23.--A TIP developed under this subsection for 
                a metropolitan area shall include the projects 
                within the area that are proposed for funding 
                under this chapter and chapter 1 of title 23.
                  (B) Projects under chapter 2 of title 23.--
                          (i) Regionally significant 
                        projects.--Regionally significant 
                        projects proposed for funding under 
                        chapter 2 of title 23 shall be 
                        identified individually in the 
                        transportation improvement program.
                          (ii) Other projects.--Projects 
                        proposed for funding under chapter 2 of 
                        title 23 that are not determined to be 
                        regionally significant shall be grouped 
                        in 1 line item or identified 
                        individually in the transportation 
                        improvement program.
                  (C) Consistency with long-range 
                transportation plan.--Each project shall be 
                consistent with the long-range transportation 
                plan developed under subsection (i) for the 
                area.
                  (D) Requirement of anticipated full 
                funding.--The program shall include a project, 
                or an identified phase of a project, only if 
                full funding can reasonably be anticipated to 
                be available for the project or the identified 
                phase within the time period contemplated for 
                completion of the project or the identified 
                phase.
          (4) Notice and comment.--Before approving a TIP, a 
        metropolitan planning organization, in cooperation with 
        the State and any affected public transportation 
        operator, shall provide an opportunity for 
        participation by interested parties in the development 
        of the program, in accordance with subsection (i)(5).
          (5) Selection of projects.--
                  (A) In general.--Except as otherwise provided 
                in subsection (k)(4) and in addition to the TIP 
                development required under paragraph (1), the 
                selection of Federally funded projects in 
                metropolitan areas shall be carried out, from 
                the approved TIP--
                          (i) by--
                                  (I) in the case of projects 
                                under title 23, the State; and
                                  (II) in the case of projects 
                                under this chapter, the 
                                designated recipients of public 
                                transportation funding; and
                          (ii) in cooperation with the 
                        metropolitan planning organization.
                  (B) Modifications to project priority.--
                Notwithstanding any other provision of law, 
                action by the Secretary shall not be required 
                to advance a project included in the approved 
                TIP in place of another project in the program.
          (6) Selection of projects from illustrative list.--
                  (A) No required selection.--Notwithstanding 
                paragraph (2)(B)(iv), a State or metropolitan 
                planning organization shall not be required to 
                select any project from the illustrative list 
                of additional projects included in the 
                financial plan under paragraph (2)(B)(iv).
                  (B) Required action by the secretary.--Action 
                by the Secretary shall be required for a State 
                or metropolitan planning organization to select 
                any project from the illustrative list of 
                additional projects included in the financial 
                plan under paragraph (2)(B)(iv) for inclusion 
                in an approved TIP.
          (7) Publication.--
                  (A) Publication of tips.--A TIP involving 
                Federal participation shall be published or 
                otherwise made readily available by the 
                metropolitan planning organization for public 
                review.
                  (B) Publication of annual listings of 
                projects.--
                          (i) In general.--An annual listing of 
                        projects, including investments in 
                        pedestrian walkways and bicycle 
                        transportation facilities, for which 
                        Federal funds have been obligated in 
                        the preceding year shall be published 
                        or otherwise made available by the 
                        cooperative effort of the State, 
                        transit operator, and metropolitan 
                        planning organization for public 
                        review.
                          (ii) Requirement.--The listing shall 
                        be consistent with the categories 
                        identified in the TIP.
  (k) Transportation Management Areas.--
          (1) Identification and designation.--
                  (A) Required identification.--The Secretary 
                shall identify as a transportation management 
                area each urbanized area (as defined by the 
                Bureau of the Census) with a population of over 
                200,000 individuals.
                  (B) Designations on request.--The Secretary 
                shall designate any additional area as a 
                transportation management area on the request 
                of the Governor and the metropolitan planning 
                organization designated for the area.
          (2) Transportation plans.--In a transportation 
        management area, transportation plans shall be based on 
        a continuing and comprehensive transportation planning 
        process carried out by the metropolitan planning 
        organization in cooperation with the State and public 
        transportation operators.
          (3) Congestion management process.--
                  (A) In general.--Within a metropolitan 
                planning area serving a transportation 
                management area, the transportation planning 
                process under this section shall address 
                congestion management through a process that 
                provides for effective management and 
                operation, based on a cooperatively developed 
                and implemented metropolitan-wide strategy, of 
                new and existing transportation facilities 
                eligible for funding under this chapter and 
                title 23 through the use of travel demand 
                reduction (including intercity bus operators, 
                employer-based commuting programs, such as a 
                carpool program, vanpool program, transit 
                benefit program, parking cash-out program, 
                shuttle program, or telework program), job 
                access projects, and operational management 
                strategies.
                  (B) Schedule.--The Secretary shall establish 
                an appropriate phase-in schedule for compliance 
                with the requirements of this section but no 
                sooner than 1 year after the identification of 
                a transportation management area.
                  (C) Congestion management plan.--A 
                metropolitan planning organization serving a 
                transportation management area may develop a 
                plan that includes projects and strategies that 
                will be considered in the TIP of such 
                metropolitan planning organization. Such plan 
                shall--
                          (i) develop regional goals to reduce 
                        vehicle miles traveled during peak 
                        commuting hours and improve 
                        transportation connections between 
                        areas with high job concentration and 
                        areas with high concentrations of low- 
                        income households;
                          (ii) identify existing public 
                        transportation services, employer-based 
                        commuter programs, and other existing 
                        transportation services that support 
                        access to jobs in the region; and
                          (iii) identify proposed projects and 
                        programs to reduce congestion and 
                        increase job access opportunities.
                  (D) Participation.--In developing the plan 
                under subparagraph (C), a metropolitan planning 
                organization shall consult with employers, 
                private and non-profit providers of public 
                transportation, transportation management 
                organizations, and organizations that provide 
                job access reverse commute projects or job-
                related services to low-income individuals.
          (4) Selection of projects.--
                  (A) In general.--All Federally funded 
                projects carried out within the boundaries of a 
                metropolitan planning area serving a 
                transportation management area under title 23 
                (excluding projects carried out on the National 
                Highway System) or under this chapter shall be 
                selected for implementation from the approved 
                TIP by the metropolitan planning organization 
                designated for the area in consultation with 
                the State and any affected public 
                transportation operator.
                  (B) National Highway System projects.--
                Projects carried out within the boundaries of a 
                metropolitan planning area serving a 
                transportation management area on the National 
                Highway System shall be selected for 
                implementation from the approved TIP by the 
                State in cooperation with the metropolitan 
                planning organization designated for the area.
          (5) Certification.--
                  (A) In general.--The Secretary shall--
                          (i) ensure that the metropolitan 
                        planning process of a metropolitan 
                        planning organization serving a 
                        transportation management area is being 
                        carried out in accordance with 
                        applicable provisions of Federal law; 
                        and
                          (ii) subject to subparagraph (B), 
                        certify, not less often than once every 
                        4 years, that the requirements of this 
                        paragraph are met with respect to the 
                        metropolitan planning process.
                  (B) Requirements for certification.--The 
                Secretary may make the certification under 
                subparagraph (A) if--
                          (i) the transportation planning 
                        process complies with the requirements 
                        of this section and other applicable 
                        requirements of Federal law; and
                          (ii) there is a TIP for the 
                        metropolitan planning area that has 
                        been approved by the metropolitan 
                        planning organization and the Governor.
                  (C) Effect of failure to certify.--
                          (i) Withholding of project funds.--If 
                        a metropolitan planning process of a 
                        metropolitan planning organization 
                        serving a transportation management 
                        area is not certified, the Secretary 
                        may withhold up to 20 percent of the 
                        funds attributable to the metropolitan 
                        planning area of the metropolitan 
                        planning organization for projects 
                        funded under this chapter and title 23.
                          (ii) Restoration of withheld funds.--
                        The withheld funds shall be restored to 
                        the metropolitan planning area at such 
                        time as the metropolitan planning 
                        process is certified by the Secretary.
                  (D) Review of certification.--In making 
                certification determinations under this 
                paragraph, the Secretary shall provide for 
                public involvement appropriate to the 
                metropolitan area under review.
  (l) Report on Performance-based Planning Processes.--
          (1) In general.--The Secretary shall submit to 
        Congress a report on the effectiveness of the 
        performance-based planning processes of metropolitan 
        planning organizations under this section, taking into 
        consideration the requirements of this subsection.
          (2) Report.--Not later than 5 years after the date of 
        enactment of the Federal Public Transportation Act of 
        2012, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report 
        evaluating--
                  (A) the overall effectiveness of performance-
                based planning as a tool for guiding 
                transportation investments;
                  (B) the effectiveness of the performance-
                based planning process of each metropolitan 
                planning organization under this section;
                  (C) the extent to which metropolitan planning 
                organizations have achieved, or are currently 
                making substantial progress toward achieving, 
                the performance targets specified under this 
                section and whether metropolitan planning 
                organizations are developing meaningful 
                performance targets; and
                  (D) the technical capacity of metropolitan 
                planning organizations that operate within a 
                metropolitan planning area with a population of 
                200,000 or less and their ability to carry out 
                the requirements of this section.
          (3) Publication.--The report under paragraph (2) 
        shall be published or otherwise made available in 
        electronically accessible formats and means, including 
        on the Internet.
  (m) Abbreviated Plans for Certain Areas.--
          (1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), in the 
        case of a metropolitan area not designated as a 
        transportation management area under this section, the 
        Secretary may provide for the development of an 
        abbreviated transportation plan and TIP for the 
        metropolitan planning area that the Secretary 
        determines is appropriate to achieve the purposes of 
        this section, taking into account the complexity of 
        transportation problems in the area.
          (2) Nonattainment areas.--The Secretary may not 
        permit abbreviated plans or TIPs for a metropolitan 
        area that is in nonattainment for ozone or carbon 
        monoxide under the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7401 et 
        seq.).
  (n) Additional Requirements for Certain Nonattainment 
Areas.--
          (1) In general.--Notwithstanding any other provisions 
        of this chapter or title 23, for transportation 
        management areas classified as nonattainment for ozone 
        or carbon monoxide pursuant to the Clean Air Act (42 
        U.S.C. 7401 et seq.), Federal funds may not be advanced 
        in such area for any highway project that will result 
        in a significant increase in the carrying capacity for 
        single-occupant vehicles unless the project is 
        addressed through a congestion management process.
          (2) Applicability.--This subsection applies to a 
        nonattainment area within the metropolitan planning 
        area boundaries determined under subsection (e).
  (o) Limitation on Statutory Construction.--Nothing in this 
section shall be construed to confer on a metropolitan planning 
organization the authority to impose legal requirements on any 
transportation facility, provider, or project not eligible 
under this chapter or title 23.
  (p) Funding.--Funds apportioned under section 104(b)(5) of 
title 23 or section 5305(g) shall be available to carry out 
this section.
  (q) Continuation of Current Review Practice.--Since plans and 
TIPs described in this section are subject to a reasonable 
opportunity for public comment, since individual projects 
included in plans and TIPs are subject to review under the 
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et 
seq.), and since decisions by the Secretary concerning plans 
and TIPs described in this section have not been reviewed under 
that Act as of January 1, 1997, any decision by the Secretary 
concerning a plan or TIP described in this section shall not be 
considered to be a Federal action subject to review under that 
Act.
  (r) Bi-State Metropolitan Planning Organization.--
          (1) Definition of bi-state mpo Region.--In this 
        subsection, the term ``Bi-State Metropolitan Planning 
        Organization'' has the meaning given the term 
        ``region'' in subsection (a) of Article II of the Lake 
        Tahoe Regional Planning Compact (Public Law 96-551; 94 
        Stat. 3234).
          (2) Treatment.--For the purpose of this title, the 
        Bi-State Metropolitan Planning Organization shall be 
        treated as--
                  (A) a metropolitan planning organization;
                  (B) a transportation management area under 
                subsection (k); and
                  (C) an urbanized area, which is comprised of 
                a population of 145,000 and 25 square miles of 
                land area in the State of California and a 
                population of 65,000 and 12 square miles of 
                land area in the State of Nevada.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


SUBTITLE IV--INTERSTATE TRANSPORTATION

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


PART B--MOTOR CARRIERS, WATER CARRIERS, BROKERS, AND FREIGHT FORWARDERS

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


                  CHAPTER 145--FEDERAL-STATE RELATIONS

Sec. 14501. Federal authority over intrastate transportation

  (a) Motor Carriers of Passengers.--
          (1) Limitation on state law.--No State or political 
        subdivision thereof and no interstate agency or other 
        political agency of 2 or more States shall enact or 
        enforce any law, rule, regulation, standard, or other 
        provision having the force and effect of law relating 
        to--
                  (A) scheduling of interstate or intrastate 
                transportation (including discontinuance or 
                reduction in the level of service) provided by 
                a motor carrier of passengers subject to 
                jurisdiction under subchapter I of chapter 135 
                of this title on an interstate route;
                  (B) the implementation of any change in the 
                rates for such transportation or for any 
                charter transportation except to the extent 
                that notice, not in excess of 30 days, of 
                changes in schedules may be required; or
                  (C) the authority to provide intrastate or 
                interstate charter bus transportation.
        This paragraph shall not apply to intrastate commuter 
        bus operations, or to intrastate bus transportation of 
        any nature in the State of Hawaii.
          (2) Matters not covered.--Paragraph (1) shall not 
        restrict the safety regulatory authority of a State 
        with respect to motor vehicles, the authority of a 
        State to impose highway route controls or limitations 
        based on the size or weight of the motor vehicle, or 
        the authority of a State to regulate carriers with 
        regard to minimum amounts of financial responsibility 
        relating to insurance requirements and self-insurance 
        authorization.
  (b) Freight Forwarders and Brokers.--
          (1) General rule.--Subject to paragraph (2) of this 
        subsection, no State or political subdivision thereof 
        and no intrastate agency or other political agency of 2 
        or more States shall enact or enforce any law, rule, 
        regulation, standard, or other provision having the 
        force and effect of law relating to intrastate rates, 
        intrastate routes, or intrastate services of any 
        freight forwarder or broker.
          (2) Continuation of Hawaii's authority.--Nothing in 
        this subsection and the amendments made by the Surface 
        Freight Forwarder Deregulation Act of 1986 shall be 
        construed to affect the authority of the State of 
        Hawaii to continue to regulate a motor carrier 
        operating within the State of Hawaii.
  (c) Motor Carriers of Property.--
          (1) General rule.--Except as provided in [paragraphs 
        (2) and (3)] paragraphs (3) and (4), a State, political 
        subdivision of a State, or political authority of 2 or 
        more States may not enact or enforce a law, regulation, 
        or other provision having the force and effect of law 
        related to a price, route, or service of any motor 
        carrier (other than a carrier affiliated with a direct 
        air carrier covered by section 41713(b)(4)) or any 
        motor private carrier, broker, or freight forwarder 
        with respect to the transportation of property.
          (2) Additional limitations.--
                  (A) A State, political subdivision of a 
                State, or political authority of 2 or more 
                States may not enact or enforce a law, 
                regulation, or other provision having the force 
                and effect of law prohibiting employees whose 
                hours of service are subject to regulation by 
                the Secretary under section 31502 from working 
                to the full extent permitted or at such times 
                as permitted under such section, or imposing 
                any additional obligations on motor carriers if 
                such employees work to the full extent or at 
                such times as permitted under such section, 
                including any related activities regulated 
                under part 395 of title 49, Code of Federal 
                Regulations.
                  (B) Nothing in this paragraph shall be 
                construed to limit the provisions of paragraph 
                (1).
          [(2)] (3) Matters not covered.--[Paragraph (1)] 
        Paragraphs (1) and (2)--
                  (A) shall not restrict the safety regulatory 
                authority of a State with respect to motor 
                vehicles, the authority of a State to impose 
                highway route controls or limitations based on 
                the size or weight of the motor vehicle or the 
                hazardous nature of the cargo, or the authority 
                of a State to regulate motor carriers with 
                regard to minimum amounts of financial 
                responsibility relating to insurance 
                requirements and self-insurance authorization;
                  (B) does not apply to the intrastate 
                transportation of household goods; and
                  (C) does not apply to the authority of a 
                State or a political subdivision of a State to 
                enact or enforce a law, regulation, or other 
                provision relating to the regulation of tow 
                truck operations performed without the prior 
                consent or authorization of the owner or 
                operator of the motor vehicle.
          [(3)] (4) State standard transportation practices.--
                  (A) Continuation.--[Paragraph (1)] Paragraphs 
                (1) and (2) shall not affect any authority of a 
                State, political subdivision of a State, or 
                political authority of 2 or more States to 
                enact or enforce a law, regulation, or other 
                provision, with respect to the intrastate 
                transportation of property by motor carriers, 
                related to--
                          (i) uniform cargo liability rules,
                          (ii) uniform bills of lading or 
                        receipts for property being 
                        transported,
                          (iii) uniform cargo credit rules,
                          (iv) antitrust immunity for joint 
                        line rates or routes, classifications, 
                        mileage guides, and pooling, or
                          (v) antitrust immunity for agent-van 
                        line operations (as set forth in 
                        section 13907),
                if such law, regulation, or provision meets the 
                requirements of subparagraph (B).
                  (B) Requirements.--A law, regulation, or 
                provision of a State, political subdivision, or 
                political authority meets the requirements of 
                this subparagraph if--
                          (i) the law, regulation, or provision 
                        covers the same subject matter as, and 
                        compliance with such law, regulation, 
                        or provision is no more burdensome than 
                        compliance with, a provision of this 
                        part or a regulation issued by the 
                        Secretary or the Board under this part; 
                        and
                          (ii) the law, regulation, or 
                        provision only applies to a carrier 
                        upon request of such carrier.
                  (C) Election.--Notwithstanding any other 
                provision of law, a carrier affiliated with a 
                direct air carrier through common controlling 
                ownership may elect to be subject to a law, 
                regulation, or provision of a State, political 
                subdivision, or political authority under this 
                paragraph.
          [(4)] (5) Nonapplicability to Hawaii.--This 
        subsection shall not apply with respect to the State of 
        Hawaii.
          [(5)] (6) Limitation on statutory construction.--
        Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent a 
        State from requiring that, in the case of a motor 
        vehicle to be towed from private property without the 
        consent of the owner or operator of the vehicle, the 
        person towing the vehicle have prior written 
        authorization from the property owner or lessee (or an 
        employee or agent thereof) or that such owner or lessee 
        (or an employee or agent thereof) be present at the 
        time the vehicle is towed from the property, or both.
  (d) Pre-Arranged Ground Transportation.--
          (1) In general.--No State or political subdivision 
        thereof and no interstate agency or other political 
        agency of 2 or more States shall enact or enforce any 
        law, rule, regulation, standard or other provision 
        having the force and effect of law requiring a license 
        or fee on account of the fact that a motor vehicle is 
        providing pre-arranged ground transportation service if 
        the motor carrier providing such service--
                  (A) meets all applicable registration 
                requirements under chapter 139 for the 
                interstate transportation of passengers;
                  (B) meets all applicable vehicle and 
                intrastate passenger licensing requirements of 
                the State or States in which the motor carrier 
                is domiciled or registered to do business; and
                  (C) is providing such service pursuant to a 
                contract for--
                          (i) transportation by the motor 
                        carrier from one State, including 
                        intermediate stops, to a destination in 
                        another State; or
                          (ii) transportation by the motor 
                        carrier from one State, including 
                        intermediate stops in another State, to 
                        a destination in the original State.
          (2) Intermediate stop defined.--In this section, the 
        term ``intermediate stop'', with respect to 
        transportation by a motor carrier, means a pause in the 
        transportation in order for one or more passengers to 
        engage in personal or business activity, but only if 
        the driver providing the transportation to such 
        passenger or passengers does not, before resuming the 
        transportation of such passenger (or at least 1 of such 
        passengers), provide transportation to any other person 
        not included among the passengers being transported 
        when the pause began.
          (3) Matters not covered.--Nothing in this subsection 
        shall be construed--
                  (A) as subjecting taxicab service to 
                regulation under chapter 135 or section 31138;
                  (B) as prohibiting or restricting an airport, 
                train, or bus terminal operator from 
                contracting to provide preferential access or 
                facilities to one or more providers of pre-
                arranged ground transportation service; and
                  (C) as restricting the right of any State or 
                political subdivision of a State to require, in 
                a nondiscriminatory manner, that any individual 
                operating a vehicle providing prearranged 
                ground transportation service originating in 
                the State or political subdivision have 
                submitted to pre-licensing drug testing or a 
                criminal background investigation of the 
                records of the State in which the operator is 
                domiciled, by the State or political 
                subdivision by which the operator is licensed 
                to provide such service, or by the motor 
                carrier providing such service, as a condition 
                of providing such service.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *

                              ----------                              


                      TITLE 46, UNITED STATES CODE



           *       *       *       *       *       *       *
Subtitle II--Vessels and Seamen

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


Part G--Merchant Seamen Protection and Relief

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


CHAPTER 103--FOREIGN AND INTERCOASTAL VOYAGES

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


Sec. 10313. Wages

  (a) A seaman's entitlement to wages and provisions begins 
when the seaman begins work or when specified in the agreement 
required by section 10302 of this title for the seaman to begin 
work or be present on board, whichever is earlier.
  (b) Wages are not dependent on the earning of freight by the 
vessel. When the loss or wreck of the vessel ends the service 
of a seaman before the end of the period contemplated in the 
agreement, the seaman is entitled to wages for the period of 
time actually served. The seaman shall be deemed a destitute 
seaman under section 11104 of this title. This subsection 
applies to a fishing or whaling vessel but not a yacht.
  (c) When a seaman who has signed an agreement is discharged 
improperly before the beginning of the voyage or before one 
month's wages are earned, without the seaman's consent and 
without the seaman's fault justifying discharge, the seaman is 
entitled to receive from the master or owner, in addition to 
wages earned, one month's wages as compensation.
  (d) A seaman is not entitled to wages for a period during 
which the seaman--
          (1) unlawfully failed to work when required, after 
        the time fixed by the agreement for the seaman to begin 
        work; or
          (2) lawfully was imprisoned for an offense, unless a 
        court hearing the case otherwise directs.
  (e) After the beginning of the voyage, a seaman is entitled 
to receive from the master, on demand, one-half of the balance 
of wages earned and unpaid at each port at which the vessel 
loads or delivers cargo during the voyage. A demand may not be 
made before the expiration of 5 days from the beginning of the 
voyage, not more than once in 5 days, and not more than once in 
the same port on the same entry. If a master does not comply 
with this subsection, the seaman is released from the agreement 
and is entitled to payment of all wages earned. Notwithstanding 
a release signed by a seaman under section 10312 of this title, 
a court having jurisdiction may set aside, for good cause 
shown, the release and take action that justice requires. This 
subsection does not apply to a fishing or whaling vessel or a 
yacht.
  (f) At the end of a voyage, the master shall pay each seaman 
the balance of wages due the seaman within 24 hours after the 
cargo has been discharged or within 4 days after the seaman is 
discharged, whichever is earlier. When a seaman is discharged 
and final payment of wages is delayed for the period permitted 
by this subsection, the seaman is entitled at the time of 
discharge to one-third of the wages due the seaman.
  (g)(1) Subject to paragraph (2), when payment is not made as 
provided under subsection (f) of this section without 
sufficient cause, the master or owner shall pay to the seaman 2 
days' wages for each day payment is delayed.
  (2) The total amount required to be paid under paragraph (1) 
with respect to [all claims in a class action suit by seamen] 
each claim by a seaman on a passenger vessel capable of 
carrying more than 500 passengers for wages under this section 
against a vessel master, owner, or operator or the employer of 
[the seamen] the seaman shall not exceed ten times the unpaid 
wages that are the subject of the claims.
  (3) A [class action] suit for wages under this subsection 
must be commenced within three years after the later of--
          (A) the date of the end of the last voyage for which 
        the wages are claimed; or
          (B) the receipt[, by a seaman who is a claimant in 
        the suit,] by the seaman of a payment of wages that are 
        the subject of the suit that is made in the ordinary 
        course of employment.
  (h) Subsections (f) and (g) of this section do not apply to a 
fishing or whaling vessel or a yacht.
  (i) This section applies to a seaman on a foreign vessel when 
in a harbor of the United States. The courts are available to 
the seaman for the enforcement of this section.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


CHAPTER 105--COASTWISE VOYAGES

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


Sec. 10504. Wages

  (a) After the beginning of a voyage, a seaman is entitled to 
receive from the master, on demand, one-half of the balance of 
wages earned and unpaid at each port at which the vessel loads 
or delivers cargo during the voyage. A demand may not be made 
before the expiration of 5 days from the beginning of the 
voyage, not more than once in 5 days, and not more than once in 
the same port on the same entry. If a master does not comply 
with this subsection, the seaman is released from the agreement 
required by section 10502 of this title and is entitled to 
payment of all wages earned. Notwithstanding a release signed 
by a seaman under section 10312 of this title, a court having 
jurisdiction may set aside, for good cause shown, the release 
and take action that justice requires. This subsection does not 
apply to a fishing or whaling vessel or a yacht.
  (b) The master shall pay a seaman the balance of wages due 
the seaman within 2 days after the termination of the agreement 
required by section 10502 of this title or when the seaman is 
discharged, whichever is earlier.
  (c)(1) Subject to subsection (d), and except as provided in 
paragraph (2), when payment is not made as provided under 
subsection (b) of this section without sufficient cause, the 
master or owner shall pay to the seaman 2 days' wages for each 
day payment is delayed.
  (2) The total amount required to be paid under paragraph (1) 
with respect to [all claims in a class action suit by seamen] 
each claim by a seaman on a passenger vessel capable of 
carrying more than 500 passengers for wages under this section 
against a vessel master, owner, or operator or the employer of 
[the seamen] the seaman shall not exceed ten times the unpaid 
wages that are the subject of the claims.
  (3) A [class action] suit for wages under this subsection 
must be commenced within three years after the later of--
          (A) the date of the end of the last voyage for which 
        the wages are claimed; or
          (B) the receipt[, by a seaman who is a claimant in 
        the suit,] by the seaman of a payment of wages that are 
        the subject of the suit that is made in the ordinary 
        course of employment.
  (d) Subsections (b) and (c) of this section do not apply to:
          (1) a vessel engaged in coastwise commerce.
          (2) a yacht.
          (3) a fishing vessel.
          (4) a whaling vessel.
  (e) This section applies to a seaman on a foreign vessel when 
in harbor of the United States. The courts are available to the 
seaman for the enforcement of this section.
  (f) Deposits in Seaman Account.--On written request signed by 
the seaman, a seaman employed on a passenger vessel capable of 
carrying more than 500 passengers may authorize, the master, 
owner, or operator of the vessel, or the employer of the 
seaman, to make deposits of wages of the seaman into a 
checking, savings, investment, or retirement account, or other 
account to secure a payroll or debit card for the seaman if--
          (1) the wages designated by the seaman for such 
        deposit are deposited in a United States or 
        international financial institution designated by the 
        seaman;
          (2) such deposits in the financial institution are 
        fully guaranteed under commonly accepted international 
        standards by the government of the country in which the 
        financial institution is licensed;
          (3) a written wage statement or pay stub, including 
        an accounting of any direct deposit, is delivered to 
        the seaman no less often than monthly; and
          (4) while on board the vessel on which the seaman is 
        employed, the seaman is able to arrange for withdrawal 
        of all funds on deposit in the account in which the 
        wages are deposited.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


               CHANGES IN THE APPLICATION OF EXISTING LAW

    Pursuant to clause 3(f)(1)(A) of rule XIII of the Rules of 
the House of Representatives, the following statements are 
submitted describing the effect of provisions in the 
accompanying bill which directly or indirectly change the 
application of existing law.

                 TITLE I--DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

    Language is included under Office of the Secretary, 
`Salaries and expenses' specifying certain amounts for 
individual offices of the Office of the Secretary and official 
reception and representation expenses; specifying transfer 
authority among offices; allowing up to $2,500,000 in user fees 
to be credited to the account; and prohibiting the 
establishment of Assistant Secretary of Public Affairs.
    Language is included under the Office of the Secretary, 
`Research and technology' which limits the availability of 
funds, changes the availability of funds, allows funds received 
from other entities to be credited to the account, and deems 
the title of the office.
    Language is included under the Office of the Secretary, 
`National Infrastructure Investments' which limits the 
availability of funds, provides for the distribution of funds, 
specifies that funds are available only for certain activities, 
allows the use of funds for administrative costs, ensures 
equitable geographic distribution of funds, specifies amounts 
for grants, limits that amount that may be awarded to a single 
state, specifies an amount for the federal cost share, provides 
priority to projects that require a contribution of Federal 
funds, specifies a percentage for administration and oversight, 
minimum grants size and Federal cost share for rural projects, 
and specifies that projects must comply with certain 
requirements in the United States Code.
    Language is included under the Office of the Secretary, 
`Financial management capital' which provides funds to upgrade 
DOT's financial systems and processes, and changes the 
availability of funds.
    Language is included under the Office of the Secretary, 
`Cyber security initiatives' which provides funds for 
information technology security upgrades, and changes the 
availability of funds.
    Language is included under the Office of the Secretary, 
`Transportation planning, research, and development' which 
provides funds for conducting transportation planning, 
research, systems development, development activities and 
making grants, and changes the availability of funds.
    Language is included that limits operating costs and 
capital outlays of the Working Capital Fund for the Department 
of Transportation; provides that services shall be provided on 
a competitive basis, except for non-DOT entities; restricts the 
transfer for any funds to the Working Capital Fund with 
approval; and limits special assessments or reimbursable 
agreements levied against any program, project or activity 
funded in this Act to only those assessments or reimbursable 
agreements that are presented to and approved by the House and 
Senate Committees on Appropriations.
    Language is included under the Office of the Secretary, 
`Minority business resource center' which limits the amount of 
loans that can be subsidized, and provides funds for 
administrative expenses.
    Language is included under Office of the Secretary, `Small 
and disadvantaged business utilization and outreach' specifying 
that funds may be used for business opportunities related to 
any mode of transportation, and limits the availability of 
funds.
    Language is included under the Office of the Secretary, 
`Payments to air carriers' that allows the Secretary of 
Transportation to consider subsidy requirements when 
determining service to a community, eliminates the requirement 
that carriers use at least 15-passenger aircraft, prohibits 
funds for communities within a certain distance of a small hub 
airport without a cost-share, allows amounts to be made 
available from the Federal Aviation Administration, and allows 
the reimbursement of such amounts from overflight fees.
    Section 101 prohibits the Office of the Secretary of 
Transportation from approving assessments or reimbursable 
agreements pertaining to funds appropriated to the modal 
administrations in this Act, unless such assessments or 
agreements have completed the normal reprogramming process for 
Congressional notification.
    Section 102 allows the Department to use the Working 
Capital Fund to provide transit benefits to Federal employees.
    Section 103 sets administrative requirements of the 
Department's Credit Council.
    Language is included under the Federal Aviation 
Administration, `Operations' that specifies funds for certain 
activities; derives funds from the Airport and Airway Trust 
Fund; specifies amounts for certain activities; specifies 
transfer authorities among activities; requires various 
staffing plans by a certain date with financial penalties for 
late submissions; permits the use of funds to enter into a 
grant agreement with a nonprofit standard setting organization 
to develop aviation safety standards; prohibits the use of 
funds for new applicants of the second career training program; 
prohibits funds to plan, finalize, or implement any regulation 
that would promulgate new aviation user fees not specifically 
authorized by law; credits funds received from other entities 
for expenses incurred in the provision of agency services; 
specifies funds for the contract tower programs; and prohibits 
funds from certain activities coordinated through the Working 
Capital Fund.
    Language is included under Federal Aviation Administration, 
`Facilities and equipment' that funds various activities from 
the Airport and Airway Trust Fund, limits the availability of 
funds, allows certain funds received for expenses incurred in 
the establishment and modernization of air navigation 
facilities to be credited to the account, and that requires the 
Secretary of Transportation to transmit a comprehensive capital 
investment plan for the Federal Aviation Administration, with 
financial penalties for a late submission.
    Language is included under Federal Aviation Administration, 
`Research, engineering, and development' that provides funds 
from the Airport and Airway Trust Fund; that limits the 
availability of funds; and that allows certain funds received 
for expenses incurred in research, engineering and development 
to be credited to the account.
    Language is included under Federal Aviation Administration, 
`Grants-in-aid for airports' that provides funds from the 
Airport and Airway Trust Fund, changes the availability of 
funds, prohibits the availability of funds for certain 
activities, and limits the availability of funds for certain 
activities.
    Section 110 limits the number of technical workyears at the 
Center for Advanced Aviation Systems Development to 600 in 
fiscal year 2017.
    Section 111 prohibits FAA from requiring airport sponsors 
to provide the agency `without cost' building construction, 
maintenance, utilities and expenses, or space in sponsor-owned 
buildings, except in the case of certain specified exceptions.
    Section 112 allows reimbursement for fees collected and 
credited under 49 U.S.C. 45303.
    Section 113 allows reimbursement of funds for providing 
technical assistance to foreign aviation authorities to be 
credited to the operations account.
    Section 114 prohibits the FAA from paying Sunday premium 
pay except in those cases where the individual actually worked 
on a Sunday.
    Section 115 prohibits FAA from using funds to purchase 
store gift cards or gift certificates through a government-
issued credit card.
    Section 116 requires approval from the Assistant Secretary 
for Administration of the Department of Transportation for 
retention bonuses for any FAA employee.
    Section 117 requires the Secretary to block the display of 
an owner or operator's aircraft registration number in the 
Aircraft Situational Display to Industry program, upon the 
request of an owner or operator.
    Section 118 prohibits funds for more than 9 political 
appointees at the Federal Aviation Administration.
    Section 119 prohibits funds to increase fees pursuant to 
Section 44721 of title 49, U.S.C. until the FAA submits a 
report to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations.
    Section 119A prohibits funds to close a regional operations 
center or reduce services unless the Administrator notifies the 
House and Senate Committees on Appropriations.
    Section 119B prohibits funds to change weigh restrictions 
or prior permission rules at Teterboro airport in Teterboro, 
New Jersey.
    Language is included under the Federal Highway 
Administration, `Limitation on administrative expenses' that, 
contingent on enactment of authorization legislation, limits 
the amount to be paid, together with advances and 
reimbursements received, for the administrative expenses of the 
agency. In addition to this limitation, an amount is specified 
that is to be made available to the Appalachian Regional 
Commission for administrative expenses.
    Language is included under the Federal Highway 
Administration, `Federal-aid highways' that, contingent on 
enactment of authorization legislation, limits the obligations 
for Federal-aid highways and highway safety construction 
programs; allows the Secretary to charge, collect and spend 
fees for the costs of underwriting and servicing Federal credit 
instruments; and provides that such amounts are in addition to 
administrative expenses, and not subject to any obligation 
limitation or limitation on administrative expenses under 
section 608 of title 23, U.S.C., and available until expended.
    Language is included under the Federal Highway 
Administration, `Federal-aid highways' that, contingent on 
enactment of authorization legislation, liquidates contract 
authority from the Highway Trust Fund.
    Section 120 distributes obligation authority among Federal-
aid highways programs, contingent on enactment of authorization 
legislation.
    Section 121 credits funds received by the Bureau of 
Transportation Statistics to the Federal-aid highways account.
    Section 122 provides requirements for any waiver of the Buy 
America Act.
    Section 123 requires Congressional notification before the 
Department provides credit assistance under sections 603 and 
604 of title 23, U.S.C.
    Language is included under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety 
Administration, `Motor carrier safety operations and programs' 
that, contingent on enactment of authorization legislation, 
provides a limitation on obligations and liquidation of 
contract authorization; changes the availability of funds; and 
specifies amounts available for specific activities.
    Language is included under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety 
Administration, `Motor carrier safety grants' that, contingent 
on enactment of authorization legislation, provides a 
limitation on obligations and liquidation of contract 
authorization and specifies amounts available for various 
programs.
    Section 130 provides that funds appropriated are subject to 
terms and conditions included in prior appropriations Acts 
regarding Mexico-domiciled motor carriers.
    Section 131 requires the Federal Motor Carrier Safety 
Administration to send notices of certain violations such that 
the receipt of such notice is confirmed.
    Section 132 suspends enforcement of recent changes to the 
restart provisions of the hours of service regulation unless 
certain conditions are met.
    Section 133 prohibits funds from being used for a wireless 
roadside inspection program unless certain conditions are met.
    Section 134 clarified the preemption of state and local 
laws and regulations by federal laws, and regulations related 
to motor carrier driver hours of service, and makes such 
preemption retroactive to the date of enactment of Public Law 
103-305.
    Section 135 prohibits funds from being used to amend or 
revise regulations relating to safety fitness determinations 
for motor carriers unless certain conditions are met.
    Language is included under National Highway Traffic Safety 
Administration, `Operations and research' that provides funds 
for vehicle safety activities.
    Language is included under National Highway Traffic Safety 
Administration, `Operations and research' that, contingent on 
enactment of authorization legislation, provides a limitation 
on obligations and a liquidation of contract authorization from 
the Highway Trust Fund; specifies amounts for various programs; 
and makes available unobligated balances of prior year contract 
authority.
    Language is included under the National Highway Traffic 
Safety Administration `Highway traffic safety grants' that, 
contingent on enactment of authorization legislation, provides 
a limitation on obligations; changes the availability of funds; 
provides a liquidation of contract authorization from the 
Highway Trust Fund; specifies the amounts for various programs; 
prohibits and limits funds for specific purposes; and requires 
certain Congressional notifications.
    Section 140 provides funding for travel and related 
expenses for state management reviews and highway safety core 
competency development training.
    Section 141 exempts obligation authority that was made 
available in previous public laws from limitations on 
obligations set in this Act.
    Section 142 prohibits funding for the national roadside 
survey.
    Section 143 prohibits funding for mandated global 
positioning system tracking.
    Language is included under Federal Railroad Administration, 
`Safety and operations' that provides and changes the 
availability of funds.
    Language is included under Federal Railroad Administration, 
`Railroad research and development' that provides and changes 
the availability of funds.
    Language is included under Federal Railroad Administration, 
`Railroad rehabilitation and improvement financing program' 
authorizing the Secretary to issue direct loans and loan 
guarantees under sections 501 through 504 of the Railroad 
Revitalization and Regulatory Reform Act and prohibits new 
direct loans or loan guarantee commitments in 2017 that use 
Federal funds for the credit risk premium, except for funding 
awards under section 3028(c) of Public Law 114-94.
    Language is included under the Federal Railroad 
Administration, `Federal-State partnership for the state of 
good repair grants' that provide funds, changes the 
availability of funds, and allows the Secretary to withhold 
funding for a specified purpose.
    Language is included under the Federal Railroad 
Administration, `Consolidated rail infrastructure and safety 
improvement grants' that provide funds, changes the 
availability of funds, and allows the Secretary to withhold 
funding for a specified purpose.
    Language is included under the Federal Railroad 
Administration, `Northeast corridor grants to the national 
railroad passenger corporation' that provides and specifies a 
funding level for activities.
    Language is included under the Federal Railroad 
Administration, `National network grants to the national 
railroad passenger corporation' that provides and specifies a 
funding level for activities.
    Section 150 limits overtime to $35,000 per employee; allows 
Amtrak's president to waive this restriction for specific 
employees for safety or operational efficiency reasons; 
requires quarterly notification to the House and Senate 
Committees on Appropriations on waivers granted for overtime 
and specified information related to overtime; requires the 
president of Amtrak to provide a report that includes specified 
information on overtime payments incurred for 2016 and two 
prior years.
    Language is included under Federal Transit Administration, 
`Administrative expenses' specifying amounts for certain 
activities, prohibiting a permanent office of transit security, 
and directing the submission of the annual report on new 
starts.
    Language is included under Federal Transit Administration, 
`Transit formula grants' that provides a limitation on 
obligations from the Highway Trust Fund, provides for the 
liquidation of contract authority, and changes the availability 
of funds.
    Language is included under Federal Transit Administration 
`Technical assistance and training' that specifies amounts for 
certain activities.
    Language is included under Federal Transit Administration, 
`Capital investment grants' that changes the availability of 
funds.
    Language is included under Federal Transit Administration, 
`Washington metropolitan area transit authority' that changes 
the availability of funds, requires the Secretary to review 
projects before a grant is made, requires the Secretary to 
determine that WMATA has placed the highest priority on safety 
investments and has eliminated financial management issues, and 
allows the Secretary to waive the requirement for cellular 
phone service.
    Section 160 exempts previously made transit obligations 
from limitations on obligations.
    Section 161 allows funds appropriated for capital 
investment grants and bus and bus facilities not obligated by a 
certain date, plus other recoveries to be available for other 
projects under 49 U.S.C. 5309.
    Section 162 allows for the transfer of prior year 
appropriations from older accounts to be merged into new 
accounts with similar, current activities.
    Section 163 prohibits a full funding grant agreement for a 
project with a new starts share greater than 50 percent.
    Section 164 prohibits funds for a certain fixed guideway 
project in Houston, Texas.
    Language is included under the Saint Lawrence Seaway 
Development Corporation that authorizes expenditures, 
contracts, and commitments as may be necessary.
    Language is included under the Saint Lawrence Seaway 
Development Corporation `Operations and maintenance' that 
provides funds derived from the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund.
    Language is included under Maritime Administration, 
`Maritime security program' that provides funds to preserve a 
U.S. flag merchant fleet.
    Language is included under Maritime Administration, 
`Operations and training' that provides specific funds for a 
national security multi-mission vessel design, training ship 
fuel assistance payments, maritime environment and technology 
assistance, Student Incentive Program payments, capital 
improvements at the United States Merchant Marine Academy, and 
the State Maritime Schools Schoolship Maintenance and Repair; 
directs allotment holders; and limits funds until the Secretary 
completes a plan detailing how funding will be expended at the 
Academy.
    Language is included under Maritime Administration, 
`Maritime guaranteed loan (title XI) program account' that 
provides for the transfer to ``Operations and training.''
    Section 170 allows the Maritime Administration to furnish 
utilities and services and make repairs to any lease, contract, 
or occupancy involving government property under the control of 
MARAD.
    Section 171 continues a provision regarding MARAD ship 
disposal.
    Language is included under Pipeline and Hazardous Materials 
Safety Administration, `Operational expenses' which provides 
funding for operations.
    Language is included under Pipeline and Hazardous Materials 
Safety Administration, `Hazardous materials safety' which funds 
hazardous and materials safety functions, limits the period of 
availability, allows up to $800,000 in fees collected under 49 
U.S.C. 5108(g) to be deposited in the general fund of the 
Treasury as offsetting receipts, and credits to the 
appropriation for the account funds received from states, 
counties, other public authorities, and private sources for 
certain expenses.
    Language is included under Pipeline and Hazardous Materials 
Safety Administration, `Pipeline safety' which specifies the 
amounts derived from the pipeline safety fund and the oil spill 
liability trust fund, limits the period of availability, and 
specifies a minimum funding level for the one-call state grant 
program.
    Language is included under Pipeline and Hazardous Materials 
Safety Administration, `Emergency preparedness grants' which 
specifies the amount derived from the Emergency Preparedness 
Fund, limits the availability of some funds, allows up to four 
percent of funds made available for administrative costs, and 
prohibits funds from being obligated by anyone other than the 
Secretary or a designee of the Secretary.
    Language is included under Office of Inspector General, 
`Salaries and expenses' that provides the Inspector General 
with all necessary authority to investigate allegations of 
fraud by any person or entity that is subject to regulation by 
the Department of Transportation, the authority to investigate 
unfair or deceptive practices and unfair methods of competition 
by domestic and foreign air carriers and ticket agents, and 
allows funds to be available from forfeiture proceedings.
    Section 180 provides authorization for DOT to maintain and 
operate aircraft, hire passenger motor vehicles and aircraft, 
purchase liability insurance, buy uniforms, or allowances 
therefor.
    Section 181 limits appropriations for services authorized 
by 5 U.S.C. 3109 to the rate permitted for an Executive Level 
IV.
    Section 182 prohibits more than 110 political and 
Presidential appointees in DOT and restricts the detailing of 
these personnel outside of DOT.
    Section 183 prohibits recipients of funds in this Act from 
disseminating personal information obtained by state DMVs in 
connection to motor vehicle records with an exception.
    Section 184 stipulates that revenue collected by FHWA and 
FRA from States, counties, municipalities, other public 
authorities, and private sources for training be transferred 
into specific accounts within the agency with an exception.
    Section 185 prohibits DOT from using funds for grants of 
$1,000,000 or more from FHWA, FAA, FRA, FTA, MARAD or 
``National Infrastructure Investments'', unless DOT gives a 3-
day advance notice to Congress. Also requires notice of any 
``quick release'' of funds from FHWA's emergency relief 
program, and prohibits notifications from involving funds not 
available for obligation.
    Section 186 allows funds received from rebates, refunds, 
and similar sources to be credited to appropriations of DOT.
    Section 187 allows amounts from improper payments to a 
third party contractor that are lawfully recovered by DOT to be 
made available to cover expenses incurred in recovery of such 
payments.
    Section 188 requires that reprogramming actions have to be 
approved or denied by the House and Senate Committees on 
Appropriations, and reprogramming notifications shall be 
transmitted solely to the Appropriations Committees.
    Section 189 allows funds appropriated to modal 
administrations to be obligated for the Office of the Secretary 
for costs related to assessments only when such funds provide a 
direct benefit to that modal administration.
    Section 190 allows the use of the Working Capital Fund to 
carry out the Federal Transit Pass program.
    Section 191 prohibits the use of funds to implement any 
geographic, economic, or other hiring preference not otherwise 
authorized by law, unless certain requirements are met related 
to availability of local labor, displacement of existing 
employees, and delays in transportation plans.
    Section 192 prohibits funds for California High Speed Rail.
    Section 193 modifies penalty wages regarding foreign and 
intercoastal voyages and coastwise voyages.
    Section 194 prohibits funds used in contravention of 
24305(c)(4) of title 49, U.S.C. regarding Amtrak food and 
beverage service.

         TITLE II--DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

    Language is included under Department of Housing and Urban 
Development, `Management and administration' which designates 
funds for `Executive offices'; designates funds for 
`Administrative support offices;' specifies funding for shared 
service agreements, the office of the chief financial officer, 
the office of the general counsel, the office of 
administration, the office of the chief human capital office, 
the office of field policy and management, the office of the 
chief procurement officer, the office of the departmental equal 
employment opportunity, the office of strategic planning and 
management, and the office of the chief information officer; 
provides flexibility to transfer any remaining funds to any 
office under the same heading or under the heading `Program 
office salaries and expenses'; limits official reception and 
representation expenses to $25,000; allows funds to be used for 
certain administrative and non-administrative expenses; and 
allows funds to be used for advertising and promotional 
activities that directly support program activities funded in 
this title.
    Language is included under Department of Housing and Urban 
Development, `Program office salaries and expenses' which 
specifies funds for the office of public and indian housing, 
the office of community planning and development, the office of 
housing, the office of risk and regulatory affairs, the office 
of policy development and research, the office of fair housing 
and equal opportunity, and the office of lead hazard control 
and healthy homes.
    Language is included under Department of Housing and Urban 
Development, `Tenant-based rental assistance' which specifies 
funds for certain programs, activities and purposes and limits 
the use and availability of certain funds; specifies the 
methodology for allocation of renewal funding; directs the 
Secretary to provide renewal funding based on validated voucher 
system leasing and cost data for the prior year; prohibits 
funds to exceed a public housing agency's authorized level of 
units under contract, except for those participating in the 
Moving to Work demonstration; directs the Secretary, to the 
extent necessary, to prorate each public housing agency's (PHA) 
allocation; directs the Secretary to notify PHAs of their 
annual budget the later of 60 days after enactment of the Act 
or March 1, 2017; allows the Secretary to extend the 
notification period with the prior approval of the House and 
Senate appropriations committees; specifies the amounts 
available to the Secretary to allocate to PHAs that need 
additional funds and for fees; specifies the amount for 
additional rental subsidy due to unforeseen emergencies and 
portability; provides funding for public housing agencies with 
vouchers that were not in use during the previous 12 month 
period in order to be available to meet a commitment pursuant 
to section 8(o)(13); provides funding for incremental vouchers 
for homeless veterans; provides funding for public housing 
agencies that despite taking reasonable measures, would 
otherwise be required to terminate assistance for families as a 
result of insufficient funding; and provides for adjustments in 
allocations for PHAs that participate in the Small Area Fair 
Market Rent demonstration.
    Language is included under Department of Housing and Urban 
Development, `Tenant-based rental assistance' which provides 
funds for tenant protection vouchers; sets certain conditions 
for the Secretary to provide such vouchers; provides funds for 
residents of multifamily properties that would not otherwise 
have been eligible for tenant-protection vouchers; sets 
eligibility requirements for multi-family properties to 
participate in the program; sets conditions for the reissuance 
of vouchers, and allows the Secretary to use unobligated and 
recaptured funds from prior years.
    Language is included under Department of Housing and Urban 
Development, `Tenant-based rental assistance which provides 
funds for administrative and other expenses of public housing 
agencies to administer the section 8 tenant-based rental 
assistance program; sets an amount to be available to PHAs that 
need additional funds to administer their section 8 programs, 
including fees to administer tenant protection assistance, 
disaster related vouchers, Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing 
vouchers and other special purpose vouchers; provides for the 
distribution of funds; provides for a uniform percentage 
decrease of amounts to be allocated if funds are not 
sufficient; establishes that `Moving to Work' (MTW) agencies be 
funded pursuant to their MTW agreements; provides funds for 
section 811 mainstream vouchers; and specifies that the 
Secretary shall track special purpose vouchers.
    Language is included under Department of Housing and Urban 
Development, `Housing certificate fund' which rescinds prior 
year funds and allows the Secretary to use recaptures to fund 
project-based contracts and contract administrators.
    Language is included under Department of Housing and Urban 
Development, `Public housing capital fund' which specifies the 
total amount available for certain activities; limits the 
availability of funds; limits the delegation of certain waiver 
authorities; specifies an amount for ongoing Public Housing 
Financial and Physical Assessment activities of the Real Estate 
Assessment Center; specifies an amount for emergency capital 
needs; specifies an amount for supportive services; specifies 
the amount for a Jobs-plus Pilot initiative and specifies that 
the initiative shall provide competitive grants; specifies that 
the Secretary may waive or specify alternative requirements; 
and specifies that the Secretary shall public notice of any 
waiver or alternative requirement; establishes a limitation on 
amounts that can be transferred; makes funds available for 
bonuses for high performing PHAs; and establishes requirements 
for notification of public housing agencies' formula 
allocations.
    Language is included under Department of Housing and Urban 
Development, `Choice Neighborhoods Initiative' which allows the 
Secretary to make competitive grants for neighborhood 
rehabilitation; changes the availability of funds; allows funds 
to be used for services, development, and housing; declares 
funds not for ``public housing''; requires a period of 
affordability; requires local planning and cost share; allows 
local governments, tribal entities, public housing authorities 
and non-profits to be grantees; allows for-profits to partner 
and apply with a public entity; requires grantees to partner 
with local organizations; establishes conditions for 
environmental review; requires grantees to create partnerships 
with other local organizations; requires the Secretary to 
consult with other federal agencies; and allows prior year 
program funds and HOPE VI funds to be used for this program.
    Language is included under Department of Housing and Urban 
Development, `Family self-sufficiency' which allows the 
Secretary to waive or specify certain requirements, establishes 
entities eligible to compete for funding, allows the 
establishment of escrow funds, and allows the use of residual 
receipt accounts to hire coordinators.
    Language is included under Department of Housing and Urban 
Development, `Native American housing block grants' which 
limits the availability of funds; specifies the formula for 
allocation; specifies amounts for training and technical 
assistance; specifies an amount to support the inspection of 
Indian housing units; specifies an amount to guarantee notes 
and obligations as defined in section 502 of the Congressional 
Budget Act of 1974; specifies that grantees are to be notified 
of their allocation within 60 days of enactment; and makes 
adjustments to certain recipient allocations under certain 
conditions without a regulation.
    Language is included under Department of Housing and Urban 
Development, `Indian housing loan guarantee fund program 
account' which specifies the amount and availability of funds 
to subsidize total loan principal, specifies how to define the 
costs of modifying loans, and provides a dedicated amount for 
administrative expenses.
    Language is included under Department of Housing and Urban 
Development, `Housing opportunities for persons with AIDS' 
which limits availability of funds and sets forth certain 
requirements for the allocation of funds, renewal of contracts, 
and grantee notification.
    Language is included under Department of Housing and Urban 
Development, `Community development fund' which limits the use 
and availability of certain funds; specifies the allocation of 
certain funds; prohibits grant recipients from selling, trading 
or transfer funds; prohibits the provision of funds to for-
profit entities unless certain conditions are met; specifies 
the amount made available for grants to federally-recognized 
Indian tribes; prohibits funding for grants under the Economic 
Development Initiative, Neighborhood Initiatives, Rural 
Innovation Fund, and Section 107 of the Housing and Community 
Development Act of 1974; and requires grantee notification of 
formula allocations within 60 days of enactment.
    Language is included under Department of Housing and Urban 
Development, `Community development loan guarantees program 
account' which limits the principal amount of loan guarantees, 
directs the Secretary to collect fees from borrowers adequate 
to result in credit subsidy cost of zero, and rescinds all 
unobligated balances of budget authority previously 
appropriated or recaptured under the account.
    Language is included under Department of Housing and Urban 
Development, `Home investment partnerships program' which 
limits the availability of funds; specifies the allocation of 
certain funds for certain purposes; specifies multiple 
oversight requirements from prior acts that are not effective 
for projects committed on or after August 23, 2013 and shall 
instead be governed by the Final Rule entitled `Home Investment 
Partnerships Program; Improving Performance and Accountability; 
Updating Property Standards'; transfers amounts allocated to 
the housing trust fund program to the home investment 
partnership program; and prohibits funds from being credited to 
the housing trust fund.
    Language is included under Department of Housing and Urban 
Development, `Self-help and assisted homeownership opportunity 
program' which specified funding amounts for certain programs, 
limits the period of availability, and specifies certain 
amounts for rural activities and organizations.
    Language is included under Department of Housing and Urban 
Development, `Homeless assistance grants' which limits the 
availability of funds; specifies the allocation of certain 
funds for certain purposes; specifies matching requirements; 
requires the Secretary to establish minimum performance 
thresholds for projects, prohibits the Secretary from funding 
continuum of care contract renewals unless certain requirements 
are met; requires the Secretary the prioritize funding to grant 
applicants that demonstrate a capacity to reallocate funding to 
higher performing projects; requires grantees to integrate 
homeless programs with other social service providers; allows 
certain funds to be administered by private non-profit 
organizations; allows unobligated balances and recaptures from 
certain project-based rental assistance grants and shelter plus 
care renewals to be used; and requires notification of formula 
allocations within 60 days of enactment.
    Language is included under Department of Housing and Urban 
Development, `Project-based rental assistance' which limits the 
availability of funds and specifies the allocation of certain 
funds for certain purposes; specifies a certain amount for 
contract administrators to administer certain programs; allows 
certain recaptured funds to be used for contracts or contract 
administrators; and allows the Secretary to recapture residual 
receipts from certain properties.
    Language is included under Department of Housing and Urban 
Development, `Housing for the elderly' which limits the 
availability of funds; specifies the allocation of certain 
funds; designates certain funds to be used only for certain 
grants; allows funds to be used for specified inspections or 
inspection-related activities; allows funds to be used to renew 
certain contracts; allows the Secretary to waive certain 
provisions governing contract terms; allows excess funds held 
in residual receipts accounts, after contract termination, to 
be deposited in this account, and limits the availability and 
use of these funds.
    Language is included under Department of Housing and Urban 
Development, `Housing for persons with disabilities' which 
limits the availability of funds; specifies the allocation of 
certain funds; allows funds to be used for inspections or 
inspection-related activities; allows funds to be used to renew 
certain contracts; allows funds held in residual account, after 
contract termination, to be deposited in this account, and 
limits the availability and use of these funds.
    Language is included under Department of Housing and Urban 
Development, `Housing counseling assistance' that provides 
funds for described purposes, limits the availability of funds, 
specifies amounts to be used for specified purposes, requires 
the Secretary to make grants within a specified time frame, and 
allows multiyear agreements subject to the availability of 
annual appropriations.
    Language is included under Department of Housing and Urban 
Development, `Rental housing assistance' that limits the 
availability of funds and allows the Secretary to use specified 
unobligated balances, including recaptures, carryover and other 
specified remaining funds for specified purposes.
    Language is included under Department of Housing and Urban 
Development, `Payment to manufactured housing fees trust fund' 
that limits the availability of funds from specified sources; 
permits fees to be assessed, modified, and collected; permits 
temporary borrowing authority from the general fund of the 
Treasury; provides that general fund amounts from collections 
offset the appropriation so that the resulting appropriation is 
a specified amount; requires fees collected to be deposited 
into the Manufactured Housing Fees Trust Fund; allows fees to 
be used for necessary expenses; and allows the Secretary to use 
approved service providers.
    Language is included under the Department of Housing and 
Urban Development, `Mutual mortgage insurance program account' 
which limits new commitments to issue guarantees, limits the 
obligations to make direct loans, specifies funds for specific 
purposes, allows for additional contract expenses as guaranteed 
loan commitments exceed certain levels, and limits the 
availability of funds.
    Language is included under Department of Housing and Urban 
Development, `General and special risk program account' which 
sets a loan principal limitation on new commitments to 
guarantee loans, limits the obligations to make direct loans, 
specifies funds for specific purposes, and limits the 
availability of funds.
    Language is included under Department of Housing and Urban 
Development, `Government national mortgage association' which 
limits new commitments to issue guarantees, provides funds for 
salaries and expenses, allows specified receipts to be credited 
as offsetting collections, allows for additional contract 
expenses as guaranteed loan commitments exceed certain levels, 
and limits the availability of funds.
    Language is included under Department of Housing and Urban 
Development, `Policy development and research' which limits the 
availability of funds, specifies authorized uses, and directs 
the submission of a spend plan.
    Language is included under Department of Housing and Urban 
Development, `Fair housing and equal opportunity' which limits 
the availability of funds, authorizes the Secretary to assess 
and collect fees, places restrictions on the use of funds for 
lobbying activities, and provides funds for programs that 
support the assistance of persons with limited English 
proficiency.
    Language is included under Department of Housing and Urban 
Development, `Office of lead hazard control and healthy homes' 
which limits the availability of funds, specifies the amount of 
funds for specific purposes, specifies the treatment of certain 
grants, and specifies a matching requirement for grants.
    Language is included under Department of Housing and Urban 
Development, `Information technology fund' which limits the 
availability and purpose of funds, including funds transferred.
    Language is included under Department of Housing and Urban 
Development, `Office of Inspector General' which specifies the 
use of funds and directs that the IG shall have independent 
authority over all personnel issues within the office.
    Section 201 splits overpayments evenly between Treasury and 
State HFAs.
    Section 202 prohibits funds from being used to investigate 
or prosecute lawful activities under the Fair Housing Act.
    Section 203 corrects anomalies in the HOPWA formula 
affecting New York, New Jersey, and North Carolina.
    Section 204 requires any grant or cooperative agreement to 
be made on a competitive basis, unless otherwise provided, in 
accordance with Section 102 of the Department of Housing and 
Urban Development Reform Act of 1989.
    Section 205 relates to the availability of funds for 
services and facilities for GSEs and others subject to the 
Government Corporation Control Act and the Housing Act of 1950.
    Section 206 prohibits the use of funds in excess of the 
budget estimates, unless provided otherwise.
    Section 207 relates to the expenditure of funds for 
corporations and agencies subject to the Government Corporation 
Control Act.
    Section 208 requires the Secretary to provide quarterly 
reports on uncommitted, unobligated, recaptured, and excess 
funds in each departmental program and activity.
    Section 209 requires the Administration's budget and HUD's 
budget justifications for fiscal year 2018 be submitted in the 
identical account and sub-account structure provided in this 
Act.
    Section 210 exempts PHA Boards in Alaska, Iowa, Mississippi 
and the County of Los Angeles from certain public housing 
resident representation requirements. Affected entities under 
this section are reminded of their requirement to maintain a 
tenant advisory board, as prescribed under this section. HUD is 
required to ensure compliance with this requirement and should 
take enforcement actions if this requirement is not fulfilled.
    Section 211 exempts GNMA from certain requirements of the 
Federal Credit Reform Act of 1990.
    Section 212 authorizes HUD to transfer debt and use 
agreements from an obsolete project to a viable project, 
provided that no additional costs are incurred and other 
conditions are met.
    Section 213 sets forth requirements for Section 8 voucher 
assistance eligibility and includes consideration for persons 
with disabilities.
    Section 214 distributes Native American Housing Block 
Grants to the same Native Alaskan recipients as in fiscal year 
2005.
    Section 215 authorizes the Secretary to insure mortgages 
under Section 255 of the National Housing Act.
    Section 216 instructs HUD on managing and disposing of any 
multifamily property that is owned or held by HUD.
    Section 217 allows the Section 108 loan guarantee program 
to guarantee notes or other obligations issued by any State on 
behalf of non-entitlement communities in the State.
    Section 218 allows PHAs that own and operate 400 or fewer 
units of public housing to be exempt from asset management 
requirements.
    Section 219 restricts the Secretary from imposing any 
requirements or guidelines relating to asset management that 
restrict or limit the use of capital funds for central office 
costs, up to the limit established in QHWRA.
    Section 220 requires that no employee of the Department 
shall be designated as an allotment holder unless the CFO 
determines that such employee has received certain training.
    Section 221 requires the Secretary to publish all notice of 
funding availability that is competitively awarded on the 
intemet for fiscal year 2017.
    Section 222 limits attorney fees and requires the 
Department to submit a spend plan to the House and Senate 
Committees on Appropriations.
    Section 223 allows the Secretary to transfer up to 10 
percent of funds or $4,000,000, whichever is less, appropriated 
under the headings ``Administrative Support Offices'' or 
``Program Office Salaries and Expenses'' to any other office 
funded under such headings.
    Section 224 allows the Disaster Housing Assistance Programs 
to be considered a program of HUD for the purpose of income 
verifications and match requirements.
    Section 225 requires HUD to take certain actions against 
owners receiving rental subsidies that do not maintain safe 
properties.
    Section 226 places a salary and bonus limit on public 
housing agency officials and employees.
    Section 227 prohibits the use of funds for the doctoral 
dissertation research grant program at HUD.
    Section 228 requires the Secretary to notify the House and 
Senate Committees on Appropriations at least 3 full business 
days before grant awards are announced.
    Section 229 prohibits funds to be used to require or 
enforce the Physical Needs Assessment (PNA).
    Section 230 prohibits funds for HUD financing of mortgages 
for properties that have been subject to eminent domain.
    Section 231 prohibits the use of funds to terminate the 
status of a unit of general local government as a metropolitan 
city with respect to grants.
    Section 232 allows funding for research, evaluation, and 
statistical purposes that is unexpended at the time of 
completion of the contract, grant, or cooperative agreement to 
be reobligated for additional research.
    Section 233 prohibits funds to be used for financial awards 
for employees subject to administrative discipline.
    Section 234 permits HUD to consolidate funds used to manage 
disaster recovery grants. Section 235 permits HUD to provide 
one year transition grants under the continuum of care program.
    Section 236 prohibits funds to enforce Executive Order 
13690 regarding flood risk management.
    Section 237 rescinds unobligated balances from salaries and 
expenses accounts.

                      TITLE III--RELATED AGENCIES

    Language is included for the Access Board, `Salaries and 
expenses' that limits funds for necessary expenses and allows 
for the credit to the appropriation of funds received for 
publications and training expenses.
    Language is included for the Federal Maritime Commission, 
`Salaries and expenses' that provides funds for services 
authorized by 5 U.S.C. 3109, the hire of passenger motor 
vehicles, uniforms and allowances; and limits funds for 
official reception and representation expenses.
    Language is included for the National Railroad Passenger 
Corporation, Office of Inspector General, `Salaries and 
expenses' that provides funds for an independent, objective 
unit responsible for detecting and preventing fraud, waste, 
abuse, and violations of law; promotes economy, efficiency and 
effectiveness at Amtrak; allows the IG to enter into contracts; 
select, appoint or employ officers and employees to carry out 
its functions; and requires the IG to submit its budget request 
concurrently with the President's budget and in a similar 
format.
    Language is included under National Transportation Safety 
Board, `Salaries and expenses' that provides funds for hire of 
passenger motor vehicles and aircraft, services authorized by 5 
U.S.C. 3109, uniforms or allowances therefore, limits funds for 
official reception and representation expenses and allows funds 
to be used to pay for costs associated with a capital lease.
    Language is included in the Neighborhood Reinvestment 
Corporation (NRC), `Payment to the neighborhood reinvestment 
corporation' that specifies the allocation of funds.
    Language is included for the United States Interagency 
Council on Homelessness, `Operating expenses' that provides 
funds for salaries, travel, hire of passenger motor vehicles, 
rental of conference rooms, and the employment of experts and 
consultants.
    Language is included under Surface Transportation Board, 
`Salaries and expenses' allowing the collection of $1,250,000 
in fees established by the Chairman of the Surface 
Transportation Board, and providing that the sum appropriated 
from the general fund shall be reduced on a dollar-for-dollar 
basis as such fees are received.

                 TITLE IV--GENERAL PROVISIONS, THIS ACT

    Section 401 prohibits pay and other expenses for non-
Federal parties intervening in regulatory or adjudicatory 
proceedings.
    Section 402 prohibits obligations beyond the current fiscal 
year and prohibits transfers of funds unless expressly so 
provided herein.
    Section 403 limits consulting service expenditures in 
procurement contracts to those contained in the public record.
    Section 404 prohibits employee training not directly 
related to the performance of official duty.
    Section 405 specifies requirements for reprogramming funds.
    Section 406 provides that fifty percent of unobligated 
balances for salaries and expenses may remain available for 
certain purposes, subject to the approval of the House and 
Senate Committees on Appropriations.
    Section 407 prohibits the use of funds for any project that 
seeks to use the power of eminent domain, unless eminent domain 
is employed only for a public use.
    Section 408 prohibits funds from being transferred to any 
department, agency, or instrumentality of the U.S. Government, 
except where transfer authority is provided in this Act.
    Section 409 prohibits funds in this Act from being used to 
permanently replace an employee intent on returning to his or 
her past occupation after completion of military service.
    Section 410 prohibits funds in this Act from being used, 
unless the expenditure is in compliance with the Buy American 
Act.
    Section 411 prohibits funds from being appropriated or made 
available to any person or entity that has been convicted of 
violating the Buy American Act.
    Section 412 prohibits funds for first-class airline 
accommodations in contravention of sections 301-10.122 and 301-
10.123 of title 41 CFR.
    Section 413 prohibits funds from being used for the 
approval of a new foreign air carrier permit or exemption 
application if that approval would contravene United States law 
or Article 17 bis of the U.S.-E.U.-Iceland-Norway Air Transport 
Agreement.
    Section 414 restricts the number of employees that agencies 
funded in this Act may send to international conferences.
    Section 415 prohibits funds from being used to lease or 
purchase new light duty vehicles for any executive fleet or an 
agency's fleet inventory, except in accordance with 
Presidential Memorandum--Federal Fleet Performance, dated May 
24, 2011.
    Section 416 caps the amount of fees the Surface 
Transportation Board can charge or collect for rate or practice 
complaints filed with the Board at the amount authorized for 
district court civil suit filing fees.
    Section 417 rescinds unobligated salaries and expenses 
balances from various accounts.
    Section 418 establishes a spending reduction account.

                  APPROPRIATIONS NOT AUTHORIZED BY LAW

    Pursuant to clause 3(f)(1)(B) of rule XIII of the Rules of 
the House of Representatives, the following table lists the 
appropriations in the accompanying bill which are not 
authorized by law for the period concerned (dollars in 
thousands):

                        APPROPRIATIONS NOT AUTHORIZED BY LAW AND EXPIRING AUTHORIZATIONS
                                             [Dollars in Thousands]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                  Appropriations
                                                   Last year of    Authorization   in last year   Appropriations
                    Program                       authorization        level            of          in this bill
                                                                                   authorization
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Title I--Department of Transportation\1\
Federal Aviation Administration\2\
    Operations.................................            2016       $9,740,700      $9,909,724      $9,994,352
    Facilities and Equipment...................            2016        2,600,000       2,855,000       2,838,000
    Research, Engineering, and Development.....            2016          156,750         166,000         167,500
    Grant-in-Aid for Airports..................            2016        3,350,000       3,350,000       3,350,000
Federal Railroad Administration
    Safety and Operations......................            2013          293,000         178,596         207,000
Maritime Administration
    Operations and Training\3\.................            2016          184,287         171,155         175,079
    Ship Disposal\3\...........................            2016            8,000           5,000          10,000
    Maritime Security Program\3\...............            2016          210,000         210,000         300,000
    Title XI\3\................................            2016           31,135           8,135           3,000
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety
 Administration
    Pipeline Safety............................            2015          109,252         145,500         150,000
Office of the Secretary
    National Infrastructure Investments........            2016          500,000         500,000         450,000
    Payments to Air Carriers...................            2016          155,000         175,000         150,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\Excludes accounts that have never had authorized appropriation amounts, such as Transportation Investments
  Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grants.
\2\Authorization levels are annualized. The Airport and Airway Extension Act of 2016 (P.L. 114-141) extends FAA
  authorities through July 15, 2016.
\3\Reflects authorized amounts associated with maintaining national security aspects of the merchant marine per
  P.L. 114-92.


                              Title II--Department of Housing and Urban Development
Rental Assistance:
    Section 8 Voucher Renewals and                         1994        8,446,173       5,458,106      19,961,675
     Administrative Expenses...................
    Public Housing Capital Fund................            2003        3,000,000       2,712,555       1,900,000
    Public Housing Operating Fund..............            2003        2,900,000       3,576,600       4,500,000
Native American Housing Block Grants...........            2013     Such sums as         616,001         655,000
                                                                       necessary
Indian Housing Loan Guarantee Fund.............            2012     Such sums as           6,000           5,500
                                                                       necessary
Housing Opportunity for Persons with Aids......            1994          156,300         156,000         335,000
Community Development Fund.....................            1994        4,168,000       4,877,389       3,060,000
Community Development Loan Guarantee Limitation            1994   Not Applicable  Not Applicable       [300,000]
Home Investment Partnerships Program...........            1994        2,173,612       1,275,000         950,000
Self-Help Homeownership Opportunity Program....            2001     Such sums as          48,000          50,000
                                                                       necessary
Homeless Assistance............................            2011     Such sums as       1,901,190       2,487,000
                                                                       necessary
Housing for the Elderly........................            2003     Such sums as         783,286         505,000
                                                                       necessary
Housing for Persons with Disablities...........            2015          300,000         135,000         154,000
FHA General and Special Risk Program Account:
    Limitations on Guaranteed Loans............            1995            - - -    [20,885,072]    [30,000,000]
    Limitation on Direct Loans.................            1995            - - -       [220,000]         [5,000]
GNMA Mortgage Backed Securities Loan Guarantee
 Program Account:
    Limitations on Guaranteed Loans............            1996    [110,000,000]   [110,000,000]   [500,000,000]
    Administrative Expenses....................            1996            - - -           9,101          23,000
Policy Development and Research................            1994           36,470          35,000          80,000
Fair Housing Activities, Fair Housing Program..            1994           26,000          20,481          65,300
Lead Hazard Reduction Program..................            1994          250,000         150,000         130,000
Salaries and Expenses..........................            1994        1,029,496         916,963       1,345,900
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                                           Title III--Related Agencies
Access Board...................................            2003            5,401           5,401           8,190
National Transportation Safety Board...........            2008           96,625          91,000         106,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                          PROGRAM DUPLICATION

    Pursuant to section 3(g)(2) of H. Res. 5 (114th Congress), 
no provision of this bill establishes or reauthorizes a program 
of the Federal Government known to be duplicative of another 
Federal program, a program that was included in any report from 
the Government Accountability Office to Congress pursuant to 
section 21 of Public Law 111-139, or a program related to a 
program identified in the most recent Catalog of Federal 
Domestic Assistance.

                          DIRECTED RULE MAKING

    The bill does not direct any rule making.

                 COMPARISON WITH THE BUDGET RESOLUTION

    Pursuant to clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives and Section 308(a)(1)(A) of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the following table compares 
the levels of new budget authority provided in the bill with 
the appropriate allocations under section 302(b) of the Budget 
Act:

 BUDGETARY IMPACT OF FY 2017 TRANSPORTATION, HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
 BILL PREPARED IN CONSULTATION WITH THE CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE PURSUANT TO SEC. 308(a), PUBLIC LAW 93-144,
                                                   AS AMENDED
                                            [In millions of dollars]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                  302(b) Allocation             This Bill
                                                             ---------------------------------------------------
                                                                 Budget                    Budget
                                                               Authority     Outlays     Authority     Outlays
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Comparison of amounts in the bill with Committee allocations
 to its subcommittees: Subcommittee on Iransportation,
 Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies
Mandatory...................................................  ...........  ...........  ...........          (1)
Discretionary...............................................       58,190      119,992       58,190      119,991
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1Includes outlays from prior-year budget authority.

                      FIVE-YEAR OUTLAY PROJECTIONS

    Pursuant to section 308(a)(1)(B) of the Congressional 
Budget Act of 1974, the following table contains five-year 
projections prepared by the Congressional Budget Office of 
outlays associated with the budget authority provided in the 
accompanying bill:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                 302(b) Allocation        This Bill
                               -----------------------------------------
                                  Budget               Budget
                                Authority   Outlays  Authority   Outlays
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Projection of outlays
 associated with the
 recommendation:
    2017......................       n.a.      n.a.       n.a.   42,1261
    2018......................       n.a.      n.a.       n.a.    36,589
    2019......................       n.a.      n.a.       n.a.    14,942
    2020......................       n.a.      n.a.       n.a.     6,457
    2021 and future years.....       n.a.      n.a.       n.a.     8,092
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1Excludes outlays from prior-year budget authority.

               ASSISTANCE TO STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS

    Pursuant to section 308(a)(1)(C) of the Congressional 
Budget Act of 1974, the amounts of financial assistance to 
State and local governments is as follows:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                 302 (b) Allocation       This Bill
                               -----------------------------------------
                                  Budget               Budget
                                Authority   Outlays  Authority   Outlays
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Financial assistance to State        n.a.      n.a.     33,918   31,8561
 and local governments for
 2017.........................
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1Excludes outlays from prior-year budget authority.




                             MINORITY VIEWS

    The Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and 
Related Agencies (T-HUD) bill provides $58.19 billion for 
transportation, housing and community development investments. 
Chairman Diaz-Balart has led an open and collaborative process 
this spring, culminating with the fiscal year 2017 T-HUD bill. 
The Chairman has continued to accommodate Subcommittee Members 
on both sides of the aisle, and it's been a pleasure working 
with him again this year.
    This year's mark includes funding for critical 
transportation, housing, and community development programs at 
the Department of Transportation (DOT), Department of Housing 
and Urban Development (HUD), and related agencies. It 
represents an increase over current funding levels and reflects 
a much more favorable allocation than when we started this 
process last year. In addition, Federal Housing Administration 
and Ginnie Mae receipts are estimated to provide an additional 
$579 million in revenue for Fiscal Year 2017. When added to the 
$889 million increase in the allocation, this bill provides 
$1.4 billion in additional budgetary resources compared to FY 
2016. These investments are badly needed. Across the country, 
our infrastructure is crumbling and chronically underfunded. 
This funding will put people to work improving our roads and 
bridges, investing in neighborhoods, and removing toxins from 
the homes of those most in need.
    The passage of the Fixing America's Surface Transportation 
Act (FAST Act) gives some certainty to the surface 
transportation programs funded in this bill, and we are hopeful 
that a bipartisan, multi-year reauthorization of the Federal 
Aviation Administration (FAA) that preserves Federal oversight 
of the air traffic control organization can do the same for 
aviation.
    The bill includes $450 million for the National 
Infrastructure Investments (TIGER) program and $100 million for 
the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative. Both programs remain 
critical in our efforts to improve and modernize our nation's 
transportation and housing infrastructure, and we will continue 
to work with the Chairman as well as our Senate colleagues to 
ensure maximum funding for these programs as the process moves 
forward.
    We would also like to highlight substantial increases in 
funding for several other important programs under our 
Subcommittee's purview. First, the Federal Transit 
Administration's Capital Investment Grants program would 
receive an increase of $323 million, allowing us to fund all 
existing grant agreements. Also, HUD's Homeless Assistance 
Grants program would receive an increase of $237 million, which 
would provide a significant boost to local anti-homelessness 
efforts across the country by putting proven solutions to work.
    With regard to housing, the $20 million increase for Lead 
Hazard Control would reduce lead poisoning rates and improve 
educational and behavioral outcomes for children. Now is not 
the time to slow our momentum in eliminating household toxins.
    The bill provides notable funding increases for housing 
counseling assistance as well as consumer safety and recall 
activities at National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 
It funds the Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety 
program, a collaborative research partnership with auto 
manufacturers to develop alcohol-detection technologies that 
will one day be used to curb drunk driving. We must continue 
our commitment to stopping drunk driving once and for all, 
making the roads safer for all Americans. Further, the bill 
provides full funding for the Federal Aviation Administration 
and ongoing NextGen implementation, would fund Amtrak 
adequately, and would guarantee that all existing tenants in 
HUD-supported housing can continue to receive assistance.
    The bill advances the Safe Transportation of Energy 
Products. It provides funding for the Federal Railroad 
Administration and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety 
Administration, and provides agencies with the tools to 
anticipate and prevent potential dangers before they arise.
    There are still areas of pressing need left unaddressed. 
Having a modest budget agreement that avoids the worst impacts 
of sequestration is better than the alternative, but it is not 
enough. We still have a massive public housing capital backlog, 
decaying highways and bridges, and congested roads and 
airports. We have not constructed new rental units for the 
elderly or the disabled under sections 202 and 811 for several 
years. And we are still far short of the comprehensive 
neighborhood renovation HOPE VI used to make possible. We 
cannot make the bold investments that are necessary to address 
these problems without a comprehensive, bipartisan budget deal 
to address the main drivers of our deficits--namely, tax 
expenditures and mandatory programs.
    The amendment offered by Representative Serrano underscores 
this situation. Despite $1.9 billion in resources for the 
Public Housing Capital Fund, an increase over the President's 
request, the need is far greater. Estimates show that this 
account would need around $3 billion to keep up with the 
capital needs that accrue in just one year. As a result, public 
housing authorities struggle to keep pace with maintenance 
needs and to remove toxins like mold and lead paint from public 
housing units.
    While the T-HUD bill has a decent allocation and many 
bright spots, poisonous policy riders that roll back worker 
protections and threaten transportation safety have no place in 
an appropriations bill and serve as a roadblock to final 
passage. Each of these riders would change existing policy, 
without being subject to thorough debate. Many of these issues 
were examined by the relevant authorizing committees during 
consideration of the FAST Act and were either resolved or 
deliberately excluded from the final legislation.
    The bill includes three Federal Motor Carrier Safety 
Administration (FMCSA) policy riders. First, it continues to 
suspend enforcement of the 34-hour restart provision of DDT's 
hours of service rule. Unfortunately, this rider represents a 
continuation of ongoing efforts to ensure that DOT is never 
able to enforce the restart provisions in the hours of service 
rule that are designed to reduce driver fatigue and increase 
safety on our highways. Second, the bill includes a provision 
to preempt state laws that provide meal and rest breaks for 
truckers who are subject to federal hours of service 
regulations, including intrastate truck drivers, and would make 
these changes retroactive to 1994. The language is unacceptably 
broad and would apply to intrastate truck drivers as well as 
those who routinely cross state lines. The bill also would 
prohibit funds from being used to amend, revise, or otherwise 
modify FMCSA's new Safety Fitness Determination regulations 
until the DOT Inspector General certifies that the Department 
has addressed certain safety evaluation concerns as required by 
the FAST Act. The new rule would allow the Department to 
greatly expand the number of motor carriers that are assessed 
each month, making our roadways safer. We should not 
unnecessarily delay the Safety Fitness Determination rule.
    Additionally, the bill contains a provision barring the use 
of any funds for high-speed rail in California. While 
California has encountered challenges constructing their high-
speed rail line, riders like this do nothing to help and only 
make matters worse. The bill also alters existing law to place 
a cap on the penalty wages that must be paid to seafarers, 
including cruise line employees, when ship owners willfully or 
arbitrarily withhold their pay. Capping these penalties would 
not only harm workers, but also reward unscrupulous ship owners 
at the expense of those who play by the rules. This issue is 
being considered in the context of reauthorization of the 
Maritime Administration. We should let the authorizers resolve 
this. Finally, the bill contains a provision prohibiting funds 
from being used if Amtrak food and beverage service revenues do 
not at least equal the cost of providing these services. This 
language conflicts with a provision in the recently enacted 
FAST Act that allows Amtrak five years to come into compliance 
with the food and beverage revenue requirement.
    As the saying goes, ``the dose makes the poison.'' We are 
concerned that amendments that have been adopted by the House 
during consideration of the T-HUD bill in previous years will 
attract a veto threat and will imperil Democratic support. The 
adoption of riders that would weaken fair housing law, labor 
rights, worker protections, or anti-discrimination laws, or 
would draw this bill into ideological debates, would undermine 
bipartisan work and result in a product that we could no longer 
support. We reject the notion that we must swallow a few poison 
pills in order to fund programs at an adequate level.
    We are disappointed that the Committee rejected an 
amendment to strike these provisions in full committee. The 
Administration has continued to express its general opposition 
to the inclusion of ideological riders in appropriations 
legislation. Numerous safety, labor, public health, and law 
enforcement groups, including crash victims and their families, 
have also expressed their concerns with these riders, which 
present an additional hurdle to getting the bill enacted.
    We are also concerned that the Committee rejected an 
amendment to extend the authorization of the United States 
Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH). Because it is a 
third party, USICH can look across agencies of government and 
find ways to improve service delivery and can recommend ways 
for requirements to be streamlined. The USICH ensures that the 
programs of 19 Federal agencies work together and, most 
importantly, work for the person experiencing homelessness; its 
charter should be extended.
    Finally, with each passing day, the Zika public health 
crisis grows more acute. We are disappointed the Committee 
again failed to pass an amendment that would provide the 
President's full $1.9 billion request for emergency 
supplemental funding to mount a robust and aggressive response 
to the Zika virus, without stealing the funding from other 
urgent public health priorities. This funding is desperately 
needed to invest in vaccine and diagnostic research and 
development; enhance mosquito vector control; build public 
health infrastructure; and begin aggressive public outreach and 
information campaigns in U.S. states and territories, the 
Caribbean, and Central and South America.
    Given the fiscal constraints, it is a welcome development 
that this bill not only maintains core programs at both DOT and 
HUD, but also provides targeted funding increases for a number 
of important programs. The Chairman has made reasonable efforts 
to accommodate Democratic priorities, and we look forward to 
working closely with him as the process moves forward.

                                   Nita M. Lowey.
                                   David Price.