[Senate Report 116-109]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


                                                      Calendar No. 209
116th Congress     }                                    {       Report
                                 SENATE
 1st Session       }                                    {      116-109

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






 
TRANSPORTATION, AND HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES 
                       APPROPRIATIONS BILL, 2020
                                _______
                                

               September 19, 2019.--Ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

   Ms. Collins, from the Committee on Appropriations, submitted the 
                               following

                                 REPORT

                         [To accompany S. 2520]

    The Committee on Appropriations reports the bill (S. 2520) 
making appropriations for the Departments of Transportation, 
and Housing and Urban Development, and related agencies for the 
fiscal year ending September 30, 2020, and for other purposes, 
reports favorably thereon and recommends that the bill do pass.



Amounts of new budget (obligational) authority for fiscal year 2020

Total of bill as reported to the Senate................. $74,293,000,000
Amount of 2019 appropriations...........................  76,850,542,000
Amount of 2020 budget estimate..........................  58,468,905,000
Bill as recommended to Senate compared to--
    2019 appropriations.................................  -2,557,542,000
    2020 budget estimate................................ +15,824,095,000







                            C O N T E N T S

                              ----------                              
                                                                   Page
Overview and Summary of the Bill.................................     3
Program, Project, and Activity...................................     3
Reprogramming Guidelines.........................................     4
Congressional Budget Justifications..............................     5
Transparency Requirement.........................................     6
DATA Act Compliance..............................................     6
Federally Funded Research........................................     7
Title I: Department of Transportation:
    Office of the Secretary......................................     9
    Federal Aviation Administration..............................    23
    Federal Highway Administration...............................    47
    Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration..................    56
    National Highway Traffic Safety Administration...............    62
    Federal Railroad Administration..............................    70
    Federal Transit Administration...............................    81
    Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation................    90
    Maritime Administration......................................    91
    Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.......    97
    Office of Inspector General..................................   101
    General Provisions--Department of Transportation.............   101
Title II: Department of Housing and Urban Development:
    Management and Administration................................   103
        Administrative Support Offices...........................   105
        Program Offices..........................................   107
    Public and Indian Housing....................................   110
    Community Planning and Development...........................   127
    Housing Programs.............................................   136
    Federal Housing Administration...............................   145
    Government National Mortgage Association.....................   147
    Policy Development and Research..............................   149
    Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity...........................   151
    Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes..............   152
    Information Technology Fund..................................   155
    Office of Inspector General..................................   157
    General Provisions--Department of Housing and Urban 
      Development................................................   157
Title III: Independent Agencies:
    Access Board.................................................   160
    Federal Maritime Commission..................................   161
    National Railroad Passenger Corporation: Office of Inspector 
      General....................................................   162
    National Transportation Safety Board.........................   163
    Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation........................   164
    Surface Transportation Board.................................   165
    United States Interagency Council on Homelessness............   166
Title IV: General Provisions--This Act...........................   170
Compliance With Paragraph 7, Rule XVI, of the Standing Rules of 
  the 
  Senate.........................................................   172
Compliance With Paragraph 7(c), Rule XXVI, of the Standing Rules 
  of the Senate..................................................   173
Compliance With Paragraph 12, Rule XXVI of the Standing Rules of 
  the Senate.....................................................   174
Budgetary Impact of Bill.........................................   174
Comparative Statement of Budget Authority........................   175
                    OVERVIEW AND SUMMARY OF THE BILL

    The Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and 
Related Agencies appropriations bill provides funding for a 
wide array of Federal programs, mostly in the Departments of 
Transportation [DOT] and Housing and Urban Development [HUD]. 
The programs and activities supported by this bill include 
significant responsibilities entrusted to the Federal 
Government and its partners to protect human health and safety, 
support a vibrant economy, and achieve policy objectives 
strongly supported by the American people. These programs 
include investments in road, transit, rail, maritime, pipeline, 
aviation and airport infrastructure; the operation of the 
Nation's air traffic control system; resources to support 
community and economic development activities; and housing 
assistance for those most in need, including the homeless, 
elderly, and disabled. The bill also provides funding for the 
Federal Housing Administration and the Government National 
Mortgage Association to continue their traditional roles of 
providing access to affordable homeownership in the United 
States.
    This bill makes possible the operation of the interstate 
highway system, as well as the world's safest, most complex air 
transportation system. This bill also includes funding for 
competitive grants to communities to support transformative 
transportation infrastructure projects of national or regional 
importance. It ensures safe and sanitary housing for nearly 5 
million low and extremely low-income families and individuals, 
over half of whom are elderly and/or disabled. It provides 
funding that is leading to the gradual elimination of 
homelessness among veterans, youth, victims of domestic 
violence, individuals and families.
    The bill, as reported, provides the proper balance of 
transportation, housing, and community development programs and 
activities. It is consistent with the subcommittee's allocation 
for fiscal year 2020. All accounts in the bill have been 
closely examined to ensure that a sufficient level of funding 
is provided to carry out the programs and activities of DOT, 
HUD, and related agencies. Details on each of the accounts and 
the Committee's justifications for the funding levels are 
included in the report.

                     PROGRAM, PROJECT, AND ACTIVITY

    During fiscal year 2020, 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), 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.

                        REPROGRAMMING GUIDELINES

    The Committee includes a provision (section 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 advanced 
approval of the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations 
of any proposal to reprogram funds that:
  --creates a new program;
  --eliminates a PPA;
  --increases funds or personnel for any PPA for which funds 
        have been denied or restricted by the Congress;
  --proposes to redirect 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. This direction applies to both the bill 
        and accompanying report.
    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 should provide a table for each appropriation with 
columns displaying the prior year enacted level; budget 
request; adjustments made by Congress; adjustments for 
rescissions, if appropriate; and the fiscal year enacted level. 
The table shall delineate the appropriation and prior year 
enacted level both by object class and by PPA, as detailed in 
this act, accompanying reports of the House and Senate 
Committee on Appropriations, or in the budget appendix for the 
respective appropriations, whichever is more detailed, and 
shall apply to all items for which a dollar amount is specified 
and to all programs for which new budget authority 
(obligational) authority is provided, as well as to 
discretionary grants and discretionary grant allocations. The 
report must also identify items of special congressional 
interest.
    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 the proposed changes will have on the budget 
request for the following fiscal year. Except in emergency 
situations, reprogramming requests should be submitted no later 
than June 30.
    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. 
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 not approved.
    The Committee would also like to clarify that this section 
applies to the Department of Transportation's Working Capital 
Fund, and that no funds may be obligated from such funds 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 6 specifically states 
that the ``agency should consult with your congressional 
committees beforehand to ensure their awareness of your plans 
to modify the format of agency budget documents.'' 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.
    While the Committee values the inclusion of performance 
data and presentations, it is important to ensure vital budget 
information that the Committee needs is not lost. Therefore, 
the Committee directs that justifications submitted with the 
fiscal year 2021 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 the 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, and 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 2021 to the fiscal year 2020 
enacted level.
    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 
2021 budget request.
    The Committee directs each agency to include within its 
budget justification a report on all efforts made to address 
the duplication identified by the annual GAO reports along with 
legal barriers preventing the agency's ability to further 
reduce duplication and legislative recommendations, if 
applicable.

                        TRANSPARENCY REQUIREMENT

    The Committee is aware that agencies funded in this act use 
resources for advertising purposes. The Committee directs the 
agencies in this act to state within the text, audio, or video 
used for new advertising purposes, including advertising/
posting on the Internet, that the advertisements are printed, 
published, or produced and disseminated at U.S. taxpayer 
expense. The agencies may exempt any such advertisements from 
this requirement if it creates an ad- verse impact on safety or 
impedes the ability of these agencies to carry out their 
statutory authority.
    The Committee is also interested in increasing transparency 
and accountability of Federal grant spending. The Departments 
of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education are directed 
by the Stevens Amendment, Section 505 of title V, Division H of 
Public Law 115-141, to require grantees to include the total 
cost of the project, the percentage of Federal funds in the 
project or program, and identify all of the sources of funding 
for the total project or program in all public documents 
announcing the grant award. The Committee directs agencies to 
collect data on what information Federal grant recipients 
currently include in the public documents announcing the grant 
award to determine whether recipients of funding in this act 
could comply with the Stevens Amendment without unreasonable 
burden. The Committee directs agencies in this act to report to 
the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations within 180 
days of enactment of this act on the feasibility of complying 
with the Stevens Amendment.
    The Committee is concerned about Federal agencies executing 
contracts with certain independent financial auditing and audit 
remediation firms that have been penalized for poor auditing 
practices. The Committee believes that all firms contracting 
with Departments and agencies, funded in this act, particularly 
for financial auditing and accounting services, should have 
qualified professionals and ethics, and integrity controls in 
place to ensure they are in compliance with Federal accounting 
and procurement standards. For all contract actions (including 
awards, renewals, and amendments), Departments and agencies 
provided funding in this act shall require any accounting firm 
providing financial auditing or audit remediation services to 
provide a statement setting forth the details of any 
disciplinary proceedings occurring within 1 year of the 
projected performance period related to noncompliance with 
rules or laws applying to audit services.

                          DATA ACT COMPLIANCE

    As stewards of the taxpayer's dollar, the Subcommittee is 
responsible for ensuring that the funds under its jurisdiction 
are wisely invested and properly spent. The Committee expects 
agencies to prioritize the submission of timely, accurate, 
quality, and complete financial and award information under 
existing U.S. Treasury reporting obligations in accordance with 
established management guidance, reporting processes, and data 
standards established under the requirements of the Digital 
Accountability and Transparency Act (Public Law 113-101).

                       FEDERALLY FUNDED RESEARCH

    The Committee urges the Department of Transportation and 
the Department of Housing and Urban Development to 
affirmatively determine, justified in writing, and made 
available on a publically accessible website, that research 
grants or agreements promote the progress of science in the 
United States or will advance a national security or economic 
interest.

                                TITLE I

                      DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

    Surface Transportation Reauthorization.--The President's 
budget request continues its focus on infrastructure by fully 
funding commitments for the last year of the Fixing America's 
Surface Transportation [FAST] Act for programs funded out of 
the Highway Trust Fund. In addition, the budget requests 
additional funding for certain priority infrastructure 
programs, similar to the approach taken by this Committee over 
the last 2 years. Unfortunately, the administration's 10-year 
budget proposal ignores the long-term financial insolvency of 
the Highway Trust Fund, and offers no solutions to address the 
negative impact of decreased investment on our transportation 
systems at a time when additional investment is desperately 
needed.
    The Nation's maintenance and repair backlogs are 
substantial across all transportation sectors. According to the 
American Society of Civil Engineers, our highway system faces 
an $836,000,000,000 backlog of highway and bridge capital 
needs, with a $123,000,000,000 need for bridge repair alone. 
According to DOT estimates, there is a $90,000,000,000 backlog 
of repair projects facing the Nation's public transit systems, 
of which 70 percent are considered to be in less than good 
condition.
    While the administration has committed to working with 
Congress on a long-term surface transportation reauthorization 
bill, no specific proposal has been submitted to date. The 
Committee directs the Department to submit a long-term surface 
reauthorization proposal as part of its next budget request. 
The proposal should reflect continued support for Federal 
investment in our Nation's infrastructure in order to 
facilitate the safe and efficient movement of freight and 
people across the Nation, while addressing the challenge of a 
reliable funding mechanism that generates revenue to meet the 
transportation demands of our growing economy. To that end, the 
Committee reminds the Department that policy and programmatic 
recommendations that devolve the Federal role in Federal-State 
transportation infrastructure partnership programs shifts the 
financial burden of these investments to State and local 
governments. Such policies would be particularly devastating to 
small, rural States that require sustained, annual Federal 
funding to make the necessary investments in communities that 
lack the mechanisms to generate additional revenue in order to 
bridge the gap in Federal financing. As such, the Committee has 
soundly rejected these policy proposals that do not 
appropriately recognize this dynamic and encourages the 
Department to refrain from pursuing such recommendations in 
future reauthorization bills and future budget requests.
    Resilient Infrastructure.--Natural disasters can accelerate 
asset deterioration, cause operational and service disruptions, 
and contribute to the catastrophic failure of essential 
infrastructure. The Committee is concerned that the Department 
and State governments lack a common, proactive framework for 
addressing ongoing and future risks to our Nation's 
transportation system that could help to minimize the impacts 
of these disasters. Developing such a framework would allow 
States to assess the probability and extent of future 
disasters, as well as predict the performance of existing 
critical infrastructure assets under such situations. By 
incorporating a probabilistic analysis, additional 
vulnerabilities and risk considerations that were not included 
in previous design considerations could be addressed, thereby 
reducing the vulnerability of communities to future disasters 
while also supporting sustainable economic development.
    In order to further the development of this framework, the 
Department is directed to continue to partner with State DOTs, 
metropolitan planning organizations, local and Tribal 
governments, and other entities to assess vulnerabilities and 
analyze opportunities to improve the resiliency of Federal, 
State, and local transportation assets. Such partnerships 
should include additional pilot projects and ensure geographic 
diversity. The Department shall continue to provide user-
friendly tools and resources that will assist in evaluating 
adaptation strategies and develop risk-informed policies. The 
Committee directs the Department to expand its technical 
assistance and trainings to help these entities revise current 
practices to develop reliable indicators of vulnerability and 
actionable mitigation measures in all phases of transportation 
planning, asset management, project-specific planning and 
development, and operations toward improving resiliency and 
reducing lifecycle costs. It is essential that Federal, State, 
and local partners understand the potential consequences of a 
major event and the probability of that event occurring in 
order to best inform decisions for recovery and resilience 
activities. The Committee directs the Department to report to 
the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations on current 
efforts to assist these entities, as well as any potential 
changes to Federal programs, that could further the adoption of 
these policies by State and local transportation partners 
within one year of enactment of this act. The Committee also 
directs the Department to prioritize research and 
demonstrations of new and proven technologies that could make 
our infrastructure systems more resilient.

                        Office of the Secretary

    Section 3 of the Department of Transportation Act of 
October 15, 1966 (Public Law 89-670) provides for the 
establishment of the Office of the Secretary of Transportation 
[OST]. OST is comprised of the Secretary and the Deputy 
Secretary immediate and support offices; the Office of the 
General Counsel; the Office of the Under Secretary of 
Transportation for Policy, including the offices of the 
Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs and 
the Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy; four 
Assistant Secretarial offices for Budget and Programs, 
Governmental Affairs, Research and Technology, and 
Administration; and the Offices of Public Affairs, the 
Executive Secretariat, Intelligence, Security and Emergency 
Response, and the Chief Information Officer. OST also includes 
the Department's Office of Civil Rights and the Department's 
Working Capital Fund.

                         SALARIES AND EXPENSES

Appropriations, 2019....................................    $113,910,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................     117,993,000
Committee recommendation................................     113,910,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    This appropriation finances the costs of policy development 
and central supervisory and coordinating functions necessary 
for the overall planning and direction of the Department. It 
covers the immediate secretarial offices as well as those of 
the assistant secretaries, and the general counsel.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends a total of $113,910,000 for 
salaries and expenses of OST, including $60,000 for reception 
and representation expenses. The recommendation is $4,083,000 
less than the budget request, and equal to the fiscal year 2019 
enacted level. The accompanying bill stipulates that none of 
the funding provided may be used for the position of Assistant 
Secretary for Public Affairs.
    The accompanying bill authorizes the Secretary to transfer 
up to 7 percent of the funds from any office within the Office 
of the Secretary to another. The Committee recommendation also 
continues language that permits up to $2,500,000 of fees to be 
credited to the Office of the Secretary for salaries and 
expenses.
    The following table summarizes the Committee's 
recommendation in comparison to the fiscal year 2019 enacted 
level and the budget request:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                       Fiscal year--
                                                           ------------------------------------     Committee
                                                              2019 enacted      2020 estimate    recommendation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Office of the Secretary...................................        $3,065,000  ................        $3,065,000
Office of the Deputy Secretary............................         1,000,000  ................         1,000,000
Office of the General Counsel.............................        20,428,000  ................        20,428,000
Office of the Under Secretary for Policy..................        10,331,000  ................        10,331,000
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Budget and Programs.        14,300,000  ................        14,300,000
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Governmental Affairs         2,546,000  ................         2,546,000
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration......        29,244,000  ................        29,244,000
Office of Public Affairs..................................         2,142,000  ................         2,142,000
Office of the Executive Secretariat.......................         1,859,000  ................         1,859,000
Office of Intelligence, Security, and Emergency Response..        12,181,000  ................        12,181,000
Office of the Chief Information Officer...................        16,814,000  ................        16,814,000
                                                           -----------------------------------------------------
      Total...............................................       113,910,000       117,993,000       113,910,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                   IMMEDIATE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The Secretary of Transportation provides leadership and has 
the primary responsibility to provide overall planning, 
direction, and control of the Department.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $3,065,000 for fiscal year 2020 
for the Immediate Office of the Secretary. The recommendation 
is equal to the fiscal year 2019 enacted level. The Committee 
directs the Department to abide by both the will and intent of 
Congress in all funding and policy decisions, and to consult 
with the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations prior to 
issuing all notices of funding opportunities.
    Non-Traditional and Emerging Transportation Technology 
[NETT] Council.--The Committee recognizes the growth and 
innovation in new transportation technologies that seek to 
improve safety, alleviate congestion, expand access and 
mobility for rural and urban consumers of all economic 
backgrounds, and enable a more efficient flow of commercial 
goods. The Committee recognizes ``hyperloop'' technology as an 
emerging transportation concept that has the potential to 
fulfill some of these objectives. The Committee supports the 
Department's establishment of the Non-Traditional and Emerging 
Transportation Technology [NETT] Council, which is charged with 
identifying and resolving, where possible, the jurisdictional 
and regulatory gaps associated with hyperloop and other 
``cross-modal'' transportation technologies. The Committee 
directs that the NETT Council study the Department of 
Transportation's existing authorities and policies that may 
apply to such technologies, and identify any jurisdictional or 
regulatory gaps that would preclude the Department from 
exercising operational safety oversight over some or all of the 
features of such technologies. The Council shall provide a 
report to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations 
within 270 days of enactment of this act on the findings and 
recommendations from this study.
    Preclearance.--Improving the flow of passengers and traffic 
between the United States and Canada is essential to the 
economy of both nations. The Committee expects the Federal 
Aviation Administration [FAA], Federal Railroad Administration 
[FRA], and the National Passenger Railroad Corporation [Amtrak] 
to comply with the U.S.-Canada Agreement on Land, Rail, Marine, 
and Air Transport Preclearance to facilitate air travel and 
passenger rail service between United States and Canadian 
cities. The Committee directs DOT agencies that have a role in 
implementing preclearance operations on the four specific sites 
announced by the United States and Canada on March 10, 2016, to 
facilitate their preclearance facilities development as 
expeditiously as possible. DOT will coordinate efforts between 
the FAA, FRA, and Amtrak. The Committee notes that it 
previously directed DOT to report on its progress on 
preclearance and awaits this report.

                IMMEDIATE OFFICE OF THE DEPUTY SECRETARY

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The Deputy Secretary has the primary responsibility of 
assisting the Secretary in the overall planning and direction 
of the Department.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $1,000,000 for the Immediate 
Office of the Deputy Secretary, which is equal to the fiscal 
year 2019 enacted level.

                     OFFICE OF THE GENERAL COUNSEL

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The Office of the General Counsel provides legal services 
to the Office of the Secretary, including the conduct of 
aviation regulatory proceedings and aviation consumer 
activities, and coordinates and reviews the legal work in the 
chief counsels' offices of the operating administrations. The 
General Counsel is the chief legal officer of the Department 
and the final authority on all legal questions.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $20,428,000 for expenses of the 
Office of the General Counsel for fiscal year 2020. The 
recommended funding level is equal to the fiscal year 2019 
enacted level.
    Baggage Fees.--Section 2305 of the FAA Extension, Safety 
and Security Act of 2016 required the Department to promulgate 
final regulations to require air carriers to refund fees paid 
by consumers for delayed checked baggage within 1 year of the 
date of enactment of the authorization bill, which established 
an implementation deadline of July 16, 2017. To that end, an 
Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking [ANPRM] was issued on 
October 31, 2016 with comments due by November 30, 2016. Since 
then, no further public action has been taken by the 
Department. The failure to address this congressional mandate 
is unacceptable and allows air carriers to continue to take 
advantage of the traveling public with unreasonable fees on 
baggage. The Committee directs the Secretary to take immediate 
action to implement this requirement.
    In-Flight Sexual Misconduct Task Force.--The Department of 
Transportation Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2018 and 
Section 339A of the FAA Authorization Act of 2018 required the 
Secretary to establish a task force to review practices, 
protocols and requirements of air carriers in responding to 
allegations of sexual misconduct by passengers onboard 
aircraft, including training, reporting and data collection, as 
well as to provide recommendations to improve passenger 
protections. In February 2019, the members of the Task Force 
were named and an initial meeting schedule was announced. As 
the Task Force proceeds, the Committee directs the Department 
to ensure that interested stakeholders who have experienced 
sexual misconduct onboard aircraft are able to participate in 
task force activities, in a manner of their choosing, if 
appropriate, including being able to attend meetings in person 
and to provide feedback to members of the Task Force.
    National Advisory Committee on Travel and Tourism 
Infrastructure.--Section 1431 of the FAST Act established a 
National Advisory Committee on Travel and Tourism 
Infrastructure to advise the Secretary on current and emerging 
priorities, issues, projects, and funding needs related to the 
use of the intermodal transportation network of the United 
States to facilitate travel and tourism. Based on the advice 
and recommendations of the Committee, the Secretary was 
required to develop and make publically available a national 
travel and tourism infrastructure strategic plan by December 4, 
2018. That plan has yet to materialize. In fact, the 
Committee's last meeting that finalized recommendations to the 
Secretary was March 27, 2019, and it appears significant work 
remains to complete this Congressional mandate. The Committee 
recognizes the importance of tourism to the U.S. economy and 
the critical need for a comprehensive infrastructure plan that 
reduces traveler mobility gaps and facilitates an efficient 
multimodal system. As such, the Committee directs the 
Department to finalize the strategic plan no later than 
December 4, 2019 in order to better inform Congress on policy 
solutions for the next surface reauthorization bill.

                OFFICE OF THE UNDER SECRETARY FOR POLICY

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The Under Secretary for Policy is the chief policy officer 
of the Department and is responsible for the analysis, 
development, and review of policies and plans for domestic and 
international transportation matters. The Office administers 
the economic regulatory functions regarding the airline 
industry and is responsible for international aviation 
programs, the essential air service program, airline fitness 
licensing, acquisitions, international route awards, 
computerized reservation systems, and special investigations, 
such as airline delays.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $10,331,000 for the Office of the 
Under Secretary for Policy. The recommended funding level is 
equal to the fiscal year 2019 enacted level.

       OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR BUDGET AND PROGRAMS

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The Assistant Secretary for Budget and Programs serves as 
the Chief Financial Officer for the Department and provides 
leadership on all financial management matters. The primary 
responsibilities of this office include ensuring the 
development and justification of the Department's annual budget 
submissions for consideration by the Office of Management and 
Budget and the Congress. The Office is also responsible for the 
proper execution and accountability of these resources. In 
addition, the Office of the Chief Financial Officer for the 
Office of the Secretary is located within the Office of the 
Assistant Secretary for Budget and Programs.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $14,300,000 for the Office of the 
Assistant Secretary for Budget and Programs. The recommended 
level is equal to the fiscal year 2019 enacted level.
    The Committee recommends that congressional justifications 
for the Office of the Secretary be condensed with a focus on 
eliminating redundant information and emphasizing important 
information that is critical for the budget request, such as 
the representation of prior year appropriations line items by 
office within the Office of the Secretary. Additionally, cross 
agency budget requests should be coordinated to ensure funds 
are necessary.

       OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The Assistant Secretary for Governmental Affairs advises 
the Secretary on all congressional and intergovernmental 
activities and on all departmental legislative initiatives and 
other relationships with Members of Congress. The Assistant 
Secretary promotes effective communication with other Federal 
agencies and regional Department officials, and with State and 
local governments and national organizations for development of 
departmental programs; and ensures that consumer preferences, 
awareness, and needs are brought into the decision-making 
process.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends a total of $2,546,000 for the 
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Governmental Affairs. The 
recommended level is equal to the fiscal year 2019 enacted 
level.

          OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR ADMINISTRATION

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The Assistant Secretary for Administration is responsible 
for establishing policies and procedures, setting guidelines, 
working with the operating administrations to improve the 
effectiveness and efficiency of the Department in human 
resource management, security and administrative management, 
real and personal property management, and acquisition and 
grants management.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $29,244,000 for the Office of the 
Assistant Secretary for Administration. The recommended funding 
level is equal to the fiscal year 2019 enacted level

                        OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The Director of Public Affairs is the principal advisor to 
the Secretary and other senior departmental officials on public 
affairs questions. The Office is responsible for managing the 
Secretary's presence in the media, writing speeches and press 
releases, and preparing the Secretary for public appearances. 
The Office arranges media events and news conferences, and 
responds to media inquiries on the Department's programs and 
other transportation-related issues. It also provides 
information to the Secretary on the opinions and reactions of 
the public and news media on these programs and issues.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $2,142,000 for the Office of 
Public Affairs, which is equal to the fiscal year 2019 enacted 
level.

                         EXECUTIVE SECRETARIAT

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The Executive Secretariat assists the Secretary and the 
Deputy Secretary in carrying out their management functions and 
responsibilities by controlling and coordinating internal and 
external written materials.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $1,859,000 for the Executive 
Secretariat. The recommendation is equal to the fiscal year 
2019 enacted level.

        OFFICE OF INTELLIGENCE, SECURITY, AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The Office of Intelligence, Security, and Emergency 
Response ensures the development, coordination, and execution 
of plans and procedures for the Department to balance 
transportation security requirements with the safety, mobility, 
and economic needs of the Nation. The Office keeps the 
Secretary and her advisors apprised of current developments and 
long-range trends in international issues, including terrorism, 
aviation, trade, transportation markets, and trade agreements. 
The Office also advises the Department's leaders on policy 
issues related to intelligence, threat information sharing, 
national security strategies and national preparedness and 
response planning.
    To ensure the Department is able to respond to disasters, 
the Office prepares for and coordinates the Department's 
participation in national and regional exercises and training 
for emergency personnel. The Office also administers the 
Department's Continuity of Government and Continuity of 
Operations programs and initiatives. Additionally, the Office 
provides direct emergency response and recovery support through 
the National Response Framework and operates the Department's 
Crisis Management Center. The center monitors the Nation's 
transportation system 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and is the 
Department's focal point during emergencies.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $12,181,000 for the Office of 
Intelligence, Security, and Emergency Response. The 
recommendation is equal to the fiscal year 2019 enacted level.

                OFFICE OF THE CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The Office of the Chief Information Officer serves as the 
principal advisor to the Secretary on matters involving 
information technology, cybersecurity, privacy, and records 
management.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $16,814,000 for the Office of the 
Chief Information Officer, which is equal to the fiscal year 
2019 enacted level.

                        RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY

Appropriations, 2019....................................      $8,471,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................      22,000,000
Committee recommendation................................       8,000,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and 
Technology has taken over the responsibilities previously held 
by the Research and Innovative Technology Administration. The 
responsibilities include coordinating, facilitating, and 
reviewing the Department's research and development programs 
and activities; 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 recommends an appropriation of $8,000,000 for 
the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and 
Technology, of which $2,218,000 shall be available through 
September 30, 2022. This amount is $14,000,000 less than the 
budget request, and $471,000 less than the fiscal year 2019 
enacted level.
    University Transportation Centers [UTCs].--The Committee 
continues to support UTCs, which are funded through the Federal 
Highway Administration. Under the Committee recommendation, 
UTCs will continue to receive the levels authorized under the 
FAST Act.
    Global Positioning System [GPS] Backup.--The Committee 
remains concerned that failure to deploy a ground-based GPS 
backup timing system by December 2020 will threaten our 
national security capabilities. Consistent with the National 
Timing Resilience and Security Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-
282), the Committee directs the Secretary to issue a report to 
the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations within 60 
days of enactment of this act on: (1) DOT actions to avoid 
delayed implementation; and (2) an update on anticipated 
deployment of this critical technology.
    Emergency Planning Transportation Data Initiative.--The 
Committee recognizes that emergency planning decision-makers 
and the public require real-time roadway weather data to make 
important transportation decisions to protect public safety. A 
variety of weather events create hazardous driving conditions 
that lead to serious transportation accidents that could have 
been prevented with better data integration. Within the funds 
provided, the Committee directs the Secretary to dedicate 
$1,000,000 to establish an emergency planning transportation 
data initiative to conduct research and develop models of data 
integration of geo-located weather and roadway information for 
emergency and other sever weather conditions to improve public 
safety, emergency evacuation, and response capabilities.
    Autonomous Vehicle Research in Rural Areas.--The Committee 
believes that autonomous vehicles have the potential to enhance 
roadway safety and increase mobility options for all Americans, 
but have additional challenges to overcome in order to bring 
these benefits to rural Americans. The Committee encourages the 
Department to work with universities and rural communities to 
address these challenges.
    Transportation Data Hub.--The Committee encourages DOT to 
implement tools that support transportation investment 
decisions. In 2019, the Committee provided DOT funding to 
establish a Transmap hub. The Committee encourages DOT to 
distribute these funds as quickly as possible. Greater use of 
data management and visualization tools are important for 
maintaining our Nation's infrastructure.
    Coordination of DOT Research.--The Committee recognizes the 
importance of integrating data to decision making processes to 
improve the safety of our transportation networks and 
encourages the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research 
and Technology to work collaboratively and in coordination with 
the impacted modes across the Department to prevent duplication 
and ensure Federal research investments are optimized.
    Small Business Innovation Research [SBIR].--The Committee 
recognizes the importance of the Small Business Innovation 
Research program and its previous success in commercialization 
from federally funded research and development projects. The 
SBIR program encourages domestic small business to engage in 
Federal research and development and creates jobs in the 
smallest firms. The Committee therefore directs the Department 
to place an increased focus on awarding SBIR awards to firms 
with fewer than 50 people.

                  NATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS

Appropriations, 2019....................................    $900,000,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................   1,000,000,000
Committee recommendation................................   1,000,000,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    This program provides grants and credit assistance to State 
and local governments, transit agencies, or a collaboration of 
such entities for capital investments in surface transportation 
infrastructure that will have a significant impact on the 
Nation, a metropolitan area or a region. Eligible projects 
include highways and bridges, public transportation, freight 
and passenger rail, and port infrastructure. The Department 
awards grants on a competitive basis; however, the Department 
must ensure an equitable geographic distribution of funds and 
an appropriate balance in addressing the needs of urban and 
rural communities and within the timeframes outlined in the 
bill.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommendation includes $1,000,000,000 for 
grants and credit assistance for investment in significant 
transportation projects, which is $100,000,000 more than the 
fiscal year 2019 enacted level and equal to the budget request. 
Of the total amount provided, $15,000,000 is available for 
planning grants.
    The National Infrastructure Investments program has become 
integral to the economic success of communities throughout the 
country for the last 10 years. The outcome oriented selection 
criteria that includes state of good repair, economic 
competitiveness, quality of life, environmental sustainability, 
safety, innovation, and partnership nurtures stronger 
applications and results in successful multimodal projects. For 
these reasons, the Committee continues to direct the Secretary 
to award grants and credit assistance using the 2017 Notice of 
Funding Opportunity selection criteria that stakeholders have 
relied upon in previous rounds.
    Geographic Distribution.--The Committee continues to 
believe that our Federal infrastructure programs must benefit 
communities across the country. The Committee continues to 
require the Secretary to award grants and credit assistance in 
a manner that ensures an equitable geographic distribution of 
funds and an appropriate balance in addressing the needs of 
urban and rural communities.

     NATIONAL SURFACE TRANSPORTATION AND INNOVATIVE FINANCE BUREAU

Appropriations, 2019....................................      $5,000,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................       4,000,000
Committee Recommendation................................       5,000,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The National Surface Transportation and Innovative Finance 
Bureau [Bureau] will administer and coordinate or consolidate 
aspects of the Department's existing surface transportation 
innovative finance programs as authorized in section 9001 of 
the FAST Act, contingent upon advance approval by the 
Committee.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $5,000,000 to establish and 
fulfill the duties of the Bureau, as authorized in section 9001 
of the FAST Act, which is $1,000,000 more than the budget 
request and equal to the fiscal year 2019 enacted level.
    Consultation with Noncontiguous States.--The Bureau and the 
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Aviation and 
International Affairs shall consult with noncontiguous States 
to review regulatory, financing, and other obstacles to new 
investment in cross border rail, road and associated 
transportation infrastructure and provide recommendations for 
reforms to Congress.
    Build America Implementation Plan.--The Committee directs 
the Department to compile an implementation plan for how it 
plans to meet its objectives as required under 49 U.S.C. 
116(d)(5) within 180 days of enactment of this act. This report 
should include performance indicators to assess the Bureau's 
progress toward meeting its guiding principles or mission to 
determine whether the Bureau is meeting its statutory 
objectives.
    Financing for Transportation Oriented Development [TOD].--
The Committee recognizes the potential of TOD to facilitate 
economic development, the construction of affordable housing, 
and more livable and healthier communities within walking 
distance of, or accessible to, public transit. Unfortunately, 
the Department has administered programs where TOD is an 
eligible activity with an impracticable, narrow definition of 
TOD that leads to near universal rejection of applications for 
Federal assistance. The Committee directs the Secretary to 
encourage the use of the Department's financing programs for 
TOD, where eligible, by issuing clear guidance and working with 
applicants to ensure projects meet the congressional intent of 
eligibility within 60 days of enactment of this act.

                      FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT CAPITAL

Appropriations, 2019....................................      $2,000,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................       2,000,000
Committee recommendation................................       2,000,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The Financial Management Capital program is a multi-year 
business transformation initiative to streamline and 
standardize the financial systems and business processes across 
the Department. The initiative includes upgrading and enhancing 
the commercial software used for DOT's financial systems, 
improving the cost and performance data provided to managers, 
and instituting new accounting standards and mandates.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee is recommending $2,000,000 to complete the 
Secretary's Financial Management Capital initiative, which is 
equal to the budget request and fiscal year 2019 enacted level.

                       CYBER SECURITY INITIATIVE

Appropriations, 2019....................................     $15,000,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................      15,000,000
Committee recommendation................................      15,000,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    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 includes $15,000,000 to 
support the Secretary's Cyber Security Initiative, which is 
equal to the budget request and the fiscal year 2019 enacted 
level.

                         OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS

Appropriations, 2019....................................      $9,470,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................       9,000,000
Committee recommendation................................       9,470,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The Office of Civil Rights is responsible for advising the 
Secretary on civil rights and equal employment opportunity 
matters, formulating civil rights policies and procedures for 
the operating administrations, investigating claims that small 
businesses were denied certification or improperly certified as 
disadvantaged business enterprises, overseeing the Department's 
conduct of its civil rights responsibilities, and making final 
determinations on civil rights complaints. In addition, the 
Civil Rights Office is responsible for enforcing laws and 
regulations which prohibit discrimination in federally operated 
and federally assisted transportation programs.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends a funding level of $9,470,000 for 
the Office of Civil Rights. The recommendation is $470,000 more 
than the budget request and equal to the fiscal year 2019 
enacted level.

           TRANSPORTATION PLANNING, RESEARCH, AND DEVELOPMENT

Appropriations, 2019....................................      $7,879,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................       8,000,000
Committee recommendation................................       7,879,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The Office of the Secretary performs those research 
activities and studies which can more effectively or 
appropriately be conducted at the departmental level. This 
research effort supports the planning, research, and 
development activities needed to assist the Secretary in the 
formulation of national transportation policies. The program is 
carried out primarily through contracts with other Federal 
agencies, educational institutions, nonprofit research 
organizations, and private firms.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $7,879,000 for Transportation 
Planning, Research, and Development, which is $121,000 less 
than the budget request and equal to the fiscal year 2019 
enacted level. The Committee directs the Secretary to dedicate 
$1,000,000 to support the Interagency Infrastructure Permitting 
Improvement Center.

                          WORKING CAPITAL FUND

Limitation, 2019........................................    $319,793,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................................
Committee recommendation................................     319,793,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The Working Capital Fund provides technical and 
administrative services to the Department's operating 
administrations and other Federal entities. The services are 
centrally performed in the interest of economy and efficiency, 
are funded through negotiated agreements with Department 
operating administrations and other Federal customers, and are 
billed on a fee-for-service basis to the maximum extent 
possible.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends a limitation of $319,783,000 on 
activities financed through the Working Capital Fund. The 
recommended limit is equal to the limit enacted for fiscal year 
2019. As in past years, the bill specifies that the limitation 
on the Working Capital Fund shall apply only to the Department 
and not to services provided for other entities. The Committee 
directs services to be provided on a competitive basis to the 
maximum extent possible.
    The Committee reminds the Department that in 2019 the 
Committee only approved the migration of commodity IT to the 
Working Capital Fund and permission to expand activities to 
human capital and information technology activities was not 
approved. In fiscal year 2020, the Department shall only 
finalize the migration of commodity IT and any additional scope 
of work is not approved.

  OFFICE OF SMALL AND DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS UTILIZATION AND OUTREACH

Appropriations, 2019....................................      $3,488,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................       3,000,000
Committee recommendation................................       3,488,000

                          program description

    This appropriation provides contractual support to assist 
small, women-owned, Native American, and other disadvantaged 
business firms in securing contracts and subcontracts for 
transportation-related projects that involve Federal spending. 
Separate funding is provided for these activities since this 
program provides grants and contract assistance that serve 
Department-wide goals and not just OST purposes.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $3,488,000 for grants and 
contractual support, which is equal to the fiscal year 2019 
enacted level, and $488,000 more than the budget request.

                        PAYMENTS TO AIR CARRIERS

                    (AIRPORT AND AIRWAY TRUST FUND)

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    This appropriation provides funding for the Essential Air 
Service [EAS] program, which was created to continue air 
service to communities that had received federally mandated air 
service prior to deregulation of commercial aviation in 1978. 
The program currently provides subsidies to air carriers 
serving small communities that meet certain criteria.
    The Federal Aviation Administration [FAA] collects user 
fees that cover the air traffic control services the agency 
provides to aircraft that neither take off from, nor land in, 
the United States. These fees are commonly referred to as 
``overflight fees'' and the receipts from the fees are used to 
help finance the EAS program.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                             Appropriations       Mandatory           Total
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appropriation, 2019.......................................      $175,000,000      $145,437,000      $320,437,000
Budget estimate, 2020.....................................       125,000,000       150,512,000       275,512,000
Committee recommendation..................................       162,000,000       150,512,000       312,512,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $162,000,000 
for the EAS program, which fully funds all EAS communities. 
This appropriation would be in addition to an estimated 
$150,512,000 from overflight fees collected by the FAA, 
allowing the Department to support a total program level for 
EAS of $312,512,000. The Committee's recommendation for the 
appropriation is $37,000,000 more than the budget request and 
$13,000,000 less than the fiscal year 2019 enacted level. The 
total program level under the Committee's recommendation is 
$7,925,000 less than the total program level enacted for fiscal 
year 2019 and $37,000,000 less than the program level in the 
budget request.
    Proximity to the Nearest Hub Airport.--The Committee 
continues to include a provision that prohibits the Department 
from entering into a new contract with an EAS community located 
less than 40 miles from the nearest hub airport before the 
Secretary has negotiated with the community over a local cost 
share.
    Aircraft Size Requirement.--The Committee continues to 
include a provision that removes the requirement for 15-
passenger seat aircraft. This requirement adds to the cost of 
the EAS program because the fleet of 15-passenger seat aircraft 
continues to age and grow more difficult for airlines to 
maintain. The Committee, however, expects that the Department 
will use this flexibility judiciously. The Department should 
use it for communities where historical passenger levels 
indicate that smaller aircraft would still accommodate the 
great majority of passengers, or for communities where viable 
proposals for service are not available. The Committee does not 
expect the Department to use this flexibility simply to lower 
costs if a community can show regular enplanement levels that 
would justify larger aircraft.
    EAS Airports.--The Committee recognizes that seasonal 
airports may need to operate beyond current dates and therefore 
recommends that the Department utilize existing budget 
authority to ensure seasonal EAS airports are able to operate 
when airport resources and weather permit.

  ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION

    Section 101 prohibits the Office of the Secretary of 
Transportation from obligating funds originally provided to a 
modal administration in order to approve assessments or 
reimbursable agreements, unless the Department follows the 
regular process for the reprogramming of funds, including 
congressional notification.
    Section 102 requires the Secretary of Transportation to 
post on the Internet a schedule of all Council on Credit and 
Finance meetings, agendas, and meeting minutes.
    Section 103 allows the Department of Transportation Working 
Capital Fund to provide payments in advance to vendors for the 
Federal transit pass fringe benefit program and to provide full 
or partial payments to, and to accept reimbursements from, 
Federal agencies for transit benefit distribution services.
    Section 104 requires approval from the Assistant Secretary 
for Administration for retention or senior executive bonuses 
for all DOT employees.

                    Federal Aviation Administration


                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The Federal Aviation Administration is responsible for the 
safe movement of civil aviation and 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 agency 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 transferred to a new, 
independent agency named the Civil Aeronautics Authority. 
Congress streamlined regulatory oversight in 1957 with the 
creation of two separate agencies, the Federal Aviation Agency 
and the Civil Aeronautics Board. When DOT began its operations 
in 1967, the Federal Aviation Agency was renamed the Federal 
Aviation Administration [FAA] and became one of several modal 
administrations within DOT. The Civil Aeronautics Board was 
later phased out with enactment of the Airline Deregulation Act 
of 1978, and ceased to exist in 1984. Responsibility for the 
investigation of civil aviation accidents was given to the 
National Transportation Safety Board in 1967. FAA's mission 
expanded in 1995 with the transfer of the Office of Commercial 
Space Transportation from the Office of the Secretary, and 
decreased in December 2001 with the transfer of civil aviation 
security activities to the Transportation Security 
Administration.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The total recommended funding level for the FAA for fiscal 
year 2020 amounts to $17,688,542,000 including new budget 
authority and a limitation on the obligation of contract 
authority. This funding level is $583,542,000 more than the 
budget request and $236,684,000 more than the fiscal year 2019 
enacted level.
    The following table summarizes the Committee's 
recommendations for fiscal year 2020 in comparison to the 
budget request and the fiscal year 2019 enacted level:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                       Fiscal year--
                                                           ------------------------------------     Committee
                                                              2019 enacted      2020 estimate    recommendation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Operations................................................   $10,410,758,000   $10,340,000,000   $10,540,511,000
Facilities and equipment..................................     3,000,000,000     3,295,000,000     3,153,801,000
Research, engineering, and development....................       191,100,000       120,000,000       194,230,000
Grants-in-aid to airports (obligation limitation).........     3,350,000,000     3,350,000,000     3,350,000,000
Grants-in-aid to airports (general fund)..................       500,000,000  ................       450,000,000
                                                           -----------------------------------------------------
      Total...............................................    17,451,858,000    17,105,000,000    17,688,542,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                               OPERATIONS

Appropriations, 2019.................................... $10,410,758,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................  10,340,000,000
Committee recommendation................................  10,540,511,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    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, commercial space, medical, research, engineering 
and development programs, as well as policy oversight and 
agency management functions. The Operations appropriation 
includes the following major activities:
  --the Air Traffic Organization which operates, on a 24-hour 
        daily basis, the national air traffic system, including 
        the establishment and maintenance of a national system 
        of aids to navigation, the development and distribution 
        of aeronautical charts and the administration of 
        acquisition, and research and development programs;
  --the regulation and certification activities, including 
        establishment and surveillance of civil air regulations 
        to ensure safety and development of standards, rules 
        and regulations governing the physical fitness of 
        airmen, as well as the administration of an Aviation 
        Medical Research Program;
  --the Office of Commercial Space Transportation; and
  --headquarters and support offices.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends a total of $10,540,511,000 for FAA 
Operations. This funding level is $200,511,000 more than the 
budget request, and $129,753,000 more than the fiscal year 2019 
enacted level. As in past years, the FAA is directed to report 
immediately to the House and Senate Committees on 
Appropriations in the event resources are insufficient to 
operate a safe and effective air traffic control system. The 
following table summarizes the Committee's recommendation in 
comparison to the budget estimate and the fiscal year 2019 
enacted level:

                                                 FAA OPERATIONS
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                       Fiscal year--
                                                           ------------------------------------     Committee
                                                              2019 enacted      2020 estimate    recommendation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air traffic organization..................................    $7,841,720,000    $7,777,357,000    $7,925,734,000
Aviation safety...........................................     1,336,969,000     1,327,779,000     1,359,607,000
Commercial space transportation...........................        24,949,000        25,598,000        26,040,000
Finance and Management....................................       816,398,000       784,832,000       800,646,000
NextGen Operations and Planning...........................        61,258,000        60,145,000        61,538,000
Security and hazardous materials safety...................       114,165,000       117,694,000       118,642,000
Staff offices.............................................       215,299,000       246,595,000       248,304,000
                                                           -----------------------------------------------------
      Total...............................................    10,410,758,000    10,340,000,000    10,540,411,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Funding level.--The Committee recommendation includes all 
baseline adjustments and base transfers in the budget estimate, 
and additional funding and FTE for Unmanned Aircraft Systems 
requirements, aviation security, and cybersecurity. The 
Committee also supports FAA's efforts to examine the potential 
impact and benefits of new aviation technologies on the 
national airspace. However, the Committee recommendation does 
not include any additional funding or FTE for the Innovation 
Office and directs the FAA to provide a briefing to the House 
and Senate Committees on Appropriation prior to creating any 
such office within existing resources.
    Funding Availability and Transfer Authority.--The bill 
provides 2-year funding availability for the entire operations 
account. This funding flexibility is provided to enhance 
assurance of continuity of air traffic operations during the 
annual transition from one fiscal year to the next. In 
addition, the bill includes funding transfer authority of 5 
percent among the activities in this account. This transfer 
authority is provided to meet emerging requirements as FAA 
works to accelerate the modernization of the Nation's air 
traffic control system.
    Air Traffic Control Privatization.--The United States has 
the largest, safest, most efficient, and most complex air 
traffic control system in the world, and the FAA should remain 
a global leader with a singular and unified mission of safety. 
The Committee does not support any efforts to transfer the 
FAA's air traffic functions to a not-for-profit, independent, 
private corporation.
    Contract Towers.--The Committee recommendation provides not 
less than $170,000,000 for the contract tower program, 
including the cost-share contract towers, which is $2,000,000 
above the fiscal year 2019 enacted level. Contract towers serve 
as vital public safety and economic development assets to 
hundreds of communities. Municipalities depend on the contract 
tower program to provide commercial and general aviation 
services, jobs, and public safety, such as air ambulance 
services. The Committee continues to express strong support for 
the FAA contract tower program as a cost-effective and 
efficient way to provide air traffic control services to 
smaller airports across the country. For fiscal year 2020, the 
Committee directs the FAA to continue to operate the 256 
contract towers currently in the program, including the 
contract tower cost share program, as well as expeditiously add 
qualified eligible airports.
    Contract Tower Traffic Controller Staffing.--The Committee 
is concerned that some contract towers may have insufficient 
staffing and hours of operation. The Committee suggests that 
the FAA collaborate with contract towers to ensure sufficient 
staffing at small hub airports to ensure adequate staffing at 
ground control and air traffic control during scheduled air 
carrier operations. Further, the Committee directs the DOT 
Inspector General [IG] to provide a report to the House and 
Senate Committees on Appropriations within 120 days of the 
enactment of this act on the policies, standards, methods, and 
practices employed by the FAA to establish staffing levels at 
contract towers. The IG should assess the program's ability to 
adjust to significant air traffic growth as well as local 
requirements, and examine the relationship and coordination 
between the FAA and contracting organizations. In undertaking 
this programmatic evaluation, the IG shall consider the 
findings and recommendations of the 2014 National Academy of 
Sciences report entitled: ``Federal Aviation Administration's 
Approach for Determining Future Air Traffic Controller Staffing 
Needs.''
    Boeing 737-MAX Aircraft.--The FAA maintains the largest, 
safest, and most complex airspace system in the world, but 
recent crashes of two Boeing 737-MAX aircraft have hurt the 
credibility of the agency. The Committee is aware of concerns 
with the FAA's organization designation authorization [ODA] 
program, including with delegation of the MCAS to the 
manufacturer, as well as concerns with the flight training. 
However, the Committee commends the Secretary for asking the IG 
to audit the certification of the Boeing 737-MAX aircraft, and 
expects the FAA to promptly respond to any IG and National 
Transportation Safety Board recommendations that come out of 
the crash investigations, as well as to close an open 
recommendation from a 2015 OIG report regarding evaluation 
criteria and tools used to target safety oversight. The 
Committee recommendation for aviation safety is $31,828,000 
above the budget request, and the FAA is directed to use the 
additional funding to implement recommendations from the OIG 
review of FAA's certification, the DOT Special Committee to 
Review FAA's Aircraft Certification Process, and the Joint 
Authorities' Technical Review. Within the total amount for 
aviation safety, the recommendation provides not less than 
$240,720,000 for aircraft certification services. The Committee 
will re-evaluate aviation safety and aircraft certification 
funding levels upon completion of the various investigations 
and audits. The Committee directs the FAA to notify the House 
and Senate Committees on Appropriations prior to changing the 
organizational structure of aircraft certification services or 
any other office that works on the ODA program.
    Organization Designation Authorization [ODA].--Since its 
creation, the FAA has possessed the authority to allow 
manufacturers to conduct certain certification activities on 
its behalf. The current ODA framework, which has been in place 
since 2005, allows the agency to grant ODA holders the 
responsibilities to issue airworthiness certifications, 
production certifications, and type certifications, but with 
specific terms to maintain public safety. The FAA 
Reauthorization Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-254) requires the 
FAA to establish a multidisciplinary expert review panel to 
assess and make recommendations concerning the ODA programs, 
processes, and procedures. The Committee directs the FAA to 
submit a report to the House and Senate Committees on 
Appropriations on the impact of these recommendations for its 
resource and funding needs. The reauthorization also requires 
the FAA to establish a central ODA policy office, assess ODA 
staffing needs, and develop additional tools to help target ODA 
oversight activities. The Committee directs the FAA to report 
to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations on its 
response to recommendations from the OIG investigation and from 
the Special Committee to Review FAA's Aircraft Certification 
Process prior to reorganizing, centralizing, or expanding its 
ODA activities.
    GAO Report.--The Committee is aware of concerns with the 
differences between the oversight regime of the FAA and the 
European Aviation Safety Agency [EASA] for aircraft 
certification, particularly with respect to use of delegation 
authority. The Committee directs the GAO to examine and review 
the differences in use of delegation authority and type 
certification and approval in aircraft certification between 
the FAA and the EASA and to provide recommendations to the FAA 
on any changes it should make to improve safety outcomes.
    Safety Management System [SMS].--The Committee is aware of 
the benefits of SMS across various modes of transportation and 
urges the FAA to finalize a rulemaking requiring design and 
production approval holders for aviation products to establish 
a SMS, consistent with the International Civil Aviation 
Organization Annex 19 SMS standards, and in consideration of 
the recommendations made by the FAA Part 21/Safety Management 
System Aviation Rulemaking Committee. The Committee is aware 
that certain aviation manufacturers have voluntarily 
implemented SMS, but believes that the FAA should oversee and 
audit the manufacturer's SMS for appropriate and effective 
processes.
    Safety Workforce Training Strategy.--The FAA's workforce is 
critical to maintaining an effective safety oversight of the 
aviation industry. Section 231 of the FAA Reauthorization Act 
of 2018 directs the FAA to review and revise its workforce and 
training strategy to improve its safety oversight. The 
Committee supports these efforts as a priority and expects the 
FAA to provide an update on its implementation of this strategy 
by December 31, 2019. The FAA should also consider GAO's 
assessment of the FAA's Office of Aviation Safety in terms of 
future workforce and training needs, including the 
qualifications and skills needed for the future workforce, 
knowledge-sharing opportunities, and performance incentives.
    Centralized Safety Guidance Database.--The Committee 
supports the FAA's efforts to implement a Centralized Safety 
Guidance Database, encompassing all regulatory guidance, to 
increase public accessibility and transparency on FAA 
regulatory matters. This initiative will support improved 
regulatory consistency between different FAA regions and 
offices. The FAA is directed to report on its progress by 
November 30, 2019, including a specific timetable for full 
implementation.
    Helicopter Safety.--In fiscal year 2019 the Committee 
provided $5,000,000 for the FAA to research, design, test, and 
implement a Statewide low-level helicopter route system, deploy 
low-level infrastructure capabilities, and explore vision 
enhancing technologies as part of a national demonstration 
project consistent with Continental United States Low Altitude 
Recommendation number 31 from the RTCA report and Safety 
Enhancement number 91 from the USHST. For fiscal year 2020, the 
Committee recommendation provides up to $5,000,000 in 
additional funding to expand this activity to support the 
development of performance based navigation and precision 
approach/departure procedures for the Heliport industry in 
order to provide increased reliability and safety of low level 
helicopter operations. The Committee directs the FAA to 
consider areas that feature high density populations or medical 
facilities with heliports serving remote or underserved 
populations that may have significant terrain or weather 
challenges for medical helicopter transportation.
    Radar Approach Control.--The Committee finds that radar 
approach control enhances aviation safety and efficiency for 
regularly scheduled commercial airline service and recommends 
that the FAA utilize existing funding to promptly provide radar 
to all FAA ``Type 4'' air traffic control towers.
    FAA Public Hearing.--The Committee remains concerned with 
the proposed modifications to the Condor 1 and Condor 2 
military operating areas and encourages the FAA to continue 
working with its partner agencies by holding a public hearing 
with representatives from the relevant Federal agencies in 
western Maine upon completion of the Air National Guard's 
environmental impact statement [EIS] and the record of 
decision. The Committee recognizes that the Air National Guard, 
as the lead agency under the National Environmental Policy Act 
process, has sought to meet the minimum legal requirements for 
public participation and comment. However, the Committee 
remains troubled with how the authorization of low-altitude 
military training in the proposed airspace would affect areas 
that significantly contribute to the local economy and areas 
that are culturally and environmentally sensitive. Furthermore, 
the Committee notes the FAA is the only Federal agency that can 
modify special airspace and that the FAA may adopt the Air 
National Guard's EIS in whole, or in part, once the Final EIS 
has been issued. In addition, the Committee directs the FAA to 
report to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations 
prior to the issuance of a record of decision regarding the 
modification of the Condor 1 and Condor 2 military operations 
areas that includes a summary of any public meeting and hearing 
and a list of the comments, questions, and responses presented 
at these meetings and hearings.
    Landing Strips.--Backcountry landing strips on Federal 
lands are important assets to the national aviation 
infrastructure. The Committee directs the FAA to assist Federal 
Land Managers, including but not limited to the Bureau of Land 
Management, United States Forest Service, and National Park 
Service, in charting airstrips located on Federal Lands that 
are and may be useful for administrative, recreational, and 
emergency purposes.
    Contract Weather Observers.--The FAA's Contract Weather 
Observer [CWO] program provides operationally significant 
weather information and support to the entire aviation 
community. CWO safety professionals observe and report 
operationally significant weather conditions at airports across 
the country. These trained specialists augment the Automated 
Surface Observing System, which detects and reports basic 
weather information for aviation and forecasting. The Committee 
continues to prohibit the FAA from eliminating the CWO program 
at any airport.
    Terminal Aerodrome Forecasts.--The Committee is aware of 
concerns brought forward by Part 121 supplemental operators 
regarding FAA's decision in 2016 to require terminal aerodrome 
forecasts [TAFs], which are not available in most of Alaska. 
While the FAA occasionally changes its guidance related to 
flight operations to improve the overall safety of our nation's 
airspace, the decision to require TAFs appears to have been 
made without stakeholder engagement, was contrary to the extant 
regulations, and led to unanticipated grounding of certain 
flight operations. As a result, Congress included a provision 
in the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 to provide alternate 
criteria for airports without such forecasts. The Committee 
reminds the FAA that operation specifications, policies, or 
guidance documents are not law, and do not trump regulations 
that have been promulgated through the rulemaking process. The 
Committee believes that the FAA should ensure that any 
operation specification, policy, or guidance document that is 
more restrictive than, or requires procedures that are not 
expressly stated in regulations, are based on a need for 
safety.
    Aviation Events.--The Committee directs the FAA to use 
existing resources to provide air traffic control and safety 
support services at major aviation events hosted annually for 
the general aviation community. These services are paid for 
using the aviation fuel excise tax collected from general 
aviation users. The Committee directs the FAA to use 
appropriate resources to maintain the safe and efficient 
movement of aircraft based on projected airspace congestion at 
major aviation events.
    Contracting.--The Committee is concerned that while the FAA 
surpasses government averages for key performance acquisition 
metrics, the FAA has made limited progress in reducing the 
number of no-bid or sole source contracts awarded. Consistent 
with recommendations from the OIG report ZA-2016-065, the 
Committee directs the FAA to establish and implement actions to 
reduce the use of sole-source contracting, including the use of 
performance measures. Further, the Committee directs the FAA to 
provide a report to the House and Senate Committees on 
Appropriations outlining these performance measures and 
providing the number and percentage of contracts awarded 
through the no-bid process, as well as the amount of those no-
bid contracts that meet OMB requirements for such contracts.
    Noise and Community Outreach.--The Committee directs the 
FAA to improve the development of flight procedures in ways 
that will give fair consideration to public comment and reduce 
noise through procedure modification and dispersion to reduce 
the impact on local communities. The FAA should utilize state-
of-the-art technologies, metrics, and methodologies to measure 
actual noise at ground level experienced in communities 
affected by flight paths and not rely solely on computer 
modeling or other theoretical measures. The FAA should give 
high priority to evaluating where increased noise levels 
disrupts homes and businesses, and threatens public health, and 
should provide appropriate resources to regional offices to 
work with local communities to meet this objective. The 
Committee directs the FAA to provide a report to the House and 
Senate Committees on Appropriations within 90 days of enactment 
of this act that details the efforts made by the FAA during the 
last two fiscal years to comply with Committee's directives on 
this topic. The report must include detailed information on 
specific locations that have been reevaluated using the 
requested methodologies, the number of flight paths that have 
been altered as a result of that testing and community input, 
the number of properties that have been purchased, and any 
other mitigation efforts undertaken by the FAA.
    Pilot Medical Certifications.--The Committee supports the 
FAA's Aeromedical Office's work to ensure commercial pilots 
with medical conditions can fly safely. Under FAA regulations, 
insulin-dependence is a disqualifying condition, but the FAA 
issues special third-class medical certificates to private 
pilots who are insulin-dependent. The FAA guidance for Aviation 
Medical Examiners requires first and second class applicants to 
be evaluated on a case-by-case basis by the Federal Air 
Surgeon's Office, but the FAA has never granted any special 
issuance medical certificates for first or second class pilots. 
The Committee directs the FAA to report on the number of 
airline pilots that held 1st class medical certification that 
applied for a special issuance medical certificate for insulin 
dependency, the number who have received these special issuance 
certificates, the number who have been denied these special 
issuance certificates, and the methodology used to determine 
which special issuance applications have been approved and 
denied.
    Veteran's pilot training grant program.--The Committee 
recognizes the importance of an adequate future supply of 
qualified pilots, particularly for rural access to air service. 
The Committee encourages the FAA to use up to $1,000,000 for 
competitive grants to part 141 pilot schools that have 
established employment pathways with part 121 or part 135 
commercial air carriers to provide flight training services to 
veterans. Grants should be used to recruit and enroll veterans 
for flight training services, provide flight training services 
to veterans enrolled, and to provide applicable program 
tuition, training materials, and equipment in coordination with 
veterans' education benefits. The FAA is directed to submit a 
report to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations on 
implementation of this program, how the FAA will use these 
funds, and any potential challenges, within 60 days of 
enactment of this act.
    Cybersecurity Training.--As the aviation industry continues 
to makes technological advances in aviation, the Committee 
recognizes that cyber-attacks will require innovations in 
artificial and human intelligence to respond to these cyber 
threats and attacks. The Committee encourages the FAA to work 
with higher education institutions on ways to prevent, detect 
and respond to cyber threats and cyber-attacks on our air 
traffic navigation and control systems.
    Commercial Space.--The FAA recently released a Notice of 
Proposed Rulemaking [NPRM] to reform the current prescriptive 
launch and reentry regulations. Prior to drafting the 
rulemaking, the FAA convened an Aviation Rulemaking Committee 
[ARC] consisting of both traditional and emerging commercial 
space companies. However, the draft rule does not include 
relevant language approved by a majority of ARC members, and as 
a result, the proposed rule fails to implement a streamlined 
and performance based approach to regulating an industry whose 
continued growth and innovation is critical to national 
security and civilian space exploration. The draft rule creates 
unnecessary barriers to entry for new companies, may prevent 
many operators from achieving or maintaining flight rates and 
cost efficiencies to support new space applications and 
markets, and fails to address the application of the 
regulations to future space port locations. The Committee 
encourages the FAA to reconvene the Streamlined Launch and 
Reentry Licensing Requirements ARC and consider a supplemental 
NPRM prior to issuing a final rule in order to meet an 
artificial deadline.
    UAS Test Sites.--The Committee recommendation includes 
$6,000,000 for providing matching funds to commercial entities 
that contract with a FAA designated UAS test site to 
demonstrate or validate technologies that the FAA considers 
essential to the safe integration of UAS in the National 
Airspace System. In addition, the Committee directs the FAA to 
continue to identify essential integration technologies that 
could be demonstrated or validated at test sites designated in 
accordance with the preceding sentence.
    UAS Information Management System.--The Committee supports 
the FAA's efforts to integrate UAS into the national airspace 
through a comprehensive unmanned traffic management [UTM] 
network maintained by UTM Service Suppliers [USS]. This UTM 
network will require the integration of remote identification, 
registration, and Low Altitude Authorization and Notification 
Capability [LAANC] information to assist public safety 
organizations to evaluate risks. To implement section 376 of 
the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018, the Committee 
recommendation includes not less than $1,000,000 to the FAA UAS 
Integration Office to oversee the development of an information 
management system that serves as a USS-USS communications 
network for a commercial USS to integrate remote 
identification, registration, and LAANC data and validate the 
data of individual operators.
    UAS Public Awareness.--The Committee is aware of the 
increased need for outreach and education among UAS users, 
especially with new FAA regulations being promulgated, allowing 
greater use of UASs. The Committee recommendation includes up 
to $1,000,000 for the existing ``Know Before You Fly'' 
initiative.
    UAS Integration Pilot Program.--The Committee supports the 
use of the UAS Integration Pilot Program to evaluate reasonable 
time, manner, and place limitations on low-altitude UAS. The 
Committee directs the Administrator to report to Congress no 
later than December 31, 2019 on the program's demonstration of 
such limitations.
    LAANC Public Private Partnerships.--The Committee is 
pleased that Federal investment by the FAA and private 
investment by industry partners towards the LAANC program has 
safely and efficiently opened more airspace to UAS innovation. 
The LAANC program is the first operational building block 
towards an UTM system. To date, LAANC UTM Service Suppliers 
participate at no cost to the FAA. The Committee recommendation 
supports FAA's budget request to support the LAANC program and 
directs the FAA to enable UTM Service Suppliers to improve the 
safety of additional UAS operations by extending the reach of 
LAANC through application program interfaces.
    Counter-UAS.--The Committee is aware of the increasing 
reports of UAS sightings by manned aircraft pilots near 
airspace and at altitudes where UAS are not authorized. 
Congress provided Counter-UAS [C-UAS] authority to the U.S. 
Departments of Defense, Energy, Homeland Security, and Justice 
and has directed the FAA Administrator to review the 
interagency coordination process for C-UAS activity. The 
Committee believes that Counter-UAS technology will need to be 
integrated with UTM system in order to identify credible 
threats and distinguish between compliant and non-compliant UAS 
operations. As part of its review of C-UAS technology, the 
Committee directs the FAA to report to the House and Senate 
Committees on Appropriations on how the FAA is coordinating 
with its Federal partners to implement their authorities and 
processes for safely integrating C-UAS technology into UTM 
networks in the national airspace. The Committee also directs 
the FAA to deploy technologies that detect and mitigate 
potential aviation safety risks posed by UAS at 5 airports as 
required by the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018.

                        FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT

                    (AIRPORT AND AIRWAY TRUST FUND)

Appropriations, 2019....................................  $3,000,000,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................   3,295,000,000
Committee recommendation................................   3,153,801,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The Facilities and Equipment appropriation provides funding 
for modernizing and improving air traffic control and airway 
facilities, equipment, and systems. 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 
National Airspace System [NAS]. The program aims to keep pace 
with the increasing demands of aeronautical activity and remain 
in accordance with the FAA comprehensive 5-year capital 
investment plan.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $3,153,801,000 
for the Facilities and Equipment account of the FAA. The 
recommended level is $141,199,000 less than the budget request 
and $153,801,000 more than the fiscal year 2019 enacted level.
    The following table shows the Committee's recommended 
distribution of funds for each of the budget activities funded 
by this appropriation:

                                            FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                       Fiscal year--
                                                           ------------------------------------     Committee
                                                              2019 enacted      2020 estimate    recommendation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Activity 1--Engineering, Development, Test and Evaluation
    Advanced Technology Development and Prototyping.......        33,000,000        40,900,000        40,900,000
    William J. Hughes Technical Center Laboratory                 21,000,000        20,000,000        20,000,000
     Sustainment..........................................
    William J. Hughes Technical Center Infrastructure             15,000,000        15,000,000        15,000,000
     Sustainment..........................................
    Separation Management Portfolio.......................        16,000,000        33,500,000        22,500,000
    Traffic Flow Management Portfolio.....................        14,000,000        27,500,000        21,500,000
    On Demand NAS Portfolio...............................        21,000,000        10,500,000         8,500,000
    NAS Infrastructure Portfolio..........................        20,000,000        17,000,000        11,500,000
    NextGen Support Portfolio.............................        12,800,000        13,000,000        11,000,000
    Unmanned Aircraft Systems [UAS].......................        25,000,000        68,400,000        68,400,000
    Enterprise, Concept Development, Human Factors, &             16,500,000        32,000,000        19,000,000
     Demonstrations Portfolio.............................
                                                           -----------------------------------------------------
      Total Activity 1....................................       194,300,000       277,800,000       238,300,000
Activity 2-- Air Traffic Control Facilities and Equipment
 
a.En Route Programs
    En Route Automation Modernization [ERAM]--System             115,250,000       105,950,000        95,950,000
     Enhancements and Tech Refresh........................
    En Route Communications Gateway [ECG].................         1,650,000         2,650,000         2,650,000
    Next Generation Weather Radar [NEXRAD]--Provide.......         7,500,000         3,000,000         3,000,000
    Air Route Traffic Control Center [ARTCC] & Combined           88,050,000        96,900,000        96,900,000
     Control Facility [CCF] Building Improvements.........
    Air Traffic Management [ATM]..........................        12,055,000  ................  ................
    Air/Ground Communications Infrastructure..............         8,750,000         7,850,000         7,850,000
    Air Traffic Control En Route Radar Facilities                  6,600,000         5,300,000         5,300,000
     Improvements.........................................
    Voice Switching and Control System [VSCS].............        11,400,000  ................  ................
    Oceanic Automation System.............................        23,100,000        15,900,000        15,900,000
    Next Generation Very High Frequency Air/Ground                60,000,000        50,000,000        55,000,000
     Communications [NEXCOM]..............................
    System-Wide Information Management....................        55,300,000       100,950,000        83,278,000
    ADS-B NAS Wide Implementation.........................       139,150,000       174,400,000       166,900,000
    Windshear Detection Service...........................  ................         1,000,000         1,000,000
    Air Traffic Management Implementation Portfolio.......  ................        77,100,000        77,100,000
    Collaborative Air Traffic Management Technologies.....        17,700,000  ................  ................
    Time Based Flow Management Portfolio..................        28,150,000        30,700,000        23,200,000
    NextGen Weather Processors............................        28,650,000        31,300,000        27,800,000
    Airborne Collision Avoidance System X [ACASX].........         7,700,000         6,900,000         6,900,000
    Data Communications in Support of NG Air                     118,902,000       136,248,013       136,248,000
     Transportation System................................
    Non-Continental United States [Non-CONUS] Automation..        14,000,000         1,000,000         1,000,000
    Reduced Oceanic Separation............................        17,500,000        32,300,000        32,300,000
    En Route Service Improvements.........................         1,000,000         2,000,000         2,000,000
    Commercial Space Integration..........................         9,000,000        33,000,000        23,000,000
                                                           -----------------------------------------------------
        Subtotal En Route Programs........................       771,407,000       914,448,013       863,276,000
b.Terminal Programs
    Airport Surface Detection Equipment--Model X [ASDE-X].         2,500,000  ................  ................
    Terminal Doppler Weather Radar [TDWR]--Provide........         4,500,000         2,200,000         2,200,000
    Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System               66,900,000        41,300,000        41,300,000
     [STARS] [TAMR Phase 1]...............................
    Terminal Automation Modernization/Replacement Program          8,000,000  ................  ................
     [TAMR Phase 3].......................................
    Terminal Automation Program...........................         8,500,000         6,500,000         6,500,000
    Terminal Air Traffic Control Facilities--Replace......        19,200,000        24,326,987        24,327,000
    ATCT/Terminal Radar Approach Control [TRACON]                 95,850,000        96,200,000        96,200,000
     Facilities--Improve..................................
    Terminal Voice Switch Replacement [TVSR]..............        10,000,000  ................  ................
    NAS Facilities OSHA and Environmental Standards               41,900,000        40,400,000        40,400,000
     Compliance...........................................
    Airport Surveillance Radar [ASR-9]....................        12,800,000  ................  ................
    Terminal Digital Radar [ASR-11] Technology Refresh and         1,000,000  ................  ................
     Mobile Airport Surveillance Radar [MASR].............
    Runway Status Lights..................................         2,000,000  ................  ................
    National Airspace System Voice System [NVS]...........        43,150,000  ................  ................
    Integrated Display System [IDS].......................        18,000,000        24,000,000        24,000,000
    Remote Monitoring and Logging System [RMLS]...........        18,100,000        14,400,000        14,400,000
    Mode S Service Life Extension Program [SLEP]..........        15,400,000  ................  ................
    Terminal Flight Data Manager [TFDM]...................       119,250,000       135,450,000       117,923,000
    National Air Space [NAS] Voice Recorder Program [NVRP]        14,000,000  ................  ................
    Integrated Terminal Weather System [ITWS].............         2,100,000  ................  ................
    Performance Based Navigation & Metroplex Portfolio....        20,000,000         5,000,000         5,000,000
    Unmanned Aircraft System [UAS] Implementation.........  ................        58,400,000        58,400,000
    Airport Ground Surveillance Portfolio.................  ................        19,000,000        19,000,000
    Terminal and En Route Surveillance Portfolio..........  ................        68,500,000        68,500,000
    Terminal and Enroute Voice Switch and Recorder          ................        49,750,000        49,750,000
     Portfolio............................................
    NextGen Implementation of FOXs and FIM Cloud..........  ................        35,000,000        18,000,000
                                                           -----------------------------------------------------
        Subtotal Terminal Programs........................       523,150,000       620,426,987       585,900,000
c.Flight Service Programs
    Aviation Surface Observation System [ASOS]............        10,000,000         4,000,000         4,000,000
    Future FlightServices Program.........................        10,100,000        19,200,000        19,200,000
    Alaska Flight Service Facility Modernization [AFSFM]..         2,650,000         2,650,000         2,650,000
    Weather Camera Program................................         1,100,000  ................         1,800,000
    Juneau Airport Wind System [JAWS]--Technology Refresh.         1,000,000         1,000,000         1,000,000
                                                           -----------------------------------------------------
        Subtotal Flight Service Programs..................        24,850,000        26,850,000        28,650,000
d.Landing and Navigational Aids Program
    VHF Omnidirectional Radio Range [VOR] Minimum                 20,000,000        18,000,000        21,000,000
     Operating Network [MON]..............................
    Instrument Landing System [ILS]--Establish............        25,000,000  ................        15,000,000
    Wide Area Augmentation System [WAAS] for GPS..........        96,320,000        90,000,000        80,000,000
    Instrument Flight Procedures Automation [IFPA]........         1,400,000         1,100,000         1,100,000
    Runway Safety Areas--Navigational Mitigation..........         2,000,000         1,400,000         1,400,000
    NAVAIDS Monitoring Equipment..........................         3,000,000  ................  ................
    Legacy Navigation Aids Portfolio......................        31,000,000  ................  ................
    Landing and Lighting Portfolio........................  ................        48,245,000        32,445,000
                                                           -----------------------------------------------------
        Subtotal Landing and Navigational Aids Programs...       178,720,000       158,745,000       150,945,000
e.Other ATC Facilities Programs
    Fuel Storage Tank Replacement and Management..........        25,700,000        26,400,000        26,400,000
    Unstaffed Infrastructure Sustainment..................        51,050,000        36,800,000        36,800,000
    Aircraft Related Equipment Program....................        13,000,000        10,900,000        10,900,000
    Airport Cable Loop Systems--Sustained Support.........        10,000,000        10,000,000        10,000,000
    Alaskan Satellite Telecommunications Infrastructure           16,300,000         4,300,000         4,300,000
     [ASTI]...............................................
    Facilities Decommissioning............................         9,000,000         9,000,000         9,000,000
    Electrical Power Systems--Sustain/Support.............       140,700,000       150,000,000       150,000,000
    Energy Management and Compliance [EMC]................         2,400,000         6,400,000         6,400,000
    Child Care Center Sustainment.........................         1,000,000         1,500,000         1,500,000
    FAA Telecommunications Infrastructure.................        40,000,000        48,500,000        43,500,000
    Data Visualization, Analysis and Reporting System              4,500,000         7,100,000         7,100,000
     [DVARS]..............................................
    TDM-to-IP Migration...................................        38,000,000        20,000,000        20,000,000
                                                           -----------------------------------------------------
        Subtotal Other ATC Facilities Programs............       351,650,000       330,900,000       325,900,000
                                                           =====================================================
        Total Activity 2..................................     1,849,777,000     2,051,370,000     1,954,671,000
Activity 3--Non-Air Traffic Control Facilities and
 Equipment
 
a.Support Equipment
    Hazardous Materials Management........................        29,800,000        20,000,000        20,000,000
    Aviation Safety Analysis System [ASAS]................        18,700,000        19,700,000        19,700,000
    National Air Space [NAS] Recovery Communications              12,000,000        12,000,000        12,000,000
     [RCOM]...............................................
    Facility Security Risk Management.....................        17,800,000        15,100,000        15,100,000
    Information Security..................................        20,900,000        33,300,000        33,300,000
    System Approach for Safety Oversight [SASO]...........        25,400,000        23,100,000        23,100,000
    Aviation Safety Knowledge Management Environment               6,000,000         5,300,000         5,300,000
     [ASKME]..............................................
    Aerospace Medical Equipment Needs [AMEN]..............        14,000,000        13,800,000        13,800,000
    System Safety Management Portfolio....................        14,200,000        19,500,000        19,500,000
    National Test Equipment Program.......................         5,000,000         3,000,000         3,000,000
    Mobile Assets Management Program......................         2,200,000         1,800,000         1,800,000
    Aerospace Medicine Safety Information Systems [AMSIS].        16,100,000        13,800,000        13,800,000
    Tower Simulation System [TSS] Technology Refresh......           500,000  ................  ................
    Logistics Support Systems and Facilities [LSSF].......         7,100,000         4,000,000         9,000,000
                                                           -----------------------------------------------------
        Subtotal Support Equipment........................       189,700,000       184,400,000       189,400,000
                                                           =====================================================
b.Training, Equipment and Facilities
    Aeronautical Center Infrastructure Modernization......        14,000,000        18,000,000        18,000,000
    Distance Learning.....................................         1,000,000         1,000,000         1,000,000
                                                           -----------------------------------------------------
        Subtotal Training, Equipment and Facilities.......        15,000,000        19,000,000        19,000,000
                                                           =====================================================
        Total Activity 3..................................       204,700,000       203,400,000       208,400,000
Activity 4--Facilities and Equipment Mission Support
 
a.System Support and Services
    System Engineering and Development Support............        39,700,000        38,000,000        38,000,000
    Program Support Leases................................        47,000,000        48,000,000        48,000,000
    Logistics and Acquisition Support Services............        12,500,000        11,800,000        11,800,000
    Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center Leases..............        20,200,000        20,600,000        20,600,000
    Transition Engineering Support........................        22,000,000        21,000,000        21,000,000
    Technical Support Services Contract [TSSC]............        28,000,000        28,000,000        28,000,000
    Resource Tracking Program [RTP].......................         6,000,000         8,000,000         8,000,000
    Center for Advanced Aviation System Development               57,000,000        57,000,000        57,000,000
     [CAASD]..............................................
    Aeronautical Information Management Program...........         5,000,000         5,300,000         5,300,000
    Cross Agency NextGen Management.......................         1,000,000  ................  ................
                                                           -----------------------------------------------------
        Total Activity 4..................................       238,400,000       237,700,000       237,700,000
                                                           =====================================================
Activity 5--Personnel and Related Expenses
 
    Personnel and Related Expenses........................       512,823,000       524,730,000       514,730,000
                                                           -----------------------------------------------------
        Sub-total All Activities..........................     3,000,000,000     3,295,000,000     3,153,801,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Enterprise, Concept Development, Human Factors, and 
Demonstration Portfolio.--The Committee directs the FAA to use 
funds to implement the remote tower pilot program authorized in 
section 161 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018. Funds may 
be expended on the remote tower technology, as well as other 
equipment on the FAA minimum equipment list necessary for a 
functioning tower. Consistent with previous fiscal years, the 
Committee directs the FAA to take into account the interest of 
the airport sponsor in participating in the pilot program.
    Next Generation Very High Frequency Air/Ground 
Communications [NEXCOM].--FAA has made significant progress in 
upgrading unsupportable and obsolete air traffic control ground 
based radio communication infrastructure as part of the NEXCOM 
2 initiative. This initiative will ensure the air traffic 
system's capability to grow to meet future capacity 
requirements while also ensuring that radio infrastructure has 
the safest and most modern technology available. The current 
NEXCOM 2 initiative will complete upgrades of 50 percent of the 
ground based radio infrastructure, and delays in completing the 
full upgrade across the air traffic control infrastructure will 
increase costs associated with maintaining legacy radio 
equipment and unnecessarily extend the timeframe and cost for 
completion of the upgrade of this critical nationwide 
capability. The Committee directs the FAA to develop and submit 
a plan for review to the House and Senate Committees on 
Appropriations within 90 days of enactment of this act on 
resources necessary to complete the upgrade of the nationwide 
ATC ground radio infrastructure under the existing NEXCOM 2 
initiative.
    Reduced Oceanic Separation.--The Committee recommendation 
includes $32,300,000 for reduced oceanic separation and directs 
the FAA to prioritize funds for the implementation of space-
based Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast [ADS-B] for 
use in oceanic operations. The FAA's current timeline for 
space-based ADS-B would not occur until 2024. The Committee 
directs the FAA to execute a revised phased strategy that 
initiates operational use of space-based ADS-B no later than 
the end of fiscal year 2020.
    Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System [STARS] 
[TAMR Phase 1].--The Committee is pleased with the deployment 
of the TAMR/STARS infrastructure throughout the NAS. In order 
to gain efficiencies and capabilities to support NextGen 
performance based navigation operations, the FAA should develop 
and implement further new software-based toolsets, such as the 
replacement of manual flight strips with Electronic Flight Data 
at remaining air traffic control towers and terminal radar 
control facilities, as well as the replacement of the aging 
STARS system weather interface with the Integrated Terminal 
Weather Systems. These two important capabilities will enhance 
terminal operational safety and decreased weather-induced 
delays. The Committee directs the FAA to provide a TAMR/STARS 
roadmap that details the investment decision milestones for 
these efforts within 180 days of the enactment of this act.
    Terminal and En Route Surveillance Portfolio.--The ASR-8 
Primary Surveillance Radar Systems were fielded between 1975 
and 1980 to provide primary surveillance radar data to air 
traffic controllers at low and medium activity airports. As of 
2019, forty ASR-8 systems (38 operational systems, two support 
systems) currently remain in use in the NAS. The Committee 
directs the FAA to work to address airports concerns with 
existing ASR-8 radar systems interference with surrounding 
topography and local economic development and to incorporate 
the potential needs for radar relocation into its ongoing ASR-8 
technology refresh program.
    Weather Camera Program.--The FAA's weather camera system in 
Alaska helps inform safety decisions for pilots, particularly 
in mountainous terrain and at rural airports. The Committee 
recommendation includes $1,800,000 for the Weather Camera 
Program and encourages the FAA to implement the program in 
areas outside of Alaska to enable broader use. Expansion of 
this program into locations outside of Alaska could mitigate 
accidents due to a loss of control and controlled flight into 
terrain accidents, both of which are the leading causes of 
fatal general aviation accidents.
    VHF Omnidirectional Radio Range [VOR] Minimum Operational 
Network [MON].--The VOR MON system is designed to enable 
aircraft, having lost Global Navigation Satellite System 
service, to revert to conventional navigation procedures. The 
system provides a level of redundancy that is vital to the 
safety of our Nation's air traffic control system. As critical 
legacy equipment, FAA safety technicians have unparalleled 
experience and training regarding the maintenance of these 
systems. As the FAA evaluates the recapitalization needs of 
this legacy equipment, the Committee expects that the 
maintenance of the existing and any replacement system continue 
to be maintained by FAA employees. The Committee also sees the 
value in installing retrofitted VORs at locations seeking to 
relocate VORs and funding provided above the request level 
should be used for this purpose. The Committee urges the FAA to 
provide the support necessary to ensure timely installation.
    Instrument Landing Systems [ILS].--Instrument Landing 
Systems are the backbone of FAA precision landing capability, 
providing capability for aircraft to land in low ceilings and 
poor visibility. Currently more than 800 deployed ILS exceed 
their service life. Accelerating the procurement of new ILS 
will increase safety and reliability while significantly 
decreasing the long term sustainment costs of this critical 
program. The Committee recommendation includes $15,000,000 for 
the procurement of the fourth generation ILS.
    FAA Enterprise Network Services.--The FAA Enterprise 
Network Services is an effort to modernize the 
telecommunications infrastructure by enabling the Next 
Generation Air Traffic Management Systems to process large 
volumes of data in real-time. The Committee supports moving 
towards a secure, IP-based architecture that has limited 
customization, provides for continuous modernization, and 
utilizes commercial capabilities and best practices to operate 
and maintain our NAS. The Committee believes that for this 
program to be successful and provide the vision and 
capabilities of a modern NAS, certain criteria should be 
included. The FAA must detail a plan to safely transition to a 
modern network architecture in a short period of time without 
disruption to air traffic and mission functions, install a 
governance structure that ensures current and future 
requirements evolve over the life of the contract, and leverage 
telecommunications industry advancements appropriately. 
Continuous modernization throughout the life of the contract, 
minimal customization, and outcome-based requirements should be 
clearly stated in the program objectives, specifications, and 
evaluation criteria. The Committee also believes the FAA should 
evaluate the use of wireless technology that could greatly 
enhance the capabilities and survivability necessary to achieve 
the agency's goals. Finally, security is a critical component 
of the architecture and must be detailed and built into the 
system from the onset. The FAA must evaluate new security 
technologies on a reoccurring basis and implement them to 
ensure new threats and security practices do not penetrate 
their communications infrastructure. Therefore, the Committee 
directs the FAA to provide the House and Senate Committees on 
Appropriations a briefing within 60 days of enactment of this 
act on the detailed plans for the criteria above and how they 
are addressed in the program and throughout the life of the 
proposed contract.
    TDM-to-IP.--The FAA is continually evaluating and deploying 
new technologies to modernize and improve the efficiency and 
safety of the National Airspace System [NAS]. In many cases, 
the lengthy procurement and deployment processes can render 
some technologies outdated before their full deployment into 
the NAS. The FAA should utilize commercially available 
technologies in order to streamline the procurement and 
deployment of new technologies unless commercial items are not 
available. In addition, the FAA should continue to conduct full 
and open competitions for the acquisition of new technologies.
    Aging Facilities.--The Committee instructs the FAA to work 
to address aging and antiquated air traffic control facilities 
that it leases from airport authorities to ensure they are 
fully compliant with current building codes consistent with 
being occupied by air traffic controllers. The Committee 
recognizes that this, in many cases, may require the 
construction of new air traffic facilities to replace existing 
ones. The Committee instructs the FAA to consider creative 
financing options and to include consideration of long-term 
cost recovery leases, when conditions warrant the construction 
of new air traffic control towers.
    Military Operations Areas.--The Committee finds that radar 
and future NextGen systems capable of controlling airspace down 
to 500 feet above ground level enhances aviation safety in 
Military Operations Areas that overlay public use airports. The 
Committee recommends that the FAA utilize existing resources to 
promptly provide radar or NextGen capability in areas with more 
than 5,000 operations per year.

                 RESEARCH, ENGINEERING, AND DEVELOPMENT

                    (AIRPORT AND AIRWAY TRUST FUND)

Appropriations, 2019....................................    $191,100,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................     120,000,000
Committee recommendation................................     194,230,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The Research, Engineering, and Development appropriation 
provides funding for long-term research, engineering, and 
development programs to improve the air traffic control system 
by increasing its safety and capacity, as well as reducing the 
environmental impacts of air traffic, as authorized by the 
Airport and Airway Improvement Act and the Federal Aviation 
Act, as amended. The programs are designed to meet the expected 
air traffic demands of the future and to promote flight safety 
through improvements in facilities, equipment, techniques, and 
procedures to ensure that the system will safely and 
efficiently handle future volumes of aircraft traffic.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $194,230,000 for the FAA's 
Research, Engineering, and Development activities. The 
recommended level of funding is $74,230,000 more than the 
budget request and $3,130,000 more than the fiscal year 2019 
enacted level. The Committee recommendation supports the 
request to move funding and staff to cover accident 
investigations conducted by the Civil Aerospace Medical 
Institute to the ``FAA--Operations'' account.
    A table showing the fiscal year 2019 enacted level, the 
fiscal year 2020 budget estimate and the Committee 
recommendation is as follows:

                                     RESEARCH, ENGINEERING, AND DEVELOPMENT
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                       Fiscal year--
                                                           ------------------------------------     Committee
                                                              2019 enacted      2020 estimate    recommendation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Safety:
    Fire Research & Safety................................         7,200,000         7,562,000         7,200,000
     Propulsion & Fuel Systems............................        12,100,000         3,708,000         2,100,000
    Advanced Materials /Structural Safety.................        14,720,000         1,799,000        14,720,000
    Aircraft Icing/Digital System Safety/Aircraft Cyber...         9,253,000         7,450,000         9,000,000
    Continued Air Worthiness..............................        11,269,000        10,006,000        11,269,000
    Aircraft Catastrophic Failure Prevention Research.....         1,570,000  ................         1,565,000
    Flightdeck/Maintenance/System Integration Human                7,305,000         5,973,000         7,300,000
     Factors..............................................
    Safety System Management..............................         5,500,000         4,309,000         5,500,000
    Air Traffic Control/Technical Operations Human Factors         5,800,000         5,474,000         5,800,000
    Aeromedical Research..................................         9,080,000         9,575,000         7,919,000
     Weather Research.....................................        15,476,000         6,391,000        15,476,000
    Unmanned Aircraft Systems Research....................        24,035,000         7,546,000        24,035,000
    Alternative Fuels for General Aviation................         1,900,000  ................         1,900,000
    Commercial Space......................................         2,500,000         5,971,000         2,500,000
    NextGen--Wake Turbulence..............................         6,831,000         3,697,000         6,000,000
     NextGen--Air Ground Integration......................         6,757,000         1,717,000         5,800,000
    NextGen--Weather Technology in the Cockpit............         3,644,000         1,963,000         3,644,000
    NextGen--Flight Data Exchange.........................         1,035,000         1,005,000         1,005,000
    Information Security/Cyber Security Program...........         1,232,000         2,675,000         2,675,000
                                                           -----------------------------------------------------
        Total Safety......................................       137,207,000        86,821,000       135,408,000
 
Reduce Envrionmental Impacts:
    Environment & Energy..................................        18,013,000        15,103,000        18,013,000
    NextGen Environmental Research--Aircraft Technologies,        29,174,000        12,500,000        29,174,000
     Fuels and Metrics....................................
    Airliner Cabin Environment Research...................  ................  ................         1,000,000
                                                           -----------------------------------------------------
        Total Reduce Envrionmental Impacts................        47,187,000        27,603,000        48,187,000
 
Mission Support:
    System Planning and Resource Management...............         2,135,000         2,717,000         7,135,000
    WJHTC Lab Facilities..................................         4,571,000         2,859,000         3,500,000
                                                           -----------------------------------------------------
        Total Mission Support.............................         6,706,000         5,576,000        10,635,000
                                                           -----------------------------------------------------
            Total.........................................       191,100,000       120,000,000       194,230,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Advanced Materials/Structural Safety.--The Committee 
recommendation includes a total of $14,720,000 for advanced 
materials/structural safety. The Committee is aware that the 
primary challenge in additive manufacturing for aerospace 
applications is the certification of airworthiness of complex 
processes used within the additive manufactured components. The 
Committee recommendations includes $6,000,000 to advance the 
use of these new additive materials (both metallic and non-
metallic based additive processes) into the commercial aviation 
industry, as well as $4,000,000 to advance the use of fiber 
reinforced composite materials into the commercial aviation 
industry through the FAA Joint Advanced Materials and 
Structures Center of Excellence.
    Additive Manufactured Continued Airworthiness.--The 
Committee recommendation includes $11,269,000 for continued air 
worthiness. The Committee is encouraged by the potential impact 
that stitched resin composites can have on the aviation 
industry, and the Committee recommendation includes $2,000,000 
for the FAA to work with public and private partners who 
provide leading-edge research, development, and testing of 
composite materials and structures.
    UAS Research Center of Excellence [COE].--The Committee 
recognizes the valuable role of the UAS COE in assisting the 
FAA in a host of research challenges associated with the 
integration of UAS into the NAS. The Committee recommendation 
includes $24,035,000 for UAS research, equal to the fiscal year 
2019 enacted level. Of the funds provided for UAS research, 
$12,035,000 is directed to support the expanded role of the UAS 
COE in areas of UAS research, including cybersecurity, 
agricultural applications, beyond visual line of sight 
technology, and studies of advanced composites and other non-
metallic engineering materials not common to manned aircraft, 
but utilized in UAS. Furthermore, the COE shall establish a UAS 
safety research facility at the Center to study appropriate 
safety standards for UAS and to develop and validate 
certification standards for such systems. Of the total funding, 
$2,000,000 is for the Center's role in transportation disaster 
preparedness and response, partnering with institutions that 
have demonstrated experience in damage assessment, 
collaboration with State transportation agencies, and applied 
UAS field testing; and $10,000,000 is to support UAS research 
activities at the FAA technical center and other FAA 
facilities.
    Community and Technical College Centers of Excellence [COE] 
in Small UAS Technology Training Program.--The Committee 
supports workforce development efforts to increase the number 
of technically trained drone technicians and pilots as industry 
demands continue to grow. Operating and maintaining autonomous 
flight vehicles requires specialized education and training. 
Workforce development initiatives in this area will help 
support the continued growth of the UAS industry, enable 
additional businesses across a variety of industries to utilize 
unmanned aircraft in their operations, and will encourage more 
individuals to pursue careers in aviation professions. In 
response, section 631 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 
requires the FAA to establish a process for designating a 
consortia of community colleges and technical colleges as 
Community and Technical College COE in Small Unmanned Aircraft 
System Technology Training, and section 632 of the Act directs 
the FAA to create a Collegiate Training Initiative program 
relating to UAS. However, the Committee understands that these 
workforce development goals are different than the traditional 
role of COEs established to perform research on behalf of the 
FAA in accordance with statutory requirements in 49 U.S.C. 
44513. While the FAA works to meet the requirements of the FAA 
Reauthorization Act of 2018, the Committee directs the FAA to 
continue working with stakeholders to develop a strategy for 
these UAS workforce development initiatives and provide an 
update to the Committee within 120 days of enactment of this 
Act. Further, the Committee directs the FAA to develop a 
funding request for these critical programs in future budget 
requests.
    In the development of this program, the Committee 
encourages the FAA and interested academic institutions to 
leverage existing partnerships and programs, such as the 
Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International's 
Trusted Operator Program, which has established curriculum for 
drone operator certification and training at the community 
college level, or the Technical Training and Human Performance 
Centers of Excellence, which conducts research and development 
on technical training across aviation professions including air 
traffic controllers, aviation safety inspectors, engineers, 
technicians, and pilots. Leveraging existing programs to 
achieve highly regarded industry certification would allow 
community and technical colleges, in the near term, to utilize 
such certification in their recruitment and marketing efforts 
to students and families while the FAA works on its long-term 
implementation plan.
    Airliner Cabin Environment Research COE.--Section 326 of 
the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 directs the FAA to 
commission a research program to develop techniques to monitor 
bleed air quality in commercial aircraft and to conduct a pilot 
program to evaluate the effectiveness of technologies 
identified by such research. The Committee recommendation 
includes $1,000,000 for this research.
    Environmental Sustainability.--The Committee recommendation 
includes $47,187,000 for research related to environmental 
sustainability, of which $18,013,000 is for ``Environment and 
Energy'' and $29,174,000 is for ``Next Gen--Environmental 
Research Aircraft Technologies, Fuels and Metrics''. The FAA is 
directed to provide $15,000,000 for the Center.
    The Committee supports NextGen's five pillar strategy in 
conducting research through the Center of Excellence, which 
includes: (1) improved scientific knowledge and integrated 
modeling; (2) new aircraft technologies; (3) sustainable 
alternative aviation fuels; (4) air traffic management 
modernization and operational improvements; and (5) policies, 
environmental standards, and market-based measures. The 
Committee is concerned with the removal of the sustainable 
alternative aviation fuels pillar in the budget request and 
directs the FAA to continue research on alternative fuels 
following performance, economic, and environmental principals. 
This sustained investment will lead to reducing emissions and 
expanding alternative domestic energy sources that diversify 
fuel supplies, contribute to price and supply stability, and 
support economic development in rural communities. Further, the 
Committee directs the FAA to utilize the comprehensive five 
pillar strategy as outlined in the fiscal year 2019 budget 
request.
    Noise Health Effects Research.--The Committee has included 
language for 2 years requesting the FAA to prioritize research 
conducted through FAA's Center of Excellence for Alternative 
Jet Fuel and Environment, and the Aviation Sustainability 
Center on the impact of aviation noise on both sleep and 
cardiovascular health. The Committee has also previously 
directed the FAA to evaluate alternative metrics to the current 
day night level 65 standard and other methods to address 
community airplane noise concerns, including cumulative noise 
impacts from increased frequency of flights. Communities across 
the country contend with an increased frequency of passing 
aircraft on a daily basis and the Committee is concerned that 
the FAA is not heeding this direction and therefore requests 
the FAA to provide a report to the House and Senate Committees 
on Appropriations within 90 days of enactment of this act that 
details the efforts made by the FAA during the last two fiscal 
years to comply with the Committee's direction. The report must 
include detailed findings of the research completed to date and 
the alternative metrics identified to evaluate noise impacts 
that will adequately address community concerns.
    Aviation Workforce Development Programs.--The Committee is 
concerned with the shortage of trained pilots and aviation 
technicians for our Nation's commercial, recreational, and 
military aviation industries. The Committee recommendation 
includes $5,000,000 within Systems Planning and Resource 
Management for the Aviation Workforce Development Programs as 
authorized by section 625 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 
2018. Funding shall be used for both aircraft pilot workforce 
and aviation maintenance workforce.
    Human Intervention Motivational Study [HIMS] Program and 
the Flight Attendant Drug and Alcohol Program.--The Committee 
notes the importance of the HIMS program and the Flight 
Attendant Drug and Alcohol Program in helping to rehabilitate 
those struggling with substance abuse disorders so they are 
able to successfully return to work. Section 554 of the FAA 
Reauthorization Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-254) directs the 
Secretary to enter into an agreement with the Transportation 
Research Board to conduct a study on the HIMS program, the 
Flight Attendant Drug and Alcohol Program, and any other drug 
and alcohol programs within the other modal administrations 
within the Department of Transportation, and issue 
recommendations on how to implement programs, or change 
existing programs, that seek to help transportation workers get 
treatment for drug and alcohol abuse and return to work. The 
Committee supports these efforts as a priority and directs the 
FAA to use existing resources to complete this study. The 
Committee expects FAA to provide an update on the progress of 
this study by December 31, 2019.

                       GRANTS-IN-AID FOR AIRPORTS

                (LIQUIDATION OF CONTRACT AUTHORIZATION)

                      (LIMITATION ON OBLIGATIONS)

                    (AIRPORT AND AIRWAY TRUST FUND)

                     (INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                       Fiscal year--
                                                           ------------------------------------     Committee
                                                              2019 enacted      2020 estimate    recommendation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Resources from the Airport and Airway Trust Fund:
    Limitation on obligations.............................    $3,350,000,000    $3,350,000,000    $3,350,000,000
    Liquidation of contract authorization.................     3,000,000,000     3,000,000,000     3,000,000,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    Funding for Grants-in-Aid for Airports pays for capital 
improvements at the Nation's airports, including those 
investments that emphasize capacity development, safety 
improvements, and security needs. Other priority areas for 
funding under this program include improvements to runway 
safety areas that do not conform to FAA standards, investments 
that are designed to reduce runway incursions, and aircraft 
noise compatibility planning and programs.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends a limitation on obligations of 
$3,350,000,000 for Grants-in-Aid for Airports for fiscal year 
2020. The recommended limitation on obligations is equal to the 
enacted level for fiscal year 2019 and the budget request.
    The Committee recommends a liquidating cash appropriation 
of $3,000,000,000 for Grants-in-Aid for Airports. The 
recommended level is equal to the fiscal year 2019 enacted 
level and the budget request. This appropriation is sufficient 
to cover the liquidation of all obligations incurred pursuant 
to the limitation on obligations set forward in the bill.
    Administrative Expenses.--The Committee recommends 
$113,000,000 to cover administrative expenses. This funding 
level is $647,000 more than the budget request and $400,000 
more than the fiscal year 2019 enacted level.
    Airport Cooperative Research.--The Committee recommends 
$15,000,000 for the Airport Cooperative Research program. This 
funding level is equal to the budget estimate and the fiscal 
year 2019 enacted level.
    Airport Technology.--The Committee recommends $39,224,000 
for Airport Technology Research. This funding level is 
$6,000,000 more than the budget request and $6,014,000 more 
than the fiscal year 2019 level. Of this amount, $6,000,000 is 
for the airfield pavement technology program authorized under 
section 744 of Public Law 115-254, of which $3,000,000 is for 
concrete pavement research and $3,000,000 is for asphalt 
pavement research.
    Small Community Air Service Development Program.--The 
Committee recommends $10,000,000. This funding level is equal 
to the fiscal year 2019 enacted level. The budget request 
included no funds for this program for fiscal year 2020.
    Cost Share.--The bill includes a provision that allows 
small airports to continue contributing 5 percent of the total 
cost for unfinished phased projects that were underway prior to 
the passage of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012.
    Allocation of Resources.--The Committee recognizes many 
States have short construction seasons due to inclement weather 
and require certainty about airport grant allocations when 
making planning decisions. The FAA is encouraged to work 
expeditiously to make entitlement and discretionary grant 
allocations, in order to provide certainty to northern State 
airports. The Committee also understands that certain physical 
topography, environments, and circumstances prohibit certain 
existing airports that are in critical need of expansion due to 
their essential economic impact on their surrounding 
communities from expanding, and as such are required to 
physically relocate their premises. Therefore, the Committee 
directs the FAA to ensure sufficient funding is available to 
relocate these airports in a timely and expedited manner.
    Policy and Procedure Concerning the Use of Airport 
Revenue.--The Committee is aware of several self-help counties 
that have enacted sales tax measures to fund local 
transportation improvements. These sales tax measures are 
difficult to enact and provide critical funding to address 
local highway, public transportation, and other transportation 
requirements. Several of these counties contain airports and 
have been receiving funds raised through the sales tax on 
aviation fuel. In 2014, the FAA finalized a rule construing the 
term ``local taxes on aviation fuel'' to apply to all sales 
taxes rather than specific excise taxes on aviation fuel. This 
change in definition diverts funding away from projects 
outlined in local sales tax measures, violating promises made 
to the voters who approved these measures. According to the FAA 
rules, local transportation sales taxes collected on the sale 
of aviation fuel would have to be spent in accordance with FAA 
rules governing such expenditures. Given the utility of sales 
tax measures to address local transportation needs and reduce 
the burden on Federal spending, the Committee encourages the 
Secretary to continue working with state and local governments 
and the FAA to develop a path forward to allow the use of local 
sales tax revenues generated on the sale of aviation fuel to be 
used in a manner consistent with their enactment.
    Airport Improvement Program [AIP] Formula.--AIP formula 
funding for primary airports is allocated based primarily on 
commercial enplanements. The current definition of 
``enplanements'' does not capture the full range of airport 
activities. For example, certain primary airports with more 
non-commercial flight activities such as pilot training do not 
factor into the current enplanement calculation. Therefore, the 
Committee directs the FAA to consider the full range of flight 
activities (such as flight training, air cargo, emergency 
response, pilot training, etc.) and associated metrics when 
considering AIP discretionary grants.
    Relocation.--The Committee directs the FAA to give greater 
consideration to projects at public-use airports that will 
relocate existing aviation runways, taxiways, aprons or other 
airfield infrastructure that do not meet current FAA safety 
standards related to runway/taxiway separation distances, 
safety area and object-free area requirements, and obstruction 
standards, especially in cases where the existing aviation 
runway, taxiway, apron or other airfield infrastructure has 
deteriorated such that it is at the end of its service life. 
Furthermore, for such projects at public use airports that 
would have a material impact on the safety of operations at 
that airport and, the FAA shall not require the completion of a 
cost-benefit analysis as long as that project is funded using 
non-primary entitlement funding and no additional State 
apportionment or discretionary funding from the FAA.
    Construction of Certain Control Towers.--The Committee 
expects the FAA to expeditiously implement section 152 of the 
2018 FAA Reauthorization Act that makes contract tower 
construction/equipment a priority consideration for grants to 
eligible airports under the Small Airport account of the 
Airport Improvement Program. These grants would allow qualified 
airports an opportunity to access AIP funds that would enhance 
air traffic safety at smaller airports nationwide.
    Zero-Emission Vehicle and Infrastructure Pilot Program.--
The Committee supports the use of AIP funds for the zero-
emission airport vehicles and infrastructure pilot program as 
authorized under 49 U.S.C. 47136.
    Burdensome Regulations.--The Committee recommends the FAA 
identify opportunities to eliminate unnecessary regulations and 
streamline burdensome regulations to ensure the FAA is a good 
steward of limited tax payer resources and produces physical 
infrastructure that supports long-term economic growth. 
Further, in reducing the regulatory burden, the FAA should 
identify areas where more autonomy can be given to local 
jurisdictions with a better understanding of needs and 
challenges in building and maintaining infrastructure.
    Temporary Flight Restrictions.--Section 119G of the 
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019 made $3,500,000 available 
to the FAA to reimburse certain airport sponsors that are 
closed during temporary flight restrictions for any residence 
of the President that is designated or identified to be secured 
by the United States Secret Service. The Committee believes 
this amount is sufficient to cover all applicable financial 
losses for the current term of the President, and directs the 
FAA to notify the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations 
if additional funding is necessary.
    Boarding Bridges.--The Committee is aware of a passenger 
boarding bridge manufacturer created by a foreign state-owned 
enterprise that was found in U.S. Federal district court to 
have committed industrial espionage. The manufacturer 
subsequently attempted to compete for AIP funded contracts for 
passenger boarding bridges, but the contract was terminated 
once the airport was made aware of the manufacturer's history. 
The Committee directs the FAA to consult with the U.S. Trade 
Representative [USTR] and the U.S. Attorney General to develop, 
to the extent practicable, a list of entities that have been 
determined by a Federal court to have misappropriated 
intellectual property or trade secrets from an entity organized 
under the laws of the United States or any jurisdiction within 
the United States. The FAA shall make such list available to 
the public and work with the USTR, to the extent practicable, 
to utilize the System for Award Management database to exclude 
such entities from being eligible for Federal non-procurement 
awards. The FAA is expected to notify the Committee of any 
significant challenges the agency faces in completing these 
actions.
    Airport Designation.--The Committee encourages that any 
designation that was changed under 81 FR 19861 should not be 
restored unless the Secretary first convenes a schedule 
reduction meeting as outlined in 49 U.S.C. 41722.

                       GRANTS-IN-AID TO AIRPORTS

Appropriations, 2019....................................    $500,000,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................................
Committee recommendation................................     450,000,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    Funding for Grants-in-Aid for Airports pays for capital 
improvements at the Nation's airports, including those 
investments that emphasize capacity development, safety 
improvements, and security needs. Other priority areas for 
funding under this program include improvements to runway 
safety areas that do not conform to FAA standards, investments 
that are designed to reduce runway incursions, and aircraft 
noise compatibility planning and programs.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommendation includes $450,000,000 in 
discretionary funding for additional grants for airport 
infrastructure. The recommended level of funding is $50,000,000 
less than the fiscal year 2019 enacted level and $450,000,000 
more than the budget request. The Committee is attuned to the 
needs of small hub and general aviation airports with a 
regional role.

       ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS--FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION

    Section 110 limits the number of technical staff years at 
the Center for Advanced Aviation Systems Development to no more 
than 600 in fiscal year 2020.
    Section 111 prohibits funds in this act from being used to 
adopt guidelines or regulations requiring airport sponsors to 
provide the FAA ``without cost'' buildings, maintenance, or 
space for FAA services. The prohibition does not apply to 
negotiations between the FAA and airport sponsors concerning 
``below market'' rates for such services or to grant assurances 
that require airport sponsors to provide land without cost to 
the FAA for air traffic control facilities.
    Section 112 permits the Administrator to reimburse FAA 
appropriations for amounts made available for 49 U.S.C. 
41742(a)(1) as fees are collected and credited under 49 U.S.C. 
45303.
    Section 113 allows funds received to reimburse the FAA 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 the FAA from using funds provided in 
the bill to purchase store gift cards or gift certificates 
through a Government-issued credit card.
    Section 116 requires that, upon request by a private owner 
or operator of an aircraft, the Secretary block the display of 
that owner or operator's aircraft registration number in the 
Aircraft Situational Display to Industry program.
    Section 117 prohibits funds in this act for salaries and 
expenses of more than nine political and Presidential 
appointees in the Federal Aviation Administration.
    Section 118 requires the FAA to conduct public outreach and 
provide justification to the Committee before increasing fees 
under section 44721 of title 49, United States Code.
    Section 119 requires the 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 119A prohibits funds from being used to change 
weight restrictions or prior permission rules at Teterboro 
Airport in New Jersey.
    Section 119B prohibits funds from being used to withhold 
from consideration and approval any new application for 
participation in the Contract Tower Program, including 
applications from Cost Share Program participants if the 
Administrator determines such tower is eligible.
    Section 119C prohibits the FAA from closing, consolidating, 
or re-designating any field or regional airports office without 
a reprogramming request.

                     Federal Highway Administration

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The principal mission of the Federal Highway Administration 
[FHWA] is, in partnership with State and local governments, to 
foster the development of a safe, efficient, and effective 
highway and intermodal system nationwide, including ensuring 
access to and within national forests, national parks, Indian 
lands, and other public lands.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    Under the Committee recommendations, a total program level 
of $49,804,092,000 is provided for the activities of FHWA in 
fiscal year 2020. The recommendation is $2,609,722,000 more 
than the budget request and $546,496,000 more than the fiscal 
year 2019 enacted level. The following table summarizes the 
Committee's recommendations:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                       Fiscal year--
                                                           ------------------------------------     Committee
                                                              2019 enacted      2020 estimate    recommendation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Federal-aid highways program obligation limitation........   $45,268,596,000   $46,365,092,000   $46,365,092,000
Contract authority exempt from the obligation limitation..       739,000,000       739,000,000       739,000,000
Rescission................................................  ................      -209,722,000  ................
Highway Infrastructure Program (general fund).............     3,250,000,000       300,000,000     2,700,000,000
                                                           -----------------------------------------------------
      Total...............................................    49,257,596,000    47,194,370,000    49,804,092,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                 LIMITATION ON ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES

                          (HIGHWAY TRUST FUND)

                     (INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

Limitation, 2019........................................    $449,692,304
Budget estimate, 2020...................................     456,797,689
Committee recommendation................................     456,797,689

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    This limitation on obligations provides for the salaries 
and expenses of FHWA for program management, direction, and 
coordination; engineering guidance to Federal and State 
agencies; and advisory and support services in field offices.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends a limitation on obligations of 
$453,549,689 for the administrative expenses of FHWA and an 
additional $3,248,000 for the administrative expenses of the 
Appalachian Regional Commission in accordance with section 104 
of title 23, United States Code. The total limitation is equal 
to the budget request and $7,105,385 more than the fiscal year 
2019 enacted level.

                          FEDERAL-AID HIGHWAYS

                      (LIMITATION ON OBLIGATIONS)

                          (HIGHWAY TRUST FUND)

Limitation, 2019........................................ $45,268,596,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................  46,365,092,000
Committee recommendation................................  46,365,092,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The Federal-aid highway program provides financial support 
to States and localities for the development, construction, and 
repair of highways and bridges through grants. This program is 
financed from the Highway Trust Fund, and most of the funds are 
distributed through apportionments and allocations to States. 
Title 23 of the United States Code and other supporting 
legislation provide authority for the various activities of 
FHWA. Funding is provided by contract authority, with program 
levels established by annual limitations on obligations set 
forth in appropriations acts.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends limiting fiscal year 2020 
obligations for the Federal-aid highway program to 
$46,365,092,000, which is equal to the budget request and 
$1,096,496,000 more than the fiscal year 2019 enacted level. 
The Committee includes a provision that allows FHWA to collect 
and spend fees to pay for the services of expert firms in the 
field of municipal and project finance in order to assist the 
agency in the provision of credit instruments. The Committee 
does not eliminate the off-system bridge set-aside within the 
Surface Transportation Block Grant program, as proposed in the 
budget request.
    Research Plan.--The Committee notes the recent completion 
of the Truck Size and Weight Research Plan by the 
Transportation Research Board [TRB]. This report identifies 27 
additional research projects, the results of which will be 
vital to determinations by the Department and Congress as to 
whether any national changes in truck size and weight policy 
should be pursued. In order to ensure a timely and 
comprehensive approach to truck size and weight issues, the 
Committee directs the Department to expeditiously develop an 
implementation plan for conducting the research recommended by 
TRB on this issue, including projected timelines for the 
completion of the listed projects.
    Additionally, in fiscal year 2018, the Committee directed 
the Department to report on its efforts to establish best 
practices with State agencies for data collection relating to 
truck configurations and to begin accumulating this data in 
order to better inform its future research. This report is 
outstanding. The Committee directs the Department to submit 
this report to the House and Senate Committees on 
Appropriations within 30 days of enactment of this act.
    Automated Vehicles and Pavement Performance.--The Committee 
is aware that researchers have identified a potential problem 
in which pavement service life is reduced due to automated 
vehicle [AVs] systems. AVs have the potential to increase 
stress concentrations on pavements by operating vehicles in 
specific travel paths within highway lanes, rather than the 
more random driving paths done by human drivers, which 
distribute stresses over pavement on a more varied basis. The 
Committee commends FHWA for studying the impacts of AVs on 
highway infrastructure, as well as the potential needs to be 
considered in the design of new infrastructure. The Committee 
strongly encourages FHWA to complete this study and to report 
on its results to the House and Senate Committees on 
Appropriations.
    Timber Bridge Initiative.--The Committee recognizes that 
the use of cross-laminated and other forms of mass timber can 
provide value for bridge structures, including reduced weight 
and cost-effectiveness. When used to reinforce existing 
structures, mass timber can also upgrade live load capacity. 
The Committee notes with appreciation that FHWA has worked 
successfully in partnership with the U.S. Department of 
Agriculture's Forest Products Laboratory to research the 
benefits of mass timber in bridge construction. The Committee 
urges the Department to renew this work, as well as to use mass 
timber in demonstration projects, and recommends continued 
collaboration with other Federal agencies for deploying mass 
timber into our Nation's highway and bridge systems.
    Regional Transportation Workforce Centers.--The Committee 
notes that the workforce needs of the transportation sector 
continue to evolve as new technologies and construction 
practices are developed. In many instances, however, education 
curricula have not kept pace with civil engineering practices. 
The Committee directs FHWA to provide resources to the Center 
for Transportation Workforce Development in order to align 
educational efforts to support: the advancement of 
environmental career paths, the deployment and delivery of 
innovative transportation solutions in rural areas, planning 
for smart city and community design in rural areas, and 
improved technology transfer.
    Emergency Route Working Group [ERWG].--Section 5502 of the 
Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act (Public Law 114-94) 
requires the Department to create the ERWG in order to provide 
advice and recommendations to the Secretary with regard to best 
practices for expeditious State approval of permits for 
vehicles involved in emergency response and recovery. The 
Committee is aware that the ERWG has submitted its report. 
However, the Secretary has not yet met the statutory deadlines 
for publicly releasing that report or for notifying Congress of 
actions taken to implement its recommendations. The Committee 
directs the Department to publicly release this report and to 
notify the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations of the 
actions that the Secretary and States have taken or intend to 
take to implement the ERWG's recommendations within 120 days of 
enactment of this act. As part of this notification, the 
Secretary is directed to address the recommendation to create 
interstate compacts in order to increase the efficient movement 
of emergency response vehicles.
    Permeable Pavements.--The Committee encourages the 
Secretary to continue to conduct structural evaluations of 
flood-damaged pavements, with an emphasis on local roads and 
highways subject to flooding and extended periods of 
inundation, in order to better understand how permeable 
pavements and other technologies might be used to prevent or 
reduce damage. The Committee also encourages the Secretary to 
further the ongoing research, demonstration, and deployment of 
permeable pavements to achieve other potential benefits, 
including pollutant reduction, stormwater runoff reduction, 
environmental conservation, and resilience for new road 
construction and retrofitting existing roads.
    Guardrails.--The Committee continues to support the 
Department's research and demonstrations with regard to geo-
synthetically reinforced soil integrated bridge systems. The 
Committee encourages the Secretary to consider testing of geo-
synthetically reinforced soil guardrails for performance under 
vehicle impact and to use this data to develop specifications 
for use in future roadway construction.
    Timely Response.--While the Committee fully supports Buy 
America requirements, the Committee is concerned about FHWA's 
inaction with regard to Buy America waiver requests for 
products for which there is no comparable product made in the 
United States. Therefore, the Committee directs FHWA to review 
and respond to Buy America waiver requests within 60 days of 
submission.
    Composites.--The incorporation of lightweight, high-
strength, corrosion-resistant, and durable composites into 
transportation assets can improve their safety and lower 
lifecycle costs. The Committee directs FHWA to fund projects 
under the Technology and Innovation Deployment Program that use 
innovative materials, including composites, in novel ways. 
These projects should seek to accelerate adoption of proven 
technologies, advance less-developed technologies, and better 
inform State DOTs of the benefits of these technologies' uses. 
As such, projects should include ongoing in-service evaluation 
of the demonstrated technology and dissemination of those 
results, including cost implications and effects on asset 
performance stemming from the incorporation of these 
technologies.
    Categorical Exclusions.--The purpose of qualifying certain 
projects with minimal Federal involvement and environmental 
impact as ``categorical exclusions'' is to achieve cost savings 
and to accelerate projects to construction. The Committee 
directs FHWA to work with stakeholders, including State DOTs, 
to determine how to best minimize the bureaucratic burdens of 
the qualification process.
    Changeable Message Signs.--The Committee directs FHWA to 
allow States to continue to test the use of changeable message 
signs on roadways. The content of that messaging should be 
determined by each State to the extent that safe, efficient 
utilization of highways is still maintained, including during 
emergency and severe-weather operating conditions. Furthermore, 
the Committee notes that a report summarizing joint action by 
FHWA and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 
regarding coordination with State DOTs on options for 
flexibility in highway sign messaging to address and combat 
local emergency priorities, including the reduction of impaired 
driving, is now overdue. The Committee directs FHWA to submit 
this report within 30 days of enactment of this act.
    Appalachian Development Highway System [ADHS].--The ADHS 
was created to promote economic development in the Appalachian 
region where commerce and communication had previously been 
inhibited by a lack of adequate access. In order to further the 
original purpose of the ADHS, FHWA is directed to work with the 
Appalachian Regional Commission and relevant State DOTs to 
identify segments of existing, unfinished, and potential 
corridors that share many of the same attributes as the 
original corridors within the ADHS and discuss the 
justification for expanding the 3,090 mile cap to designate 
those corridors for inclusion in the ADHS.
    Transparency in the Deployment of Automated Vehicles.--To 
promote transparency in its decision-making with regard to the 
safe deployment of automated vehicles on public highway 
infrastructure, the Committee directs FHWA to make publicly 
available, as appropriate, information pertaining to its 
Request for Information on Integration of Automated Driving 
Systems into the Highway Transportation System; its National 
Dialogue on Highway Automation, cooperative agreements and 
other collaborative and internal efforts by the Turner-Fairbank 
Highway Research Center; and active projects being undertaken 
by the National Cooperative Highway Research Program and the 
American Association of State Highway and Transportation 
Officials in which FHWA provides assistance, as well as any 
other past or ongoing work FHWA deems relevant. This 
information shall also include status updates of ongoing 
research, including any deliverables, and shall be organized in 
an accessible manner on FHWA's website in order to provide the 
public with this information comprehensively.
    Resilient Infrastructure.--In fiscal year 2018, the 
Committee directed the Department to produce a report which 
provides recommendations for States, metropolitan planning 
organizations, and cities to develop contextually-sensitive, 
resilient Federal-aid highways and discuss cost-effective 
solutions for improving shoreline protections for existing 
highways. That report is now overdue. The Committee directs the 
Department to complete this report within 30 days of enactment 
of this act and to include a discussion of the eligibility of 
certain resiliency projects under existing Federal-aid highway 
programs. It is also essential that the Department develop 
robust design and construction standards to withstand future 
disasters. The Committee directs the Department to develop 
resilient design criteria for transportation projects by 
infrastructure type, hazard, and hazard magnitude that 
emphasize the ability to resist degradation and to return to 
functionality following a disaster. Finally, the Committee 
directs the Department to fully implement all recommendations 
contained in the DOT IG's report regarding guidance on 
infrastructure resilience for emergency relief projects within 
one year of enactment of this act and to provide to the House 
and Senate Committees on Appropriations a summary of emergency 
relief projects approved from fiscal year 2011 to date that 
incorporate resilience improvements.
    Visitation and Commuting.--As personal mobility continues 
to rapidly expand, the Committee is becoming increasingly 
concerned that Federal-aid highway formulas do not account for 
visitation and cross-state commuting in their distribution of 
funding. This disadvantages communities with large volumes of 
seasonal visitors and areas with consistent visitation and 
commuting traffic by not awarding additional funds to help 
those states address increased demands on their roads and 
bridges. The Committee directs FHWA to study available means of 
collecting information on vehicle visitation to other states 
for both commuting and recreational purposes and to report to 
the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations within 1 year 
of enactment of this act.
    Advanced Digital Management Systems.--The incorporation of 
digital technologies and processes into the oversight and 
management of infrastructure projects, including those 
utilizing advanced construction techniques and digital 3D 
models, offers the potential for significant savings as 
compared to traditional techniques for project design, 
engineering, construction, and maintenance. The Committee 
encourages the Department to provide not less than $5,000,000 
for demonstrations that will accelerate the adoption of these 
digital management systems under the Technology and Innovation 
Deployment Program. FHWA is further directed to conduct a 
survey of States' digital management and project delivery 
technological capabilities within 1 year of enactment of this 
act. This survey should help to determine the preparedness of 
States to adopt and incorporate technology into their 
infrastructure planning, construction, and maintenance 
practices, as well as highlight best practices from leading 
State DOTs.
    Non-Highway Recreational Fuel Taxes.--In an effort to 
better inform Federal-aid highway formula funding levels for 
the Recreational Trails Program, the Committee directs FHWA to 
determine the best available estimate of the total amount of 
non-highway recreational fuel taxes received by the Secretary 
of the Treasury and transferred to the Highway Trust Fund 
during the previous three fiscal years. For this purpose, 
``non-highway recreational fuel taxes'' means taxes under 
sections 4041 and 4081 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 
with respect to fuel used in vehicles on recreational trails or 
back-country terrain, as well as evaluate whether the current 
Recreational Trails Program funding level reflects the amount 
of non-highway recreational fuel taxes collected and 
transferred to the Highway Trust Fund. FHWA shall report on its 
finding to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations 
within 1 year of the date of enactment of this act.
    Recreational Trails and Pedestrian and Cyclist 
Infrastructure.--In 2018, pedestrian and cyclist fatalities are 
projected to have increased by 4 and 10 percent, respectively, 
as compared to 2017. The Committee recognizes the importance of 
cyclist and pedestrian infrastructure in improving the safety 
of these groups. In fiscal year 2019, the Committee directed 
the Department to compile, analyze, and issue best practices to 
better inform State agencies of available financing options for 
this infrastructure. The Committee is concerned that confusion 
exists regarding the eligibility of certain projects that serve 
both recreational and non-recreational purposes in suburban, 
rural, and urban areas to receive funding under certain 
Federal-aid highway programs. As the previously-directed best 
practices have not yet been issued, the Committee directs the 
Department to include in these explanations information as to 
the eligibility of certain trail projects under Federal-aid 
highway programs, including, but not limited to, the Surface 
Transportation Block Grant Program (23 U.S.C. 133(b)), the 
Recreational Trails Program (23 U.S.C. 133(h)(5), 23 U.S.C. 
206); the Highway Safety Improvement Program (23 U.S.C. 148); 
and the Congestion Mitigation & Air Quality Improvement Program 
(23 U.S.C. 149).
    Alternative Fuel Infrastructure.--The Committee is pleased 
that the Department has completed the report required under 23 
U.S.C. 151(e). This report not only sets forth the national 
network of alternative fuel corridors, which will be essential 
to improving the mobility of passenger and commercial vehicles 
that employ electric, hydrogen fuel cell, propane, and natural 
gas fueling technologies, but also explains the Department's 
vision for strategic deployment of future infrastructure. The 
Committee is also pleased that the Department has now completed 
three rounds of alternative fuel corridor designations and 
developed signage for these corridors in the Manual on Uniform 
Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways. The Committee 
directs the Department to provide technical assistance and 
support to State and local agencies, private industry, and 
other stakeholders, including identifying any barriers related 
to the installation of this infrastructure and discussing 
potential sources of funding to install or construct these 
facilities, such as the Congestion Mitigation & Air Quality 
Improvement Program (23 U.S.C. 149).
    Curb Productivity.--The Committee notes that our Nation's 
roadways now serve an ever-growing set of stakeholders, 
including, but not limited to, vehicular traffic, pedestrians, 
cyclists, public transportation riders, on-demand 
transportation riders, delivery drivers, and various micro-
mobility users. As a result, many areas are required to have 
mixed usage of curb space for both motorized and non-motorized 
traffic, and must develop creative ways to manage demands by 
those populations. The Committee recognizes the need for 
strategic approaches to the management of these assets and 
encourages the Department to conduct a study, in partnership 
with State and local governments, public transportation 
agencies, metropolitan planning organizations, and other 
interested parties, to identify challenges faced by these 
growing demands on our country's curb space and infrastructure 
and to explore potential solutions.
    Grade Crossing Safety.--In 2017, there were more than 2,100 
crashes, resulting in 273 fatalities, at highway-rail grade 
crossings. While Federal investment in grade crossing safety 
improvement has noticeably reduced the historical number of 
deaths and injuries at these crossings, the number of accidents 
has remained relatively static since 2009. FHWA's Railway-
Highway Crossings Program is the primary Federal funding source 
for states to address safety issues at these crossings. In a 
recent report, the Government Accountability Office found that 
it was unclear whether that program remains effective in 
continuing to reduce the risk of crashes or fatalities at grade 
crossings. The Committee directs FHWA to conduct an evaluation 
of this program in order to identify challenges that could 
allow States to more strategically address problem areas. This 
evaluation should include: a comprehensive assessment of 
nationwide crash trends over multiple years in order to 
determine why crashes are continuing and what types of projects 
would be effective in eliminating those crashes; a re-
examination of eligibility requirements that limit the 
flexibility of States to consider other types of projects, 
including research into and demonstrations of new types of 
pavement markings at grade crossings to improve driver 
behavior, as well as technology that would enable crossing 
infrastructure to communicate wirelessly with vehicles or 
mobile devices; and recommendations of any needed statutory 
changes to improve the program's effectiveness in reducing 
crashes and fatalities. The Committee directs the Department to 
produce a report summarizing the results of this evaluation 
within 1 year of enactment of this act.
    Engineer's Estimates.--The DOT IG recently identified 
deficiencies in FHWA's oversight of and guidance for State 
DOTs' development of engineer's estimates. FHWA's role is 
essential for ensuring that State and local partners employ 
competitive procurement practices to deter fraud, waste, and 
abuse, as well as for deploying Federal funds effectively to 
address critical infrastructure improvements. The Committee 
directs FHWA to expeditiously complete the IG's 
recommendations, including developing an action plan for 
implementing the recommendations of the 2015 National Review of 
State Cost Estimation Practice; updating FHWA's Guidelines on 
Preparing Engineer's Estimate, Bid Reviews, and Evaluation; 
developing or enhancing existing indicators or thresholds for 
measuring the accuracy of engineer's estimates and evaluating 
bids; and implementing an oversight process for ensuring that 
States are following FHWA's guidance and thresholds. The 
Committee directs FHWA to report on its progress in 
implementing these recommendations within 90 days of enactment 
of this act.
    Overdue Rulemakings.--The Committee is concerned that FHWA 
has not yet finalized certain rulemakings. The Committee 
directs FHWA to expeditiously complete the following: a 
rulemaking on National Bridge Inventory and Inspection 
Standards, which was required by section 1111 of the Moving 
Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act [MAP-21] (Public Law 
112-141); and a rulemaking on Highway Worker Safety 
Requirements, which was required by section 1405 of MAP-21 and 
section 1427 of the FAST Act. The Committee directs the 
Department to report to the House and Senate Committees on 
Appropriations on its schedule and plan for promulgating these 
regulations within 180 days of enactment of this act.
    Infrastructure for Rebuilding America [INFRA] Grants.--The 
Committee is aware of concerns raised in the GAO report on 
Fostering Advancements in Shipping and Transportation for the 
Long-term Achievement of National Efficiencies grants [GAO-18-
38], now known as INFRA grants, specifically related to the 
documentation of decisions. The Committee encourages DOT to 
notify unsuccessful applicants as recommended. The Committee is 
also aware of GAO's current review of the INFRA program and 
looks forward to reviewing that report and its recommendations.
    Interstate Highway System [IHS] Withdrawal.--The Committee 
is aware of State and local governments withdrawing from parts 
of the IHS. In order to better understand the impacts of 
withdrawal on safety and mobility, following significant 
Federal investment, the Committee directs the National Academy 
of Sciences' Transportation Research Board to conduct a study 
on the impacts of withdrawing elements of the IHS, and to 
submit the findings to the Committee within 1 year of enactment 
of this act. This study shall include consequential effects on 
safety, mobility, the movement of goods and services, national 
defense, and the environment.

                 LIQUIDATION OF CONTRACT AUTHORIZATION

                          (HIGHWAY TRUST FUND)

Appropriations, 2019.................................... $46,007,596,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................  47,104,092,000
Committee recommendation................................  47,104,092,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The Federal-aid highway program is funded through contract 
authority paid out of the Highway Trust Fund. Most forms of 
budget authority provide the authority to enter into 
obligations and then to liquidate those obligations. Put 
another way, it allows a Federal agency to commit to spending 
money on specified activities and then to actually spend that 
money. In contrast, contract authority provides only the 
authority to enter into obligations, but not the authority to 
liquidate those obligations. The authority to liquidate 
obligations--to actually spend the money committed with 
contract authority--must be provided separately. The authority 
to liquidate obligations under the Federal-aid highway program 
is provided under this heading. This liquidating authority 
allows FHWA to follow through on commitments already allowed 
under current law; it does not provide the authority to enter 
into new commitments for Federal spending.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends a liquidating cash appropriation 
of $47,104,092,000. The recommended level is equal to the 
budget request and $1,096,496,000 more than the fiscal year 
2019 enacted level. This level of liquidating authority is 
necessary to pay outstanding obligations from various highway 
accounts pursuant to this and prior appropriations acts.

                    HIGHWAY INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAMS

Appropriations, 2019....................................  $3,250,000,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................     300,000,000
Committee recommendation................................   2,700,000,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The Committee provides funding for Highway Infrastructure 
Programs to improve highway safety and efficiency for all 
Americans through general fund investments in addition to 
levels authorized in the FAST Act.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The FAST Act provides contract authority for programs 
administered by FHWA and funded through the Highway Trust Fund. 
The Committee recommendation includes an additional 
$1,250,000,000 for certain programs funded by formula under the 
FAST Act; $1,250,000,000 for a national risk-based formula 
program which is directed to states with high rates of bridges 
not in good condition; $100,000,000 for the Nationally 
Significant Federal Lands and Tribal Projects Program; and 
$100,000,000 for the unfinished sections of the Appalachian 
Development Highway System.

       ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS--FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION

    Section 120 distributes obligation authority among Federal-
aid highway programs.
    Section 121 continues a provision that credits funds 
received by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics to the 
Federal-aid highways account.
    Section 122 sets forth parameters for any waiver of Buy 
America requirements.
    Section 123 mandates congressional notification before the 
Department provides credit assistance under the Transportation 
Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act program.
    Section 124 mandates 60-day notification for any grants for 
a project under 23 U.S.C. 117 and requires these notifications 
to be made within 180 days of enactment of this act.
    Section 125 allows State DOTs to repurpose certain highway 
project funding and for those funds to be used within 100 miles 
of its original designation.

              Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration


                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration [FMCSA] was 
established within the Department of Transportation by the 
Motor Carrier Safety Improvement Act [MCSIA] (Public Law 106-
159) in December 1999. Prior to this legislation, motor carrier 
safety responsibilities were under the jurisdiction of the 
Federal Highway Administration.
    MCSIA; the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient 
Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users; the Moving Ahead 
for Progress in the 21st Century Act; and the Fixing America's 
Surface Transportation Act each provide funding authorization 
for FMCSA's Motor Carrier Safety Operations and Programs and 
Motor Carrier Safety Grants.
    FMCSA's mission is to promote safe commercial motor vehicle 
and motor coach operations, as well as reduce the number and 
severity of accidents involving those vehicles. Agency 
resources and activities prevent and mitigate commercial motor 
vehicle and motor coach accidents through education, 
regulation, enforcement, stakeholder training, technological 
innovation, and improved information systems. FMCSA is also 
responsible for ensuring that all commercial vehicles entering 
the United States along its southern and northern borders 
comply with all Federal motor carrier safety and hazardous 
materials regulations. To accomplish these activities, FMCSA 
works with Federal, State, and local enforcement agencies, the 
motor carrier industry, highway safety organizations, and the 
public.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends a total level of $679,135,561 for 
obligations and liquidations from the Highway Trust Fund. This 
level is $3,335,561 more than the budget request and 
$12,335,561 more than the fiscal year 2019 enacted level.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                       Fiscal year--
                                                           ------------------------------------     Committee
                                                              2019 enacted      2020 estimate    recommendation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Motor Carrier Safety Operations & Programs (obligation          $284,000,000      $288,000,000      $288,000,000
 limitation)..............................................
Motor Carrier Safety Grants (obligation limitation).......       382,800,000       387,800,000       391,135,561
                                                           -----------------------------------------------------
      Total...............................................       666,800,000       675,800,000       679,135,561
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

              MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY OPERATIONS AND PROGRAMS

                (LIQUIDATION OF CONTRACT AUTHORIZATION)

                      (LIMITATION ON OBLIGATIONS)

                          (HIGHWAY TRUST FUND)

Limitation, 2019........................................    $284,000,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................     288,000,000
Committee recommendation................................     288,000,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    This account provides necessary 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 Federal safety enforcement activities at the United 
States-Mexico border in order to ensure that Mexican carriers 
entering the United States are in compliance with FMCSA 
regulations. Resources are also provided to fund motor carrier 
regulatory development and implementation, information 
management, research and technology, safety education and 
outreach, and the 24-hour safety and consumer telephone 
hotline.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends a limitation on obligations and 
authority to liquidate an equal amount of contract 
authorization of $288,000,000 for FMCSA's Operations and 
Programs. The recommendation is $4,000,000 more than the fiscal 
year 2019 enacted level and equal to the budget request. Of the 
total limitation on obligations, $9,073,000 is for research and 
technology, and $35,334,000 is for information management.
    Protecting Workforce Safety and Taxpayer Investments at 
FMCSA Checkpoints.--Six million trucks moved across our 
Nation's southern border in 2017, hauling $384,700,000 in 
merchandise, employing nearly 27,000 individuals, and 
generating $3,810,000,000 billion in U.S. trucking revenue. 
FMCSA performs inspections of commercial motor vehicles 
entering the United States that complement the border security 
activities performed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection 
[CBP]. The Committee believes that FMCSA and CBP should work in 
coordination to ensure they are both able to achieve their 
shared goal of increasing domestic safety.
    In order to ensure this ongoing cooperation, the Committee 
directs the Department to coordinate efforts with the Office of 
Management and Budget, the U.S. General Services 
Administration, and the Department of Homeland Security, 
including CBP, regarding the opening and closing of ports of 
entry [POE] that affect commercial motor vehicle traffic, 
including providing sufficient time to plan for operational and 
staffing changes. The Committee strongly encourages DOT to 
share relevant information with these entities, when 
appropriate, and to consider economic impacts to United States 
commerce, safety goals, and input from stakeholders 
transporting commercial goods when weighing operational changes 
to POEs.
    Furthermore, in fiscal year 2018, the Committee provided 
$87,000,000 to construct and modernize up to 26 FMCSA 
inspection facilities for commercial motor vehicles entering 
the United States, ensuring that inspectors will have a safe, 
efficient workspace by replacing trailers with permanent 
modular buildings and providing canopy coverage and pits for 
ongoing inspections. The Committee recognizes that Federal 
agencies must often react to dynamic situational changes. 
However, the prudent use of these resources is critical to 
ensuring the safety and security of the Federal workforce that 
for far too long has been subject to workplace conditions that 
compromise inspectors' personal wellbeing. The Committee 
directs FMCSA and other interested parties, including CBP, to 
coordinate and establish a clear long-term plan for the 
construction and modernization of FMCSA's inspection facilities 
and to consider this plan when POEs are under consideration for 
closure. The Committee directs the Department to produce a 
report to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations 
within 270 days of enactment of this act summarizing its 
efforts pursuant to these directives and updating the 
activities of the border facilities capital improvement 
program, including any changes to cost, scope, or schedule, as 
well as any other challenges faced and relevant safety 
inspection data, until such facilities are constructed.
    Automated Vehicles and Workforce Development.--For several 
years, the Committee has raised concerns regarding the 
potential effects on drivers as automated vehicle [AV] 
technologies enter the market, and has repeatedly directed the 
Department to coordinate with the Department of Labor to 
prepare for the impact of this transition on truck drivers. 
However, the Committee is concerned the Department is not 
handling this matter with the attention it deserves. In fiscal 
year 2018, the Committee directed the Department to produce a 
joint report with the Department of Labor analyzing the impact 
of automated vehicle technologies on drivers and operators of 
commercial motor vehicles. This report is now overdue. This 
document will be essential to setting forth a vision for a 
government-wide initiative to proactively prepare our workforce 
to transition to new professions that offer upward mobility. 
The Department shall complete and submit this report to the 
House and Senate Committees on Appropriations within 30 days of 
enactment of this act.
    GAO found that the Department lacked commitment and vision 
for addressing the ongoing and long-term ramifications of fleet 
incorporation of automated vehicle technologies beyond the 
completion of Congressionally-mandated directives. GAO 
recommended that the Department continue to convene key groups 
of stakeholders and to consult with the Department of Labor to 
gather information and further analyze the effects of AV 
technologies on drivers in order to inform potential workforce-
related regulatory changes.
    Ongoing dialogue between stakeholders and the Departments 
of Transportation and Labor will be essential to understanding 
how these technologies will impact the commercial 
transportation labor market. As part of those ongoing efforts, 
the Department shall focus on the following policy areas. 
First, the Department should work to foster a data-based 
understanding of the potential changes to this workforce and 
what impacts these changes could have on FMCSA's safety 
mission. The Department should continue to work with the 
Department of Labor to improve data collection across various 
segments of the trucking industry, which will allow for better 
identification of shifts in demand, workforce needs, and 
impacts on trucking safety. Further, the Department should 
better understand the scope of labor force training needs. The 
Department should continue to work with the Department of Labor 
to determine if effective state and/or Federal labor market 
programs already exist and whether those programs will be able 
to meet training needs. Following the publication of its joint 
report with the Department of Labor, the Committee directs the 
Department to report annually in the budget request anticipated 
programmatic changes based on advances in AV technologies on 
the driving workforce and noting the relevance of those actions 
to the policy areas identified above. The Committee further 
encourages FMCSA to examine new ways of expanding the driving 
workforce, given the driver shortage and adaptations in 
technology and enhanced safety features, as AV technology 
progresses.
    Information Technology Capital Investment Plan.--In fiscal 
year 2018, the Committee directed the Department to submit a 
Capital Investment Plan, which addresses key milestones, 
investment decisions, and operational and lifecycle costs, as 
well as anticipated costs, cost overruns, and cost savings, for 
IT investments that will meet FMCSA's needs. This report is now 
over a year past due. The Committee directs the Department to 
submit this plan within 30 days of enactment of this act, and 
50 percent of the allotment of funding for the Office of Chief 
Information Officer shall be held by the Secretary until the 
Administrator submits a plan to the House and Senate Committees 
on Appropriations that meets the requirements set forth in 
fiscal year 2018.
    Research Spend Plan.--In fiscal year 2018, the Committee 
directed the Department to submit a research spend plan prior 
to obligating the $38,000,000 provided during that fiscal year 
for direct research on autonomous vehicles and advanced driver 
assist systems. This plan was required to identify research 
topics and goals, estimated costs per topic, estimated time of 
completion for each goal, the lead modal administration for 
each topic, and roles and responsibilities of any supporting 
modal administrations. The Committee is disappointed in the 
delays in obligating this funding and directs the Department to 
complete this report within 60 days of enactment of this act.
    High-Risk Carriers.--In January 2016, FMCSA revised its 
scoring and standards for the inspection of high-risk carriers 
in response to a July 2014 Independent Review Team assessment 
and section 5305 of the FAST Act. Under revised FMCSA 
regulations, carriers identified as high risk must have a 
compliance review conducted within 90 days. The Committee is 
encouraged that the agency was able to achieve a 95.8 percent 
high-risk carrier inspection rate in fiscal year 2017, as 
compared to 87 percent in fiscal year 2016. The Committee 
continues to direct the agency to provide the House and Senate 
Committees on Appropriations with an updated report on its 
ability to meet its requirements to evaluate high-risk carriers 
by April 15, 2021, for the preceding fiscal year for which 
inspection data is available.
    Additionally, in June 2018, FMCSA produced a corrective 
action plan to address the recommendations contained in a 
National Academies' review of the Compliance, Safety, 
Accountability program and the Safety Measurement System [SMS]. 
SMS is the scoring and standards system through which FMCSA 
currently identifies patterns of non-compliance and prioritizes 
certain motor carriers for high-risk interventions. The 
Committee is aware that FMCSA has begun testing to expand upon 
the value of data. The Committee encourages FMCSA to continue 
testing and analyzing statistical models by which the 
Department's data collection can be further improved.
    Detention.--The DOT IG recently found that accurate 
industry-wide data on driver detention times is not currently 
available and that FMCSA intends to neither perform detailed 
analysis of reliable or representative data, nor verify the 
voluntary data provided by motor carriers through FMCSA's 
website. The OIG's report asserts a 15-minute increase in 
detention time raises the average expected crash rate by 6.2 
percent. The Committee is aware that FMCSA recently requested 
comment from stakeholders to better determine existing or 
potential sources of data to better understand driver detention 
times, and the potential impact of such delays on roadway 
safety. The Committee directs FMCSA to thoroughly review 
stakeholder input to update its current methodology, which does 
not accurately describe how the diverse trucking industry 
experiences detention, in order to collect and analyze 
reliable, accurate, and representative data on the frequency 
and severity of driver detention times.
    Commercial Driver's License Drug and Alcohol 
Clearinghouse.--The Committee is aware that historically, 
recording and tracking license suspensions has been inhibited 
due to inconsistencies in State laws. The Committee encourages 
FMCSA's efforts in developing the Drug and Alcohol 
Clearinghouse, which will ensure that drug and alcohol 
violations are compiled and accessible to FMCSA and 
stakeholders, as mandated by Public Law 112-141.
    Large Truck Crash Causation Study.--The Motor Carrier 
Safety Improvement Act of 1999 mandated a study to determine 
the cause of, and contributing factors to, crashes involving 
commercial motor vehicles. The Committee is aware that the last 
thorough review produced by the Department to determine areas 
needing updates related to the existing data was produced in 
2006, and that many advancements in vehicle and roadway safety 
have been developed since. In an effort to ensure the 
Department formulates policies based on the best available 
safety statistics and vehicle collision information, the 
Committee directs FMCSA to include a research proposal in its 
fiscal year 2021 budget request. This proposal should include 
the sample size of truck crashes FMCSA would review in a new 
Crash Causation Study, detail the ways in which updated data 
will assist the Department in designing and implementing 
effective policies to ensure roadway safety, as well as the 
estimated costs to carry out such a study.

                      MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY GRANTS

                (LIQUIDATION OF CONTRACT AUTHORIZATION)

                      (LIMITATION ON OBLIGATIONS)

                          (HIGHWAY TRUST FUND)

Limitation, 2019........................................    $382,800,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................     387,800,000
Committee recommendation................................     391,135,561

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    This account provides resources for Federal grants to 
support compliance, enforcement, and other programs performed 
by States. Grants are also provided to States for enforcement 
efforts at both the southern and northern borders in order to 
ensure that all points of entry into the United States are 
fortified with comprehensive safety measures; improvement of 
State commercial driver's license [CDL] oversight activities to 
prevent unqualified drivers from being issued CDLs; and the 
Performance Registration Information Systems and Management 
[PRISM] program, which links State motor vehicle registration 
systems with carrier safety data in order to identify unsafe 
commercial motor carriers.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends a limitation on obligations and 
authority to liquidate an equal amount of contract 
authorization of $391,135,561 for motor carrier safety grants. 
The recommended limitation is $8,335,561, more than the fiscal 
year 2019 enacted level and $3,335,561 more than the budget 
request. The Committee recommends a separate limitation on 
obligations for each grant program funded under this account 
with the funding allocation identified below.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Amount
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Motor carrier safety assistance program [MCSAP]...          $308,700,000
High priority activities program..................            45,900,000
Commercial motor vehicle operator grants program..             3,335,561
Commercial driver's license program implementation            33,200,000
 program..........................................
------------------------------------------------------------------------

 ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISION--FEDERAL MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY ADMINISTRATION

    Section 130 requires FMCSA to send notice of 49 CFR 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 such violations.
    Section 131 prohibits funds from being used to enforce the 
electronic logging device rule with respect to carriers 
transporting livestock or insects.
    Section 132 requires rear underride guards on commercial 
motor vehicles to be inspected annually.

             National Highway Traffic Safety Administration


                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration [NHTSA] 
was established as a separate organizational entity within the 
Department of Transportation in March 1970 in order to 
administer motor vehicle and highway safety programs. It was 
the successor agency to the National Highway Safety Bureau, 
which was housed within the Federal Highway Administration. 
NHTSA is responsible for administering motor vehicle safety, 
highway safety behavioral, motor vehicle information, and 
automobile fuel economy programs.
    NHTSA's mission is to reduce deaths, injuries, and economic 
losses resulting from motor vehicle crashes. 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 
driving, and to promote policies and devices with demonstrated 
safety benefits, including helmets, child safety seats, 
airbags, and graduated license. 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 $972,317,000, including both 
budget authority and limitations on the obligation of contract 
authority. This funding is $43,000,000 more than the 
President's request and $6,009,000 more than the fiscal year 
2019 enacted level. The following table summarizes the 
Committee's recommendations:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                Highway trust
                                                              General fund          fund              Total
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appropriation 2019........................................      $204,000,000      $762,308,000      $966,308,000
Budget estimate, 2020.....................................       151,000,000       778,317,000       929,317,000
Committee recommendation..................................       194,000,000       778,317,000       972,317,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    These programs support traffic safety programs and related 
research, demonstrations, technical assistance, and national 
leadership for highway safety programs conducted by State and 
local governments, the private sector, universities, research 
units, and various safety associations and organizations. These 
highway safety programs emphasize alcohol and drug 
countermeasures, vehicle occupant protection, traffic law 
enforcement, emergency medical and trauma care systems, traffic 
records and licensing, State and community traffic safety 
evaluations, protection of motorcycle riders, pedestrian and 
bicyclist safety, pupil transportation, distracted driving 
prevention, young and older driver safety, and improved 
accident investigation procedures.

                        OPERATIONS AND RESEARCH

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                Highway trust
                                                              General fund          fund              Total
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appropriation, fiscal year 2019...........................      $190,000,000      $152,100,000      $342,100,000
Budget estimate, 2020.....................................       151,000,000       155,300,000       306,300,000
Committee recommendation..................................       194,000,000       155,300,000       349,300,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee provides $349,300,000 for Operations and 
Research, which is $43,000,000 more than the President's budget 
request and $7,200,000 more than the fiscal year 2019 enacted 
level. Of the total amount recommended for Operations and 
Research, $194,000,000 is derived from the general fund, and 
$155,300,000 is derived from the Highway Trust Fund. For 
vehicle safety research, the Committee recommendation includes 
$21,486,000 for rulemakings, of which $2,041,000 is for safety 
standards support and $12,000,000 is for the new car assessment 
program, $25,000,000 for enforcement, including not less than 
$14,000,000 for the Office of Defects Investigation, and 
$32,805,000 for research and analysis. For highway safety 
research and development, the Committee recommendation includes 
$63,121,000 for highway safety programs and $42,983,000 for the 
National Center for Statistics and Analysis.
    The Committee supports the Department's proposed 
reorganization of research activities relating to driver 
behavior. This research will be critical for improving the 
safety of our roads and includes the study of human-machine 
interfaces, drivers' reactions to advanced driver assistance 
systems, and behavioral response rates to vehicle recalls. The 
Highway Safety Research and Development account conducts the 
agency's research related to driver behavior; therefore, it is 
appropriate that these matters also be conducted within that 
account. In an effort to supplement funding for highway safety 
research and development, the Committee provides $6,000,000 for 
these activities from the general fund, including $2,000,000 
for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, $2,000,000 for 
Automated Driving Systems, and $2,000,000 for the Recall 
Management program, which is administered by the Office of 
Defects Investigation.
    Additionally, the Committee provides the following general 
funds for other activities: $4,000,000 for grants, pilot 
program activities, and innovative solutions to reduce impaired 
driving fatalities; and $5,000,000 for grants, pilot program 
activities, and innovative solutions to evaluate driver 
behavior with technologies that could protect law enforcement, 
first responders, roadside crews, and others while on the job, 
including close range digital alerting and movable barrier 
systems. The recommendation also includes $499,000 from the 
general fund to complement in-vehicle alcohol detection device 
research.
    Highway Fatalities.--An estimated 36,760 people died in 
motor vehicle traffic crashes in 2018, a decrease of 1 percent 
as compared to the 37,133 deaths that occurred in 2017. The 
Committee is pleased that the overall number of highway-related 
deaths has decreased at a time when vehicle miles traveled 
increased by 12 billion miles. However, it remains concerned 
that, on average, more than 100 highway fatalities occurred in 
our Nation every day last year. The Committee believes that 
substantial gains toward a goal of zero highway deaths can be 
realized in the coming years through a combination of 
technology and a renewed emphasis on drunk, drug-impaired, and 
distracted driving prevention, increased seat belt and child 
safety seat use, as well as innovative tools to improve 
motorcyclist, bicyclist, and pedestrian safety. The Committee 
encourages the Department to remain engaged with Road to Zero, 
which is committed to a goal of zero roadway fatalities by 
2050. The Committee urges NHTSA to continue programs that will 
consistently reduce highway fatalities, including conquering 
persistent problems with speeding, seat belt use, distraction, 
and alcohol- and drug-impaired driving.
    Crashworthiness Research.--Vehicle manufacturers are 
increasingly relying on innovative lightweight plastic and 
polymer composite materials in order to improve automotive 
structural safety, meet consumer demand for innovative 
vehicles, increase fuel efficiency, and support new highly-
skilled manufacturing jobs. NHTSA is directed to update 
countermeasures for frontal, side, rollover, front seatbacks, 
and lower interior impacts for children and small adults, as 
well as pedestrian crashworthiness projects, with an emphasis 
on vehicle light-weighting in both traditional and automated 
vehicle structural designs. NHTSA should leverage lessons 
learned from lightweight materials research performed by the 
Department, the Department of Energy, and industry stakeholders 
in its review of safety-centered approaches for future 
lightweight automotive design.
    Research on the Accessibility of Automated Vehicles.--
Nearly one in five people in the United States have a 
disability and face personal challenges regarding access to 
healthcare, education, housing, or employment. These 
difficulties are often compounded by a lack of accessible 
transportation in their communities. As automated driving 
systems are increasingly incorporated into both personal and 
commercial vehicles, manufacturers could consider significant 
changes to vehicle design. This presents a unique opportunity 
to reconsider both restraint systems and human-machine 
interfaces to improve the accessibility of vehicles for people 
with disabilities, as well as for the elderly. Whether people 
with disabilities or other physically-limiting driving 
restrictions can benefit from this transportation will depend 
on how early and to what extent vehicle manufacturers take 
accessibility into consideration in the design process of their 
vehicles. The Committee directs NHTSA to develop goals and 
considerations for future amendments to the Federal Motor 
Vehicle Safety Standards related to the accessibility of 
vehicles incorporating automated driving systems. These goals 
and considerations should ensure that the needs of people with 
communicative, physical, cognitive, mental, and other 
disabilities are properly and thoroughly considered. The 
Committee directs NHTSA to coordinate this research with the 
Access Board and other relevant stakeholders, and to provide a 
report to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations 
within 1 year of enactment of this act summarizing efforts 
pursuant to these directives.
    Move Over Laws.--Roadway infrastructure does not always 
offer necessary public safety and work-zone protections and, at 
times, can create hazardous conditions for road crews and 
public safety officials both in and out of vehicles. The scope 
and magnitude of this problem is not always clear, however, due 
to a lack of concise reporting and common data standards 
regarding accidents affecting public safety, fire, police, 
emergency medical service [EMS], utility, towing, construction, 
and roadside maintenance crews. The Committee directs the 
Department to report to the House and Senate Committees on 
Appropriations within 1 year of enactment of this act on deaths 
and motor vehicle accidents involving these personnel while on 
duty in order to better understand the extent of the problem, 
under what conditions these events are occurring, gaps in 
available data and reporting, and potential solutions.
    Additionally, up-to-date information about dynamic 
conditions on roads can help drivers navigate more safely and 
efficiently. It is essential that technologies and physical 
protections, such as close range digital alerting and movable 
barrier systems, be incorporated in order to ensure that public 
safety, fire, police, EMS, utility, towing, construction, and 
roadside maintenance crews are safe while performing their 
duties. The Committee provides $5,000,000 for grants, pilot 
program activities, and innovative solutions to evaluate driver 
behavior with technologies and moveable barriers that protect 
law enforcement, first responders, roadside crews, and others 
while on the job. A portion of this funding should be used for 
field testing of these technologies. Upon completion of these 
studies, the Department shall provide a report to the House and 
Senate Committees on Appropriations summarizing its results.
    Recall Management.--Recalls of vehicles and related 
equipment have surpassed previously recorded levels in recent 
years. NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigations reviews 
potential defects, and, when appropriate, seeks recalls of 
vehicles or vehicle equipment that pose an unreasonable risk to 
safety. The DOT OIG released a report in July 2018 finding that 
NHTSA's process for monitoring recalls did not ensure remedies 
are reported completely and in a timely manner to consumers and 
that the agency did not verify recall completion rates reported 
by manufacturers. The Committee is pleased that NHTSA has taken 
steps to implement the OIG's recommendations, and directs NHTSA 
to submit a report summarizing NHTSA's efforts to improve its 
system for recall monitoring and oversight to the House and 
Senate Committees on Appropriations within 180 days of 
enactment of this act.
    Furthermore, completion of safety recalls by vehicle and 
equipment owners is voluntary, and understanding what 
influences the public to complete those recalls is critical. 
The Committee directs the Department to conduct research into 
what data is needed and what analytical tools, such as 
predictive modeling, may need to be developed to increase 
recall response and completion rates. The Committee believes 
this research can enhance NHTSA's existing oversight of recall 
completion rates and allow the agency to better assess what 
factors are responsible for a particular recall's completion. 
The Department shall report to the House and Senate Committees 
on Appropriations on means to improve recall completion rates 
within 1 year of enactment of this act, and this research 
should include consultation with stakeholders, including 
vehicle and equipment manufacturers.
    Drug-Impaired Driving.--The use of marijuana before or 
while driving is a critical public safety issue. The Committee 
recognizes the importance of impaired driving countermeasures 
at the community level in protecting public safety and 
encourages NHTSA to expand its efforts with law enforcement to 
increase awareness and use of Drug Recognition Expert and 
Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement training. The 
Committee is encouraged by NHTSA's announcement of a Drugged 
Driving Initiative to combat this problem and directs NHTSA to 
provide the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations with 
an annual update of its ongoing research to address the gaps 
that exist in what is known about drug-impaired driving. This 
update shall also discuss ongoing and future efforts to engage 
key stakeholders in identifying steps to improve safety and 
reduce fatalities.
    Drunk Driving Prevention.--The Committee continues to be 
concerned about the rate of drunk driving fatalities on our 
highways. In 2017, alcohol-impaired driving was the leading 
cause of highway fatalities, playing a role in 10,874 out of 
37,133 deaths. The Committee continues to provide substantial 
support for the ``Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over'' high 
visibility enforcement campaigns and encourages the Department 
to further engage with law enforcement and other stakeholders 
to make these campaigns more pervasive and effective.
    To further address this problem, NHTSA has partnered with 
leading automobile manufacturers in the Automotive Coalition 
for Traffic Safety to develop in-vehicle technology to prevent 
alcohol-impaired driving. The Committee continues to strongly 
support this promising research partnership, which has the 
potential to prevent thousands of drunk-driving deaths 
annually. The Committee recommendation includes $5,447,000 for 
the continuation of this research in fiscal year 2020. These 
additional general funds will ensure that there is stable 
funding during the final year of the FAST Act (Public Law 114-
94) for the continued development of the Driver Alcohol 
Detection System for Safety [DADSS] technology.
    The Committee also provides $4,000,000 for grants, pilot 
program activities, and innovative solutions to reduce impaired 
driving fatalities, a portion of which shall be used for field 
testing of the DADSS technology in different climates and sites 
that would be scientifically informative for accelerating the 
commercial availability of this technology. This funding is in 
addition to the previously discussed contract authority and 
general funds.
    The Committee is pleased that the research and development 
of the DADSS technology is progressing and that the first 
derivative of the breath-based technology could be released for 
licensing for use in business fleet applications by the end of 
2020. However, the last official report made available to the 
Committee summarizing the activities of the program is from 
fiscal year 2016. The Committee directs NHTSA and the 
Automotive Coalition for Traffic Safety to submit to the House 
and Senate Committees on Appropriations a report describing the 
progress made by the DADSS program in fiscal year 2017 and each 
year thereafter. This report should discuss the progress made 
in research and a general accounting of the Federal funds 
obligated or expended since fiscal year 2016 in carrying out 
the effort.
    Finally, the Committee directs the Department to ensure the 
testability of the DADSS technology for the purposes of future 
incorporation into the New Car Assessment Program. The 
Committee directs NHTSA to work with vehicle manufacturers and 
developers of the DADSS technology to begin considering whether 
and what kind of standardized testing could be conducted on 
this technology upon its commercial availability in new 
vehicles as standard or optional equipment.
    Tire Efficiency.--Section 24331 of the FAST Act includes 
three tire-related provisions, which make up the ``Tire 
Efficiency, Safety, and Registration Act of 2015.'' The 
implementation of the regulations contained in these provisions 
will contribute significantly to consumer safety, vehicle fuel 
economy, and the competitiveness of the U.S. tire manufacturing 
industry, and deserves the Department's timely attention and 
resources. The Committee encourages the Secretary to implement 
these regulations promptly and directs the Department to submit 
a report to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations 
within 120 days of enactment of this act on the Department's 
schedule and plan for promulgating these regulations.
    Underride Safety.--An underride crash occurs when a vehicle 
slides under the body of a commercial motor vehicle during an 
accident. During these accidents, a vehicle's safety features 
are generally unable to protect passengers because components 
of the commercial motor vehicle crash through the windshield 
and into the passengers, often resulting in severe head and 
neck injuries. Federal regulations have required that the rear 
end of trailers have a guard meeting specific crashworthiness 
standards since 1998. NHTSA initiated a rulemaking to improve 
truck underride safety and strengthen those rear guard 
standards in December 2015. The Committee strongly encourages 
NHTSA to finalize this rulemaking within 1 year of enactment of 
this act and to consult with relevant experts and stakeholders, 
including researchers, engineers, the trucking industry, and 
safety advocates, to facilitate the further adoption of 
underride protection devices. The Committee supports the 
recommendations contained in the GAO report from March 2019, 
which directed NHTSA to develop a standardized definition of 
underride crashes and data, and to share information with 
police departments in order to improve the quality and 
completeness of underride crash data collection. The Committee 
directs the Department to implement those recommendations.
    Odometer Disclosure Requirements.--Section 31205 of the 
Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (Public Law 
112-141) required NHTSA to adopt standards for electronic 
odometer disclosure statements. The Committee notes that NHTSA 
issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Odometer Disclosure 
Requirements in 2016, but has yet to promulgate a final rule. 
The Committee is aware that electronic titling capability 
promises immense efficiencies for States and those industries 
that process motor vehicle titles. However, the delay in 
promulgating this rule is discouraging States from moving 
forward with electronic titling initiatives as they fear that 
they may ultimately fall short of the requirements set forth in 
the final rule. The Committee therefore directs NHTSA to 
finalize this rulemaking no later than 90 days after enactment 
of this act.
    Modern Safety Systems in New Car Assessments.--Crash 
avoidance technologies, including forward collision warning, 
automatic emergency braking, blind spot detection, rear 
automatic braking, adaptive cruise control, lane departure 
warning, and pedestrian detection, have been shown to reduce 
roadway injuries and fatalities. Section 24321 of the FAST Act 
required NHTSA to incorporate information on crash avoidance 
technologies into the safety rating system listed on the 
stickers placed on motor vehicles by their manufacturers, also 
known as Monroney labels by December 2, 2016.
    The Committee believes that educating our Nation's 
consumers about new technologies at the point of sale will 
likely cause the rapid deployment of crash avoidance systems in 
vehicles. The Committee understands that NHTSA is now in the 
second phase of field operational testing to account for major 
technological improvements and to examine real-world 
performance of current generation systems that offer improved 
detection, greater precision, and new features. The Committee 
directs that, once testing results have been verified, the 
Department shall report to the House and Senate Committees on 
Appropriation within 30 days on its plan and timeline to 
complete this rulemaking.
    In furtherance of these consumer awareness goals, the 
Committee also encourages NHTSA to include ratings on vehicle 
designs and systems related to pedestrian and bicyclist safety 
and injury criteria specific to older occupants when updating 
the New Car Assessment Program.
    Automated Vehicle Testing in Rural and Geographically 
Challenging Areas.--Any widespread deployment of automated 
vehicles will face challenges from the unique geographic and 
meteorological difficulties posed by some rural areas. The 
Committee urges the Department to consider these challenges as 
it develops and completes its spend plan for research on 
automated vehicles and advanced driver assistance systems, as 
directed by the Committee in fiscal year 2018.
    Seat Belts.--The national seat belt use rate is now at 90 
percent, an approximately 75 percent increase over the last 35 
years. The adoption of strong State seat belt use laws and the 
incorporation of high visibility enforcement programs, such as 
Click It or Ticket, have been instrumental in bringing about 
this major cultural shift. In 2016 alone, more than 14,000 
lives were saved as a result of seatbelt usage. However, some 
States still lag in their belt use rates. An estimated 50 
percent of passenger vehicle occupant fatalities are unbelted, 
and millions are not using the most effective safety equipment 
in their vehicles. A technology solution, such as enhanced belt 
use reminders, might be useful to reach the goal of universal 
belt use. The Committee urges NHTSA to continue its research on 
potential types of technology enhancements to increase seat 
belt use.
    Child Hyperthermia Prevention.--In 2018, 51 children died 
from hyperthermia as a result of being left alone in hot motor 
vehicles, the most on record. The Committee continues to 
recognize these safety concerns and has favorably cited the 
awareness programs conducted by NHTSA. The Committee directs 
NHTSA to continue and expand upon its public education and 
outreach efforts on child hyperthermia prevention, specifically 
seeking to raise awareness of parents and caregivers. These 
efforts should include public messaging and involvement from a 
broad group of organizations, government agencies, medical 
professionals, and others who regularly interact with parents 
and the public.
    The Committee also directs NHTSA to provide an update on 
previously-mandated hyperthermia studies and outreach efforts, 
including findings on effectiveness, as well as statistics and 
trends on injuries and deaths associated with hyperthermia. The 
Committee directs NHTSA to continue to work to identify 
potential areas of research related to technological 
advancements in unattended child reminder warning technology 
and to counteract deaths of children from hyperthermia.
    Speed Limiters.--On August 26, 2016, NHTSA and FMCSA issued 
a joint proposed rule requiring speed limiter devices on heavy 
vehicles. The Committee continues to direct the agencies to 
fully and expeditiously address all public comments from this 
proposed rule. The Committee directs the Department to report 
to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations on its 
schedule and plan for promulgating this regulation within 180 
days of enactment of this act.

                     HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY GRANTS

                (LIQUIDATION OF CONTRACT AUTHORIZATION)

                      (LIMITATION ON OBLIGATIONS)

                          (HIGHWAY TRUST FUND)

Limitation, 2019........................................    $610,208,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................     623,017,000
Committee recommendation................................     623,017,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The most recent surface transportation authorization, the 
FAST Act, re-authorizes the section 402 State and community 
formula grants, the high visibility enforcement grants, and the 
consolidated National Priority Safety Program, which consists 
of occupant protection grants, State traffic safety information 
grants, impaired driving countermeasures grants, distracted 
driving grants, motorcycle safety grants, State graduated 
driver license grants, and non-motorized safety grants.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends a limitation on obligations of 
$623,017,000 and authority to liquidate an equal amount of 
contract authorization for the highway traffic safety grant 
programs funded under this heading. The recommended limitation 
is equal to the budget estimate and $12,809,000 above the 
fiscal year 2019 enacted level.
    The Committee continues to prohibit the use of section 402 
funds for construction, rehabilitation, or remodeling costs, or 
for office furnishings and fixtures for State, local, or 
private buildings or structures.
    The authorized funding for administrative expenses and for 
each grant program is as follows:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Amount
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Highway Safety Programs (section 402).............          $279,800,000
National Priority Safety Programs (section 405)...           285,900,000
High Visibility Enforcement Program...............            30,500,000
Administrative Expenses...........................            26,817,000
                                                   ---------------------
      Total.......................................           623,017,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

      ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS--NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY 
                             ADMINISTRATION

    Section 140 makes available $130,000 of obligation 
authority for 23 U.S.C. 402 to pay for travel and expenses for 
State management reviews and highway safety staff core 
competency development training.
    Section 141 exempts obligation authority, which was made 
available in previous public laws, from limitations on 
obligations for the current year.

                    Federal Railroad Administration

    The Federal Railroad Administration [FRA] became an 
operating administration within the Department of 
Transportation on April 1, 1967. It incorporated the Bureau of 
Railroad Safety from the Interstate Commerce Commission, the 
Office of High Speed Ground Transportation from the Department 
of Commerce, and the Alaska Railroad from the Department of the 
Interior. FRA is responsible for planning, developing, and 
administering programs to achieve safe operating and mechanical 
practices in the railroad industry. Grants to the National 
Railroad Passenger Corporation [Amtrak] and other financial 
assistance programs to rehabilitate and improve the railroad 
industry's physical infrastructure are also administered by the 
Federal Railroad Administration.

                         SAFETY AND OPERATIONS

Appropriations, 2019....................................    $221,698,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................     213,134,000
Committee recommendation................................     221,698,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The Safety and Operations account provides support for FRA 
rail safety activities and all other administrative and 
operating activities related to staff and programs.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recognizes the importance of taking a 
holistic approach to improving railroad safety and supports a 
comprehensive strategy of data-driven regulatory and inspection 
efforts, proactive approaches to identify and mitigate risks, 
and strategic capital investments in order to improve safety. 
The Committee recommends $221,698,000 for Safety and Operations 
for fiscal year 2020, which is $8,564,000 more than the budget 
request and equal to the fiscal year 2019 enacted level. The 
bill provides sufficient funding for all authorized safety 
inspectors and to administer all FRA programs.
    Automated Track Inspection Program [ATIP].--ATIP provides 
track geometry information, as well as other track-related 
performance data, to assess compliance with FRA Track Safety 
Standards. The data collected by ATIP is used by FRA inspectors 
and railroads to ensure proper track maintenance and to assess 
track safety trends within the industry. The Committee 
recommendation includes up to $16,500,000 for ATIP and urges 
FRA to continue to expand the use of ATIP vehicles to support 
the inspection of routes transporting passengers and hazardous 
materials like crude oil and energy products. FRA should also 
encourage the freight industry to increase the use of ATIP and 
other similar technologies that increase the amount of track 
inspected annually.
    Positive Train Control [PTC].--As of December 31, 2018, 
four railroads self-reported that they fully implemented an 
FRA-certified interoperable PTC system on all required route 
miles, and 37 railroads demonstrated that they met the six 
statutory criteria necessary to qualify for an alternative 
schedule. The Committee commends the Department for meeting the 
Congressional mandate, which occurred during a lapse in 
appropriations for FRA. As of June 30, 2019, 50,300 of the 
58,000 route miles required to implement PTC had done so, but 
only 50 of the 232 host-tenant PTC relationships were fully 
interoperable. The Committee expects the Department to continue 
its work to ensure that all railroads are able to fully 
implement PTC and achieve interoperability by the December 31, 
2020 deadline.
    Loss of Shunt Report.--In August 2014, the FRA prepared a 
draft, final report entitled ``Track Circuit Loss of Shunt 
Prevention,'' which analyzed temporary lack of electrical 
continuity incidents between the rails and wheels of a train. 
Given the national priority for railroad safety, and the risks 
associated with these rare, but potentially dangerous loss of 
shunt events, it is imperative that this FRA report be made 
available to Congress and the general public in the interest of 
transparency. Therefore, the Committee directs the FRA to 
transmit the Track Circuit Loss of Shunt Prevention report to 
the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations, as well as 
post the report on the FRA's public website, within 30 days of 
enactment of this act.

                   RAILROAD RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Appropriations, 2019....................................     $40,600,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................      19,000,000
Committee recommendation................................      40,600,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The Railroad Research and Development program provides 
science and technology support for FRA's rail safety rulemaking 
and enforcement efforts. It also supports technological 
advances in conventional and high-speed railroads, as well as 
evaluations of the role of railroads in the Nation's 
transportation system.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $40,600,000 
for railroad Research and Development, which is $21,600,000 
more than the budget request and equal to the fiscal year 2019 
enacted level.
    Short Line Safety Institute [SLSI].--Short line railroads 
operate approximately 50,000 miles of track, which is one-third 
of the national railroad network, and are an important feeder 
system for the larger Class I railroads. There are 550 short 
line railroads operating in the United States, many with 
limited personnel and financial capital to conduct hazardous 
materials safety training and other operational safety 
assessments. The Committee continues to support FRA's efforts, 
in partnership with short line and regional railroads, to build 
a stronger, more sustainable safety culture in this segment of 
the rail industry. To date, 71 Class III railroads, including 
6,760 railroaders, have received safety culture assessments. 
The Committee's recommendation includes $2,500,000 to fund the 
SLSI and its mission, including continued efforts to improve 
the safe transportation of crude oil, other hazardous 
materials, freight, and passenger rail. While the Committee 
supports the use of Federal funds for this purpose, SLSI should 
consider assessing a user fee or other sustainable funding 
mechanisms to increase its capacity.
    Research Partnerships with Universities.--The Committee's 
recommendation includes up to $5,000,000 for partnerships with 
qualified universities on research related to improving the 
safety, capacity, and efficiency of the Nation's rail 
infrastructure, including $1,000,000 for research on 
intelligent railroad systems. This includes basic and applied 
research related to rolling stock, operational reliability, 
infrastructure, inspection technology, maintenance, energy 
efficiency, the development of rail safety technologies, such 
as positive train control, grade crossing safety improvements, 
and derailment prevention, particularly for trains carrying 
passengers and hazardous materials. Research conducted in 
conjunction with FRA at universities should also be structured 
to facilitate the education and training of the next generation 
of professionals in rail engineering and transportation.
    Natural Gas Research.--The Committee supports funding for 
high-horsepower natural gas engine research, development and 
deployment opportunities in rail applications. The Committee 
directs the Department to undertake comprehensive research 
efforts, with stakeholder input, to examine the operational and 
emission impacts of converting rail operations to natural gas. 
The research should consider the emissions benefits when 
converting freight-switchers and short-line railroad operations 
to natural gas, as well as the possible impacts of natural gas-
powered railroad operations in non-attainment areas. The 
Department should consider stakeholder input and previous 
research activities underway or previously conducted by the 
railroad industry.
    Blocked Crossings.--The Committee recognizes that blocked 
grade crossings are an increasing problem in communities across 
the country and that more data is required to track and prevent 
blocked crossings. Currently, FRA collects data through formal 
complaints received via correspondence and by information 
voluntarily submitted by some States and uses geospatial 
mapping tools to analyze the State-reported data. FRA 
regulations (49 CFR Part 225) also require railroads to report 
collisions between a human or object and a train at a highway 
rail-grade crossing to FRA on a specified accident reporting 
form (i.e., a FRA F 6180.57--Highway-Rail Grade Crossing 
Accident/Incident Report) within 30 days of the month during 
which the accident or incident occurred. While this data is 
collected continuously by FRA as reports are received from 
railroads and is available for public viewing on FRA's website, 
FRA lacks a mechanism for the general public to report blocked 
highway rail-grade crossings in an effort to prevent train 
delays, collisions, property damage, injury or loss of life. 
The Committee directs the FRA to establish a website and 
corresponding database that will allow the agency to collect 
and track blocked crossings in order to identify the locations 
of frequent and long duration blocked crossings, and serve as a 
basis for outreach to the communities and railroads, and 
support collaboration to prevent an incident from occurring.
    PTC Cybersecurity.--The Committee urges FRA to prioritize 
funding to establish enhanced cybersecurity methods, standards, 
and best practices, especially as it relates to the 
implementation of PTC technology and future versions of this 
technology. The FRA should work with industry to identify 
current vulnerabilities and prepare for threats that could 
arise from future updates and the migration to future designs.
    Safety Technologies.--The Committee recognizes that 
continued investments in critical rail infrastructure programs 
and technology will make our rails, railcars, and trains safer 
for all who use them. The Committee urges investments in 
electronic safety systems, as well as the development of 
technologies designed to verify the functional performance of 
these systems. The Committee recognizes the importance of 
deploying these technologies in both new and existing track and 
railcars around the country. The Committee further acknowledges 
the challenges that rail operators face in maintaining these 
highly advanced systems over their lifetime and urges the FRA 
to work with industry to develop standardized performance 
verification, test, diagnostics and repair for such systems.
    Passenger Rail in Rural States.--The Committee encourages 
the Department to examine the potential for new intercity or 
commuter passenger rail service connecting urban and suburban 
areas within States where a majority of residents live in rural 
areas. The study should examine the potential public benefits 
of such service to passengers, the flow of commerce, and the 
environment within a larger region or group of States. The 
study should also examine the costs of such service and develop 
potential funding mechanisms for such service from Federal, 
State, and local governments, as well as the private sector. In 
addition, the study should consider the unique challenges of 
providing passenger rail service over short line railroads.

       RAILROAD REHABILITATION AND IMPROVEMENT FINANCING PROGRAM

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    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.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommendation allows the credit risk premium 
for RRIF loans to be eligible for grants under the National 
Infrastructure Investments account.
    RRIF Credit Risk Premium [CRP].--In fiscal year 2019, the 
Committee required DOT and OMB to define cohorts of RRIF loans 
in order to make CRP repayments for cohorts of loans that have 
satisfied the terms of their loan agreements. In addition, the 
Committee provided an appropriation for DOT to pay the 
modification cost of repaying CRP for a cohort of loans that 
were satisfied but where CRP payments could not have been made 
through the re-estimates process because of a defaulted loan. 
The Committee directs DOT to expedite repayments for cohorts 
that have satisfied the terms of their loan agreements, and to 
diligently oversee the remaining cohort that has outstanding 
loans to ensure borrowers who have repaid their loans are able 
to receive their CRP once all loans have been satisfied.

       FEDERAL-STATE PARTNERSHIP FOR STATE OF GOOD REPAIR GRANTS

Appropriations, 2019....................................    $400,000,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................................
Committee recommendation................................     300,000,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The Federal-State Partnership for State of Good Repair 
Grant program provides support for capital projects that reduce 
the state of good repair backlog with respect to qualified 
railroad assets, as authorized under 49 U.S.C. 24911.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $300,000,000 for the Federal-State 
Partnership for State of Good Repair Grants [SOGR], which is 
$300,000,000 more than the budget request and $100,000,000 less 
than the fiscal year 2019 enacted level. The recommendation is 
consistent with the level authorized under section 11103 of 
Public Law 114-94. The Committee is aware of the growing 
backlog of state of good repair and improvement needs on many 
of the country's important passenger routes.
    Notice of Funding Opportunity [NOFO].--The Committee 
directs the Department to issue a NOFO for fiscal year 2019 
funds within 30 days of enactment of this act and make awards 
for fiscal year 2019 funds within 210 days after the enactment 
of this act. The Committee directs the Department to issue a 
NOFO for fiscal year 2020 funds within 210 days of enactment of 
this act and make awards for fiscal year 2020 funds within 450 
days of enactment of this act.

    CONSOLIDATED RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE AND SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS GRANTS

Appropriations, 2019....................................    $255,000,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................     330,000,000
Committee recommendation................................     255,000,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety 
Improvements [CRISI] Grants provide support for projects 
authorized under 49 U.S.C. 24407(c).

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $255,000,000 for the CRISI Grants, 
which is $75,000,000 less than the budget request and equal to 
the fiscal year 2019 enacted level, of which 25 percent shall 
be available for projects in rural areas. The Committee notes 
that PTC-related implementation costs are eligible expenses and 
directs the Department to prioritize these funds for railroads 
most at risk of not meeting the PTC deadline. The Committee 
recognizes the importance of improving the safety of rail 
transportation, both freight and passenger, as well as 
improving the safety of our entire transportation network.
    Notice of Funding Opportunity [NOFO].--The Committee 
directs the Department to make awards for fiscal year 2019 
funds within 210 days after the enactment of this act. The 
Committee directs the Department to issue a NOFO for fiscal 
year 2020 funds within 270 days of enactment of this act and 
make awards for fiscal year 2020 funds within 450 days of 
enactment of this act.
    Use of CRISI Funds.--The Committee encourages the Secretary 
to allow CRISI grantees to use grant funds for eligible non-
construction expenses, such as the installation of onboard 
locomotive apparatuses, back office server technology, and 
other core functionalities of PTC. After obligation, the 
Secretary may reimburse recipients for such expenses even if 
such expenses were incurred before the completion of Federal 
environmental reviews conducted to support the obligation, as 
permitted by law. Maintenance and operations costs incurred 
after a PTC system is placed in revenue service are not 
eligible. FRA should also consider CRISI planning grants that 
re-evaluate infrastructure capacity and scheduling to 
accommodate restoration of passenger service.
    Quiet Zones.--The Committee is aware of the negative impact 
noise pollution can have on the residents, businesses, and 
schools in close proximity to crossings, particularly in urban 
areas with high numbers of crossings in a relatively short 
distance. In evaluating applications for CRISI funding, the 
Secretary shall give consideration to proposals that would 
mitigate crossing safety concerns on high volume tracks in 
populated areas and reduce the negative impacts on the 
community through implementation of a Quiet Zone.

                   RESTORATION AND ENHANCEMENT GRANTS

Appropriations, 2019....................................      $5,000,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................     550,000,000
Committee recommendation................................       2,000,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The Restoration and Enhancement Grant program provides 
support for operating assistance and capital investments to 
initiate, restore, or enhance intercity passenger rail service, 
as authorized under 49 U.S.C. 24408.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $2,000,000 for Restoration and 
Enhancement Grants, which is $548,000,000 less than the budget 
request and $3,000,000 less than the fiscal year 2019 enacted 
level.

              THE NATIONAL RAILROAD PASSENGER CORPORATION

Appropriations, 2019....................................  $1,941,600,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................     936,466,000
Committee recommendation................................   2,000,000,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The National Railroad Passenger Corporation [Amtrak] 
operates intercity passenger rail services in 46 States and the 
District of Columbia, in addition to serving as a contractor in 
various capacities for several commuter rail agencies. Congress 
created Amtrak in the Rail Passenger Service Act of 1970 
(Public Law 91-518) in response to private carriers' inability 
to profitably operate intercity passenger rail service. 
Thereafter, Amtrak assumed the common carrier obligations of 
the private railroads in exchange for the right to priority 
access to their tracks for incremental cost.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends a total appropriation of 
$2,000,000,000 for Amtrak, which is $1,063,534,000 more than 
the budget request and $58,400,000 more than the fiscal year 
2019 enacted level.
    The Committee directs FRA to make a timely disbursement of 
funds in accordance with the FAST Act to maximize the 
Corporation's ability to efficiently manage its cash flow. Each 
year, Amtrak is responsible for significant one-time cash 
overflows at the beginning of the calendar year. In order to 
help facilitate these payments, the Committee directs the FRA 
to release adequate funding in the first quarter of the fiscal 
year in order to allow Amtrak to efficiently manage its 
financial obligations in a timely manner.
    Amfleet Replacement.--In January 2019, Amtrak issued a 
request for proposal for a new fleet of passenger rail vehicles 
to replace its aging Amfleet I cars, which currently serve the 
Northeast Corridor and adjacent State corridor routes. Amtrak 
expects to have responses by November 20, 2019, at which point 
States will work with Amtrak to evaluate the proposals 
according to State supported route needs. The Committee 
recommendation includes $100,000,000 for Amtrak's initial phase 
of its Amfleet replacement. Since half of the Amfleet 
replacement will be for State-supported routes, the Committee 
directs Amtrak to collaborate with the State-Amtrak Intercity 
Passenger Rail Committee and other relevant stakeholders to 
develop a financial plan for this procurement. The Committee is 
also concerned that under the most recent NOFO for certain FRA 
grant programs, the Administration prohibited states from 
applying for or receiving Federal grant dollars for 
acquisitions that have been completed. The Committee directs 
the FRA to allow state acquisition costs and on-going capital 
charges related to Amtrak's new fleet to be an eligible 
activity in any future NOFOs for the CRISI and SOGR grant 
programs.
    Charter Trains and Private Cars.--The Committee continues 
to applaud Amtrak's efforts to make itself financially more 
sustainable through a business-like approach to its operations. 
However, stakeholders continue to remain concerned with 
Amtrak's communication and implementation of new policies. In 
fiscal year 2019, the Committee directed Amtrak to report on 
the effects of its changes in policy to charter trains, special 
trains, and private trains, but stakeholders continue to 
express concerns with Amtrak's billing and pricing for private 
cars and charter trains. Amtrak is directed to once again 
report on the impact of its policies to charter trains and 
private trains in the fiscal year 2021 budget request, and to 
include the amounts and percentages by which revenues and usage 
declined. Amtrak should also continue to update the list of 
eligible locations for private car moves and continue to 
evaluate such locations going forward. Amtrak should continue 
to strive to improve public outreach and offer its stakeholders 
an opportunity to comment on policies that affect services 
prior to finalizing any such decisions.
    Amtrak Station Agents.--The explanatory statement to the 
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019 required Amtrak to 
provide station agents, which included either Amtrak ticket 
agents or caretakers, at all Amtrak stations that had a ticket 
agent position eliminated in fiscal year 2018. However, the 
Committee remains concerned that certain rural communities that 
do not have reliable Internet access are impacted by the lack 
of ticket agents, and that caretakers, while not explicitly 
prohibited, may not be able to provide assistance to minors and 
individuals requiring ADA assistance. The Committee directs 
Amtrak to re-staff stations with ticket agents from which 
agents have been removed after January 1, 2018, and that 
averaged not less than 25 passengers per day during the period 
beginning on January 1, 2013, and ending on December 31, 2017.
    Budget and Business Plan.--The Committee continues to 
direct Amtrak to submit a business plan in accordance with 
section 11203(b) of Public Law 114-94 for fiscal year 2020. The 
Corporation shall continue to submit a budget request for 
fiscal year 2021 to the House and Senate Committees on 
Appropriations in similar format and substance to those 
submitted by executive agencies of the Federal Government.
    FRA Grant Administration and Report Streamlining.--The 
Committee recognizes that Amtrak fields a myriad of grant 
requirements from the FRA. The Committee is supportive of 
robust oversight by the FRA; however, to the extent 
practicable, the FRA is encouraged to work with Amtrak to 
reduce duplication and streamline their reporting requirements.
    Food and Beverage.--Since 2015, the Committee has required 
Amtrak to report on its savings initiatives. The FAST Act 
formalized this planning and implementation process providing 
specific requirements to eliminate operating losses associated 
with providing food and beverage services on board Amtrak 
trains by 2020. The Committee urges Amtrak to continue to take 
actions that would allow it to produce a net loss of zero on 
its food and beverage services consistent with the FAST Act 
deadline. The Committee directs Amtrak to provide a report to 
the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations no later than 
120 days after enactment of this act comparing the actual 
fiscal year 2019 savings with Amtrak projections.
    Amtrak Police Department.--The Amtrak Police Department 
[APD] is responsible for the safety of Amtrak's employees, 
customers, patrons and infrastructure, with a workforce of more 
than 450 commissioned and 80 civilian staff deployed across the 
rail network. The Committee recommendation also includes 
$5,000,000 for the Amtrak Police Department for radios, 
repeaters, and related technology to improve emergency response 
and coordination. The Committee is aware of recent actions APD 
has taken to restructure its current workforce, including 
offering voluntary separation incentive packages and making 
adjustments to existing personnel duties in order to revise its 
enforcement strategy. However, the Committee is concerned that 
APD is undergoing changes without transparent communication 
with labor or Congress and has yet to identify its long-term 
strategies and goals for restructuring its workforce. In 2015, 
the Amtrak Office of Inspector General released the audit 
report, ``Safety and Security: Opportunities to Improve 
Controls Over Police Department Workforce Planning'' which 
assessed best practices across rail transit police departments 
and organizations that conduct police department staffing 
studies to come up with six best practices for effective 
strategic and formal workforce planning processes that could 
improve APD's workforce planning. Although the OIG found that 
APD had incorporated various aspects of industry best 
practices, there were several ways the Department could improve 
its workforce planning. Specifically, the OIG found that APD: 
lacked a formal workforce planning process; exercised limited 
use of risk assessments to identify security needs and allocate 
resources; did not incorporate workload data to determine the 
best allocation of resources; and had not established a formal 
process to monitor and evaluate workforce planning efforts. In 
response to the OIG audit, APD hired a third party to undergo a 
workforce planning process, which assessed APD's workforce 
planning practices and provided the Department with a detailed 
plan for assessing, evaluating, reforming and reprioritizing 
its workforce planning, which included several recommendations. 
However, the Committee is unaware of how APD has used this 
workforce assessment and planning guide to evaluate its current 
workforce or future needs, and subsequently, to inform its 
currents efforts to restructure its workforce. The Committee is 
concerned that without addressing the underlying weaknesses of 
its workforce planning and evaluation processes, APD will lack 
the strategic planning and performance goal setting that is 
necessary to successfully meet the current and future mission 
requirements of the Department and company. As a result, before 
APD undertakes any restructuring of its workforce, the Amtrak 
Police Department must submit for approval to the House and 
Senate Committees on Appropriations a comprehensive workforce 
analysis, which shall include: how the workforce structure does 
not meet the current and future safety needs of the Department 
and company; an overview of the data and calculations used to 
inform the need for a proposed workforce restructure; a 
detailed description of the restructure activities for each 
Amtrak station, APD region, and route; specific performance 
goals and metrics for the workforce restructure; and a plan for 
evaluating the effectiveness of the proposed workforce 
restructure.
    Booking and Cancellation Policies.--Tourism is one of 
Amtrak's largest attractions and in order to connect groups and 
families to specialized destinations, Amtrak relies on 
effective partnerships with commercial tour operators and 
private tour groups. The Committee is aware of changes made by 
Amtrak to alter booking, deposit, and cancellation policies 
which have impacted how tour operators and groups are able to 
provide services to customers, including the amount of and time 
by which fees are imposed on customers for booking and 
cancellations. The Committee is concerned that these policies 
impact both commercial tour companies and private tour groups 
and have resulted in a decline in a number of groups riding on 
Amtrak routes. As a result, the Committee directs Amtrak to 
reevaluate its booking, deposit, and cancellation policies for 
groups in order to prevent a decline in ridership with this 
industry and in its evaluation, take into consideration the 
classification of certain types of groups to ensure group 
policies do not adversely impact commercial tour operators.

     NORTHEAST CORRIDOR GRANTS TO THE NATIONAL RAILROAD PASSENGER 
                              CORPORATION

    The Committee recommends $680,000,000 for Northeast 
Corridor Grants to Amtrak. The funding level provided includes 
no more than $5,000,000 for the use of the Northeast Corridor 
Commission established under section 24905 of title 49, United 
States Code, no less than $50,000,000 between the Northeast 
Corridor and National Network grants for ADA compliance, and 
$100,000,000 for Amfleet replacement.

 NATIONAL NETWORK GRANTS TO THE NATIONAL RAILROAD PASSENGER CORPORATION

    The Committee recommends $1,320,000,000 for National 
Network Grants to Amtrak. The funding level provided includes 
no more than $2,000,000 for use of the State-Supported Route 
Committee established in the FAST Act and at least $50,000,000 
shall be for installation of safety technology on certain 
State-supported routes.
    National Network Services.--Amtrak's long-distance routes 
provide much needed transportation access in hundreds of 
communities and for rural areas where mobility options are 
limited. Equally important are routes that provide service to 
rural areas from urban areas along the Northeast Corridor. 
During floor consideration of the Committee's fiscal year 2019 
bill, the Senate voted 95-4 in favor of an amendment to express 
a sense of Congress that long-distance passenger routes should 
be sustained to ensure connectivity for the 4.7 million riders 
in 325 communities in 40 States that rely on this service. The 
budget request, however, proposes to reduce long-distance 
service by requiring cost-sharing between States and the 
Federal Government for operations of long-distance routes, 
similar to State-supported routes. This proposal will 
inevitably lead to service cuts or segmentation of routes, 
which will lead to less service for rural communities. The 
proposal would also shift significant shared and system-related 
costs to the NEC and State-supported routes if long-distance 
routes are terminated. The Committee does not support this 
proposal.
    On-Time Performance.--Amtrak's national network trains 
currently face significant delays, with on-time performance 
averaging below 50 percent. The Committee is aware of long-term 
negotiations between Amtrak and Class I freights on safety 
related features that have yet to be resolved, affecting 
service and on-time performance on certain State-supported 
routes. The Committee remains concerned that these delays 
compromise safety and reduce customer satisfaction, which 
inevitably reduces ridership and leads to increased reliance on 
Federal subsidies. The Committee is also aware of safety issues 
that can cause delays and lead to poor on-time performance, and 
encourages FRA to assist with developing interim and long-term 
solutions to improve safety where appropriate.
    Passenger Rail in the Bakken Region.--The Committee 
recognizes the importance of improving the financial viability 
of Amtrak's Empire Builder and the growth in demand for 
passenger rail service in the Bakken region and the northern 
corridor. The Committee directs Amtrak to continue to work with 
local officials, taking into account the results of the updated 
Amtrak Empire Builder feasibility study, to address the 
prospect of adding new passenger rail stops that generate 
revenue and reduce operating costs of the Empire Builder and 
other national network routes.
    Quad Cities to Chicago Rail.--The Committee is encouraged 
by recent progress between the State of Illinois and the Iowa 
Interstate Railroad on planning for the new Quad Cities to 
Chicago State-supported Amtrak route. To ensure Federal funding 
remains available for the completion of the project, the 
Committee urges the FRA to provide a multi-year extension of 
the current grant agreement and encourages the FRA to increase 
its oversight role to ensure the project remains on track.

                       ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS

    Section 150 limits overtime payments to employees at Amtrak 
to $35,000 per employee. However, Amtrak's president may waive 
this restriction for specific employees for safety or 
operational efficiency reasons. If the cap is waived, Amtrak 
must notify the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations 
within 30 days and specify the number of employees receiving 
waivers and the total amount of overtime payments made to 
employees receiving waivers.
    Section 151 expresses the sense of Congress on Amtrak's 
long-distance passenger routes.

                     Federal Transit Administration


                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The Federal Transit Administration [FTA] was established as 
a component of the Department of Transportation by 
Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1968, effective July 1, 1968, 
which transferred most of the functions and programs under the 
Federal Transit Act of 1964, as amended (78 Stat. 302; 49 
U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), from the Department of Housing and Urban 
Development. The missions of the FTA are: to help develop 
improved mass transportation systems and practices; to support 
the inclusion of public transportation in community and 
regional planning to support economic development; to provide 
mobility for Americans who depend on transit for transportation 
in both metropolitan and rural areas; to maximize the 
productivity and efficiency of transportation systems; and to 
provide assistance to State and local governments and agencies 
in financing such services and systems.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    Under the Committee recommendations, a total program level 
of $12,956,513,000 is provided for FTA programs in fiscal year 
2020. The recommendation is $540,423,000 more than the budget 
request and $457,159,000 less than the fiscal year 2019 enacted 
level.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                Highway trust
                                                              General fund          fund              Total
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appropriation 2019........................................    $3,474,292,000    $9,939,380,030   $13,413,672,030
Budget estimate, 2020.....................................     2,265,742,000    10,150,348,462    12,416,090,462
Committee recommendation..................................     2,806,165,000    10,150,348,462    12,956,513,462
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                        ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES

Appropriations, 2019....................................    $113,165,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................     110,552,000
Committee recommendation................................     113,165,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    Administrative expenses fund personnel, contract resources, 
information technology, space management, travel, training, and 
other administrative expenses necessary to carry out FTA's 
mission to support, improve, and help ensure the safety of 
public transportation systems.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends a total of $113,165,000 from the 
general fund for the agency's salaries and administrative 
expenses. The recommended level of funding is $2,613,000 more 
than the budget request and equal to the fiscal year 2019 
enacted level.
    Project Management Oversight [PMO] Activities.--The 
Committee directs FTA to continue to submit to the House and 
Senate Committees on Appropriations the quarterly PMO reports 
for each project with a full funding grant agreement.
    Full Funding Grant Agreements [FFGAs].--Section 5309(k) of 
title 49, U.S.C. requires that 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, Housing, and Urban Affairs, 30 days before executing a 
FFGA. In its notification to the House and Senate Committees on 
Appropriations, the Committee directs FTA to submit the 
following information: (1) a copy of the proposed FFGA; (2) the 
total and annual Federal appropriations required for the 
project; (3) the yearly and total Federal appropriations that 
can be planned or anticipated for existing 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 finance plan; (6) the source and security of 
all public and private sector financing; (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 also directs FTA to inform the House and 
Senate Committees on Appropriations in writing 30 days before 
approving schedule, scope, or budget changes to any FFGA. 
Correspondence relating to all changes shall include any budget 
revisions or pro- gram changes that materially alter the 
project as originally stipulated in the FFGA, including any 
proposed change in rail car procurement.
    The Committee directs FTA to continue to provide a monthly 
Capital Investment Grant program update to the House and Senate 
Committees on Appropriations, detailing the status of each 
project. This update should include anticipated milestone 
schedules for advancing projects, especially those within 2 
years of a proposed FFGA. It should also highlight and explain 
any potential cost and schedule changes affecting projects.
    Procurement of Rail Cars and Buses.--The Committee notes 
that the Senate version of the National Defense Authorization 
Act [NDAA], currently in conference, includes a provision 
prohibiting the use of FTA funds for the procurement of rail 
cars and buses from companies that are owned, controlled, or 
subsidized by a foreign government that represents a national 
security threat to the United States. The Senate has passed 
similar language to the Senate provision in the NDAA and this 
Committee supports inclusion of the Senate NDAA language in 
conference. Should this measure be enacted, the Committee 
directs the Secretary of Transportation to swiftly effectuate 
the requirements of this provision.
    Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility.--In 2019, the 
Committee directed the Coordinating Council on Access and 
Mobility to develop a plan, and report to Congress within 180 
days, with options to eliminate duplication, provide efficient 
service for people in need, and increase coordination between 
the various Federal departments operating programs for the 
transportation-disadvantaged. The Committee maintains the 
requirement and directs the Department to provide a status 
update on the report.
    Commuter Rail Service in States Neighboring Washington, 
DC.--The Committee is concerned that public transportation 
service for Federal workers in the Washington, DC area may 
become disrupted for those living in nearby States if service 
is suspended or terminated on lines relied upon by employees. 
The Committee encourages FTA to work with States to help them 
maintain rail service providing commuter access to Washington, 
DC.
    Commuter Rail in Rural Areas.--The Committee recognizes 
that operating costs are a challenge for commuter rail 
transportation around the country, particularly for systems 
that operate in rural areas where local or state taxes, fares, 
or bonds are insufficient to meet the full operating costs of 
these transportation systems. The Committee is aware that there 
are limited Federal funds for operating assistance to commuter 
rail. Without new sources of funding at the Federal, state and 
local levels, the Committee is concerned that small and rural 
communities that rely on continued commuter rail service to 
connect residents to jobs and urban cores are at risk of losing 
critical commuter rail service. However, little is known about 
the cost of operating commuter rail transportation systems in 
small and rural communities in order to address the overall 
challenges of funding such service. As a result, the Committee 
directs the Government Accountability Office within 120 days of 
enactment of this act, to submit a report to the House and 
Senate Committees on Appropriations on the cost of operating, 
including extending current service and adding additional 
frequency to, commuter rail transportation systems in small and 
rural communities. This report shall also include any impacts 
that discontinuation of service would have on small and rural 
communities and identify any statutory and regulatory barriers 
at the Federal, state, and local levels to reducing or covering 
the costs of operating commuter rail transportation in these 
areas. In addition, the report shall make recommendations about 
potential sources of Federal funding to support the operation 
of commuter rail transportation systems in small and rural 
communities with special attention given to existing Federal 
rail support programs that prioritize communities with a 
population of less than 200,000.

                             FORMULA GRANTS

                  (LIQUIDATION OF CONTRACT AUTHORITY)

                      (LIMITATION ON OBLIGATIONS)

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                         Obligation
                                                      limitation (trust
                                                            fund)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appropriations, 2019..............................        $9,939,380,030
Budget estimate, 2020.............................        10,150,348,462
Committee recommendation..........................        10,150,348,462
------------------------------------------------------------------------

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    Communities use Formula Grants funds for bus and railcar 
purchases, facility repair and construction, maintenance, and 
where eligible, planning and operating expenses. The Formula 
Grants account includes funding for the following programs: 
transit-oriented development; planning programs; urbanized area 
formula grants; enhanced mobility for seniors and individuals 
with disabilities; a pilot program for enhanced mobility; 
formula grants for rural areas; public transportation 
innovation; technical assistance and workforce development, 
including a national transit institute; a bus testing facility; 
the national transit database; state of good repairs grants; 
bus and bus facilities formulas grants; and growing States and 
high-density States formula grants. Set-asides from formula 
funds are directed to a grant program for each State with rail 
systems not regulated by the Federal Railroad Administration to 
meet the requirements for a State Safety Oversight program. The 
account also provides funding to support passenger ferry 
services and public transportation on Indian reservations.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends limiting obligations in the 
transit formula and bus grants account in fiscal year 2020 to 
$10,150,348,462. The recommendation is equal to the budget 
request, and $210,968,432 more than the fiscal year 2019 
enacted level. The recommendation is also consistent with the 
currently authorized level under the FAST Act. The Committee 
recommends $10,800,000,000 in authority to liquidate contract 
authorizations. This amount is sufficient to cover outstanding 
obligations from this account. The following table displays the 
distribution of obligation limitation among the program 
categories of formula grants:

                 DISTRIBUTION OF OBLIGATION LIMITATION AMONG MAJOR CATEGORIES OF FORMULA GRANTS
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                       Fiscal year 2020
     Formula grants (obligation                                              -----------------------------------
            limitation)                  Section number     Fiscal year 2019   Administration       Committee
                                                                                  proposal         assumption
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Transit Oriented Development.......  20005(b).............       $10,000,000       $10,000,000       $10,000,000
Planning Programs..................  5305.................       139,087,757       142,036,000       142,036,000
Urbanized Area Formula Grants......  5307.................     4,827,117,606     4,929,452,000     4,929,452,000
Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and     5310.................       279,646,188       285,575,000       285,575,000
 Individuals with Disabilities.
Pilot Program for Enhanced Mobility  3006(b)..............         3,500,000         3,500,000         3,500,000
Formula Grants for Rural Areas.....  5311.................       659,322,031       673,300,000       673,300,000
Public Transportation Innovation...  5312.................        28,000,000        28,000,000        28,000,000
Technical Assistance and Workforce   5314.................         9,000,000         9,000,000         9,000,000
 Development.
Bus Testing Facilities.............  5318.................         3,000,000         3,000,000         3,000,000
National Transit Database..........  5335.................         4,000,000         4,000,000         4,000,000
State of Good Repair Grants........  5337.................     2,638,366,859     2,683,798,000     2,683,798,000
Buses and Bus Facilities Grants....  5339.................       777,024,469       808,654,000       808,654,000
Growing States and High Density      5340.................       561,315,120       570,033,000       570,033,000
 States.
                                    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Total........................  .....................     9,939,380,030    10,150,348,462    10,150,348,462
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Buses and Bus Facilities Grant Program.--The Committee 
continues to support the FAST Act's inclusion of competitive 
grants in the buses and bus facilities grant program and 
continues to encourage FTA to follow the guidance set forth in 
the FAST Act when developing selection criteria for the 
program. Consistent with section 3017 of the FAST Act, the age 
and condition of buses, bus fleets, related equipment, and bus-
related facilities should be the primary consideration for 
selection criteria.
    Low-Emissions Transit in Non-Attainment Areas.--The 
Committee directs FTA to partner with experienced transit 
research consortia to research best practices for increasing 
deployment of low-emissions public transportation in non-
attainment areas.
    Improving Rural Transit Access.--The Committee continues to 
recognize the importance of ensuring safe, private 
transportation is made available for seniors and people who do 
not drive, especially in small and rural communities where 
distance and low population density make traditional mass 
transportation difficult. The efficiencies of information 
management can help to provide on-demand transportation 
services and bring together underutilized private 
transportation capacity through ride share, car share, 
volunteer transport, and private community transport. The 
Committee encourages FTA to consider innovative transportation 
networks that leverage community volunteerism and private 
resources in various forms to access underutilized private 
transportation capacity to promote inclusive community mobility 
and provide transportation for seniors and disadvantaged 
populations in small and rural communities. Further, the 
Committee supports increasing the capacity of consumers to plan 
their travel safely, independently, and reliably through a 
variety of techniques and tools.
    Small and Rural Transit Agencies.--The Committee is 
concerned that the FTA has awarded some competitive grants that 
are lower than the minimum funding amount identified by the 
applicant. Small and rural transit agencies, in particular, 
have a difficult time making up the funding differential, 
effectively leaving them far behind larger transit agencies 
when it comes to implementing the newest U.S.-made clean 
technologies and maintaining their fleets in a state of good 
repair. To better ensure the effectiveness of grant awards, the 
Committee directs the FTA to award grants at levels that are 
adequate for transit agencies to initiate their projects.
    Innovative Procurement.--The Committee directs FTA to 
continue to permit procurement partnerships in fiscal year 2020 
grant awards for the Low-No Program in the same manner as in 
previous fiscal years. The Committee also encourages FTA to 
promote greater use of the innovative procurement authorities 
for technologically advanced buses that were established by 
section 3019 of the FAST Act, including separate battery lease 
agreements. The FTA should provide technical assistance to 
States regarding the development of State schedules that are 
consistent with Federal law, take steps to ensure that FTA 
funds purchases by transit agencies off of State schedules from 
other States that comply with Federal requirements, and use 
webinars and stakeholder events to make transit agencies more 
aware that they may purchase off of State schedules regardless 
of location.

                     TRANSIT INFRASTRUCTURE GRANTS

Appropriations, 2019....................................    $700,000,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................     500,000,000
Committee recommendation................................     560,000,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The Committee provides funding for Transit Infrastructure 
Grants to address targeted capital, operating, and state of 
good repair needs for public transportation providers and 
services across America.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends an additional $560,000,000 in 
transit infrastructure grants to remain available until 
expended, which is $140,000,000 less than the fiscal year 2019 
enacted level and $60,000,000 more than the budget request. Of 
the funds provided, $390,000,000 is available for buses and bus 
facilities grants authorized under 49 U.S.C. 5339, of which 
$195,000,000 is provided for formula grants, and $195,000,000 
is provided for competitive grants. Further, $40,000,000 is 
provided for state of good repair grants authorized under 49 
U.S.C. 5337; $40,000,000 is provided for high density State 
apportionments authorized under 49 U.S.C. 5340(d); $40,000,000 
is provided for low or no emission grants authorized under 49 
U.S.C. 5339(c); $40,000,000 is provided for formula grants for 
rural areas authorized under 49 U.S.C. 5311; $7,000,000 is 
provided for innovative mobility innovation program authorized 
under 49 U.S.C. 5312; and $3,000,000 is provided for bus 
testing facilities authorized under 49 U.S.C. 5312(h). The 
Committee recommendation includes funding from the general 
fund, and the funding is not subject to any limitation on 
obligations.

                   TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING

Appropriations, 2019....................................      $5,000,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................................
Committee recommendation................................       5,000,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    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 a total of $5,000,000 for 
technical assistance and training. The Committee recognizes the 
need among transit providers serving small cities and rural 
communities for technical assistance to help them take 
advantage of new technologies, including ride-hailing 
applications, autonomous shuttles, and micro-transit 
innovations, that are transforming how Americans use public 
transportation. This funding will provide rural and small city 
transit operators with hands-on technical assistance that will 
assist with the adoption of these new tools.
    The Committee expects funding under this heading to address 
workforce development needs within the public transportation 
industry, in addition to technical assistance and training to 
increase mobility for people with disabilities and older 
adults.
    Cooperative Agreements.--In 2019, the Committee provided 
$1,500,000 for cooperative agreements to assist small urban, 
rural and tribal public transit recipients and planning 
organizations with applied innovation and capacity building. 
The Committee directs the Department to expeditiously implement 
these agreements.

                       CAPITAL INVESTMENT GRANTS

Appropriations, 2019....................................  $2,552,687,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................   1,505,190,000
Committee recommendation................................   1,978,000,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    Under the Capital Investment Grants [CIG] program, FTA 
provides grants to fund the building of new fixed guideway 
systems or extensions and improvements to existing fixed 
guideway systems. Eligible services include light rail, rapid 
rail (heavy rail), commuter rail, and bus rapid transit. The 
program includes funding for four categories of eligible 
projects authorized under 49 U.S.C. 5309, and section 3005(b) 
of the FAST Act: New Starts, Small Starts, Core Capacity, and 
the Expedited Project Delivery Pilot Program. New Starts are 
projects with a Federal share under this section of at least 
$100,000,000 or a total net capital cost of at least 
$300,000,000. By comparison, Small Starts are projects with a 
Federal share under this section of less than $100,000,000--and 
total net capital cost less than $300,000,000. Core Capacity 
projects are those that will expand capacity by at least 10 
percent in existing fixed-guideway transit corridors that are 
already at or above capacity, or are expected to be at or above 
capacity within 5 years. The FAST Act authorizes eight projects 
under the Expedited Project Delivery Pilot Program, consisting 
of New Starts, Small Starts, or Core Capacity, that require no 
more than a 25 percent Federal share and are supported, in 
part, by a public private partnership.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $1,978,000,000 for capital 
investment grants, which is $574,687,000 less than the fiscal 
year 2019 enacted level, and $472,810,000 more than the 
request. The Committee recommendation includes $1,500,000,000 
for new starts projects authorized under 49 U.S.C. 5309(d) 
$300,000,000 for core capacity projects authorized under 49 
U.S.C. 5309(e), $78,000,000 for small starts projects 
authorized under 49 U.S.C. 5309(h), and $100,000,000 for 
expedited project delivery for capital projects authorized 
under section 3005(b) of the FAST Act.
    Project Pipeline.--The Committee is deeply concerned by 
indications that the Department is not advancing eligible 
transit projects into Project Development, Engineering, and 
Construction through the statutory capital investment grant 
evaluation, rating, and approval process contrary to the 
Committees clear directives. These delays are costly for local 
project sponsors and create uncertainty for transit planners 
and providers across the country. The Committee directs the 
Secretary to continue to advance eligible projects into project 
development and engineering in the capital investment grant 
evaluation, rating, and approval process pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 
5309 and section 3005(b) of the FAST Act in all cases when 
projects meet the statutory criteria. Current law and this act 
prohibit the Department from discriminating against projects 
based on the extent of local financial commitment or geographic 
diversity. Further, the FTA is prohibited from publishing any 
revised programmatic guidance.
    Program Implementation.--FTA has failed to issue 
regulations establishing the evaluation and rating process for 
Core Capacity Improvement projects, and has failed to establish 
a program of interrelated projects that would allow for the 
simultaneous development of more than one project within the 
CIG program. The Committee is dismayed that FTA continues to 
ignore statutory mandates and directs the Department to 
implement the May 2018 GAO recommendations within 60 days of 
the date of enactment of this act.
    Pilot Program for Expedited Project Delivery Program.--The 
Committee strongly supports exploration of the use of public-
private partnerships in public transportation as authorized 
under the Pilot Program for Expedited Project Delivery Program. 
The Committee commends the FTA for issuing a solicitation of 
interest and urges the FTA to continue efforts to implement the 
pilot program expeditiously. The Committee directs the FTA to 
continue to work with project sponsors to provide transparent 
information about the selection process and the method by which 
future interested project sponsors are able to participate in 
the program. The Committee directs the FTA within 180 days of 
enactment of this act to make publically available information 
to potential project sponsors when FTA will solicit or accept 
information from potential project sponsors seeking to access 
the program, what information project sponsors will need to 
provide to the FTA in order to have a project access the 
program and be evaluated, and what criteria the FTA will use to 
evaluate projects.
    Letters of No Prejudice.--The Department is directed to 
respond to requests for ``Letters of No Prejudice'' in a timely 
manner and approve such requests by project applicants that 
seek authority to expend non-Federal funds at the risk of the 
applicant for eligible project costs, as authorized by section 
5309, if the applicant commits to carry out the part of the 
project specified in the request in the same way as other 
projects under the capital investment grants program.
    Annual Report on Funding Recommendations.--The Committee 
directs the Secretary to submit the fiscal year 2021 annual 
report on funding recommendations required by 49 U.S.C. 
5309(o), and directs the Secretary to maintain the Federal 
Government funding commitments for all existing grant 
agreements and identify all projects with a medium or higher 
rating that anticipate requesting a grant agreement in fiscal 
year 2021.

      GRANTS TO THE WASHINGTON METROPOLITAN AREA TRANSIT AUTHORITY

Appropriations, 2019....................................    $150,000,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................     150,000,000
Committee recommendation................................     150,000,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    This appropriation provides assistance to the Washington 
Metropolitan Area Transit Authority [WMATA].

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommendation includes $150,000,000 for 
grants to WMATA for capital and preventive maintenance 
expenses, including pressing safety-related investments, which 
is equal to the budget request and the fiscal year 2019 enacted 
level. These grants are in addition to the Federal formula and 
competitive grant funding WMATA receives and funding local 
jurisdictions have committed to providing to WMATA. The 
Committee directs WMATA, the local jurisdictions, and FTA to 
continue to work with the authorizing committees on a surface 
transportation authorization bill and on reforms necessary to 
ensure that any future Federal resources will be used 
efficiently.
    Financial Management.--The bill directs the Secretary to 
provide grants to WMATA only after receiving and reviewing a 
request for each specific project to be funded under this 
heading. The bill requires the Secretary to determine that 
WMATA has placed the highest priority on funding projects that 
will improve the safety of its public transit system before 
approving these grants, using the recommendations and 
directives of the NTSB and FTA as a guide. The Committee 
encourages the Secretary and WMATA to consider efficiencies 
that can be leveraged in the procurement of capital and 
preventative maintenance expenses.
    National Capital Region.--The Committee believes that the 
safe and reliable operation of the Washington Metropolitan Area 
Transit Authority is important to the National Capital Region. 
The Authority plays an important role in transporting hundreds 
of thousands of employees daily and millions of visitors to the 
Nation's Capital annually. It is critical that the Authority 
prioritize projects that support the safe operation of the 
transit system.
    Wireless Service Extension.--The Committee provides another 
1-year extension for the wireless service requirement in the 
authorization statute. The Committee reminds WMATA of its 
direction to provide the House and Senate Committees on 
Appropriations with a quarterly report 90 days after enactment 
and continuing on a quarterly basis detailing its progress 
installing wireless service. The Committee directs WMATA to 
incorporate the installation of wireless infrastructure into 
any anticipated track and station closures and regularly 
scheduled maintenance where feasible to expedite provision of 
wireless service.

       ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS--FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION

    Section 160 exempts authority previously made available for 
programs of the FTA under section 5338 of title 49, United 
States Code, from the obligation limitations in this act.
    Section 161 allows funds provided in this act for fixed-
guideway capital investment projects that remain unobligated by 
September 30, 2023 to be available for projects to use the 
funds for the purposes for which they were originally provided.
    Section 162 allows funds appropriated before October 1, 
2019 that remain available for expenditure to be transferred to 
the most recent appropriation heading.
    Section 163 sets conditions for the processing of FFGAs.
    Section 164 prohibits the use of funds to implement or to 
further new CIG policies such as those detailed in the June 29, 
2018 FTA ``Dear Colleague'' letter.

             Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation


                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation [SLSDC] 
is a wholly-owned government corporation established by the 
Saint Lawrence Seaway Act of May 13, 1954 (33 U.S.C. 981). The 
Saint Lawrence Seaway [Seaway] is a vital transportation 
corridor for the international movement of bulk commodities, 
such as steel, iron, grain, and coal, serving the North 
American region that contains one-quarter of the United States' 
population and nearly one-half of the Canadian population. 
SLSDC is responsible for the operation, maintenance, and 
development of the United States' portion of the Seaway between 
Montreal and Lake Erie.

       OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE (HARBOR MAINTENANCE TRUST FUND)

Appropriations, 2019....................................     $36,000,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................      28,000,000
Committee recommendation................................      36,000,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund [HMTF] was established by 
the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 (Public Law 99-
662). Since 1987, the HMTF has supported the operations and 
maintenance of commercial harbor projects maintained by the 
Federal Government. Appropriations from the HMTF and revenues 
from non-Federal sources finance the operation and maintenance 
of those portions of the Seaway for which SLSDC is responsible.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $36,000,000 for the operations, 
maintenance, and capital asset renewal activities of SLSDC, of 
which not less than $16,000,000 is provided for capital asset 
renewal activities. This amount is $8,000,000 more than the 
budget request and equal to the fiscal year 2019 enacted level.
    The Committee directs SLSDC to continue to submit an annual 
report to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations, 
not later than April 30, summarizing the activities of the 
Asset Renewal Program during the immediate preceding fiscal 
year.
    Over 41 million tons of cargo moved through the Seaway 
during the 2018 navigation season, the highest figure since 
2007. This growth is encouraging for both the long- and short-
term impacts that the Seaway will have on the regional economy 
and jobs. The Committee has provided a total of $184,000,000 
for capital asset renewal activities since fiscal year 2009 in 
order to address SLSDC's existing capital backlog and to best 
prepare to accommodate this future growth. These previously 
provided resources will permit SLSDC to complete two major 
projects in fiscal year 2019--the delivery of a new ice-class 
tugboat and the installation of hands-free mooring technology 
at all remaining locks. These improvements are expected to 
increase the number of vessels worldwide that can traverse the 
Seaway by tenfold. The Committee encourages SLSDC to continue 
to invest resources provided for capital asset renewal 
activities to improve and expand its operations.

                        Maritime Administration


                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The Maritime Administration [MARAD] is responsible for 
programs authorized by the Merchant Marine Act of 1936, as 
amended (46 App. U.S.C. 1101 et seq.). MARAD is also 
responsible for programs that strengthen the U.S. maritime 
industry in support of the Nation's security and economic 
needs. MARAD prioritizes the Department of Defense's [DoD] use 
of ports and intermodal facilities during DoD mobilizations to 
guarantee the smooth flow of military cargo through commercial 
ports. MARAD manages the Maritime Security Program, the 
Voluntary Intermodal Sealift Agreement Program, and the Ready 
Reserve Force, which assure DoD access to commercial and 
strategic sealift and associated intermodal capacity. MARAD 
also continues to address the disposal of obsolete ships in the 
National Defense Reserve Fleet that are deemed a potential 
environmental risk. Further, MARAD administers education and 
training programs through the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy 
[USMMA] and six State maritime schools that assist in providing 
skilled merchant marine officers who are capable of serving 
defense and commercial transportation needs. The Committee 
continues to fund MARAD in its support of the United States as 
a maritime Nation.

                       MARITIME SECURITY PROGRAM

Appropriations, 2019....................................    $300,000,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................     300,000,000
Committee recommendation................................     300,000,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The Maritime Security Program [MSP] provides resources to 
maintain a U.S.-flag merchant fleet crewed by U.S. citizens to 
serve both the commercial and national security needs of the 
United States. The program provides direct payments to U.S.-
flag ship operators engaged in U.S. foreign trade. 
Participating operators are required to keep the vessels in 
active commercial service and provide intermodal sealift 
support to DoD in times of war or national emergency.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $300,000,000 
for the MSP. This amount is equal to the budget request and 
equal to the fiscal year 2019 enacted level. The Committee 
recommendation does not rescind unobligated balances as 
proposed in the budget request.

                        OPERATIONS AND TRAINING

Appropriations, 2019....................................    $149,442,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................     135,217,000
Committee recommendation................................     142,619,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The Operations and Training appropriation primarily funds 
the salaries and expenses for MARAD headquarters and regional 
staff in the administration and direction for all MARAD 
programs. The account includes funding for the U.S. Merchant 
Marine Academy, port and intermodal development, cargo 
preference, international trade relations, deep-water port 
licensing, maritime environmental and technical assistance, the 
short sea transportation program, and administrative support 
costs.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $142,619,000 for Operations and 
Training. The following table provides funding levels for 
activities within this account:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                             2020
                                      2020 Request      Recommendation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
USMMA Operations..................       $77,944,000         $73,351,000
USMMA Capital Improvement and              4,000,000           8,000,000
 Facilities Maintenance and
 Repair, Equipment................
MARAD Headquarters................        53,273,000          51,268,000
Marine Enviro. & Tech. Assistance.  ................           3,000,000
Short Sea Transportation Program    ................           7,000,000
 (Marine Highways)................
                                   -------------------------------------
      Total.......................       135,217,000         142,619,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment [SASH] at USMMA.--
While the most recent preliminary survey results of SASH for 
the 2017-2018 academic year indicate a reduction in unwanted 
sexual contact at the USMMA, significant work remains to be 
done in order to create a culture intolerant of sexual 
harassment, sexual assault, and victim blaming, as well as to 
improve midshipmen's confidence in senior leadership. The 
survey found that the unwanted sexual contact prevalence rate 
dropped from 18.4 percent in 2016 to 10.8 percent for females. 
The rate for males increased from 0.8 percent in 2016 to 1.4 
percent.
    The location and timing of incidents is relatively 
consistent, with roughly 70 percent of incidents taking place 
on academy grounds and over 50 percent occurring after duty 
hours, either on a weekend or holiday. Since most incidents 
occur on academy grounds, where local law enforcement do not 
have jurisdiction to bring charges, Congress authorized the 
Secretary in section 3506 of Public Law 115-232 to relinquish 
jurisdiction over parts of the USMMA grounds to New York State. 
This will allow local law enforcement to prosecute SASH crimes 
that occur on campus. The Committee directs the Secretary to 
file such notice of relinquishment within 60 days of enactment 
of this act.
    The rate of incidents occurring during sea-year training 
dropped from 35 percent in 2016 to 21 percent indicating that 
the revised Sea Year Shipboard Compliance regime has made 
progress towards improving midshipmen conditions during this 
critical training period. The Committee is pleased that the 
Academy now has a 24/7 global hotline and has equipped 
midshipmen with GPS communications devices for their time at 
sea. Similar to previous years, the Committee directs the 
Secretary to provide the annual report required by section 3507 
of Public Law 110-417 to the House and Senate Committees on 
Appropriations no later than January 12, 2020. The Committee 
further directs USMMA to fully implement all recommendations 
from past studies, reports, and action plans using a risk-based 
prioritized approach, and directs MARAD to fully staff the 
Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office and to meet all 
staffing and training needs.
    The Committee is also deeply disturbed by the OIG's report 
of sexual assault by members of the men's soccer team, which 
occurred on a bus, and, according to some witnesses, occurred 
repeatedly and in the presence of Academy coaches. While such 
cases of systemic abuse are rare, they have occurred at USMMA, 
and therefore the Committee directs MARAD to provide 
specialized SASH training for USMMA's athletics faculty, staff, 
and midshipmen.
    United States Merchant Marine Academy Capital Improvements 
Plan [CIP].--The Committee directs the Administrator to provide 
an annual report by March 31, 2020, on the current status of 
the CIP. The delivery of this report in a timely manner is 
essential to the Committee's oversight and funding 
determinations for the future fiscal years. The report should 
include: a list of all projects that have received funding and 
all proposed projects that the Academy intends to initiate 
within the next 5 years; cost overruns and cost savings for 
each active project; specific target dates for project 
completion; delays and the cause of delays; schedule changes; 
up-to-date cost projections for each project; and any other 
deviations from the previous year's CIP. The Committee 
encourages the Academy to consider its ability to sequence and 
manage contracts as it establishes its capital priorities.
    Master Installation Plan.--The Committee is aware of 
MARAD's efforts to develop a new master installation plan for 
the USMMA to assess, prioritize, and sequence the remaining 
facility and renovation needs of the campus. A revised master 
plan will provide the USMMA the opportunity to re-evaluate the 
modernization of its core infrastructure, simulation systems, 
training facilities, classrooms (including equipage), and 
information technology needs. The plan should examine the 
Academy's administration of CIP and facilities, maintenance, 
repair, and equipment [FMRE], including quality control, 
personnel limitations, contracting mechanisms, and financial 
management processes, and make recommendations to improve 
internal capacity and project management and execution. MARAD 
should engage with all relevant stakeholders in developing the 
master installation plan. This plan should in no way impede 
progress on current and planned CIP and FMRE projects. Congress 
has provided over $274,000,000 to improve the safety, security, 
and quality of academic life on campus since 2001 and expects 
such resources to be obligated for such purposes in a timely 
manner. The Committee directs MARAD to provide the plan to the 
House and Senate Committees on Appropriations upon completion.
    Environment and Compliance.--The Committee directs MARAD to 
notify the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations not 
less than 3 business days before any grant, contract, or 
cooperative agreement is announced by the Department or MARAD 
for the maritime environment and technology assistance program 
as authorized by 46 U.S.C. 50307.
    Centers of Excellence for Domestic Maritime Workforce 
Training and Education.--The Committee is aware of the shortage 
of qualified U.S. maritime workers, who are required to have 
specialized technical skills, training, and licensing. While 
the USMMA and the six State Maritime Academies [SMAs] provide 
the core of the merchant mariner workforce, community and 
technical colleges across the country also provide critical 
training for the maritime workforce. The fiscal year 2018 
National Defense Authorization Act authorizes Federal 
designation of community and technical college centers of 
excellence [COEs] to help provide technical education and 
training programs that will secure the talent pipeline for the 
Nation's maritime workforce. MARAD may use up to $2,000,000 of 
the funds provided for MARAD operations to assist these 
community and technical colleges COEs in expanding their 
capacity to provide maritime and marine technology workforce 
training.

                   STATE MARITIME ACADEMY OPERATIONS

Appropriations, 2019....................................    $345,200,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................     242,280,000
Committee recommendation................................     342,280,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The Committee provides funding for the six State Maritime 
Academies [SMAs] to support the training and education of the 
Nation's marine transportation work force. Funding provided 
supports financial assistance for the SMAs as well as upkeep, 
maintenance and operation of the school's training ships.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $342,280,000 
for State Maritime Academy Operations. The following table 
provides funding levels for activities within this account.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                             2020
                                      2020 Request      Recommendation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Schoolship Maintenance and Repair,       $30,080,000         $30,080,000
 Training Vessel Sharing..........
NSMV Schoolship Construction......       205,000,000         300,000,000
Student Incentive Program.........         2,400,000           2,400,000
Fuel Assistance Payments..........         1,800,000           3,800,000
Direct Payments for SMAs..........         3,000,000           6,000,000
                                   -------------------------------------
      Total.......................       242,280,000         342,280,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    National Security Multi-Mission Vessel [NSMV].--The 
Committee is disappointed in the Administration's proposal to 
build ``a new smaller capacity training ship scaled to meet the 
at sea training needs of the smaller SMAs''. The budget request 
is antithetical to years of planning and design work for the 
NSMV program and fails to take into consideration the number of 
students requiring at-sea training and the number of cruises 
that each SMA can take per year. The Committee recommendation 
prohibits the Department from spending any funds on planning, 
design, or construction work for a smaller capacity training 
ship. Instead, the Committee recommendation includes 
$300,000,000 for a third new special purpose NSMV to replace 
school ships currently in service. The Committee directs MARAD 
to replace current SMA training vessels with a new NSMV based 
on the planned end-of-service-life of existing training 
vessels, with preference based on meeting training capacity 
needs, as delineated in the conference report to the 
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019. The Committee expects 
the Secretary to prioritize oversight of the construction 
vessel managers [VCM], and prevent any cost escalation or 
delays in delivery. The Committee also expects the Department 
and the VCM to achieve cost savings through the use of a single 
shipyard for all NSMVs. MARAD should provide quarterly updates 
to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations on the 
construction of the NSMVs.
    Ship-Sharing.--According to MARAD, the first NSMV will be 
constructed and delivered in time for the May, 2023 summer 
training cruise. Until delivery of the NSMVs, the SMAs will 
continue to rely on the existing training vessels, of which one 
has an end-of-service life of December 2019, another has a 
propulsion engine that is no longer supported by the 
manufacturer, and another has limited capacity far below the 
training demands. As a result, SMAs will continue to rely on 
one another to provide space on available ships, which leads to 
significant costs for critical training. The Committee 
recommendation includes $8,080,000 to support the cost of 
sharing training ships and the Committee directs MARAD to work 
with the SMAs to determine how to best allocate resources to 
ensure that all training needs are met. In addition, the 
Committee directs MARAD to submit a 5-year training ship 
recapitalization plan, including necessary maintenance and 
repair, in conjunction with an assessment of training needs for 
the SMAs and expected ship sharing costs. The Committee directs 
the plan to be submitted to the House and Senate Committees on 
Appropriations within 30 days of enactment of this act.
    Protection and Indemnity [P&I] Marine Insurance.--The 
Committee is aware of the need for the current training vessels 
to seek P&I marine insurance since these vessels operate as 
dormitories, classrooms, and training laboratories. The 
Committee supports MARAD's desire to obtain such insurance on 
behalf of the SMAs, but is concerned that the agency has moved 
forward with paying for such insurance from the direct payments 
provided to the SMAs, which are intended for campus operations. 
Therefore, the bill includes language allowing MARAD to provide 
P&I insurance through the schoolship maintenance and repair 
line item and the Committee prohibits MARAD from reducing 
direct payments provided to the SMAs without consulting the 
House and Senate Committees on Appropriations.

                     ASSISTANCE TO SMALL SHIPYARDS

Appropriations, 2019....................................     $20,000,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................................
Committee recommendation................................      20,000,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    As authorized under section 54101 of title 46, the 
Assistance to Small Shipyards program provides assistance in 
the form of grants, loans, and loan guarantees to small 
shipyards for capital improvements and training programs.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommendation includes $20,000,000 for 
assistance to small shipyards. This level of funding is equal 
to the fiscal year 2019 enacted level, and $20,000,000 above 
the President's request. Funding for this program is intended 
to help small shipyards improve the efficiency of their 
operations by providing funding for equipment and other 
facility upgrades. The funding recommended by the Committee 
will help improve the competitiveness of our Nation's small 
shipyards, as well as workforce training and apprenticeships in 
communities dependent upon maritime transportation.

                             SHIP DISPOSAL

Appropriations, 2019....................................      $5,000,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................       5,000,000
Committee recommendation................................       5,000,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The Ship Disposal account provides resources to dispose of 
obsolete merchant-type vessels of 150,000 gross tons or more in 
the National Defense Reserve Fleet. MARAD contracts with 
domestic shipbreaking companies to dismantle these vessels in 
accordance with guidelines established by the Environmental 
Protection Agency.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $5,000,000 for 
MARAD's Ship Disposal program. This level of funding is equal 
to the fiscal year 2019 enacted level and the budget request.

              MARITIME GUARANTEED LOAN PROGRAM [TITLE XI]

                     (INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

Appropriations, 2019....................................      $3,000,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................................
Committee recommendation................................       3,000,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The Maritime Guaranteed Loan program was established 
pursuant to title XI of the Merchant Marine Act of 1936, as 
amended. The program provides for a full faith and credit 
guarantee by the U.S. Government of debt obligations issued by: 
(1) U.S. or foreign ship-owners for the purposes of financing 
or refinancing either U.S.-flag vessels or eligible export 
vessels constructed, reconstructed, or reconditioned in U.S. 
shipyards; and (2) U.S. shipyards, for the purpose of financing 
advanced shipbuilding technology of privately owned general 
shipyard facilities located in the United States. Under the 
Federal Credit Reform Act of 1990, appropriations to cover the 
estimated costs of a project must be obtained prior to the 
issuance of any approvals for title XI financing.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee provides an appropriation of $3,000,000 for 
administrative expenses of the maritime guaranteed loan title 
XI program. This level of funding is $3,000,000 above the 
President's budget request and equal to the fiscal year 2019 
enacted level. The Committee rejects the budget request to move 
Title XI to the Office of the Secretary.

                PORT INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

Appropriations, 2019....................................    $292,730,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................................
Committee recommendation................................      91,600,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The Port Infrastructure Development program is authorized 
in section 50302 of title 46, United States Code to provide 
grants for the improvement of port facilities.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommendation includes $91,600,000 for the 
port infrastructure development program, which is $201,130,000 
below the enacted level and $91,600,000 above the budget 
request.

           ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS--MARITIME ADMINISTRATION

    Section 170 authorizes MARAD to furnish utilities and to 
service and make repairs to any lease, contract, or occupancy 
involving Government property under the control of MARAD. 
Rental payments received pursuant to this provision shall be 
credited to the Treasury as miscellaneous receipts.

         Pipeline And Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

    The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration 
[PHMSA] was established within the Department of Transportation 
on November 30, 2004, pursuant to the Norman Y. Mineta Research 
and Special Programs Improvement Act (Public Law 108-426). 
PHMSA is responsible for the Department's pipeline safety 
program as well as oversight of hazardous materials 
transportation safety operations. The agency is dedicated to 
safety, including the elimination of transportation-related 
deaths and injuries associated with hazardous materials and 
pipeline transportation, and to promoting transportation 
solutions, which enhance communities and protect the 
environment.

                          OPERATIONAL EXPENSES

Appropriations, 2019....................................     $23,710,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................      24,215,000
Committee recommendation................................      24,215,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    This account provides funding for program support costs for 
PHMSA, including policy development, civil rights, management, 
administration, and other agency-wide expenses.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $24,215,000 for this account, of 
which $1,500,000 shall be for Pipeline Safety Information 
Grants to Communities. The Committee's recommendation is equal 
to the budget request and $505,000 more than the fiscal year 
2019 enacted level.
    Tank Car Phaseout.--The FAST Act provides a schedule for 
the phaseout of certain rail tank cars used to transport Class 
3 flammable materials, and, in August 2016, PHMSA published a 
final rule to codify these requirements. The FAST Act also 
requires the Secretary to report on industry-wide progress with 
modifying rail tank cars in order to comply with those 
applicable deadlines. The Secretary is directed to continue to 
comply with this reporting requirement. Further in September 
2018, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics reported that 20 
percent of all tank cars transporting Class 3 flammable liquids 
in 2016 met the new requirements. The Committee encourages the 
Department to continue to work with industry stakeholders to 
ensure progress and to promote acceleration of the tank car 
phaseout process.
    Unlocatable Pipe Research.--The Committee is encouraged by 
PHMSA's ongoing efforts to address safety and damage prevention 
issues surrounding unlocatable plastic pipe and the resultant 
excavation hazards. In order to ensure the continued safe 
transportation of natural gas and the reduction of pipeline 
damage incidents, the Committee encourages the agency to 
continue to research and analyze the deployment of related 
technologies in this area.
    Real-Time Emergency Response Information.--In January 2017, 
PHMSA published an advance notice of proposed rulemaking to 
require Class 1 railroads, which transport hazardous materials, 
to generate accurate, real-time train information in an 
electronic format that could be shared with emergency 
responders and law enforcement personnel. Through the advance 
notice of proposed rulemaking process, stakeholders across the 
safety, security, and railroad sectors identified industry- and 
geographic-specific barriers to the statutory requirements for 
real-time emergency response. The Committee recognizes that in 
order for PHMSA to adequately address these concerns, some 
statutory changes may need to be considered. As a result, the 
Committee directs the agency to work with the respective 
authorizing committees of jurisdiction to address any statutory 
barriers, if warranted, that prevent PHMSA from moving forward 
with a final rule.

                       HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SAFETY

Appropriations, 2019....................................     $58,000,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................      53,000,000
Committee recommendation................................      60,000,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    PHMSA oversees the safety of more than 1 million hazardous 
materials shipments daily within the United States, using risk 
management principles and security threat assessments in order 
to fully review and reduce the risks inherent in hazardous 
materials transportation.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $60,000,000 
for hazardous materials safety, of which $7,600,000 shall 
remain available until September 30, 2022. The Committee 
recommendation includes $1,000,000 for the Community Safety 
Grant Program. The amount provided is $7,000,000 more than the 
administration's budget request and $2,000,000 more than the 
fiscal year 2019 enacted level.

                            PIPELINE SAFETY

                         (PIPELINE SAFETY FUND)

                    (OIL SPILL LIABILITY TRUST FUND)

Appropriations, 2019....................................    $165,000,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................     149,000,000
Committee recommendation................................     165,000,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The Office of Pipeline Safety [OPS] promotes the safe, 
reliable, and sound transportation of natural gas and hazardous 
liquids through the Nation's more than 2.6 million miles of 
privately-owned and operated pipeline.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The OPS has the important responsibility of ensuring the 
safety and integrity of the pipelines, which run through every 
community in our Nation. Efforts by Congress and the OPS to 
invest in promising safety technologies, increase civil 
penalties, and educate communities about the potential risks of 
pipelines have resulted in a reduction in serious pipeline 
incidents. It is essential that PHMSA continue to make strides 
in protecting communities from pipeline failures and incidents. 
To that end, the Committee recommends an appropriation of 
$165,000,000 for the OPS. The amount is equal to the fiscal 
year 2019 enacted level and $16,000,000 more than the budget 
request. Of the funding provided, $23,000,000 shall be derived 
from the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund, $134,000,000 shall be 
derived from the Pipeline Safety Fund, and $8,000,000 shall be 
derived from the Underground Natural Gas Storage Facility 
Safety Account. Some of the funds recommended for research and 
development, shall be used for the Pipeline Safety Research 
Competitive Academic Agreement Program to focus on near-term 
solutions in order to improve the safety and reliability of the 
Nation's pipeline transportation system.
    Interstate Pipeline Safety.--The Committee is concerned 
about national reports of emergencies and incidences along 
interstate pipelines that have resulted in prolonged natural 
gas outages that have impacted businesses and created 
unanticipated cost-burdens on States. As the Federal regulator 
for the safety and integrity of interstate pipelines, PHMSA is 
responsible for working with natural gas transmission and 
distribution companies, and State regulators across State 
boundaries to investigate the source of outages and to identify 
compliance issues related to the Federal pipeline safety 
regulations after an emergency or incident. PHMSA may also 
authorize a State entity to regulate and conduct investigations 
into pipeline emergencies or incidences within its 
jurisdiction. However, State regulators operating under such 
delegated authority are not entitled to pertinent information 
from another regulator or company outside its boundaries, 
including information related to supply and demand, which are 
regulated by the Department of Energy's Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission [FERC]. This is particularly complex for 
interstate pipeline outages or emergencies that require 
separate investigations, by State regulators, FERC or PHMSA, 
and where transmission and distribution companies cross State 
boundaries. The Committee is concerned that without adequate 
information sharing between regulators, key findings, including 
precipitating events, contributing factors, underlying 
conditions, and an analysis of the pipeline system's overall 
response to an emergency or incident cannot be validated by an 
independent entity before the respective investigations are 
complete and made public. In order to improve the safety of 
interstate pipelines and coordination between State regulators, 
regulated companies, FERC and PHMSA, the Committee encourages 
PHMSA to work with State regulators, other Federal agencies, 
and industry stakeholders to identify administrative and 
statutory barriers that can impede investigations into 
emergency incidents and supply disruptions and develop a 
solution that improves information sharing between regulators 
and regulated companies during interstate pipeline 
investigations in order to enhance emergency responses and the 
regulation of interstate pipeline systems.

                     EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS GRANTS

                     (EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS FUND)

Appropriations, 2019....................................     $28,318,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................      28,318,000
Committee recommendation................................      28,318,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The Hazardous Materials Transportation Uniform Safety Act 
of 1990 (Public Law 101-615) 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 
periodically update a mandatory training curriculum for 
emergency responders.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $28,318,000 for emergency 
preparedness grants. The recommendation continues to provide 
PHMSA the authority to use prior year carryover and recaptures 
for the development of Web-based, off-the-shelf training 
materials that can be used by emergency responders across the 
country. The Committee encourages PHMSA to continue to enhance 
its training curriculum for local emergency responders, 
including response activities for crude oil, ethanol, and other 
flammable liquids transported by rail. The Committee also 
encourages PHMSA to train public sector emergency response 
personnel in communities on or near rail lines, which transport 
a significant volume of high-risk energy commodities or toxic 
inhalation hazards. The Committee continues a provision 
increasing the funding available for administrative costs from 
2 percent to 4 percent in order to address the OIG's 
recommendations.

                      Office of Inspector General

                         SALARIES AND EXPENSES

Appropriations, 2019....................................     $92,600,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................      92,152,000
Committee recommendation................................      92,600,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The Inspector General Act of 1978 (Public Law 95-452) 
established the Office of Inspector General [OIG] as an 
independent, objective organization with a mission to: conduct 
and supervise audits and investigations relating to the 
programs and operations of the Department; provide leadership 
and recommend policies designed to promote economy, efficiency, 
and effectiveness in the administration of programs and 
operations; prevent and detect fraud, waste, and abuse; and 
keep the Secretary and the Congress informed regarding problems 
and deficiencies.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommendation provides $92,600,000 for the 
activities of the OIG, which is $448,000 more than the 
President's budget request and equal to the fiscal year 2019 
enacted level.
    Audit Reports.--The OIG is directed to continue to provide 
copies of all audit reports to the House and Senate Committees 
on Appropriations as soon as they are issued and to continue to 
make the Committees aware immediately of any review that 
recommends cancellation of, or modifications to, any major 
acquisition project or grant, or 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 
which was requested by the House or Senate Committees on 
Appropriations.

            General Provisions--Department of Transportation

    Section 180 allows funds for maintenance and operation of 
aircraft; motor vehicles; liability insurance; uniforms; or 
allowances, as authorized by law.
    Section 181 limits appropriations for services authorized 
by 5 U.S.C. 3109 not to exceed the rate for an executive level 
IV.
    Section 182 prohibits recipients of funds from 
disseminating personal information obtained by State 
Departments of Motor Vehicles in connection to motor vehicle 
records, with an exception.
    Section 183 prohibits funds in this act for salaries and 
expenses of more than 125 political and Presidential appointees 
in the Department of Transportation.
    Section 184 allows funds received by the Federal Highway 
Administration, Federal Transit Administration, and the Federal 
Railroad Administration from States, counties, municipalities, 
other public authorities, and private sources for expenses 
incurred for training may be credited to each agency's 
respective accounts.
    Section 185 prohibits the use of funds in this act to make 
a grant or announce the intention to make a grant unless the 
Secretary of Transportation notifies the House and Senate 
Committees on Appropriations at least 3 full business days 
before making the grant or the announcement.
    Section 186 allows rebates, refunds, incentive payments, 
minor fees, and other funds received by the Department of 
Transportation from travel management center, charge card 
programs, subleasing of building space, and miscellaneous 
sources, to be credited to appropriations of the Department of 
Transportation.
    Section 187 requires amounts from improper payments to a 
third-party contractor that are lawfully recovered by the 
Department of Transportation to be available to cover expenses 
incurred in recovery of such payments.
    Section 188 establishes requirements for reprogramming 
actions by the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations.
    Section 189 prohibits funds appropriated in this act to the 
modal administrations from being obligated for the Office of 
the Secretary for costs related to assessments or reimbursable 
agreements unless the obligations are for services that provide 
a direct benefit to the applicable modal administration.
    Section 190 authorizes the Secretary to carry out a program 
that establishes uniform standards for developing and 
supporting agency transit pass and transit benefits authorized 
under section 7905 of title 5, United States Code.
    Section 191 prohibits the use of funds for any geographic, 
economic, or other hiring preference pilot program, regulation, 
or policy unless certain requirements are met related to 
availability of local labor, displacement of existing 
employees, and delays in transportation plans.

                                TITLE II

              DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

                     Management and Administration

    The Department of Housing and Urban Development [HUD] was 
established by the Housing and Urban Development Act (Public 
Law 89-174), effective November 9, 1965. This Department is the 
principal Federal agency responsible for programs concerned 
with the Nation's housing needs, fair housing opportunities, 
and improving and developing communities.
    Rural Areas.--The Committee urges the Secretary to enhance 
its efforts to provide decent, affordable housing and to 
promote economic development for rural Americans. When 
designing programs and making funding decisions, the Secretary 
shall take into consideration the unique conditions, 
challenges, and scale of rural areas.
    Appropriations Attorneys.--During consideration of the 
fiscal year 2003 appropriations legislation, it became apparent 
to the Committee that both the Committee and the Department 
would be best served if the attorneys responsible for 
appropriations matters were housed in the Office of the Chief 
Financial Officer [OCFO]. Since that time, the Committee has 
routinely received prompt, accurate, and reliable information 
from the OCFO on various appropriations law matters. For fiscal 
year 2020, the Committee continues to fund appropriations 
attorneys in the OCFO and directs HUD to refer all 
appropriations law issues to such attorneys within the OCFO.
    Reprogramming and Congressional Notification.--The 
Committee reiterates that the Department must secure the 
approval of the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations 
for the reprogramming of funds between programs, projects, and 
activities within each account. Unless otherwise identified in 
the bill or report, the most detailed allocation of funds 
presented in the budget justifications is approved, with any 
deviation from such approved allocation subject to the normal 
reprogramming requirements. Except as specifically provided 
otherwise, it is the intent of the Committee that all carryover 
funds in the various accounts, including recaptures and de-
obligations, are subject to the normal reprogramming 
requirements outlined under section 405. No change may be made 
to any program, project, or activity if it is construed to be 
new policy or a change in policy, without prior approval of the 
House and Senate Committees on Appropriations. The Committee 
notes its concern about the lack of awareness of section 405 
among program offices, and directs the Office of the Chief 
Financial Officer to develop and issue guidance to program 
offices on their obligations under this authority. The 
Committee also directs HUD to include a separate delineation of 
any reprogramming of funds requiring approval in the operating 
plan required by section 405 of this act. Finally, the 
Committee shall be notified regarding reorganizations of 
offices, programs or activities prior to the implementation of 
such reorganizations. The Department is directed to submit, in 
consultation with the House and Senate Committees on 
Appropriations, current and accurate organizational charts for 
each office within the Department as part of the fiscal year 
2021 congressional justifications. The Committee further 
directs the Department to submit any staff realignments or 
restructuring to the House and Senate Committees on 
Appropriations 30 days prior to their implementation.
    Assisting Victims and Survivors of Domestic Violence.--The 
Committee remains concerned that HUD-assisted residents fleeing 
domestic violence that are seeking emergency transfers from one 
HUD-assisted unit or property to another HUD-assisted unit or 
property still lack clarity on how to effectively transfer to 
permanent housing. In fiscal year 2019, the Committee directed 
HUD to report on its efforts to improve the emergency transfer 
process and describe how communities can design effective 
emergency transfer models. The Committee believes this work 
will help assist vulnerable residents in securing safe and 
stable housing and looks forward to the Department's completion 
of this work.
    Human Capital.--According to HUD's Office of Inspector 
General, many, if not all, of the Department's top management 
challenges are affected by its reduced staffing levels. From 
its peak staffing levels in 1991, HUD's workforce has fallen 
more than 49 percent. During the 10-year period from 2008 to 
2017, HUD lost 18.5 percent of its full-time staff. This human 
capital loss is the greatest of any cabinet-level department 
during this time. The low staffing levels will be further 
impacted by retirements. Nearly a quarter of HUD's staff are 
currently eligible to retire, and over the next 5 years, 45 
percent of HUD's staff will be eligible to retire. In response 
to this challenge, the Committee is making personnel 
investments in several key program areas to ensure that HUD has 
the staff to carry out its mission to meet the housing needs of 
the Nation, as well as to facilitate community and economic 
development. The Committee also encourages the Department to 
continue its efforts to evaluate and assess where staffing 
levels have an adverse impact on program operations and directs 
the Department to brief the House and Senate Committees on 
Appropriations on a quarterly basis on HUD's progress to 
restore staffing levels and address its administration and 
human capital challenges.

                           EXECUTIVE OFFICES

Appropriations, 2019....................................     $14,900,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................      16,000,000
Committee recommendation................................      14,217,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The Executive Offices account provides the salaries and 
expenses funding to support the Department's senior leadership 
and other key functions, including the immediate offices of the 
Secretary, Deputy Secretary, Congressional and 
Intergovernmental Relations, Public Affairs, Adjudicatory 
Services, the Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, 
and the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $14,217,000 
for this account, which is $683,000 less than the fiscal year 
2019 enacted level and $1,783,000 less than the budget request. 
The Secretary is directed to submit a spend plan to the House 
and Senate Committees on Appropriations that outlines how 
budgetary resources will be distributed among the seven offices 
funded under this heading.

                     ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT OFFICES

Appropriations, 2019....................................    $541,500,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................     556,500,000
Committee recommendation................................     563,378,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The Administrative Support Offices account is the backbone 
of HUD's operations, and consists of several offices that aim 
to work seamlessly to provide the leadership and support 
services to ensure the Department performs its core mission and 
is compliant with all legal, operational, and financial 
guidelines. This account funds the salaries and expenses of the 
Office of the 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 the Chief 
Human Capital Officer, the Office of Administration, and the 
Office of the Chief Information Officer.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $563,378,000 
for this account, which is $21,878,000 more than the fiscal 
year 2019 enacted level and $6,878,000 more than the budget 
request.
    Funds are made available as follows:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            Amount
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Office of the Chief Financial Officer...............         $73,562,000
Office of the General Counsel.......................         103,916,000
Office of Administration............................         206,849,000
Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer...........          39,827,000
Office of Field Policy and Management...............          57,861,000
Office of the Chief Procurement Officer.............          19,445,000
Office of Departmental Equal Employment Opportunity.           4,242,000
Office of the Chief Information Officer.............          57,676,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Hiring and Separation Report.--The Committee directs HUD's 
Office of the Chief Financial Officer [OCFO] and the Office of 
the Human Capital Officer to submit quarterly reports to the 
House and Senate Committees on Appropriations on hiring and 
separations by program office. This report shall include 
position titles, location, associated full-time equivalent, and 
include the Office of the Inspector General and the Government 
National Mortgage Association.
    Expired Balances Report.--The Committee directs HUD's OCFO 
to submit a report to the House and Senate Committees on 
Appropriations within 30 days of enactment of this act on 
expired balances. The report shall cover fiscal years 2015-
2019, and for each fiscal year, identify by account and line 
item the amount of funding that expired in that fiscal year. 
Amounts shall include carryover and recaptures in addition to 
any expiring amounts appropriated for each fiscal year.
    Office of the Chief Financial Officer.--The Committee 
recommendation includes $73,562,000 for the OCFO. Of the amount 
provided, $19,000,000 is for the financial transformation 
initiative to strengthen HUD's fiscal capabilities and 
controls. The Committee also includes language directing HUD to 
submit an expenditure plan for approval prior to obligating 
more than 10 percent of the funds provided for this initiative 
and expects that HUD will engage in frequent and transparent 
communication with the House and Senate Committees on 
Appropriations regarding this initiative. Additionally, the 
Committee is aware that OCFO is in the initial phase of 
planning a reorganization of the Office's structure. While the 
Committee has agreed to permit OCFO to absorb aspects of the 
Office of Business Transformation, it does not at this time 
provide any approval for a broader, and systemic, reshaping of 
the organization as a whole.
    Appropriations Liaison Division [ALD].--The ALD is intended 
to coordinate and streamline communications between HUD and the 
Committees on Appropriations. While the Committee is not 
approving this reorganization, it recognizes that effective 
communication within the Department is required to meet this 
goal. The Committee is concerned that ineffective communication 
within the Department has resulted in significant delays in 
information sharing between the Committees and HUD. Therefore, 
HUD is directed to develop an internal communication plan to 
address these challenges to ensure the House and Senate 
Committees on Appropriations receive, in a timely and 
expeditious manner, the information and technical drafting 
necessary to carry out oversight and appropriations 
responsibilities. The Department is reminded that it does not 
have Congressional approval to restructure or alter ALD or any 
division within OCFO without prior approval from the House and 
Senate Committees on Appropriations.
    Office of Administration.--The Committee recommendation 
does not include the proposed consolidation of the Office of 
Administration, the Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer, 
and the Office of Procurement into a single funding line. The 
Committee notes that prior to fiscal year 2014, the funding for 
the Office of Administration and the Office of the Chief Human 
Capital Officer was provided through a single appropriation and 
was separated into two separate accounts at the request of the 
Department. While the Committee has not included the request to 
consolidate the funding for these offices into a single 
appropriation, the Committee is supportive of the broader work 
the Office of Administration is undertaking to streamline 
operations across these offices and believes these efforts will 
improve the efficiency and effectiveness of these offices and 
the Department overall. The Committee encourages the Office of 
Administration to continue these efforts.
    Office of Disaster and Emergency Management.--As part of 
the National Disaster Recovery Framework, HUD fulfills the 
Housing Recovery Support Function, which requires the 
Department to coordinate recovery and preparedness activities 
with Federal, State, and local partners and to facilitate the 
delivery of Federal funding to implement sustainable and 
resilient housing solutions for disaster-affected areas. To 
facilitate this work, HUD established an Office of Disaster and 
Emergency Management, which is designed to comprehensively 
address disaster preparedness, response, and recovery 
management, including issues related to housing, economic 
development, infrastructure, community planning, and capacity 
building across HUD programs. However, very little has been 
done to fully operationalize this office. In fiscal year 2019, 
the Committee directed HUD to report to the House and Senate 
Committees on Appropriations on its efforts to operationalize 
this office in order to improve the overall Departmental 
response to emergencies and disasters, including preparedness 
and mitigation from future disasters. This report found that a 
number of staffing and capacity issues remain outstanding and 
need to be addressed before the Office can be fully 
operationalized, including: (1) identifying what office within 
HUD is most effective for centralized coordination; (2) 
addressing leadership and employee skill gaps and staffing 
levels; (3) identifying key functions and aligning key offices 
to perform those functions; and, (4) determining what 
additional resources, if any, are needed. The Committee directs 
the Department to resolve these outstanding issues and to 
submit for approval a resource allocation plan to the House and 
Senate Committees on Appropriations within 30 days from the 
enactment of this act and to fully operationalize this office 
within 120 days after approval of the resource allocation plan. 
To ensure sufficient management and execution of duties, the 
Committee recommendation includes 5 additional full-time 
equivalent positions for the Office of Disaster and Emergency 
Management.
    Office of Field Policy and Management [OFPM].--The 
Committee maintains language directing HUD to continue 
supporting the existing Promise Zone designations for the 
length of their agreements. To realize the full potential of 
these designations, the Committee directs OFPM to work with 
designees to ensure the provision of any OMB-requested data for 
an effective evaluation of the initiative.

                            PROGRAM OFFICES

Appropriations, 2019....................................................
Budget estimate, 2020...................................    $826,900,000
Committee recommendation................................     844,000,000

Note: This is a new account requested as part of the fiscal year 2020 
President's Budget Request. In fiscal year 2019, the funding for the six 
offices that make up this account were appropriated in separate accounts 
and totaled $822,144,000.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The Program Offices [PO] account is a new account in fiscal 
year 2020. It consolidates into a single account the separate 
accounts that fund the salaries and expenses of six program 
offices, including the Offices of: Public and Indian Housing, 
Community Planning and Development, Housing, Policy Development 
and Research, Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, and Lead 
Hazard Control and Healthy Homes.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $844,000,000 
for this account, which is $21,856,000 more than the fiscal 
year 2019 enacted level for these offices and $17,100,000 more 
than the budget request.
    Funds are made available as follows:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            Amount
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Office of Public and Indian Housing.................        $225,000,000
Office of Community Planning and Development........         123,000,000
Office of Housing...................................         387,000,000
Office of Policy Development and Research...........          28,000,000
Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity........          72,000,000
Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes.....           9,000,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Office of Public Housing and Voucher Programs [OPHVP].--The 
Committee is aware that over the last several years, OPHVP has 
taken on additional workload including: a doubling of the 
project-based voucher program, an appropriation of over 100,000 
special purpose vouchers, implementation of the Housing 
Opportunity Through Modernization Act, and other regulatory 
actions. The appropriations provided to programs under the 
oversight of the OPHVP account for over half of the total 
funding provided to HUD. To ensure sufficient oversight and 
management of these programs, the Committee directs HUD to 
prioritize the hiring and backfilling of 20 additional full-
time equivalent positions for the Office of Public Housing and 
Voucher Programs. The Department is directed to inform the 
House and Senate Committees on Appropriations within 15 days of 
enactment of this act regarding how it is implementing the 
Committee's hiring direction.
    Office of Native American Programs [ONAP].--Of the amounts 
provided for the Office of Public and Indian Housing, no less 
than $200,000 is for travel related to the provision of 
training, technical assistance, oversight, and management of 
Indian housing. The Committee directs HUD to prioritize the 
hiring and backfilling of 5 additional full-time equivalent 
positions for the ONAP. The Department is directed to inform 
the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations within 15 
days of enactment of this act regarding how it is implementing 
the Committee's hiring direction.
    Public Housing Agency [PHA] Regulatory Relief.--The 
Committee remains concerned about the growing demand placed on 
small-and medium-sized PHAs, and agencies that only administer 
a section 8 or section 9 program, and continues to urge HUD to 
eliminate excessive paperwork and administrative requirements 
and develop opportunities that achieve new efficiencies in 
management and operations for small- and medium-sized PHAs.
    Oversight and Management of Community Development Block 
Grant Disaster Recovery Funds.--The Committee directs HUD to 
prioritize the hiring and backfilling of 10 additional full-
time equivalent positions to support Community Development 
Block Grant Disaster Recovery grants within the Office of Grant 
Programs. The Department is directed to inform the House and 
Senate Committees on Appropriations within 15 days of enactment 
of this act regarding how it is implementing the Committee's 
hiring direction.
    Real Estate Assessment Center.--The Committee rejects the 
President's proposal to transfer Real Estate Assessment Center 
Financial and Physical Assessment services, including 
personnel, to the Working Capital Fund, and maintains these 
resources within the Offices of Public and Indian Housing, 
Community Planning and Development, and Housing.
    New Housing in High Cost Metropolitan Areas.--The Committee 
is concerned that a combination of income concentration and 
housing supply constraints in high-productivity metropolitan 
areas has created entry limits harmful to geographic and 
economic mobility. Upward price pressure on rents resulting 
from such conditions imposes a greater financial burden on 
Federal taxpayers through rental assistance programs that 
respond to private market rents. The Committee directs the 
Department to report to the House and Senate Committees on 
Appropriations no later than 90 days after the date of 
enactment of this act, identifying metropolitan areas where 
such conditions are most prevalent and recommending best 
practices for localities and States to help encourage the 
production of new housing in high-cost metropolitan areas.
    Consolidated Plans and Manufactured Housing.--The Committee 
recognizes that manufactured housing is a significant source of 
unsubsidized affordable housing in the country and that nearly 
18 million Americans live in manufactured homes. Making 
manufactured housing more available is an important tool to 
increase the overall supply of affordable housing. The 
Committee directs the Department to issue guidelines to 
jurisdictions on how to assess the potential inclusion of 
residential manufactured homes in a community's comprehensive 
housing affordability strategy and community development plans 
required under part 91 of title 24, Code of Federal 
Regulations.

                          WORKING CAPITAL FUND

                     (INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The Working Capital Fund [WCF] promotes economy, 
efficiency, and accountability. Amounts transferred to the Fund 
are for Federal shared services used by offices and agencies of 
the Department, and are derived from centralized Salaries and 
Expenses accounts.

                        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 2020, 
the Department is permitted to only centralize and fund from 
this account: financial management, procurement, travel, 
relocation, human resources, printing, records management, 
space renovation, furniture, and supply services. The Committee 
does not expand the authority, as proposed in the budget 
request, to include Real Estate Assessment Center [REAC] 
physical or financial assessment services, budget formulation, 
or any other activity not expressly permitted in this 
paragraph. 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.
    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 properly vet that plan with the House and Senate Committees 
on Appropriations prior to transferring such funds into the 
WCF. Financial management, procurement, travel, and relocation 
costs for services provided to the Office of the Inspector 
General are covered by the OCFO.
    HUD shall include in its annual operating plan a detailed 
outline of its plans for transferring budgetary resources to 
the WCF in fiscal year 2020.

                       Public and Indian Housing


                     TENANT-BASED RENTAL ASSISTANCE

Appropriations, 2019.................................... $22,598,000,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................  22,243,500,000
Committee recommendation................................  23,833,000,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    This account provides funding for the Section 8 tenant-
based [voucher] program. Section 8 tenant-based housing 
assistance is one of the principle appropriations for Federal 
housing assistance, serving approximately 2.2 million families. 
The program also funds incremental vouchers for tenants who 
live in properties where the owner has decided to leave the 
Section 8 program. The program provides for the replacement of 
units lost from the assisted housing inventory through its 
tenant protection vouchers. Under these programs, eligible low-
income individuals and families pay 30 percent of their 
adjusted income for rent, and the Federal Government is 
responsible for the remainder of the rent, up to the fair 
market rent or some other payment standard. Finally, this 
account provides funding for administrative fees for public 
housing agencies [PHAs], mainstream vouchers, Housing and Urban 
Development Veterans Supportive Housing [HUD-VASH] programs, 
and other incremental vouchers for vulnerable populations.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of 
$23,833,000,000 for fiscal year 2020, including $4,000,000,000 
as an advance appropriation to be made available on October 1, 
2020. This amount is $1,589,500,000 more than the budget 
request and $1,235,000,000 more than the fiscal year 2019 
enacted level.
    Contract Renewals.--The Committee recommends 
$21,502,000,000 for the renewal costs of Section 8 vouchers, 
which is $1,386,459,000 more than the budget request and 
$1,189,000,000 more than the fiscal year 2019 enacted level.
    The Section 8 rental assistance program is a critical tool 
that enables more than 2 million low-income individuals and 
families to access safe, stable, and affordable housing in the 
private market. In recognition of the Section 8 program's 
central role in ensuring housing for vulnerable Americans, the 
Committee recommendation and existing reserves will provide 
sufficient resources to ensure that no current voucher holders 
are put at risk of losing their housing assistance. It also 
supports the first time renewal of incremental vouchers that 
were funded in prior years, including HUD-VASH vouchers. The 
Committee will continue to monitor leasing data to make sure 
residents are protected.
    Tenant Protection Vouchers.--The Committee recommendation 
includes $75,000,000 for tenant protection vouchers. These 
vouchers are provided to public housing residents whose 
buildings have health or safety issues, or whose projects are 
being demolished. However, the largest share of these vouchers 
is provided to tenants living in properties with expiring HUD 
assistance who may face rent increases if their owners opt out 
of HUD programs. In these instances, the vouchers ensure 
continued affordability of tenants' housing.
    Administrative Fees.--The Committee recommends 
$1,977,000,000 for administrative fees. The Committee notes 
that these funds are critical to the execution and success of 
the voucher program. These funds are used for a diverse range 
of activities and critical functions such as: property 
inspections; case management, including tenant screening, 
income recertification, and emergency transfers; landlord 
outreach; issuing new vouchers upon program turnover; and 
assisting tenants in locating housing.
    The Committee is concerned that where there is a 
significant fluctuation in local rental market conditions, 
HUD's published fair market rents do not reflect the increased 
need in rental subsidy and the associated operating costs. As a 
result, some PHAs are conducting independent market surveys to 
more accurately reflect local market conditions for HUD's 
review and consideration. However, some rental market surveys 
can be costly and an unviable option for PHAs that lack the 
expertise and capacity. This is particularly true for smaller 
PHAs in markets where the local fair market rents are outpacing 
HUD's annual determination of FMRs.
    Section 811 Mainstream Vouchers.--The Committee 
recommendation includes $218,000,000 to continue the rental 
assistance and administrative costs of this program.
    Tribal-VASH.--The Committee recommendation includes 
$1,000,000 for the renewal of rental assistance and associated 
administrative costs for the Tribal HUD-VASH demonstration. Due 
to the long-standing underutilization of this demonstration, 
the Committee believes that the unused prior year funding, in 
combination with this additional funding, will be sufficient to 
fully renew existing grants. The Committee will continue to 
assess funding needs for this demonstration as it completes its 
work on final fiscal year 2020 appropriations. The Committee 
encourages HUD to use its existing reallocation authority where 
necessary to ensure these funds can be utilized to the greatest 
extent possible.
    HUD-VASH.--The Committee again rejects the budget proposal 
to prematurely end funding for new VASH vouchers and includes 
$40,000,000 for this purpose. These vouchers have been critical 
to reducing veterans' homelessness by 49 percent since 2010. It 
is vital that all funds directed to this program are accounted 
for and used efficiently. As such, the Committee directs HUD to 
make public the need for additional HUD-VASH funding and 
reasons for unused funds, which should also include an 
evaluation of the effectiveness of the program and distribution 
of resources. The Committee continues to encourage the 
Department to use existing authority to recapture HUD-VASH 
voucher assistance from PHAs that voluntarily declare that they 
no longer have a need for that assistance, and reallocate it to 
PHAs with an identified need. The Committee directs HUD to 
expedite this process, ensuring that communities that have 
successfully ended veterans' homelessness enable other 
communities to assist this population. The Committee encourages 
the Department to prioritize, as part of this reallocation, 
PHAs that project-base a portion of their HUD-VASH vouchers.
    Family Unification Program [FUP].--The Committee includes 
$20,000,000 for new FUP vouchers for youth exiting foster care 
and at risk of homelessness. To ensure that vouchers are 
available where youth need assistance, the Committee enables 
HUD to provide a portion of the vouchers outside of a 
competitive NOFA process to PHAs that have partnered with 
public child welfare agencies [PWCAs] and have identified 
eligible youth. The housing assistance, as authorized under 
Section 8(x) of the 1937 Housing Act, combined with access to 
supportive services through partnerships with the local PCWA 
will enable youth to remain stably housed and achieve self-
sufficiency. The Committee also continues language permitting 
the Secretary to recapture voucher assistance from PHAs that no 
longer have a need for that assistance, and reallocate to it to 
PHAs with an identified need.
    Tenant Protections for Victims of Domestic Violence.--The 
Committee is aware that PIH Notice 2017-08 required public 
housing agencies to adopt Emergency Transfer Plans by June 14, 
2017, in accordance with HUD's Final Rule for the Violence 
Against Women Act 2013. These Emergency Transfer Plans define 
who is eligible for an emergency transfer, identify 
documentation requirements, outline confidentiality 
protections, and describe how an emergency transfer may be 
facilitated. As the covered housing provider for emergency 
transfers within a community, PHAs serve as the primary contact 
for HUD-assisted individuals or families seeking an emergency 
transfer, including those receiving assistance in privately-
owned HUD-assisted properties. The Committee understands that 
in some communities, tenants that are victims of domestic 
violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking request 
emergency transfers under VAWA, but are unable to internally 
transfer to a safe unit immediately, given a limited 
availability of housing stock within a PHA's jurisdiction or a 
victim's consideration of safe housing. Where some communities 
may have access to rapid rehousing assistance, others are 
unable to assist VAWA victims with transfers or relocations to 
safe housing in a reasonable time period. To further assist 
these communities, section 41411 of the Violence Against Women 
Act of 2013 (Public Law 113-4) directed the Secretary to 
establish policies and procedures for which a VAWA victim 
seeking an emergency transfer may receive a tenant protection 
voucher [TPV]. The Committee is concerned that the Department 
has not made such a policy or established a procedure for PHAs 
to administer TPVs for HUD-assisted VAWA victims, should TPVs 
be available for this purpose. As a result, the Committee 
directs HUD to consult with PHAs, other covered housing 
providers, and advocates on how TPVs can be administered to 
HUD-assisted tenants seeking emergency transfers under VAWA, 
including how the Department can operationalize the use of TPVs 
for this purpose. The Committee further directs HUD to report 
to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations within 180 
days of enactment of this act on the results of that 
consultation. This report shall also include the estimated need 
for and cost of making TPVs available for this purpose.

                        HOUSING CERTIFICATE FUND

                        (INCLUDING RESCISSIONS)

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    Until fiscal year 2005, the Housing Certificate Fund 
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

    The Committee has included language that will allow 
unobligated balances from specific accounts to be used to renew 
or amend project-based rental assistance contracts.

                      PUBLIC HOUSING CAPITAL FUND

Appropriations, 2019....................................  $2,775,000,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................................
Committee recommendation................................   2,855,000,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    This account provides funding for the modernization and 
capital needs of PHAs (except Tribally Designated Housing 
Entities), including management improvements, resident 
relocation, and homeownership activities.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $2,855,000,000 
for the Public Housing Capital Fund, which is $2,855,000,000 
more than the budget request and $80,000,000 more than the 
fiscal year 2019 enacted level.
    Of the amount made available under this account, up to 
$14,000,000 is to support the ongoing financial and physical 
assessment activities performed by the Real Estate Assessment 
Center [REAC] and up to $1,000,000 is for the cost of 
administrative and judicial receiverships.
    Safety and Security in Public Housing.--The Committee's 
recommendation includes $50,000,000 for emergency capital 
needs, of which at least $10,000,000 is to be used for safety 
and security measures in public housing. The Committee has 
included this specific set-aside because there are PHAs facing 
safety and security issues that rely on these funds to protect 
their tenants. The Committee believes that the level of funding 
recommended will support both repairs from disasters and safety 
and security improvements.
    The Committee is concerned that HUD has failed to update 
the annual funding notification and application process to 
reflect legislative changes made through annual appropriations 
acts to award these funds. Currently, HUD does not consider a 
PHA's need in the award of funding, instead it allocates 
funding through a national lottery, and thereafter, subject to 
availability of resources, considers allocations based on a 
first-come first-serve basis. The Committee believes that this 
approach does not ensure that PHAs across the country, who have 
identified safety and security needs, benefit from these funds. 
Therefore, the Committee directs the Department to update PIH 
Notice 2016-03 to first award funds based on need regionally, 
and then award any remaining funds nationally. The amending, or 
superseding, of PIH Notice 2016-03 should also reflect 
legislative changes relevant to the availability of funds that 
the Committee first included in fiscal year 2017. Further, the 
Committee is aware that HUD prevents PHAs that have previously 
received safety and security funding for a development, but 
which have additional needs for different safety and security 
improvements within the same development, from applying for 
funding. The Committee believes this policy does not take into 
account the needs of public housing developments that may 
require new investments to keep properties and residents safe 
and secure. Therefore, the Committee directs HUD, in its update 
of the implementing Notice, to allow PHAs to be eligible for 
safety and security grants for a development that previously 
received funding, if the PHA is proposing an activity or 
acquisition of an item that was not funded under a previously 
awarded safety and security grant. The Committee continues to 
direct the Department to fund eligible safety and security 
projects as quickly as possible. The Committee continues 
language clarifying that unused funds from the emergency set-
aside shall be used to address safety and security needs of 
PHAs and the residents who live in these properties.
    Quality Assurance of Physical Inspections.--The Committee 
remains concerned about the physical quality of some HUD-
subsidized properties across the country, including incidences 
of unaddressed or untimely responses to health-related hazards 
in HUD-assisted housing. The Committee notes HUD's recent steps 
to address the quality of its physical inspections, but has 
concerns about the prioritization of such changes.
    The first change HUD made was reducing the number of days 
it gives PHAs and property owners advance notification for 
inspections to 14-days. The Department's intent behind reducing 
the advance notification to 14-days is to limit the number of 
last minute, and primarily cosmetic, repairs in order to more 
accurately capture the physical condition of the property at 
the time of inspection. To date, HUD has conducted very few 
physical inspections under the notification change and as such, 
little is known about the efficacy or any unintended 
consequences of this policy change. However, the Committee is 
aware of concern among PHAs that manage large developments that 
the notification period does not provide sufficient time for 
tenant notifications or pre-inspections for 100 percent of 
units for tenant-caused hazards, particularly where maintenance 
staff are limited across a PHA's portfolio. Therefore, the 
Committee directs HUD to submit to the House and Senate 
Committees on Appropriations within 30 days of enactment of 
this act a report on HUD's experiences with this policy change. 
The report should cover at least the following data points for 
public housing, multifamily housing, and combined: the number 
of inspections carried out under the 14-day notice; the number 
of properties rescheduling their initial inspection; the number 
of properties receiving a default score of zero; the percentage 
change, relative to the prior 12-month period, of properties 
passing or failing their inspection; and the identification of 
any unintended consequences.
    The Department has also begun work on a 2-year 
demonstration to review and replace the current inspection 
process into one model that improves confidence, emphasizes the 
health and safety of residents, and reduces complexity. HUD has 
determined that the current inspection process does not always 
give reasonable assurance or evidence of a property's 
condition, identify the extent of health and safety conditions 
affecting residents, or accurately score properties with poor, 
if not failing, unit conditions. The Committee believes this 
effort is a worthwhile endeavor and that the inspection process 
is due for a comprehensive review and update. However, the 
Committee is troubled that the Department does not intend to 
address how the inspection scoring process is weighted until 
the end of this multi-year demonstration, allowing properties 
to pass an inspection where units have failed to meet the 
minimum inspection standards, despite HUD identifying this as a 
central and fundamental failure of the current inspection 
process. Currently, the combined scores from common areas, 
building exteriors, and site conditions are weighted more than 
the conditions of dwelling units or building systems, such as 
elevators, heating and cooling, electrical and fire protection, 
and sanitation. The Committee believes the Department has the 
authority and ability to adjust how the inspection criteria is 
weighted, and adjusting the weighting should be incorporated 
into the updated standards and criteria for the inspection 
process prior to rolling out the multi-year demonstration. The 
Department has already determined that the post-demonstration 
inspection process will consolidate inspection criteria into 
three areas [dwelling units, inside the property, and outside 
the property], weighting dwelling unit conditions at 50 percent 
of the overall score and will incorporate a requirement to fail 
the overall property inspection if the dwelling units do not 
meet the minimum physical condition standards. Given the tools 
available to the Department, and recent actions taken to 
improve the quality of inspections, the Committee is perplexed 
about HUD's decision to reduce the advance notification for 
inspections, but not take immediate action to alter how 
inspections are weighted in order to prioritize the health and 
safety of residents. Therefore, the Committee directs that HUD 
submit a report to the House and Senate Committees on 
Appropriations within 15 days of enactment of this act that 
identifies the process for establishing a new scoring weight as 
part of the current inspection process, and identifies the 
statutory and regulatory barriers, if any, that would need to 
be addressed before undergoing such change.
    As part of the fiscal year 2017 Appropriations Act, this 
Committee directed GAO to undertake a review of REAC's policies 
and processes. GAO completed their work and published a report 
in March of this year. In the report, GAO makes 14 
recommendations to HUD to improve REAC's physical inspection 
process as well as its selection, training, and monitoring of 
contract and quality assurance inspectors. GAO's report also 
notes that in January of 2017, an internal HUD taskforce made 8 
recommendations to enhance and improve the inspection process, 
but that as of December 2018, HUD had not implemented any of 
the 8 recommendations. The Committee notes that one of those 
recommendations from January 2017 was to, ``[i]ncrease the 
scoring weights of units and reexamine point deduction caps.'' 
The Committee directs HUD to submit a report to the House and 
Senate Committees on Appropriations a report within 30 days of 
enactment of this act that identifies the status of HUD's 
implementation of the 14 recommendations identified by GAO and 
the 8 recommendations identified by HUD in January 2017, and to 
update the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations 
quarterly during fiscal year 2020 on its progress to implement 
these 22 recommendations.
    The Committee directs the Department to submit to the House 
and Senate Committees on Appropriations 30 days after enactment 
of this act, a report identifying how funds provided for REAC, 
including any carryover balances, will be utilized during 
fiscal year 2020. The Committee also directs the Department to 
submit to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations 
within 90 days of enactment of this act a report on REAC 
inspections of all HUD assisted and/or insured properties. This 
report shall include: the percentage of all inspected 
properties that received a REAC-inspected score of less than 65 
since calendar year 2013; the number of properties in which the 
most recent REAC-inspected score represented a decline relative 
to the previous REAC score; a list of the 10 metropolitan 
statistical areas with the lowest average REAC-inspected scores 
for all inspected properties; and a list of the 10 States with 
the lowest average REAC-inspected scores for all inspected 
properties. The Committee encourages the Department to work 
with the House and Senate authorizing committees on enforcement 
actions, including civil monetary penalties, that HUD can take 
to ensure PHAs and landlords maintain the physical quality of 
HUD-assisted units.
    The Committee continues to support efforts to quickly issue 
tenant protection vouchers to ensure affected residents are 
expeditiously securing housing that meets HUD's decent, safe 
and sanitary standards. The Committee reiterates that failure 
to maintain the physical condition of HUD-assisted properties 
results in a loss of critical affordable housing and tenant 
protection vouchers are of questionable value to families that 
encounter a lack of affordable housing in their communities. As 
such, the Committee directs HUD to remind PHAs of the 
importance of working in coordination with State housing 
finance agencies and regional stakeholders to identify 
opportunities for the preservation and expansion of local 
affordable housing, particularly in areas where there is a 
known low vacancy or where the PHA is pursuing a Section 18 
demolishment or disposition action.
    Lead-Based Paint, Mold, and Other Environmental Hazards.--
The agreement includes $40,000,000 to help PHAs address lead-
based paint and other environmental hazards in public housing 
units. In fiscal year 2019 the Committee provided $25,000,000 
to help PHAs address lead-based paint hazards in public housing 
units, to ensure the physical condition of units meet the 
criteria set forth in HUD's amended blood lead level standards. 
This funding was competitively awarded to PHAs for lead 
inspections, risk assessments, interim controls and abatements, 
and will provide greater protections for children under the age 
of 6 living in public housing and builds on the $25,000,000 
that was provided in fiscal year 2017. While this funding 
continues to be critical for making improvements to public 
housing, the Committee remains concerned that HUD has limited 
its overall impact through the Notice of Funding Availability. 
Specifically, while HUD has allowed PHAs that are in troubled 
status or under the direction of HUD or a court-appointed 
receiver to compete for funding, PHAs that are under the 
direction of a monitor are ineligible to apply for the funding. 
Additionally, HUD has disqualified PHAs with unresolved 
violations of the Lead Safe Housing or Lead Disclosure Rules, 
and prohibited the use of funding to satisfy related violations 
or settlement agreements with HUD, the Department of Justice 
and the Environmental Protection Agency. This, combined with 
setting an arbitrary cap on the amount of a grant to 
$1,000,000, discouraged and prohibited many PHAs with lead-
hazard reduction needs that exceed this amount from applying 
for, or receiving funding. The Committee reminds the Department 
that the intent of this funding is to help PHAs come into 
compliance with Federal statute and regulation in order to 
improve the living conditions of public housing residents. The 
Committee prohibits the Department from deeming any PHA that is 
under the direction of a monitor as ineligible to apply for or 
receive funding, provided the agency is in compliance with any 
current Memorandum of Agreement or Recovery Agreements. The 
Committee also prohibits HUD from deeming any PHA that has a 
violation or violations of the Lead Safe Housing or Lead 
Disclosure Rules and who present documentation establishing 
they are working in good faith to resolve such findings by 
meeting any deadlines they were required to reach under the 
terms of a settlement agreement, consent decree, voluntary 
agreement, or similar document as of the date of application, 
as ineligible to apply for or receive funding.
    The Department is also prohibited from precluding funds 
from being used to carryout work to settle an outstanding 
violation. The Committee continues to expect the Department to 
work with PHAs to ensure that the initiative reflects the 
unique needs of the industry and strongly encourages HUD to 
work with PHAs, their maintenance staff, and tenants to help 
ensure potential lead-based paint risks are identified and 
addressed expeditiously.
    The Committee continues to hear reports of mold, and other 
environmental hazards including carbon monoxide, radon, and 
pests, affecting the health and wellbeing of public housing 
residents, often causing or worsening allergies, asthma and 
other respiratory illnesses, and poisoning or loss of life. 
Mold, for example, can be not only the result of improper or 
inadequate ventilation in the home, but also a result of a 
damaged roof, leaking pipes, or contaminated building materials 
that require removal or special handling. Other environmental 
hazards can be a result of improper installation of appliances, 
inadequate ventilation, or unsealed surfaces and structures. 
The Committee is aware of the growing number of units 
identified with mold and other environmental hazards and the 
presence of hazards in common areas that are uncovered during 
the annual physical inspection of public housing properties and 
is concerned about this growing problem. As a result, the 
agreement includes up to $15,000,000 to help PHAs address mold 
and other environmental hazards in public housing, including 
testing and abatement and building improvements in order to 
improve the health and safety conditions of residents.
    The Committee believes that HUD's oversight of the physical 
condition of the Nation's public housing stock lacks standard 
guidance and best practices for PHAs to deploy in order to 
prevent or effectively address mold and other environmental 
hazards in public housing and directs the Office of Public and 
Indian Housing to work with the Office of Lead-Hazard Control 
and Healthy Homes to develop guidance and conduct webinars on 
effective solutions to addressing mold and other environmental 
hazards in public housing within 120 days of enactment of this 
act.
    Public Housing Receiverships.--The Committee directs the 
Department to report quarterly during fiscal year 2020 to the 
House and Senate Committees on Appropriations on the status of 
public housing agencies under receivership, including factors 
that informed the receivership such as physical and financial 
scores, deficiencies with internal controls, and other 
information demonstrating why HUD believes PHAs are unable to 
effectively oversee their business operations. This report 
shall also include an identification of funding resources and 
technical assistance provided to the PHA for the purpose of 
transitioning out of receivership, and future steps HUD will 
take to address deficiencies in an effort to return the 
respective PHAs to local control.
    The Committee is concerned that some PHAs have recently 
exited receivership despite health, safety, and security 
conditions for residents remaining a problem. One such PHA is 
the East St. Louis Housing authority, which exited receivership 
in 2017 after 32 years of direct HUD control. The Committee 
directs HUD to submit a report to the House and Senate 
Committee on Appropriations on what actions HUD took during the 
receivership to improve the security of HUD-assisted properties 
and safety conditions for residents. The Committee further 
directs HUD to evaluate how it can improve a PHA's transition 
out of receivership to ensure residents are living in decent, 
safe, and sanitary housing and to report to the House and 
Senate Committees on Appropriations within 90 days of enactment 
of this act on changes that can be made to improve conditions 
for residents affected by receivership changes, while also 
ensuring PHAs are able to return to local control in a timely 
manner.
    Mobility and Relocation Specialists.--The Committee is 
aware of reports that HUD is not providing sufficient oversight 
of and continued access to mobility and relocation specialists 
for public housing residents who are required to involuntarily 
relocate from their current public housing unit, as a result of 
health and safety conditions or the demolishment or disposition 
of a public housing unit. The Committee directs HUD to take 
appropriate action to ensure public housing residents being 
relocated have access to mobility and relocation specialists 
until their relocation to suitable replacement housing is 
complete.
    ConnectHome.--The ConnectHome initiative provides a 
platform for collaboration among local governments, PHAs, 
Internet service providers, philanthropic foundations, 
nonprofit organizations, and other relevant stakeholders to 
work together to produce local solutions for narrowing the 
digital divide in communities across the Nation served by HUD. 
The Committee encourages the Department to continue to partner 
with these entities to help identify ways residents living in 
public housing can connect to broadband infrastructure through 
technical assistance and digital literacy training, and to work 
with its partners to take steps to expand the number of 
participating communities.

                     PUBLIC HOUSING OPERATING FUND

Appropriations, 2019....................................  $4,653,116,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................   2,863,000,000
Committee recommendation................................   4,650,000,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    This account provides funding for the payment of operating 
subsidies to approximately 3,100 PHAs (except tribally 
designated housing entities) with a total of approximately 1.2 
million units under management in order to augment rent 
payments by residents in order to provide sufficient revenues 
to meet reasonable operating costs.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $4,650,000,000 
for the public housing operating fund, which is $1,787,000,000 
more than the budget request and $3,116,000 less than the 
fiscal year 2019 enacted level.
    Shortfall Funding.--The Committee has included funding this 
fiscal year to mitigate the risk of financial insolvency among 
PHAs. The Committee directs that the allocation of these funds 
shall first be prioritized to PHAs with 249 or fewer public 
housing units that are determined to be insolvent and have less 
than 1-month of reserves before allocating funds to larger 
PHAs. The Committee prioritizes very small and small PHAs for 
these funds given that these PHAs comprise over 75 percent of 
all PHAs and are unlikely to be able to avail themselves of 
other mitigation strategies relative to larger PHAs. The 
Committee recognizes that financial reporting is not static and 
that PHAs in special circumstances, such as those undergoing 
Rental Assistance Demonstration [RAD] conversions or utilizing 
fungibility authority, are subject to temporary fluctuations in 
operating expenses. Therefore, the Committee directs HUD to 
take these special circumstances into account in their 
assessment of insolvent PHAs and allocation of funding.
    Enterprise Income Verification System.--The Committee is 
aware that Executive Order 13828 highlights the importance of 
investing in tools to reduce inaccuracies in payments. The 
Committee is supportive of efforts to reduce improper payments 
and encourages HUD to ensure that PHAs have access to upfront 
income verification tools that provide current employment and 
income verification information.
    Operating Fund Web Portal.--The Operating Fund Web Portal 
is a web-based platform that will enable PHAs to submit 
operating fund data to HUD, view such data, and make changes 
longitudinally. The portal will also enable HUD to reduce the 
risks associated with the current formula processes by 
providing for fully auditable data submissions, and provide 
greater transparency to PHAs regarding the basis of funding and 
reduce the risk of errors associated with the operating fund 
formula process. The Committee directs HUD to continue working 
on the full development and implementation of this tool in 
order to automate the operating fund formula process, as well 
as improve cash management reporting and compliance. The 
Committee further directs HUD to report to the House and Senate 
Committees on Appropriations within 90 days of enactment of 
this act on the progress made during fiscal year 2020 and to 
identify additional actions to be taken in out-years to 
complete work on the portal.

                    CHOICE NEIGHBORHOODS INITIATIVE

Appropriations, 2019....................................    $150,000,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................................
Committee recommendation................................     100,000,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The Choice Neighborhoods initiative provides competitive 
grants to transform distressed neighborhoods into sustainable, 
mixed-income neighborhoods with co-location of appropriate 
services, schools, public assets, transportation options, and 
access to jobs or job training. Choice Neighborhoods grants 
fund the preservation, rehabilitation, and transformation of 
public and HUD-assisted housing, as well as their 
neighborhoods. Grantees include PHAs, tribes, local 
governments, and nonprofit organizations. For-profit developers 
may also apply in partnership with another eligible grantee. 
Grant funds can be used for resident and community services, 
community development and affordable housing activities in 
surrounding communities. Grantees undertake comprehensive local 
planning with input from residents and the community.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $100,000,000 
for the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative. This amount is 
$50,000,000 less than the fiscal year 2019 enacted level and 
$100,000,000 more than the budget request. Of the total amount 
provided, not less than $50,000,000 shall be awarded to 
projects where PHAs are the lead applicant, and no more than 
$5,000,000 may be used for planning, including planning and 
action, grants. The Committee continues to direct the Secretary 
to give priority consideration to grantees that have been 
previously awarded planning grants when making implementation 
grant awards.

                       SELF-SUFFICIENCY PROGRAMS

Appropriations, 2019\1\.................................................
Budget estimate, 2020\2\................................................
Committee recommendation................................    $130,000,000

\1\The total appropriations for these programs which was represented in 
a different account structure was $130,000,000.
\2\The total budget request for these programs that currently are 
represented in other account amount to $90,000,000.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The Family Self-Sufficiency [FSS] program provides funding 
to Public Housing Authorities [PHAs] to fund FSS Coordinators 
to help Housing Choice Voucher, project-based Section 8, and 
Public Housing residents achieve self-sufficiency and economic 
independence. The Resident Opportunities and Self-Sufficiency 
[ROSS] program provides funding to PHAs, public housing 
resident associations, Native American tribes, and non-profit 
organizations to fund Service Coordinators to assist households 
with employment and educational opportunities. The Jobs Plus 
Initiative provides grants to PHAs, which are required to 
partner with Department of Labor jobs centers, and provides 
public housing residents with case managers to assist in job 
placement.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommendation consolidates the FSS, ROSS, 
and Jobs Plus programs into this new account. Previously, the 
ROSS and Jobs Plus programs were funded as part of the Public 
Housing Capital Fund, and the FSS program was under its own 
account. The Committee recommends a total appropriation of 
$130,000,000 for these self-sufficiency programs in fiscal year 
2020. The overall appropriation amount is equal to the fiscal 
year 2019 enacted level, and $40,000,000 more than the budget 
request for these three programs. The Committee recommendation 
includes $80,000,000 for the FSS program, $35,000,000 for the 
ROSS program, and $15,000,000 for the Jobs-Plus initiative.
    Family Self-Sufficiency Program.--The Committee strongly 
supports the FSS program, which provides public housing and 
Section 8 residents with the tools to improve their economic 
stability, financial management skills, and ultimately achieve 
self-sufficiency. The Committee notes the passage of the 
Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act 
of 2019, which will strengthen the FSS program by consolidating 
duplicative programs, broadening supportive services, and 
giving local entities flexibility to pursue innovative 
approaches. The Department shall prioritize the renewal of all 
existing coordinators and encourages the participation of new 
coordinators once the renewal need is met. As the program 
expands, the Committee expects HUD to continue to provide 
technical assistance and training as appropriate in order to 
share best-practices. Further, the Committee strongly 
encourages the Department to continue work with PHAs and 
property owners, including those converting existing FSS 
programs through the Rental Assistance Demonstration, to ensure 
compliance with reporting and other programmatic requirements.
    Easing Barriers to FSS Participation.--In order to 
facilitate increased participation by families, the Committee 
seeks to reduce barriers that can arise from understaffed FSS 
programs or delays in family enrollment. For the purposes of 
the NOFA for this program, the Committee directs HUD to use PIH 
Information Center data from the 12-month period immediately 
preceding the issuance of the NOFA when calculating the number 
of new or additional FSS coordinators for which a PHA is 
eligible to apply. The Committee further directs that for new 
families enrolling in the FSS program in 2020, the income and 
rent amounts to be used in the ``Program Contract of 
Participation'' shall be taken from the amounts on the last 
reexamination or interim determination before the family's 
initial participation in the FSS program.
    FSS Performance Metrics.--The Committee has long-supported 
this program and the important role it can play in the lives of 
families receiving HUD rental assistance. The Committee has 
also long-advocated for effective performance measures that 
will enable the Department to promote best practices across 
local programs and maximize the number of families that achieve 
self-sufficiency. HUD notes that there is tremendous variation 
in the Individual Training and Services Plan goals of 
individual FSS participants. It is precisely these differences 
that can make it challenging to condense the program into only 
a few performance metrics for participating entities. 
Recognizing this challenge, HUD regulations [24 CFR 984.102] 
stipulate that, ``The Department will measure the success of a 
local FSS program not only by the number of families who 
achieve self-sufficiency, but also by the number of FSS 
families who, as a result of participation in the program, have 
family members who obtain their first job, or who obtain higher 
paying jobs; no longer need benefits received under one or more 
welfare programs; obtain a high school diploma or higher 
education degree; or accomplish similar goals that will assist 
the family in obtaining economic independence.'' However, the 
performance metric system the Department has established only 
considers three factors for which it intends to base funding 
decisions--earnings, graduation from the program, and program 
participation. PHAs and other stakeholders have raised concerns 
about the potential unintended consequences of these metrics on 
small vs. large PHAs, rural vs. metropolitan areas, and 
statewide vs. local programs, among other concerns. Given these 
concerns and the very limited scope of the performance metrics, 
funding decisions should not be informed by these metrics at 
this time. Therefore, the Committee includes a directive in the 
bill preventing HUD from basing funding decisions on the 
performance metric system.
    FSS Authorization Changes.--HUD has not yet proposed 
regulations to implement the changes made by the Family Self-
Sufficiency Act and enacted in Section 306 of Public Law 115-
174. The Committee directs HUD to complete and release 
revisions to the FSS regulations no later than 90 days after 
enactment of this act.
    FSS Data.--The Committee directs HUD to include in its 
annual budget submission to Congress data showing FSS 
participation, escrow accumulation, and graduation rates for 
the FSS program, including data from participating entities 
without coordinator grants.

                        NATIVE AMERICAN PROGRAMS

                     [INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS]

Appropriations, 2019\1\.................................    $820,000,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................     600,000,000
Committee recommendation................................     820,000,000

\1\The fiscal year 2019 Appropriations represents funding for the 
combined activities of the Indian Housing Block Grant and the Indian 
Community Development Block Grant program.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    This account funds the Indian Housing Block Grant Program 
[IHBG], as authorized under title I of the Native American 
Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996, and the 
Indian Community Development Block Grant Program [ICDBG], 
authorized under title I of the Housing and Community 
Development Act of 1974. The IHBG program provides a funding 
allocation on a formula basis to Indian Tribes and their 
tribally designated housing entities to help address the 
housing needs within their communities. The ICDBG program 
provides Indian Tribes the opportunity to compete for funding 
to address tribal community development needs.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommendation restructures the major 
programs administered by HUD's Office of Native American 
Programs [ONAP] into a single account. The table below provides 
funding levels for activities within this account. The 
recommended funding level for these combined activities is 
equal to the amount provided in fiscal year 2019 and 
$220,000,000 more than the budget request.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                           Request       Recommendation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Native American Housing Block             $598,000,000      $646,000,000
 Grants--Formula....................
Title VI Loan Program...............         2,000,000         2,000,000
Native American Housing Block         ................       100,000,000
 Grants--Competitive................
Indian Community Development Block    ................        65,000,000
 Grants.............................
Training and Technical Assistance...  ................         7,000,000
                                     -----------------------------------
      Total.........................       600,000,000       820,000,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Competitive Grants.--IHBG is a vital resource for Tribal 
governments to address the dire housing conditions in Indian 
Country, as the quality of and access to affordable housing 
remains in a critical state for many Tribes across the country. 
Native Americans living in Tribal areas are nearly twice as 
likely to live in poverty compared to the rest of the Nation. 
As a result, the housing challenges on Tribal lands are 
daunting. According to the American Housing Survey data for 
2013, 16 percent of homes on American Indian reservations and 
off-reservation trust land are overcrowded, compared to 2 
percent of households nationwide. In addition to being 
overcrowded, 34 percent of Native American housing units suffer 
from one or more physical deficiencies compared to only 7 
percent for U.S. households, on average. To assist Tribes with 
these daunting housing challenges, the Committee recommendation 
includes $100,000,000 for competitive grants in addition to the 
formula funding in order to assist areas with greater need.
    Coordinated Environmental Reviews for Tribal Housing and 
Related Infrastructure.--The construction of new Tribal housing 
often requires multiple Federal partners to provide assistance 
to develop the basic infrastructure necessary to support 
housing development. The lack of water, sewer, power, and 
roadway infrastructure adds to the overall complexity and cost 
of housing development and triggers different environmental 
review requirements for each Federal funding source. This 
results in multiple inefficient and costly reviews that delay 
housing development projects and acts as a hindrance to 
leveraging other investments.
    As a result, since fiscal year 2015, the Committee has 
directed HUD to collaborate with its Federal agency partners, 
including the Departments of Interior, Agriculture, Commerce, 
Energy, Health and Human Services, Transportation, and the 
Environmental Protection Agency, to develop a coordinated 
environmental review process to simplify and streamline Tribal 
housing development and its related infrastructure needs. The 
Committee believes that eliminating unnecessary Federal 
barriers to housing development is an essential component to 
facilitate an effective use of Federal funding, while also 
balancing the need to ensure appropriate and necessary 
environmental protections.
    In response, HUD established a working group to identify a 
baseline assessment of cross-agency environmental review 
requirements and developed a series of short- and long-term 
recommendations. In December 2015, the working group reported 
to the House and Senate Committees and determined that no 
single effort or legislative change would ensure a coordinated 
and simplified environmental review process and that an on-
going effort between agencies to discover commonalities and 
foster collaborative relationships was required. Despite 
additional directives from this Committee to continue this 
work, little progress has been made since 2017. In fact, the 
staff designated to lead this effort at HUD have been detailed 
to other responsibilities.
    The lack of sustained attention to this requirement is 
unfortunate. Given the Administration's persistent efforts to 
implement environmental streamlining initiatives across the 
spectrum of the Federal Government programs, this is one sector 
where substantial progress could have been made with the 
support of Tribal governments and members of Congress. 
Therefore, the Committee directs HUD to establish and lead a 
Tribal Housing and Related Infrastructure Interagency Task 
Force within the calendar year, which includes the previous 
participating working group agency partners. The task force 
shall address and implement the working group recommendations 
to continue the review of related environmental laws and 
authorities to identify opportunities for greater efficiencies; 
explore whether environmental reviews could be expedited if 
agencies which fund similar types of projects developed aligned 
categorical exclusions; and identify specific regulatory and 
policy improvements. The Committee expects routine reports to 
the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations on task force 
meetings, action items, goals and recommendations.
    Technical Assistance.--Limited capacity hinders the ability 
of many Tribes to effectively address their housing needs. The 
Committee recommendation includes $7,000,000 for technical 
assistance needs in Indian Country to support the IHBG program, 
as well as other HUD programs, in order to meet the needs of 
Native American families and Indian Country. The Committee 
expects HUD to use the technical assistance funding provided to 
aid Tribes with capacity challenges, especially Tribes 
receiving small grant awards. The funding should be used for 
training, contract expertise, and other services necessary to 
improve data collection, increase leveraging, and address other 
needs identified by Tribes. The Committee also expects that 
these technical assistance funds will be provided to 
organizations with experience in providing technical assistance 
that reflects the unique needs and culture of Native Americans.
    Title VI Credit Subsidy Model.--The Title VI Loan Guarantee 
program enables Tribes to leverage their block grant funds and 
encourages private lenders to finance Tribal housing 
development activities. The Committee appreciates the efforts 
of the Department and OMB to update the credit subsidy model. 
Because of these efforts, HUD is able to nearly double the 
value of loans guaranteed through this program without the need 
for additional credit subsidy. The Committee encourages HUD and 
OMB to continue efforts to further improve and update the 
credit subsidy model.

           INDIAN HOUSING LOAN GUARANTEE FUND PROGRAM ACCOUNT

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                              Limitation on
                                                                    Program account          guaranteed loans
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appropriations, 2019..........................................               $1,440,000             $553,846,154
Budget estimate, 2020.........................................                2,500,000            1,000,000,000
Committee recommendation......................................                1,600,000            1,000,000,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    This program provides access to private financing for 
Indian families, Indian Tribes, and their tribally designated 
housing entities that otherwise could not acquire housing 
financing because of the unique status of Indian trust land. 
HUD continues to be the largest single source of financing for 
housing in Tribal communities. This program makes it possible 
to promote sustainable reservation communities by providing 
access to financing for higher income Native Americans to 
achieve homeownership within their Native communities. As 
required by the Federal Credit Reform Act of 1990, this account 
includes the subsidy costs associated with the loan guarantees 
authorized under this program.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $1,100,000 in 
credit subsidy to support a loan level of $1,000,000,000. In 
addition the recommendation provides an additional $500,000 for 
administrative contract expenses, for a total appropriation of 
$1,600,000. This funding level is $160,000 more than the fiscal 
year 2019 enacted level and $900,000 less than the budget 
request.
    Oversight and Management.--In response to the Committee's 
direction, in August of 2018 the HUD Office of Inspector 
General [OIG] reported on ONAP's use of administrative contract 
expenses, management processes, and information technology 
systems to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations. 
The OIG found that ONAP's Office of Loan Guarantee [OLG] 
operated without adequate oversight of the Section 184 program, 
inappropriately closed 6 out of 10 prior audit recommendations 
from 2015, was unable to fully account for the use of 
administrative expenses, and had nearly $2,300,000 in 
unobligated balances in the administrative contract expense 
fund. The OIG memorandum states, ``Since HUD had not taken 
corrective actions to properly address audit recommendations in 
the 3 years since the issues were identified, the program has 
been allowed to operate without adequate oversight, statutory 
authority, and internal written policies and procedures, 
increasing the risk of waste, fraud and abuse.'' Clearly, these 
findings are deeply disturbing at best. The Committee directs 
HUD to report quarterly to the House and Senate Committee on 
Appropriations on the steps it is taking to implement 
corrective actions to the seven open OIG recommendations. The 
Committee is sympathetic to ONAP's staffing challenges and in 
response to OIG recommendation 1G, the Committee recommendation 
includes language in the `Program Offices' account directing 
HUD to prioritize the hiring and backfill of ONAP staff, as 
well as additional resources to increase overall staffing 
levels to hire a full time OLG Director. Further, the Committee 
encourages HUD to continue to work with the authorizing 
committees to enact statutory indemnification authority.

                  NATIVE HAWAIIAN HOUSING BLOCK GRANT

Appropriations, 2019....................................      $2,000,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................................
Committee recommendation................................       1,745,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The Hawaiian Homelands Homeownership Act of 2000 created 
the Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant program to provide 
grants to the State of Hawaii Department of Hawaiian Home Lands 
[DHHL] for housing and housing-related assistance, in order to 
develop, maintain, and operate affordable housing for eligible 
low-income Native Hawaiian families. As one of the United 
States' indigenous people, Native Hawaiian people have a unique 
relationship with the Federal Government.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $1,745,000 for 
the Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant Program, which is 
$255,000 less than the fiscal year 2019 enacted level and 
$1,745,000 more than the budget request.
    The Committee is extremely disappointed at DHHL's repeated 
failure to meet acceptable performance targets for the 
expenditure of federally appropriated funds, and its failure to 
adjust program delivery models to meet the housing needs of 
low-income Native Hawaiians. While the underlying State 
constitutional mandate to return Native Hawaiians to the 
Hawaiian homelands is and should always be the mission of the 
organization, that does not in any way preclude DHHL from 
developing affordable, multi-family rental housing for the 
estimated 34,100 low-income Native Hawaiians who cannot afford 
traditional or sweat equity homeownership opportunities. This 
type of residential density will also allow for more efficient 
use of infrastructure such as roads, sewer, and water lines. 
Further, DHHL is encouraged to also address the rehabilitation 
of unsafe and unsanitary housing conditions of low-income 
Kapuna housing on Hawaiian homelands for which there is also 
great need.
    The Committee directs HUD to ensure that the funds provided 
are administered to maximize the provision of affordable 
housing through the construction of high density, multi-family 
affordable housing and rental units, as well as housing 
counseling services and the rehabilitation of housing on Native 
Hawaiian home lands that do not meet safe and sanitary housing 
building standards.

                   Community Planning and Development


              HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PERSONS WITH AIDS

Appropriations, 2019....................................    $393,000,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................     330,000,000
Committee recommendation................................     330,000,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS [HOPWA] 
program provides States and localities with resources and 
incentives to devise long-term, comprehensive strategies for 
meeting the housing and supportive service needs of persons 
living with HIV/AIDS and their families.
    By statute, 90 percent of formula-appropriated funds are 
distributed to qualifying States and metropolitan areas on the 
basis of the number of living HIV and living AIDS cases, as 
well as poverty and local housing cost factors. The remaining 
10 percent of funds are awarded through a national competition, 
with priority given to the renewal of funding for expiring 
agreements consistent with appropriations act requirements.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $330,000,000 
for the HOPWA program. The recommended amount is equal to the 
budget request, and $63,000,000 less than the fiscal year 2019 
enacted level. The Committee continues to include language 
requiring HUD to allocate these funds in a manner that 
preserves existing HOPWA programs, to the extent that those 
programs are determined to be meeting the needs of persons with 
HIV/AIDS.

                       COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FUND

Appropriations, 2019\1\.................................  $3,365,000,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................................
Committee recommendation................................   3,325,000,000

\1\In fiscal year 2019, the Committee provided $65,000,000 for the 
Indian Community Development Block Grant [ICDBG] under this account 
heading. For fiscal year 2020, ICDBG activities have been transferred to 
and fully funded at fiscal year 2019 levels in the new Native American 
Programs account.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    Under title I of the Housing and Community Development Act 
of 1974, as amended, the Department is authorized to award 
block grants to units of general local government and States 
for the funding of local community development programs. A wide 
range of physical, economic, and social development activities 
are eligible, with spending priorities determined at the local 
level, but the law enumerates general objectives which the 
block grants are designed to fulfill, including adequate 
housing, a suitable living environment, and expanded economic 
opportunities, principally for persons of low- and moderate-
income. Grant recipients are required to use at least 70 
percent of their block grant funds for activities that benefit 
low- and moderate-income persons.
    Funds are distributed to eligible recipients for community 
development purposes utilizing the higher of two objective 
formulas, one of which gives somewhat greater weight to the age 
of housing stock. Of the funds appropriated, 70 percent are 
distributed to entitlement communities and 30 percent are 
distributed to nonentitlement communities after deducting 
designated amounts for insular areas.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee provides $3,325,000,000 for Community 
Development Fund. The recommended amount is $3,325,000,000 
above the budget request and $40,000,000 below the fiscal year 
2019 enacted level. The Community Development Block Grant 
program [CDBG] funding provides States and entitlement 
communities with resources that allow them to undertake a wide 
range of community development activities, including public 
infrastructure improvements, housing rehabilitation and 
construction, job creation and retention, and public services 
that primarily benefit low- and moderate-income persons. The 
Committee strongly rejects the administration's proposal to 
eliminate this critical infrastructure program. Since 2005, 
CDBG has assisted nearly 1.5 million homeowners with services 
such as rehabilitation, downpayment assistance, and lead 
abatement; it has helped create or retain over 400,000 jobs; 
and has benefited over 45 million people through infrastructure 
improvements. Every dollar of CDBG Federal investment leverages 
nearly four additional dollars in non-CDBG funding. Urban and 
rural communities, including communities in which residents 
experience economic hardship, rely on this funding to serve 
their most vulnerable residents. This program is vital to our 
Nation's downtown and neighborhood revitalization efforts, and 
the Committee believes that every effort must be made to 
protect this essential funding mechanism. HUD's own fiscal year 
2020 performance plan shows that eliminating CDBG as well as 
the HOME Investment Partnerships program ultimately reduces the 
number of housing units the Department expects to make healthy, 
physically safe and lead-safe by two-thirds. This essential 
resource for State and local governments lies at the heart of 
HUD's community development mission and eliminating it would 
have a real and significant negative impact on the lives of 
millions of low- and moderate-income Americans.
    The flexibility associated with CDBG enables State and 
local governments to tailor solutions to effectively meet the 
unique needs of their communities. The Committee notes the 
importance of States and local grantees meeting the program's 
three national objectives, as they utilize the program's 
resources to address a wide range of community needs. As HUD 
works with communities to determine eligible activities that 
meet the national objective of benefiting low- and moderate-
income persons, the Committee encourages the Department to 
extend flexibility to rural communities with less than 1,000 
residents to use alternate sources of data to establish Low-
Moderate Income Survey Data when American Community Survey 
[ACS] data is considered by the CDBG applicant to be 
unreliable.
    To ensure the program remains flexible, but also 
accountable and transparent, the Committee recommendation 
continues provisions in bill language that prohibit any 
community from selling its CDBG award to another community and 
that any funding provided to a for-profit entity for an 
economic development project funded under this act undergo 
appropriate underwriting. The Committee has included these 
provisions to address concerns raised about how program dollars 
have been used and to mitigate risks associated with these 
concerns.
    The Committee recommendation includes $25,000,000 for 
grants to States to enable communities to assist individuals 
recovering from substance abuse as authorized by Section 8071 
of the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act.
    Partnerships Between Grantees and Project Resource 
Providers.--The Committee strongly supports communities that 
are facilitating partnerships between CDBG recipients and non-
profit organizations that provide tools, equipment, or other 
resources to other nonprofit or volunteer organizations 
assisting in the completion of community development, 
revitalization, or rehabilitation projects authorized under the 
CDBG program. In fiscal year 2019, the Committee directed HUD 
to provide clarifying guidance to CDBG recipients about how 
they can facilitate these partnerships and to issue a report at 
the end of the fiscal year that identifies opportunities and 
challenges for Federal, State, and local governments to partner 
with nonprofit organizations to complete community development, 
revitalization, and rehabilitation projects.

         COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT LOAN GUARANTEES PROGRAM ACCOUNT

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                          Limitation on
                                       Program account  guaranteed loans
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appropriations, 2019................  ................      $300,000,000
Budget estimate, 2020...............  ................  ................
Committee recommendation............  ................       300,000,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    Section 108 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 
1974, as amended, authorizes the Secretary to issue Federal 
loan guarantees of private market loans used by entitlement and 
nonentitlement communities to cover the costs of acquiring real 
property, rehabilitation of publicly owned real property, 
housing rehabilitation, and other economic development 
activities.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommendation provides a loan level 
guarantee of $300,000,000 which is equal to the fiscal year 
2019 enacted level and $300,000,000 above the budget request. 
The Committee requires HUD to collect fees to offset credit 
subsidy costs such that the program operates at a zero credit 
subsidy cost.
    This program enables CDBG recipients to use their CDBG 
dollars to leverage financing for economic development 
projects, community facilities, and housing rehabilitation 
programs. Communities are allowed to borrow up to five times 
their most recent CDBG allocation.

                  HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAM

Appropriations, 2019....................................  $1,250,000,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................................
Committee recommendation................................   1,250,000,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    Title II of the National Affordable Housing Act, as 
amended, authorizes the HOME Investment Partnerships Program 
[HOME]. This program provides assistance to States and local 
governments for the purpose of expanding the supply and 
affordability of housing to low- and very low-income people. 
Eligible activities include tenant-based rental assistance, 
acquisition and rehabilitation of affordable rental and 
ownership housing, and housing construction. To participate in 
the HOME program, State and local governments must develop a 
comprehensive housing affordability strategy. There is a 25 
percent matching requirement for participating jurisdictions, 
which can be reduced or eliminated if they are experiencing 
fiscal distress.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee does not support the elimination of this 
program as proposed in the budget request and recommends an 
appropriation of $1,250,000,000 for the HOME program. This 
amount is equal to the fiscal year 2019 enacted level and 
$1,250,000,000, more than the budget request.
    Affordable Housing Needs.--Communities across the country 
are facing an affordable housing crisis as rents are on the 
rise nationally, low- and moderate-incomes are relatively 
stagnant, and the production of affordable housing units lags 
far behind the need. Between 2001 and 2015, the share of 
overburdened renter households that spent more than half of 
their income on rent increased 42 percent. The HOME program is 
the sole Federal assistance program at HUD targeted to help 
State and local participating jurisdictions leverage public and 
private resources to develop and sustain affordable housing 
opportunities for low-income individuals and families. The 
program is an essential tool to address the shortfall of a 
market driven economy that is ill equipped to bridge the lack 
of profitability in affordable housing development and 
traditional private sector housing financing mechanisms. In 
most cases, the HOME program provides the necessary public gap 
financing to facilitate private sector investment in affordable 
housing enabling significant leverage capacity of public and 
private resources. In fact, the programs leverage capacity grew 
from $4.32 for every Federal dollar in 2017 to an average of 
$7.85 in 2018. For rental projects specifically, this amount 
was even higher, leveraging $8.67 for every HOME dollar. The 
Committee supports innovative projects that combine public and 
private capital, and directs HUD to continue to work to expand 
the supply and affordability of housing for low-income and very 
low-income people.
    Reconciling Income Guidelines for Disabled Veterans.--There 
are 4.7 million veterans with disabilities and 1.5 million 
veterans living in poverty in the United States. However, 
connecting veterans to affordable housing opportunities based 
on their disability and/or income status can be difficult. Many 
multifamily affordable housing developments are financed with a 
combination of HOME funds and the Department of the Treasury's 
Low Income Housing Tax Credits [LIHTC]. However, the income 
guidelines for HUD's HOME program and LIHTC vary, and 
reconciling the two program's requirements can be challenging. 
As such, the Committee directs the Department to revive the 
interagency Rental Policy Working Group with the Department of 
Treasury to determine policies that align HUD and LIHTC 
guidelines to address the housing needs of low-income disabled 
veterans.
    Environmental Reviews.--The Committee is concerned that 
grantees of HUD's community development programs must navigate 
inconsistent environmental reviews processes, especially 
between the HOME and Housing Trust Fund [HTF] programs. These 
inconsistencies have led to project delays and grantee 
confusion when trying to comply with Federal regulations. 
Therefore, the Committee directs HUD to provide a briefing to 
the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations 60 days after 
enactment of this act on how HUD will align the environmental 
review process required under the HOME and HTF programs. Within 
365 days after enactment of this act, HUD is directed to issue 
regulations aligning the environmental regulations for the HOME 
and HTF programs.

        SELF-HELP AND ASSISTED HOMEOWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITY PROGRAM

Appropriations, 2019....................................     $54,000,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................................
Committee recommendation................................      54,000,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The Self-Help and Assisted Homeownership Opportunity 
Program provides funding for several programs, including the 
Self-Help Homeownership Opportunity Program [SHOP], which 
assists low-income homebuyers who are willing to contribute 
``sweat equity'' toward the construction of their houses. These 
funds increase nonprofit organizations' ability to leverage 
funds from other sources. This account also includes funding 
for the Capacity Building for Community Development and 
Affordable Housing Program, as well as assistance to rural 
communities, as authorized under sections 6301 through 6305 of 
Public Law 110-246. These programs assist in the development of 
the capacity of nonprofit organizations to carry out community 
development and affordable housing projects. This account also 
provides funding for the rehabilitation and modification of the 
homes of veterans, who are low-income or disabled, as 
authorized by section 1079 of Public Law 113-291.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $54,000,000 for the Self-Help and 
Assisted Homeownership Opportunity Program, which is equal to 
the fiscal year 2019 enacted level and $54,000,000 more than 
the budget request. The Committee rejects the Administration's 
proposal to eliminate this account. The Committee 
recommendation includes $10,000,000 for SHOP, as authorized 
under section 11 of the Housing Opportunity Program Extension 
Act of 1996; $35,000,000 for capacity building, as authorized 
by section 4(a) of the HUD Demonstration Act of 1993; 
$5,000,000 to carry out capacity building activities in rural 
communities; and $4,000,000 for a program to rehabilitate and 
modify housing for veterans, who are low-income or disabled. 
The Committee notes that funding for technical assistance is 
being provided under the Office of Policy Development and 
Research and directs that funds available for the Section 4 
program be used solely for capacity building activities.
    Funding for the Rural Capacity Building Program for 
Community Development and Affordable Housing is intended for 
truly national organizations. For the purposes of the National 
Rural Capacity Building Notification of Funding Availability 
[NOFA], the Committee directs HUD to define an eligible 
national organization as ``a nonprofit entity, which has 
ongoing experience in rural housing, including experience 
working with rural housing organizations, local governments, 
and Indian tribes, as evidenced by past and continuing work in 
one or more States in eight or more of HUD's Federal regions.''
    Assistance for Low-Income and Disabled Veterans.--The 
Veterans Housing Rehabilitation and Modification pilot program 
awards grants to nonprofit organizations to rehabilitate or 
modify the primary residences of disabled, low-income veterans 
in order to improve accessibility and to assist some of the 4.7 
million veterans in the United States with a service-connected 
disability and the nearly 1.5 million living in poverty. After 
4 years of appropriations and repeated Congressional 
directives, the Committee is pleased that HUD awarded the first 
round of funding in fiscal year 2018 and has published a NOFA 
in fiscal year 2019 for the remaining $10,200,000 in available 
resources in a timely manner and expects additional funding in 
this and any future year appropriations to receive similar due 
diligence.

                       HOMELESS ASSISTANCE GRANTS

Appropriations, 2019....................................  $2,636,000,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................   2,598,600,000
Committee recommendation................................   2,761,000,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The Homeless Assistance Grants Program provides funding to 
break the cycle of homelessness and to move homeless persons 
and families to permanent housing. This is done by providing 
rental assistance, emergency shelter, transitional and 
permanent housing, prevention, rapid re-housing, and supportive 
services to homeless persons and families or those at risk of 
homelessness. The emergency solutions grant program is a 
formula grant program, while the Continuum of Care and Rural 
Housing Stability Programs are competitive grants. Homeless 
assistance grants provide Federal support to the Nation's most 
vulnerable populations. These grants assist localities in 
addressing the housing and service needs of a wide variety of 
homeless populations while developing coordinated Continuum of 
Care [CoC] systems that ensure the support necessary to help 
those who are homeless attain housing and move toward self-
sufficiency.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $2,761,000,000 
for Homeless Assistance Grants in fiscal year 2020. This amount 
is $162,400,000 above the budget request, and $125,000,000 
above the fiscal year 2019 enacted level.
    The Committee recommendation includes at least 
$2,344,000,000 to support the CoC program, including the 
renewal of existing projects, and the Rural Housing Stability 
Assistance Program. Based on the renewal burden, HUD may also 
support planning and other activities authorized by the HEARTH 
Act. The recommendation also includes at least $280,000,000 for 
the emergency solutions grants program.
    The Committee continues to support HUD's efforts to 
leverage existing housing resources, such as Section 8 and 
Family Unification Program vouchers, to serve people 
experiencing homelessness and supports replacing existing, 
underperforming projects with new projects.
    Continuum of Care Notification of Funding Availability 
[NOFA].--The annual CoC NOFA competition is one of HUD's most 
complex, if not the most complex, competition. It provides 
grant funds to over 7,300 projects serving homeless families 
and individuals. The process of submitting and reviewing 
applications requires thousands of hours of staff time from 
both local CoCs and HUD staff. While the Committee applauds the 
Department's ability to successfully carryout this endeavor 
every year, the Committee is concerned that given the time 
consuming effort the annual NOFA requires of local CoCs and HUD 
staff, that as a result, less time is spent on identifying and 
implementing efficient and effective solutions to homelessness. 
Considering the fact that over 90 percent of projects funded 
through the NOFA competition are for renewal of existing 
grants, the Committee believes that shifting the NOFA from an 
annual competition, to a multi-year cycle will enable financial 
and staff resources to be more effectively utilized to address 
the goal of ending homelessness. Therefore, the Committee 
directs HUD to submit to the House and Senate Committees on 
Appropriations within 60 days of enactment of this act, a 
report that identifies a plan for conducting a multi-year NOFA, 
including any necessary legislative changes that would be 
required to implement this shift. As part of improvements to 
the CoC NOFA, the Committee further directs the Office of 
Special Needs Assistance program to work with the Office of 
Policy Development and Research to assess the merits or 
concerns of including bonus points in the CoC NOFA for CoCs 
that partner with their local Public Housing Agency [PHA] to 
establish wait list preferences at the PHA for homeless 
families and individuals. The Department shall submit the 
results of this assessment to the House and Senate Committees 
on Appropriations within 60 days of enactment of this act.
    Addressing the Needs of Victims and Survivors of Domestic 
Violence.--Victims and survivors of domestic violence and 
assault, particularly women and children, often flee unsafe 
circumstances and seek refuge through emergency shelter or 
transitional housing programs in order to avoid homelessness. 
The Committee recognizes the nexus between experiences of 
domestic violence and homelessness, as well as how access to 
housing and services can serve as an effective bridge between a 
person leaving an abusive and dangerous environment to finding 
stable housing. While permanent housing serves as a stable 
platform for preventing and ending cycles of homelessness among 
survivors, and rapid rehousing has been shown to be an 
effective method for providing shorter term assistance, the 
Committee is also aware that in some communities well-designed 
transitional housing programs have also been effective in 
meeting the needs of this population. Although HUD does not 
penalize effective transitional housing projects that serve 
survivors of domestic violence through its CoC grant 
competition, the Committee is concerned that transitional 
housing service providers and CoCs lack the information 
necessary to make informed funding recommendations that reflect 
the needs of survivors at the local level. Therefore, the 
Committee continues to direct the Department to issue 
clarifying guidance on how transitional housing can be an 
appropriate model and an eligible and effective use of funding 
through the CoC grant competition. The Committee also continues 
to direct the Department to coordinate with the Department of 
Justice Office on Violence Against Women [OVW] on opportunities 
in communities where CoC program resources can be used with 
OVW's transitional housing grants to ensure that survivors of 
domestic and dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking have 
access to safe and affordable housing and services. The 
Committee continues to encourage the Department to renew 
transitional housing projects for domestic violence survivors 
that have been shown to effectively address survivors' safety 
and client choice and to continue funding CoC projects serving 
domestic violence survivors that allow program participants to 
obtain permanent housing through tenant-based rental assistance 
and supportive services. The Committee recommendation also 
includes $50,000,000 in competitive CoC grants for rapid re-
housing projects and supportive service projects providing 
coordinated entry, and other critical activities in order to 
assist survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, and 
stalking. The Committee includes language requiring that such 
projects be eligible for renewal under the continuum of care 
program, subject to the same terms and conditions as other 
renewal applicants. The Committee expects HUD to work with 
Continuums of Care to ensure that such projects do not supplant 
projects eligible for renewal as part of the 2021 continuum of 
care grant competition.
    Data on Youth Homelessness.--The Committee believes an 
accurate count is critical to understanding the scale of youth 
homelessness. While the Annual Homelessness Assessment Report 
[AHAR] provides Congress and the public with meaningful 
information on the progress to end homelessness, other Federal 
agencies have youth-specific data that can help communities 
better understand the scope of youth homelessness and housing 
instability in their area. The Committee continues to direct 
HUD to incorporate additional Federal data on youth 
homelessness into the AHAR.
    Comprehensive Interventions to Prevent and End Youth 
Homelessness.--The Committee recommendation includes 
$80,000,000 to continue implementation of comprehensive 
approaches to serving homeless youth, of which up to $5,000,000 
shall be used to provide technical assistance to grantees. The 
Committee applauds HUD's decision to use a portion of its 
technical assistance funding to support the 100-Day Challenge 
Initiative, a program that helps communities accelerate efforts 
to prevent and end youth homelessness. By offering local 
service providers the opportunity to come together to identify 
impediments and establish goals, the 100-Day Challenge leaves 
communities better prepared to confront youth homelessness in a 
comprehensive manner. The program also lays the groundwork for 
participants seeking to apply for a Youth Homelessness 
Demonstration Grant award.
    Clarifying Eligibility and Documentation Requirements for 
Homeless Youth.--The Committee continues to include language 
that waives the requirement for youth ages 24 and under to 
provide third-party documentation to receive housing and 
supportive services within the Continuums of Care. The 
Committee strongly believes documentation requirements should 
not be a basis for denying access to necessary services. The 
Committee believes the Department shares the goal of 
effectively addressing youth homelessness and ensuring that no 
eligible youth go unserved where there is the local capacity to 
house and/or provide services. Therefore, the Committee 
encourages the Department to continue to clarify program 
requirements through guidance, notice and webcasts as 
appropriate.
    Annual Homeless Assessment Report [AHAR].--The Committee 
continues to direct HUD to incorporate additional Federal data 
on homelessness into the AHAR. This information is important to 
ensure that communities develop and implement policies that 
respond to local needs. To support continued data collection 
and AHAR, the Committee has included $7,000,000 to support AHAR 
data collection and analysis. The Department shall submit the 
AHAR report to the House and Senate Committees on 
Appropriations by August 29, 2020.
    Housing and Services for Victims of Human Trafficking.--The 
Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7101 et. 
seq.), as amended by section 224 of Public Law 114-22 (22 
U.S.C. 7105(b)(2)(A)), authorizes the Attorney General to make 
grants to develop, expand, or strengthen victim service 
programs for victims of human trafficking, including programs 
that provide housing. To comply with this act, the Department 
of Justice entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with HUD 
to help address the housing needs of human trafficking victims. 
On July 2, 2019, HUD published a Notice of Funding Availability 
[NOFA] to make $13,500,000 available for grants to eligible 
organizations to implement and provide housing and trauma-
informed, victim-centered services to victims of human 
trafficking. HUD modified the NOFA on August 26, 2019, before 
subsequently withdrawing it on September 9, 2019, without any 
advance notice to applicants or to the House and Senate 
Committees on Appropriations. The Committee strongly supports 
providing resources for victims of human trafficking in 
accordance with the statute, and is concerned about the lack of 
transparency and abrupt cancellation of this NOFA. As such, the 
Committee directs HUD to republish the NOFA for these funds as 
authorized under 22 U.S.C. 7105(b), and expects the Department 
to do so expediently.
    Connecting Families with Supportive Services.--The 
Committee directs that any program receiving funding through 
the continuum of care program, and which provides housing or 
services to families with children and youth, will designate a 
staff person to be responsible for ensuring that children and 
youth being served in the program are enrolled in school and 
connected to appropriate services in the community, including 
child care, early education, K-12 education, home-visiting, and 
other child health and wellness programs. The Committee further 
directs HUD to report on the implementation of this direction, 
including any related HUD collected data such as data points on 
training and family participation, within 1 year of enactment 
of this act.

                            Housing Programs


                    PROJECT-BASED RENTAL ASSISTANCE

Appropriations, 2019.................................... $11,747,000,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................  12,021,000,000
Committee recommendation................................  12,560,000,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    Section 8 Project-Based Rental Assistance provides a rental 
subsidy to a private landlord that is tied to a specific 
housing unit, as opposed to a voucher, which allows a recipient 
to seek a unit, subject primarily to certain rent caps. Amounts 
in this account include funding for the renewal of and 
amendments to expiring Section 8 project-based contracts, 
including Section 8, moderate rehabilitation, and single room 
occupancy housing. This account also provides funds for 
contract administrators.
    The Section 8 Project-Based Rental Assistance [PBRA] 
program supports an estimated 17,400 contracts with private 
owners of multifamily housing. Through this program, HUD and 
private sector partners support the preservation of safe, 
stable and sanitary housing for more than 1.2 million low-
income households. Without PBRA, many affordable housing 
projects would convert to market rates with large rent 
increases that current tenants would be unable to afford.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends a total appropriation of 
$12,560,000,000 for the annual renewal of project-based 
contracts, of which up to $345,000,000 is for the cost of 
contract administrators. The recommended level of funding is 
$813,000,000 above the amount provided in fiscal year 2019 and 
is $539,000,000 above the budget request. The funding 
recommendation provides sufficient resources to fully renew all 
existing affordable housing contracts.
    Performance-Based Contract Administrators.--Performance-
based contract administrators [PBCAs] are typically PHAs or 
State housing finance agencies. They are responsible for 
conducting on-site management reviews of assisted properties; 
adjusting contract rents; and reviewing, processing, and paying 
monthly vouchers submitted by owners, among other tasks. The 
Committee notes that PBCAs are integral to the Department's 
efforts to be more effective and efficient in the oversight and 
monitoring of this program, reduce improper payments, protect 
tenants and ensure properties are well maintained. The 
Committee is concerned that proposals to reduce the scope of 
work performed by PBCAs, diminish the applicability of Federal 
law, or consolidate PBCAs into regional awards versus State-by-
State will have a detrimental effect on the oversight of these 
HUD-assisted properties and the individuals and families that 
rely on this critical source of affordable housing. The 
Committee recognizes that as HUD continues the complicated task 
of developing a PBCA procurement solicitation, it has been able 
to engage with PBCAs to renegotiate current contracts lowering 
fees while ensuring all important tasks are included. The 
Committee directs HUD to ensure that the solicitation does not 
impede HFAs from bidding on state-based contracts.
    Oversight of Property Owners.--The Committee places a 
priority on providing access to safe, sanitary, and affordable 
housing to those most in need. If owners fail to uphold these 
standards, HUD should hold them accountable. The Committee 
continues to include a general provision requiring the 
Department to take specific steps to ensure that serious 
defects are quickly addressed. This provision requires the 
Secretary to take explicit actions if an owner fails to 
maintain its property, including imposing civil monetary 
penalties, securing a different owner for the property, or 
transferring the Section 8 contract to another property.
    Managing Troubled Properties.--The Committee is deeply 
troubled by reports of tenants enduring deplorable living 
conditions that risk their health and safety, as a result of 
delayed or inaccurate REAC inspections of troubled properties, 
and HUD's inability to track property owners under litigation 
for failure to maintain decent, safe, and sanitary housing. 
Further, the Committee is concerned with HUD's management 
challenges assisting and monitoring these properties due to a 
lack of coordination with local field offices and units of 
local government, or an awareness of local code violations or 
tenant complaints which could result in significant unenforced 
code violations. In fiscal year 2019, the Committee directed 
HUD to analyze the feasibility of developing a process by which 
PBCAs can conduct a survey of tenants living in properties 
under a housing assistance payment contract in order to 
identify persistent problems with either physical conditions or 
property management. Additionally, within 180 days of enactment 
of this act, HUD shall issue guidance to local field staff to 
improve collaboration and leverage local and regional 
coordination between and among field offices and units of local 
government (including building inspectors) to monitor and 
assist troubled properties, enforce corrective actions as 
necessary, and hold owners accountable for meeting contractual 
terms and conditions.
    Rental Assistance Demonstration.--The Rental Assistance 
Demonstration [RAD] was established in fiscal year 2012 to 
enable public housing properties, as well as other HUD-assisted 
properties, to convert to a Section 8 contract. Initially, HUD-
assisted multifamily housing properties only had the option to 
convert to project-based vouchers [PBV] before subsequent 
changes in fiscal year 2015 gave owners the choice to convert 
properties to project-based vouchers or a project-based rental 
assistance [PBRA] contract. The Committee recognizes that the 
pre-2015 adaptors of RAD lacked a choice between PBV and PBRA, 
but notes that enabling these owners to now take advantage of 
the choice between PBV and PBRA contracts may have unintended 
consequences for the PHAs that currently oversee these 
properties as well as the tenants that reside in these units. 
Therefore, the Committee encourages HUD to review the 
implications of permitting pre-2015 adaptors of RAD II to 
switch their Section 8 assistance to PBRA, and if such an 
approach would not adversely affect either PHAs or tenants, to 
include such as proposal as part of the Department's fiscal 
year 2021 budget request, which would include a description of 
the benefits to tenants.

                        HOUSING FOR THE ELDERLY

Appropriations, 2019....................................    $678,000,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................     644,000,000
Committee recommendation................................     696,000,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    This account provides funding for housing for the elderly 
pursuant to section 202 of the Housing Act of 1959. Under this 
program, the Department provides capital grants to eligible 
entities for the acquisition, rehabilitation, or construction 
of housing for seniors, as well as project-based rental 
assistance contracts [PRACs] to support the operational costs 
of such units. Tenants living in section 202 supportive housing 
units can access a variety of community-based services in order 
to continue living independently in their communities and 
effectively age in place.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $696,000,000 
for the Section 202 program. This amount is $18,000,000 more 
than the amount provided in fiscal year 2019 and $52,000,000 
more than the budget request. The Committee's recommendation 
includes $579,000,000 for the costs associated with fully 
funding all annual PRAC renewals and amendments; $107,000,000 
for service coordinators and the continuation of existing 
congregate service grants, including $4,000,000 for new service 
coordinator grants; and $10,000,000 for Aging-in-Place Home 
Modification grants. The Committee recommendation does not 
include authority or funding for the renewal of any rental 
assistance contracts which contain a term of longer than 12 
months.
    Aging-in-Place Home Modification Grants.--The Committee 
recommendation includes funding for additional Aging-in-Place 
Home Modification grants in order to enable low-income seniors 
to remain in their homes through low-cost, high-impact home 
modifications. The intended beneficiaries of these grants has 
always been low-income senior homeowners. It is disappointing 
that the Department has been slow to follow the Committee's 
direction to implement the program accordingly. In response, 
the Committee has included language clarifying its intent for 
the use of these funds as well as those appropriated in fiscal 
year 2019. In designing the Notice of Funding Availability for 
this program, HUD is directed to take into account successful 
models of low-barrier, participant-led, holistic approaches to 
aging in place, including Johns Hopkins University's Community 
Aging in Place--Advancing Better Living for Elders program and 
the Community Aging in Place program of the Maine State Housing 
Authority. The Committee further directs HUD to track the 
outcomes of seniors whose homes have been modified in order to 
better understand the effectiveness of this funding in reducing 
at-home falls, hospitalizations, and emergency response calls, 
as well as improving independence and tenure in home over time.
    Service Coordinators.--Service coordinators are responsible 
for connecting senior residents to supportive services offered 
by community agencies in order to further those seniors' 
independence and to assist them with aging in place. The 
Service Coordinator grant program pays the salaries and fringe 
benefits of service coordinators, as well as related program 
administrative costs. Annual extensions of these grants are 
provided only when there is no other funding source available 
at elderly housing developments. As the physical repair needs 
of aging elderly housing developments have begun to increase, 
however, the percentage of grantees that can offset service 
coordination costs from other funding sources has declined. 
Retention rates for service coordinators have also declined as 
educational requirements for the position have increased but 
salaries have not. This turnover not only disrupts the ability 
of the Department to provide grants that are utilized each 
year, but also breaks needed continuity in low-income elderly 
households' access to supportive services. The Committee 
encourages the Department to continue its ongoing work to 
improve retention rates through increasing salaries for service 
coordinators, where justified. To assist with these efforts, 
the Committee provides $103,000,000 for the renewal of service 
coordinator grants. This additional funding should be used to 
minimize dependence on annual offsets to maintain the program. 
The Committee also provides an additional $4,000,000 for new 
service coordinator grants so that low-income elderly residents 
of additional properties can benefit from the assistance of 
service coordinators.
    The Committee is also concerned that the Department remains 
unable to identify or locate service coordinators who serve 
assisted elderly housing developments, but are compensated 
through the operational budgets of the property rather than a 
Service Coordinator grant. This deficiency was identified in a 
report by the Government Accountability Office, in which it was 
estimated that roughly half of Section 202 properties had a 
service coordinator, but found the Department's data to be less 
than reliable for budget-based service coordinators. The 
Department has stated that it is working with relevant 
properties to be able to identify and locate budget-based 
service coordinators with confidence as soon as possible 
through the Standards for Success reporting program. The 
Committee directs the Department to complete these efforts 
within 30 days of enactment of this act and to report annually 
on the percentage of eligible elderly housing developments with 
service coordinators. This information should include the 
percentage that receive support from Service Coordinator grants 
and those compensated through operating budgets.
    Capital Advances.--In fiscal years 2018 and 2019, the 
Committee provided a total of $156,000,000 for the construction 
of new units to assist low-income elderly households. The 
Department released a Notice of Funding Availability in April 
2019 containing $50,000,000 of these funds. The Committee 
directs the Department to make the remaining $106,000,000 
provided in fiscal years 2018 and 2019 available within 60 days 
of enactment of this act and to award all remaining funding 
from those fiscal years with 180 days of enactment of this act.
    Supportive Housing Demonstration.--In fiscal year 2014, the 
Department was provided $22,500,000 to develop a demonstration 
to produce evidence of the effectiveness of an enhanced 
supportive services model for elderly households and to 
determine the value of enhanced service coordination paired 
with affordable housing for seniors. In January 2017, three-
year demonstration grants were awarded to 80 senior housing 
developments to provide a full-time service coordinator and a 
part-time preventative health nurse 
on-site. However, the Department has thereafter failed to 
provide the required reporting on the progress of this 
demonstration program. This information is needed to better 
understand the impact that service coordinators have on 
seniors' ability to age in place and on preventing unnecessary 
heath care utilization. The Committee directs the Department to 
resume providing regular reporting on the progress and status 
of this demonstration to the House and Senate Committees on 
Appropriations within 30 days of enactment of this act.
    Project Rental Assistance [PRA].--The PRA demonstration 
being conducted under the Section 811 program has shown 
tremendous promise as a significantly more cost-effective model 
for the creation of new assisted supportive housing units. 
While that program has demonstrated initial success with 
housing for persons with disabilities, it is unclear whether 
the program would be as successful serving other vulnerable 
populations, such as the elderly. The Committee directs the 
Department, upon completion of the Phase II Evaluation of the 
PRA demonstration, to examine this program and determine 
whether this demonstration could effectively create new units 
for low-income seniors under the Section 202 program. The 
Committee directs the Department to report on the results of 
that review within 180 days of the completion of the Section 
811 PRA Phase II Evaluation. This report should examine: the 
potential impacts on seniors, including any changes to their 
quality of life, health, or housing; economic aspects, 
including any projected changes to the cost of creating a new 
assisted supportive housing unit for the elderly; and any 
potential challenges to implementation.

                 HOUSING FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

Appropriations, 2019....................................    $184,155,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................     157,000,000
Committee recommendation................................     184,155,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    This account provides funding for housing for persons with 
disabilities pursuant to section 811 of the Cranston-Gonzalez 
National Affordable Housing Act of 1990. Traditionally, the 
Section 811 program provided capital grants to eligible 
entities for the acquisition, rehabilitation, or construction 
of housing for persons with disabilities, as well as project-
based rental assistance contracts [PRACs] to support the 
operational costs of such units. Since fiscal year 2012, HUD 
has transitioned to providing project rental assistance to 
State housing finance agencies or other appropriate entities, 
which act in partnership with State health and human services 
agencies to provide supportive services, as authorized by the 
Frank Melville Supportive Housing Investment Act of 2010 
(Public Law 111-374).

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $184,155,000 
for the Section 811 program. This amount is $27,155,000 more 
than the budget request and equal to the fiscal year 2019 
enacted level. This level of funding, in addition to residual 
receipts, recaptures, and other unobligated balances, will 
support all PRAC renewals and amendments while also providing 
up to $22,155,000 for the creation of new affordable housing 
for persons with disabilities.
    Project Rental Assistance [PRA].--The PRA demonstration 
seeks to create new assisted supportive housing units for 
extremely low-income people with disabilities without providing 
funding for the construction of new units. A total of 
$238,000,000 was awarded to 28 States in order to conduct this 
demonstration over a five-year period. Preliminary evaluations 
of this program have shown significant cost-savings in the 
creation of new units for people with disabilities. The Office 
of Policy Development and Research is evaluating this program 
in two phases and was expected to release the final Phase II 
Evaluation in early 2019. However, the Department has not yet 
produced that report. The second evaluation has three 
components: (1) an analysis of the implementation of the PRA 
demonstration; (2) an assessment of the effects of the PRA 
demonstration on participants' quality of life, housing, and 
health; and (3) an economic analysis to measure the costs of 
housing and supportive services provided and to compare those 
costs to benefits resulting from the demonstration. It is 
essential that the Committee receive the Phase II Evaluation as 
soon as possible in order to better understand the potential 
significant savings stemming from this demonstration. 
Therefore, the Committee directs the Department to produce and 
release this report within 30 days of enactment of this act.
    Capital Advances.--In fiscal years 2018 and 2019, the 
Committee provided a total of $112,755,000 for the creation of 
new units to assist low-income individuals and families with 
disabilities. However, the Department has not yet announced the 
availability of any of those funds. There is significant demand 
for the creation of new units under the Section 811 program. In 
2015, 1.39 million very low-income households with worst case 
housing needs included at least one non-elderly person with a 
disability. This number increased by 28 percent between 2013 
and 2015. The Committee directs the Department to make all of 
the funding provided in fiscal years 2018 and 2019 available 
within 60 days of enactment of this act and to award that 
funding with 180 days of enactment of this act.

                     HOUSING COUNSELING ASSISTANCE

Appropriations, 2019....................................     $50,000,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................      45,000,000
Committee recommendation................................      45,000,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The Housing Counseling Assistance program provides 
comprehensive housing counseling services to eligible 
homeowners and tenants through grants to non-profit 
intermediaries, State government entities, and other local and 
national agencies. Eligible counseling activities include: pre- 
and post-purchase education, personal financial management, 
reverse mortgage product education, foreclosure prevention and 
mitigation, and rental counseling.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $45,000,000 
for the Housing Counseling Assistance program, of which not 
less than $3,000,000 shall be for the training of housing 
counselors in order to ensure that all individuals who 
currently provide housing counseling services required under or 
in connection with a HUD program are certified pursuant to the 
requirements of 12 U.S.C. 1701x. This appropriation is equal to 
the budget request and $5,000,000 less than the fiscal year 
2019 enacted level. This funding will help to provide 
individuals and families across the country with sound advice 
to make more informed housing decisions, improve their 
financial situation, and meet their homeownership goals over 
time. Specifically, it will support competitive counseling 
grants and training activities. The network of HUD-approved 
housing counseling organizations provides a wide variety of 
counseling services, including assistance with preventing 
foreclosure and homelessness. In addition, the administrative 
contract support funding includes resources for financial 
audits and technical assistance. The Committee continues 
language requiring HUD to obligate counseling grants within 180 
days of enactment of this act, as well as permitting HUD to 
publish multi-year NOFAs, contingent on annual appropriations. 
This should result in administrative savings for both HUD and 
its grantees.
    Eviction Counseling.--The Committee remains concerned about 
the short- and long-term effects of evictions on families and 
individuals. The Committee directs HUD to continue to work with 
housing counseling organizations to improve the assistance 
offered to renters at risk of eviction. The Committee is 
disappointed that HUD has not yet provided the report detailing 
their efforts to improve these processes and augment the 
services offered by housing counselors. The Committee directs 
HUD to produce this report within 30 days of enactment of this 
act.
    Program Administration.--In September 2018, the HUD Office 
of Inspector General [IG] released an audit which found that 
the Office of Housing Counseling's agency approval and 
performance review processes were not being adequately 
performed. The IG recommended that HUD: (1) determine whether 
housing counseling agencies, which were reapproved without 
performance reviews, were properly qualified to provide 
services; (2) develop and implement updated standard operating 
procedures for performance reviews and agency approvals; and 
(3) ensure that the new management system being developed 
permits adequate programmatic oversight. The Committee is 
concerned that housing counseling agencies could have been 
permitted to provide services to families and individuals 
without sufficient qualifications and directs HUD to report on 
its progress to comply with the recommendations of the IG audit 
and its potential implementation of a risk-based management 
system within 90 days of the enactment of this act.

                       Rental Housing Assistance

Appropriations, 2019....................................      $5,000,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................       3,000,000
Committee recommendation................................       3,000,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    This account provides amendment funding for housing 
assisted under the Rental Housing Assistance Payments (Section 
236) program.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $3,000,000 for 
HUD-assisted, State-aided, noninsured rental housing projects, 
consistent with the budget request and $2,000,000 less than the 
fiscal year 2019 enacted level. The Committee recommendation 
includes a provision which allows for the conversion of these 
projects through the Rental Assistance Demonstration to long-
term Section 8 contracts at no additional cost. The Committee 
notes that all of the Rent Supplement program properties have 
been converted, ending that program, and that the conversion of 
the remaining projects within the Section 236 program will lead 
to the elimination of that program as well by the end of fiscal 
year 2020.

            PAYMENT TO MANUFACTURED HOUSING FEES TRUST FUND

Appropriations, 2019....................................     $12,000,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................      12,000,000
Committee recommendation................................      13,000,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    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 standards for the construction, design, safety, and 
performance of manufactured homes. All manufactured homes are 
required to meet these Federal standards, and fees are charged 
to producers to cover the costs of administering the Act.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $13,000,000 to support the 
manufactured housing standards programs, of which $13,000,000 
is expected to be derived from fees collected and deposited 
into the Manufactured Housing Fees Trust Fund account [Trust 
Fund]. No direct appropriation is provided. The total amount 
recommended is $1,000,000 more than the budget request and the 
fiscal year 2019 enacted level. The Committee recommendation 
directs that not more than $5,740,000 shall be for monitoring 
of manufacturers' compliance with construction and safety 
standards by third-party inspection agencies.
    Originally, HUD's partnership payments to States were based 
on new homes produced in States and new homes shipped into 
States. The Manufactured Housing Improvement Act of 2000 
changed this formula by requiring HUD to pay States at rates 
not less than the amount paid in 2000. While beneficial to some 
States, this has created inequitable payments over time when 
compared to potential current payments based on anticipated 
workload from actual production and shipments. As the 
manufactured housing industry continues to recover from the 
economic crisis, HUD has recognized that additional payments 
need to be made to States and has published a proposed rule (81 
FR 91083) in order to provide for a more equitable guarantee of 
minimum funding and to base such payments upon participation in 
the production or siting of new manufactured homes. The 
Committee directs HUD to publish a final rule on this matter 
within 180 days of enactment of this Act and provides 
additional appropriations to make those increased payments 
based on anticipated workload from actual production and 
shipments.
    The Committee continues to permit the Department to collect 
fees from program participants in the dispute resolution and 
installment programs, as mandated by the Manufactured Housing 
Improvement Act of 2000. These fees are to be deposited into 
the Trust Fund and may be used to support the manufactured 
housing standards programs, subject to the overall funding 
limitation placed on this account.
    Congressional Justification.--The Committee again notes 
with disappointment the lack of detail and program cost-
estimates in the Office of Manufactured Housing Programs' 
[OMHP] fiscal year 2020 written budget justification. The 
Committee directs OMHP to provide detailed Congressional 
justifications of its annual budget requests, including 
anticipated payments for each of the following: State 
Administrative Agencies, Monitoring Manufacturer's Compliance 
with Construction and Safety Standards, Oversight of Model 
Installation Standards, Administration of the Dispute 
Resolution Program, Coordination of Activities of the 
Manufactured Housing Consensus Committee, and Meetings with 
Partners in the Federal Manufactured Housing Program.

                     Federal Housing Administration


               MUTUAL MORTGAGE INSURANCE PROGRAM ACCOUNT

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                         Limitation on       Limitation on      Administrative
                                                         direct loans      guaranteed loans    contract expenses
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appropriations, 2019................................          $1,000,000    $400,000,000,000        $130,000,000
Budget estimate, 2020...............................           1,000,000     400,000,000,000         150,000,000
Committee recommendation............................           1,000,000     400,000,000,000         130,000,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                GENERAL AND SPECIAL RISK PROGRAM ACCOUNT

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                     Limitation on       Limitation on
                                     direct loans      guaranteed loans
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appropriations, 2019............          $1,000,000     $30,000,000,000
Budget estimate, 2020...........           1,000,000      30,000,000,000
Committee recommendation........           1,000,000      30,000,000,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The Federal Housing Administration [FHA] fund covers the 
mortgage and loan insurance activity of HUD mortgage/loan 
insurance programs. These include the mutual mortgage insurance 
[MMI] fund, cooperative management housing insurance [CMHI] 
fund, general insurance [GI] fund, and the special risk 
insurance [SRI] fund. For presentation and accounting control 
purposes, these are divided into two sets of accounts based on 
shared characteristics. The unsubsidized insurance programs of 
the mutual mortgage insurance fund and the cooperative 
management housing insurance fund constitute one set; and the 
general risk insurance and special risk insurance funds make up 
the other.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee has included the following amounts for the 
Mutual Mortgage Insurance Program account: a limitation on 
guaranteed loans of $400,000,000,000, a limitation on direct 
loans of $1,000,000, and $130,000,000 for administrative 
contract expenses. For the GI/SRI account, the Committee 
recommends $30,000,000,000 as a limitation on guaranteed loans 
and a limitation on direct loans of $1,000,000. The Committee 
does not include the authority for HUD to charge a fee to 
provide additional funds for FHA's administrative costs as 
proposed in the budget request. However, the Committee supports 
the goal of improving FHA's system automation, risk management, 
and quality control efforts and has included funding in the 
Information Technology Fund account for these purposes.
    Home Equity Conversion Mortgages [HECM].--The Committee 
urges the Department to take appropriate actions to ensure 
transparency and improve the resolution of defaulted and 
foreclosed FHA Home Equity Conversion Mortgage loans which have 
been assigned to HUD in order to improve program performance 
and loss mitigation results for borrowers. The Committee is 
concerned that HUD has not taken the necessary steps to build 
on its existing loss mitigation authorities through programs 
such as the cash for keys, in order to mitigate the risk of 
HECM loans held before January 1, 2016. Further, HUD lacks the 
necessary data sharing and public reporting on the HECM 
portfolio, including loan performance and sales. To ensure 
transparency, the Committee directs FHA to make public data 
tables used to compile the annual actuarial review, complete 
with a data element dictionary. All personal identifying 
information shall be removed from this data to ensure 
appropriate privacy. The Committee also directs HUD to 
reinstate online publishing of the HECM Single-Family Data 
Report. The Committee encourages HUD to include FHA loan-level 
origination and performance data, including servicing and 
termination information as part of this report. HUD shall brief 
the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations on its 
proposed actions and timelines for implementation within 90 
days of enactment of this act.
    Reporting on Distressed Assets.--In order to provide public 
transparency on the management of taxpayer assets through the 
sale of Secretary-held residential loans, HUD regularly 
published a ``Report to the Commissioner on Post-Sale Reporting 
Distressed Asset Stabilization Program [DASP]'' between 2012 
and 2016. These reports included data on outcomes and 
resolutions of distressed loans sold under DASP, including the 
structure of loan modifications and demographic and geographic 
information about the borrowers. In an effort to further the 
Department's mission of sustainable homeownership, as well as 
its responsibilities to taxpayers, the Committee directs the 
Secretary to publish online, within 60 days of enactment of 
this act, a similar report or reports showing the post-sale 
status of all loans sold through HUD's Single Family Asset 
Sales program, including both forward loans and HECM loans 
since January 2017, and to publish online similar reports on a 
semi-annual basis thereafter.
    Data Collection to Improve Transparency.--The Committee 
recognizes that properly structured downpayment assistance 
programs can provide a valuable resource to qualified borrowers 
who face the barrier of initial cash investment. Further, the 
Committee recognizes that more granular data on downpayment 
assistance providers would help HUD provide better oversight of 
the program and improve overall program performance. While HUD 
currently requires mortgagees to obtain tax identification 
numbers for non-profit downpayment assistance providers, it 
does not require the same information be collected if the 
provider is a government entity. The Committee believes that 
the uniform collection of tax identification numbers for both 
non-profit and governmental entities has the potential to 
improve FHA's oversight of downpayment assistance programs. 
Therefore, the Committee encourages HUD to require that 
mortgagees obtain and provide to HUD the tax identification 
number of a governmental entity when a governmental entity 
provides downpayment assistance in the form of a gift or a 
second mortgage.
    HUD-Federal Financing Bank Risk Sharing.--In fiscal year 
2014, HUD and the Federal Financing Bank [FFB] launched a risk 
sharing initiative in order to provide financing for 
multifamily mortgage loans insured by FHA under its Risk 
Sharing programs on an interim basis until September 30, 2021. 
Through this initiative, FFB provides Housing Finance Agencies 
[HFAs] with upfront financing for affordable multifamily 
housing developments, which FHA insures through the Multifamily 
Risk-Sharing Program under section 542 of the Housing and 
Community Development Act of 1992 (12 U.S.C. 1707). In 3 years, 
the HUD-FFB risk sharing initiative preserved or produced 
nearly 25,000 affordable housing units, which included 
investments in rural and non-metropolitan areas. Though not 
widely adopted by state HFAs, the initiative also resulted in 
increased offsetting collections to FHA, reduced administrative 
costs to the Department and increased public-private 
partnerships. As HUD continues working with HFAs that have 
existing HUD-FFB risk sharing agreements in place and submitted 
loan applications to HUD for financing of additional properties 
prior to December 31, 2018, the Committee encourages the 
Department to expedite its review and to keep its stakeholders 
engaged throughout the process. The Committee recognizes the 
important role the initiative has played in affordable 
multifamily housing development and that other financing 
options remain available to HFAs. The Committee encourages HUD 
to work with HFAs under the section 542 authority and continue 
to encourage innovate financing solutions in order to spur 
affordable multifamily housing production.

                Government National Mortgage Association


GUARANTEES OF MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES LOAN GUARANTEE PROGRAM ACCOUNT

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                        Limitation on
                                                         personnel,
                                  Limitation on       compensation and
                                guaranteed loans       administrative
                                                          expenses
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appropriations, 2019........      $550,000,000,000           $27,000,000
Budget estimate, 2020.......       550,000,000,000            28,400,000
Committee recommendation....       550,000,000,000            29,626,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The Government National Mortgage Association [Ginnie Mae], 
through the mortgage-backed securities program, guarantees 
privately issued securities backed by pools of Government-
guaranteed mortgages. Ginnie Mae is a wholly owned corporate 
instrumentality of the United States within the Department. Its 
powers are prescribed generally by title III of the National 
Housing Act, as amended. Ginnie Mae is authorized by section 
306(g) of the act to guarantee the timely payment of principal 
and interest on securities that are based on and backed by a 
trust, or pool, composed of mortgages that are guaranteed and 
insured by the FHA, the Rural Housing Service, or the 
Department of Veterans Affairs. Ginnie Mae's guarantee of 
mortgage-backed securities is backed by the full faith and 
credit of the United States. This account also funds all 
salaries and benefits funding to support Ginnie Mae.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends a limitation on new commitments on 
mortgage-backed securities of $550,000,000,000. This level is 
the same as the budget request and fiscal year 2019 enacted 
level. The bill allows Ginnie Mae to use $29,626,000 for 
salaries and expenses. This is $2,626,000 more than the fiscal 
year 2019 enacted level and $1,226,000 more than the budget 
request.
    Hiring and Retention.--The Consolidated Appropriations Act 
of 2017 directed HUD to report on the effects retention plays 
in carrying out its oversight role and to provide possible 
solutions to improve staff retention. In February, HUD provided 
Congress with this report, which recommended an alternative pay 
scale authority for boosting retention for mission critical 
positions, but did not include any other recommendations for 
improving hiring and retention or identify statutory or 
regulatory barriers to an alternative pay scale. Subsequently, 
GAO released a report on Ginnie Mae's Risk Management and 
Staffing-Related Challenges (GAO-19-191) which found that 
Ginnie Mae overwhelmingly relies on contractors to fulfill its 
mission critical functions and that the Department has not done 
a comprehensive workforce analysis to identify how much of 
Ginnie Mae's contract workforce can be shifted in-house or 
identified the costs and benefits of doing such a restructure. 
The Committee is concerned that Ginnie Mae has not identified 
how the current workforce, both contractors and government 
employees, meets mission critical functions in oversight, risk 
management, and compliance and believes this must be completed 
before Ginnie Mae can develop a plan to fill gaps in hiring and 
retention. In order to understand the staffing and retention 
challenges at Ginnie Mae, the Committee directs the Department 
to conduct an analysis and submit a report to the House and 
Senate Committees on Appropriations within 120 days of 
enactment of this act on how the current workforce, 
contractors, and government employees, meets mission critical 
functions. Additional information required in the report 
include an identification of the specific roles that 
contractors play in Ginnie Mae's core functions, the costs 
incurred in hiring and supervising such contractors, whether 
there are statutory or regulatory barriers to shifting these 
functions to government employees, and the impact on costs and 
long-term program continuity if these functions are shifted 
from contractors to government employees.
    The Committee recognizes that pay compensation at 
comparable Federal financial or regulatory institutions exceeds 
that of Ginnie Mae, but is concerned that the Department has 
not fully exercised its current authority to reduce barriers to 
pay compensation or increase retention. In its May report, GAO 
noted that HUD has existing authority available to them to 
improve hiring and retention within Ginnie Mae. The Committee 
is aware of existing administrative flexibility that Ginnie Mae 
could pursue, including Critical Position Pay Authority, in 
order to address gaps in its workforce or improve retention 
strategies and understands that the Department is working with 
the Office of Personnel Management and the Office of Management 
and Budget to explore effective ways to use this alternative 
pay scale model to improve hiring and retention. The Committee 
encourages the Department to continue its work in this area and 
to report to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations 
within 60 days of enactment of this act on its progress.

                    Policy Development And Research


                        RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY

Appropriations, 2019....................................     $96,000,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................      87,000,000
Committee recommendation................................      96,000,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    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. Additionally, this 
appropriation is used to support HUD evaluation and monitoring 
activities and to conduct housing surveys.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $96,000,000 
for research, technology, and community development activities 
in fiscal year 2020. This level is equal to the fiscal year 
2019 enacted level and $9,000,000 more than the budget request. 
The Committee recommends $50,000,000 for Core Research and 
Technology, including: market surveys; research support and 
dissemination; data acquisition; housing finance studies; 
research partnerships; and housing technology. In addition, the 
Committee includes $46,000,000 for Department-wide technical 
assistance and critical research beyond the core studies. Of 
this amount, at least $29,750,000 is for technical assistance 
across HUD programs of which $2,250,000 shall be for targeted 
technical assistance to public housing agencies under the 
direction of a federal monitor. The Committee recommendation 
will continue to support market surveys, such as the American 
Housing Survey, that are integral to HUD's ability to 
understand its own programs, and also help enhance public and 
private entities' knowledge of housing conditions in the United 
States.
    Of the amount provided for critical research beyond the 
core studies, the recommendation includes up to $750,000 for 
use by the Office of Innovation for innovation awards, up to 
$3,500,000 for cooperative agreement and research partnerships 
with historically black colleges and universities, and 
$3,000,000 for an assessment of public housing capital needs.
    The recommendation includes continued funding for 
evaluations of the Moving-to-Work program and expansion; and 
on-going evaluation and follow-up work related to the Family 
Options Study, and long-term tracking of the Family Self-
Sufficiency program.
    The recommendation also includes funding for the following 
new research and evaluations: an evaluation of the aging-in-
place home modification program for low-income senior 
homeowners, and an assessment of housing search assistance for 
people with disabilities.
    HUD shall include details on its allocation of these 
resources in its operating plan.
    Fair Market Rents [FMRs].--The Committee encourages HUD to 
identify and implement alternatives to locally funded rent 
surveys for areas affected by changing economic conditions and 
natural disasters. In fiscal year 2018, the Committee directed 
HUD to submit a report describing proposals to update the FMR 
formula to more accurately reflect the current housing market. 
In this report, submitted to Congress in September 2018, HUD 
identified potential causes of inaccuracies in the FMR 
calculation, including the trend and inflation factors, and the 
data used for recent mover base rents. However, in this report 
HUD did not identify a methodology for forecasting local rental 
market trends for areas of the country that have significantly 
higher or lower rental growth compared to the national average, 
which is used in the determination of annual FMRs, resulting in 
some markets yielding a rent change factor that is 1.9 percent 
higher or 3.2 percent less than the consumer price index gross 
rent for the same market for the year. In its forecasting of an 
inflation factor at the national and regional level, HUD does 
not have a reliable method for projecting actual inflation for 
smaller or nonmetropolitan areas of the country that are not 
captured in annual residential sampling conducted by the Bureau 
of Labor Statistics. HUD's FMR calculation is also limited by 
the frequency of data collected on changes in gross rents 
through the American Community Survey [ACS]. For larger, 
metropolitan communities, the ACS collects data annually but 
for communities with populations of less than 65,000, data is 
collected every 5 years. In using the most recent validated 
data to determine changes in local gross rents, HUD is limited 
in using the last year of ACS data collection for that market, 
which could result in data from 3 years prior. For rapidly 
changing rental markets, this lag in data availability poses 
significant challenges for housing providers who are trying to 
provide HUD-assisted households with rental subsidies that are 
comparable to local fair market rents. While the Committee 
recognizes that the results of the analysis will not yield 
actions that will inform the fiscal year 2020 FMR calculations, 
it looks forward to the Department engaging the public on 
proposed adjustments to improve the FMR calculation. The 
Committee directs HUD to finalize its strategy and review of 
the notice of proposed rulemaking comments within 120 days of 
enactment of this act.
    The Committee is concerned that the overall challenges in 
the FMR calculation could have disproportionate impacts on 
leasing among special populations, including homeless veterans 
participating in the HUD-VASH program, and directs Policy 
Development and Research to work with the Office of Public and 
Indian Housing to submit a report to the House and Senate 
Committees on Appropriations on HUD-VASH leasing success rates 
trends in areas that have requested an exception payment 
standard, submitted a local rent survey, or received approval 
to administer payments above 110 percent of the FMR. The 
Committee continues to encourage the Department, to the extent 
practicable, to work with communities to use local rent survey 
data made available in the preceding year to inform the 
calculation of FMRs. The Committee continues to strongly 
encourage HUD to expedite the process for consideration of FMRs 
and exception payment standards that are requested by PHAs.
    Cold Climate Housing.--The Committee encourages HUD to 
enter into cooperative agreements with philanthropic entities, 
other Federal agencies, State or local governments and their 
agencies, Indian tribes, tribally designated housing entities, 
or colleges or universities for research into sustainable 
housing design, development and construction for cold climates.

                   Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity


                        FAIR HOUSING ACTIVITIES

Appropriations, 2019....................................     $65,300,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................      62,300,000
Committee recommendation................................      65,300,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The fair housing activities appropriation includes funding 
for both the Fair Housing Assistance Program [FHAP] and the 
Fair Housing Initiatives Program [FHIP], among others.
    FHAP assists State and local fair housing agencies with 
implementing title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, as 
amended, which prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental, 
and financing of housing and in the provision of brokerage 
services. The major objective of the program is to ensure 
prompt and effective processing of title VIII complaints, with 
appropriate remedies for complaints being provided by State and 
local fair housing agencies.
    FHIP is authorized by section 561 of the Housing and 
Community Development Act of 1987, as amended, and by section 
905 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992. This 
program provides support to public and private organizations 
for the purpose of eliminating or preventing discrimination in 
housing, and enhances fair housing opportunities.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $65,300,000 
for the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. This 
amount is $3,000,000 more than the budget request and equal to 
the fiscal year 2019 enacted level. Of the amounts provided, 
$23,500,000 is for FHAP, $39,900,000 is for FHIP, including not 
less than $7,850,000 for education and outreach programs and 
not less than $600,000 for Fair Housing Organization 
Initiatives, and $300,000 is for the creation, promotion, and 
dissemination of translated materials that support the 
assistance of persons with limited English proficiency. The 
Committee also provides $1,600,000 for the National Fair 
Housing Training Academy and encourages the Department to 
pursue ways to make the Academy self-sustaining.
    Test Coordinator Training.--Testing remains one of the most 
effective investigative tools and is essential to the 
successful enforcement of fair housing laws. Those who 
coordinate testing investigations need specialized training 
from skilled, experienced professionals in this field. The 
Committee directs the Department to continue to operate a 
comprehensive program which provides ongoing training, 
technical assistance, and resources to test coordinators 
working in fair housing organizations throughout the country. 
The Committee also directs the Department not to merge existing 
test coordinator training with other fair housing activities, 
including the National Fair Housing Training Academy.
    Delays in Grant Awards.--In recent years, the Department 
has been slow in awarding funds under the FHIP program. The 
Committee is concerned that these continued delays in the 
awarding of FHIP grants could undermine fair housing 
organizations' abilities to effectively address discrimination 
in their communities. The Committee directs that funding 
provided for FHIP in fiscal year 2019 be awarded within 90 days 
of enactment of this act and that funding provided in fiscal 
year 2020 be awarded within 1 year of enactment of this act.

            Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes

                         LEAD HAZARD REDUCTION

Appropriations, 2019....................................    $279,000,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................     290,000,000
Committee recommendation................................     290,000,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    Title X of the Housing and Community Development Act of 
1992 (Public Law 102-550) established the Residential Lead-
Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act, under which HUD is authorized 
to make grants to States, localities, and Native American 
Tribes in order to conduct lead-based paint hazard remediation 
and abatement activities in private, low-income housing. Lead 
is a significant environmental health hazard, particularly for 
young children and pregnant women, and exposure can result in 
neurological damage, learning disabilities, and impaired 
growth. The Healthy Homes Initiative, which was authorized 
under sections 501 and 502 of the Housing and Urban Development 
Act of 1970 (Public Law 91-609), provides grants to remediate 
hazards in housing that have been scientifically shown to 
negatively impact occupant health and safety.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $290,000,000 
for lead-based paint hazard reduction and abatement activities, 
of which $45,000,000 is for the Healthy Homes Initiative and 
$64,000,000 is for the High Impact Neighborhoods demonstration 
program. This appropriation is equal to the President's budget 
request and $11,000,000 more than the fiscal year 2019 enacted 
level. This overall funding level will support lead-based paint 
hazard reductions in more than 17,900 units, providing safer 
homes for over 66,600 low and very-low income families and 
individuals, including nearly 16,600 children under the age of 
6 years old.
    The Committee remains committed to protecting children in 
communities with the highest rates of childhood lead poisoning 
and the oldest housing stock. Lead-based paint hazards are far 
more prevalent in older homes and in low-income housing in 
particular, where maintenance is less robust and paint surfaces 
are more likely to deteriorate. In order to target funding to 
those communities, the Committee directs HUD to award no less 
than $100,000,000 of grants to those jurisdictions with the 
highest lead-based paint abatement needs. The Committee notes 
that this set-aside is a minimum floor and encourages HUD to 
exceed this threshold.
    High Impact Neighborhood Demonstrations.--According to the 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, children in at 
least 4 million U.S. households are exposed to high levels of 
lead. Exposure to lead hazards at a young age can not only 
severely inhibit healthy development and compromise learning, 
but may also permanently jeopardize potential for upward social 
mobility throughout adulthood. Children who are exposed to lead 
hazards are seven times more likely to drop out of school and 
six times more likely to end up in the juvenile justice system.
    In an effort to demonstrate the effectiveness of intensive 
multi-year investments in lead-based paint remediation 
activities in low-income communities, the Committee provides 
$64,000,000 for five-year grants in up to 10 communities, with 
each grantee receiving not less than $6,000,000 and not more 
than $9,000,000. This funding will support projects to 
dramatically reduce the presence of lead-based paint hazards in 
neighborhoods with high reported incidences of elevated blood 
lead levels in children under the age of 6 years old, as well 
as high rates of housing stock built before 1940 and low-income 
families with young children.
    The Committee directs the Department to provide training 
and ongoing technical assistance to grantees throughout the 
duration of the multi-year grant period in order to assist 
those communities with fully utilizing the funding awarded as 
part of this demonstration program. The Committee also directs 
the Department to evaluate the effectiveness of these intensive 
multi-year investments in reducing the presence of lead-based 
paint hazards and the per-unit cost of lead-based paint 
remediation activities. The Department shall provide a report 
to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations discussing 
its methodology for making these evaluations and the results of 
those evaluations when each is completed.
    The Committee applauds the Department for issuing the 
Notice of Funding Availability [NOFA] for the High Impact 
Neighborhoods grant expeditiously in order to help communities 
target resources to the areas of greatest need in a timely 
manner. However, the Committee is concerned that the NOFA's 
eligibility criteria lacked clarity and consistency with the 
statutory authority. Specifically, the Committee is concerned 
that the NOFA was unclear on what entities were eligible to 
apply for the funding, including entities that are a part of 
the same state government or general local government, and 
directs the Department to ensure all future NOFAs explicitly 
describe all eligible grantees and are consistent with the 
statute. The Committee notes the goal for the High Impact 
Neighborhoods grant is to provide resources for innovative 
capacity building in the intensive reduction of lead hazards, 
and directs HUD to adjust the weighting criteria to ensure 
proper consideration is given to applicants that demonstrate 
such capacity building. The Committee is also aware of 
jurisdictions with limited staffing, nonetheless in need of 
intensive lead intervention. To ensure these jurisdictions are 
not adversely impacted and that resources are directed to 
communities with the highest need, the Committee further 
directs HUD to allow program managers to have a 1 year overlap 
in the period of performance for the oversight of grants funded 
under this heading.
    Grantee Coordination.--Funds received under the Lead-Based 
Paint Hazard Control grant program may be utilized by grantees 
to evaluate and address lead-based paint hazards in Section 8 
voucher units. The Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy 
Homes [OLHCHH] currently gives preference to grantees that work 
with public housing agencies to address lead-based paint 
hazards in those units. The Committee commends HUD for 
emphasizing this need when awarding these grants and urges HUD 
to continue to address this need in HUD-assisted housing stock 
in the private market.
    Weatherization Assistance Program.--Funding from HUD's 
Lead-Based Paint Hazard Control grant program is often used to 
replace windows in homes that generate lead dust that is 
harmful to children. These homes are also often eligible for 
assistance under the Department of Energy's [DOE's] 
Weatherization Assistance Program [WAP], which will replace 
those same windows with more energy-efficient ones. However, 
even with the establishment of DOE's Lead-Safe Weatherization 
program, many WAP contractors are hesitant to work in units 
where lead-based paint hazards may be present because of the 
additional time and cost involved with each project. There is a 
tremendous opportunity for these programs to complement one 
another in a manner that saves grantees money and allows for 
more work to be completed.
    The Committee supports OLHCHH's continued participation in 
the interagency working group on healthy homes and energy. 
OLHCHH is encouraged to continue to coordinate with DOE and to 
assist WAP grantees and sub-grantees in partnering with its own 
grantees to perform window removal and installation work in 
older low-income housing. HUD is directed to collect 
information on how many units benefit from this coordination 
and how much this coordination has reduced costs for hardware 
and labor. HUD is directed to provide this information to the 
Senate and House Committees on Appropriations no later than 6 
months after the end of each grant cycle on an annual basis.
    Eliminating Fall Hazards for the Elderly.--Approximately 
one-third of adults ages 65 years and older fall each year, and 
the majority of these falls occur in the home. By 2020, 
expenditures related to injuries sustained as a result of falls 
by seniors are projected to cost nearly $60,000,000,000. 
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 
medical costs related to these injuries already rank as one of 
the top twenty most expensive medical costs. The Committee 
encourages the Department to continue its efforts through the 
Healthy Homes Initiative to educate residents about the 
elimination of fall hazards in their homes. Building upon the 
investments made by this Committee for aging-in-place home 
modifications, the Committee directs OLHCHH to emphasize fall 
prevention and management strategies. The Committee encourages 
interagency coordination, where appropriate, to improve the 
effectiveness of these initiatives.
    Progress on Fiscal Year 2019 Directives.--The Committee is 
encouraged with the Department's progress on its fiscal year 
2019 directives, including: operationalizing a tool that will 
provide data to permit the Department to better target grant 
awards to communities most at risk for lead-based paint 
hazards; issuing clarifying guidance to address noncompliance 
of grantees with lead-based paint regulations and to determine 
when enforcement actions should be pursued against grantees; 
and submitting annual reports mandated by 42 U.S.C. 4856. The 
Committee directs the Department to complete these directives 
within 120 days of enactment of this act.
    Overdue Report.--The Committee directs the Department to 
complete the report required by section 312 of Public Law 115-
474 within 30 days of enactment of this act. This report should 
include best practices for improving existing standards and 
policies with regard to addressing lead-based paint hazards, as 
well as recommendations for legislation to improve lead-based 
paint hazard prevention and abatement.

                      Information Technology Fund

Appropriations, 2019....................................    $280,000,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................     280,000,000
Committee recommendation................................     280,000,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    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 an appropriation of $280,000,000 
for the Information Technology Fund for fiscal year 2020, which 
is equal to the budget request and the fiscal year 2019 enacted 
level.
    Federal Housing Administration [FHA] Information Technology 
Modernization.--FHA's primary underwriting system is over 40 
years old, while its monitoring system, property accounting, 
and vendor management systems are over 25 years old. These 
antiquated systems not only make it difficult and expensive for 
lenders to work with FHA, but more importantly, they undermine 
the fiscal solvency of the Mutual Mortgage Insurance Fund and 
create significant risk to the taxpayers. The Committee 
recommendation includes $20,000,000 to continue the 
modernization of FHA's IT systems. The Committee directs these 
funds to be used for improving single-family insured mortgage 
processing underwriting and delivery, modernizing the single-
family asset management and claims systems, and addressing 
lender activities and program compliance. These funds may also 
be used for more immediate IT needs including improvements to: 
FHA's system interface with the Department of Treasury's Do Not 
Pay System, FHA's origination systems for HUD IT security 
policy compliance, and the reverse mortgage system.
    HUD Information Technology Modernization.--The Committee 
remains supportive of HUD's efforts to modernize its IT 
systems, which are critical to effectively manage its programs. 
For years, HUD has been hampered by outdated IT systems that 
are not integrated, which limit its ability to oversee grantees 
or efficiently manage HUD programs. The Committee is aware that 
HUD has undertaken efforts to better integrate systems, and 
encourages HUD to continue prioritizing mission-critical IT 
systems.
    Cybersecurity Modernization.--The Consolidated 
Appropriations Act of 2018 provided $7,000,000 for 
cybersecurity improvements, and HUD has since presented a 
comprehensive Expenditure Plan to the Committee. HUD plans to 
implement two major projects to address cybersecurity risks: a 
Continuous Monitoring and Ongoing Authorization project and an 
agency-wide Enterprise Identity Credential Access Management 
[eICAM] system. This time-based process allows potential risks 
to cybersecurity to go undetected for an extended period of 
time. The proposed continuous monitoring and ongoing 
authorization project will allow HUD IT staff to be proactive 
in identifying and responding to security threats. The 
Committee supports HUD's proposal to integrate the eICAM system 
to meet Federal regulations, address challenges with 
authorization and identity management, and reduce maintenance 
costs. The Committee directs HUD to provide an updated progress 
report within 180 days of enactment of this act, with an 
estimated timeline for completion on these two major projects, 
including the status of key milestones and performance metrics 
established in the Cybersecurity Expenditure plan.
    Unsanctioned Information Technology Development.--The 
Committee remains concerned about the development of IT systems 
outside of the Information Technology Fund. While the Committee 
understands that limited resources may prompt HUD offices to 
develop solutions with their own resources, the Committee 
continues to expect OCIO to monitor and oversee the development 
of any such applications and report to the House and Senate 
Committees on Appropriations the inventory of IT systems and 
applications both sanctioned and unsanctioned. The Committee 
directs the OCIO to monitor the development of new system 
solutions by every office in HUD to make sure they conform to 
HUD's enterprise architecture, and will be compatible with 
systems under development.
    Operational Efficiencies.--The Committee remains interested 
in any cost savings or operational efficiencies that have 
resulted (or may result) from the Department's modernization 
efforts and directs HUD to provide an updated report on cost 
savings and efforts to implement GAO recommendations from the 
2013 review of HUD's IT project management practices within 180 
days of enactment of this act.

                      Office of Inspector General

Appropriations, 2019....................................    $128,082,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................     129,400,000
Committee recommendation................................     132,489,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The Office of Inspector General [OIG] conducts independent 
investigations, audits, and evaluations not only to prevent and 
detect fraud, waste, and abuse, but also to promote efficiency 
and effectiveness in the programs and operations of the 
Department of Housing and Urban Development. This appropriation 
will finance all salaries and related expenses associated with 
the operation of the OIG.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $132,489,000 
for the OIG, which is $3,089,000 more than the budget request 
and $4,407,000 more than the fiscal year 2019 enacted level.
    Audit Reports.--The Committee expects the OIG to continue 
providing copies of all audit reports to the Committee 
immediately after they are issued and to make the Committee 
aware immediately of any review which recommends significant 
budgetary savings.
    Improving Digital Services.--The Committee is pleased that 
the OIG recently enhanced its digital services by updating the 
website to show clear, evident categories of audits and 
reports, oversight authority, and HUD programs and offices.
    Contracting Audits of Annual Financial Statements.--The 
Committee has included a directive in the bill for the OIG to 
procure and rely upon the services of an independent external 
auditor to audit fiscal year 2020 or subsequent financial 
statements of HUD, including the financial statements of the 
Federal Housing Administration and the Government National 
Mortgage Association. This action brings HUD into alignment 
with most cabinet-level agencies that procure services from 
external auditors to ensure compliance with Federal audit 
requirements for annual financial statements.

    GENERAL PROVISIONS--DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT


                     (INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

                        (INCLUDING RESCISSIONS)

    The Committee recommends administrative provisions. A brief 
description follows.
    Sec. 201. This section promotes the refinancing of certain 
housing bonds.
    Sec. 202. This section clarifies a limitation on the use of 
funds under the Fair Housing Act.
    Sec. 203. This section requires HUD to award funds on a 
competitive basis unless otherwise provided.
    Sec. 204. This section allows funds to be used to reimburse 
Government-Sponsored Enterprises and other Federal entities for 
various administrative expenses.
    Sec. 205. This section limits HUD's spending to amounts set 
out in the budget justification.
    Sec. 206. This section clarifies expenditure authority for 
entities subject to the Government Corporation Control Act.
    Sec. 207. This section requires quarterly reports on all 
uncommitted, unobligated and excess funds associated with HUD 
programs.
    Sec. 208. This section exempts GNMA from certain 
requirements of the Federal Credit Reform Act of 1990.
    Sec. 209. This section allows HUD to authorize the transfer 
of existing project-based subsidies and liabilities from 
obsolete housing to housing that better meets the needs of the 
assisted tenants.
    Sec. 210. This section reforms certain section 8 rent 
calculations as related to athletic scholarships.
    Sec. 211. This section provides allocation requirements for 
Native Alaskans under the Indian Housing Block Grant program.
    Sec. 212. This section requires HUD to maintain section 8 
assistance on HUD-held or owned multifamily housing.
    Sec. 213. This section allows PHAs with less than 400 units 
to be exempt from management requirements in the operating fund 
rule.
    Sec. 214. This section restricts 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 limit established in the 
Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act of 1998.
    Sec. 215. This section 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.
    Sec. 216. This section requires the Secretary to publish 
all notices of funding availability that are competitively 
awarded on the Internet.
    Sec. 217. This section limits attorney fees and requires 
the Department to submit a spend plan to the House and Senate 
Committees on Appropriations.
    Sec. 218. This section allows the Secretary to transfer up 
to 10 percent of funds or $5,000,000, whichever is less, 
appropriated under the headings ``Administrative Support 
Offices'' or ``Program Offices'' to any other office funded 
under such headings.
    Sec. 219. This section requires HUD to take certain actions 
against owners receiving rental subsidies that do not maintain 
safe properties.
    Sec. 220. This section places limits on PHA compensation.
    Sec. 221. This section requires the Secretary to provide 
the Committee with advance notification before discretionary 
awards are made.
    Sec. 222. This section prohibits funds to be used to 
require or enforce the Physical Needs Assessment.
    Sec. 223. This section prohibits funds for HUD financing of 
mortgages for properties that have been subject to eminent 
domain.
    Sec. 224. This section prohibits 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.
    Sec. 225. This section 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.
    Sec. 226. This section prohibits funds to be used for 
financial awards for employees subject to administrative 
discipline.
    Sec. 227. This section authorizes the Secretary on a 
limited basis to use funds available under the ``Homeless 
Assistance Grants'' heading to participate in the multiagency 
Performance Partnership Pilots program.
    Sec. 228. This section allows program income to be used as 
an eligible match for 2015 through 2020 Continuum of Care 
funds.
    Sec. 229. This section permits HUD to provide 1 year 
transition grants under the continuum of care program.
    Sec. 230. This section prohibits the use of funds to direct 
a grantee to undertake specific changes to existing zoning laws 
as part of carrying out the final rule entitled, 
``Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing'' or the notice 
entitled, ``Affirmatively Further Fair Housing Assessment 
Tool''.
    Sec. 231. This section maintains current Promise Zone 
designations and agreements.
    Sec. 232. This section prohibits funds from being used to 
establish preference or bonus points for competitive grant 
programs for EnVision Center participants.
    Sec. 233. This section prohibits funds from being used to 
make changes to the Annual Contributions Contract that was in 
effect on December 31, 2017.
    Sec. 234. This section prohibits funds from being used to 
make funding decisions for the Family Self-Sufficiency program 
based on performance metrics in 2020.
    Sec. 235. This section rescinds unobligated balances from 
various accounts.
    Sec. 236. This section addresses the establishment of 
reserves for public housing agencies designated as Moving to 
Work agencies.
    Sec. 237. This section prohibits funds from being used to 
make certain eligibility limitations as part of a Notice of 
Fund Availability for competitive grant awards under the Public 
Housing Capital Fund.

                               TITLE III

                          INDEPENDENT AGENCIES

                              Access Board

                         SALARIES AND EXPENSES

Appropriations, 2019....................................      $8,400,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................       8,400,000
Committee recommendation................................       9,200,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The Access Board, formerly known as the Architectural and 
Transportation Barriers Compliance Board, was established by 
section 502 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Public Law 93-
112). The Access Board is responsible for developing guidelines 
under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (Public Law 
101-336), the Architectural Barriers Act of 1968 (Public Law 
90-480), and the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (Public Law 
104-104). These guidelines ensure that buildings and 
facilities, transportation vehicles, and telecommunications 
equipment covered by these laws are readily accessible to and 
usable by people with disabilities. The Access Board is also 
responsible for developing standards for accessible electronics 
and information technology used by Federal agencies under 
section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act and for medical 
diagnostic equipment under section 510 of the Rehabilitation 
Act. The Access Board also enforces the Architectural Barriers 
Act, ensuring accessibility to a wide range of Federal 
agencies, including national parks, post offices, social 
security offices, and prisons. In addition, the Access Board 
provides training and technical assistance on its guidelines 
and standards regarding the removal of accessibility barriers 
to Government agencies, public and private organizations, 
individuals, and businesses.
    The Access Board was given additional responsibilities 
under the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-252). 
The Access Board now serves on the Board of Advisors and the 
Technical Guidelines Development Committee, which helps the 
Election Assistance Commission to develop voluntary guidelines 
and guidance for voting systems, including for accessibility 
for people with disabilities.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $8,400,000 for the operations of 
the Access Board. This level of funding is equal to the budget 
request and the fiscal year 2019 enacted level. The Committee 
provides an additional $800,000 for the Access Board to study 
the feasibility of in-cabin wheelchair restraint systems and 
the ways in which individuals with significant disabilities 
using wheelchairs, including power wheelchairs, can be 
accommodated in commercial aircraft, as required under section 
432 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-
254).
    Research on the Accessibility of Automated Vehicles.--
Nearly one in five people in the United States have a 
disability and face personal challenges regarding access to 
healthcare, education, housing, or employment. These 
difficulties are often compounded by a lack of accessible 
transportation in their communities. As automated driving 
systems are increasingly incorporated into both personal and 
commercial vehicles, manufactures could consider significant 
changes to vehicle design. This presents a unique opportunity 
to continue to further the economic and social integration of 
people with disabilities and to reconsider both restraint 
systems and human-machine interfaces to improve the 
accessibility of vehicles for people with disabilities. The 
extent to which people with disabilities can benefit from this 
transportation will depend on how early vehicle manufacturers 
take accessibility into consideration in the design process of 
their vehicles. The Committee directs the Access Board to 
assist the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in 
the development of goals and considerations for future 
amendments to the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards 
related to the accessibility of vehicles incorporating 
automated driving systems. These goals and considerations 
should ensure that the needs of people with communicative, 
physical, cognitive, and other disabilities are properly and 
thoroughly considered.

                      Federal Maritime Commission


                         SALARIES AND EXPENSES

Appropriations, 2019....................................     $27,490,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................      28,000,000
Committee recommendation................................      28,000,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The Federal Maritime Commission [FMC] is an independent 
regulatory agency, which administers the Shipping Act of 1984 
(Public Law 98-237), as amended by the Ocean Shipping Reform 
Act of 1998 (Public Law 105-258); section 19 of the Merchant 
Marine Act of 1920 (41 Stat. 998); the Foreign Shipping 
Practices Act of 1988 (Public Law 100-418); and Public Law 89-
777.
    FMC's mission is to foster a fair, efficient, and reliable 
international ocean transportation system and to protect the 
public from unfair and deceptive practices. To accomplish this 
mission, FMC regulates the international waterborne commerce of 
the United States. In addition, FMC has responsibility for 
licensing and bonding ocean transportation intermediaries and 
for ensuring that vessel owners or operators establish 
financial responsibility to pay judgments for death or injury 
to passengers, or nonperformance of a cruise, on voyages from 
United States ports.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $28,000,000 for the salaries and 
expenses of FMC for fiscal year 2020. This amount is equal to 
the President's fiscal year 2020 budget request $510,000 more 
than the fiscal year 2019 enacted level.
    Chassis Report.--The Committee is aware of the benefits of 
the American freight delivery system, specifically the 
flexibility and safety benefits that chassis pooling provides 
to shipping companies, marine terminal operators, ocean 
carriers, truckers, rail operators, and intermodal equipment 
providers. However, in an evolving and dynamic industry with a 
variety of demands on the supply chain based on region, market, 
and cargo volumes, issues can arise impacting chassis 
availability. The Committee is aware of various reports as a 
result of these issues, including: unexpected fees imposed on 
both truckers and shippers, non-negotiable terms found in 
chassis contracts and leases, and higher levels of port 
congestion resulting in insufficient chassis availability. 
These issues can lead to a lack of competitive market, service 
disruptions, and increased supply chain costs without any 
corresponding benefit. The Committee recognizes the efforts FMC 
has taken to assist with resolving these and other operability 
issues by engaging industry stakeholders to discuss the causes 
and effects of chassis shortages and the fundamental importance 
of maintaining chassis roadability and roadway safety. To that 
end, the FMC has established Innovation Teams in order to 
foster commercial solutions to these operational challenges, as 
well as investigations into ocean carrier and marine terminal 
demurrage and detention charges. To supplement these efforts, 
the Committee directs the GAO to study how and under what terms 
intermodal chassis are provided to shippers within 1 year of 
the date of enactment of this act. The study should examine 
competitive conditions in ports as it relates to chassis 
equipment; the business relationship between ocean carriers and 
intermodal equipment providers; fees charged for chassis used 
in the movement of ocean containers; issues related to ``street 
turns''; policies related to per diem and detention fees; 
roadway safety; the commercial benefits of chassis sharing and 
pool models; and chassis roadability.

                National Railroad Passenger Corporation


                      OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL

                         SALARIES AND EXPENSES

Appropriations, 2019....................................     $23,274,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................      23,274,000
Committee recommendation................................      23,274,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The Office of Inspector General for Amtrak was created by 
the Inspector General Act Amendment of 1988. The act recognized 
Amtrak as a ``designated Federal entity'' and required the 
railroad to establish an independent and objective unit to 
conduct and supervise audits and investigations relating to the 
programs and operations of Amtrak; recommend policies designed 
to promote economy, efficiency, and effectiveness in Amtrak, 
and prevent and detect fraud and abuse; and to provide a means 
for keeping the Amtrak leadership and the Congress fully 
informed about problems in Amtrak operations and the 
corporation's progress in making corrective action.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $23,274,000 for the Amtrak Office 
of Inspector General [OIG]. This funding level is equal to the 
budget request and equal to the fiscal year 2019 enacted level. 
The Committee retains language that requires the Amtrak OIG to 
submit a budget request in similar format and substance to 
those submitted by other executive agencies in the Federal 
Government.

                  National Transportation Safety Board


                         SALARIES AND EXPENSES

Appropriations, 2019....................................    $110,400,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................     110,400,000
Committee recommendation................................     110,400,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    Initially established along with the Department of 
Transportation, the National Transportation Safety Board [NTSB] 
commenced operations on April 1, 1967, as an independent 
Federal agency. The Board is charged by Congress with 
investigating every civil aviation accident in the United 
States, as well as significant accidents in the other modes of 
transportation--railroad, highway, marine, and pipeline--and 
issuing safety recommendations aimed at preventing future 
accidents. Although it has always operated independently, NTSB 
relied on 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 starting in 
1975.
    In addition to its investigatory duties, NTSB is 
responsible for maintaining the Government's database of civil 
aviation accidents and also conducts special studies of 
transportation safety issues of national significance. 
Furthermore, in accordance with the provisions of international 
treaties, 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. NTSB also serves as the 
``court of appeals'' for any airman, mechanic, or mariner 
whenever certificate action is taken by the FAA or the U.S. 
Coast Guard Commandant, or when civil penalties are assessed by 
the FAA.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends $110,400,000 for the National 
Transportation Safety Board, which is equal to the budget 
request and equal to the fiscal year 2019 enacted level. The 
Committee has also continued to include language that allows 
NTSB to make payments on its lease for the NTSB training 
facility with funding provided in the bill.

                 Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation


          PAYMENT TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD REINVESTMENT CORPORATION

Appropriations, 2019....................................    $152,000,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................      27,400,000
Committee recommendation................................     152,000,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation was created by 
the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation Act (Title VI of the 
Housing and Community Development Amendments of 1978, Public 
Law 95-557). The Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation, 
operating under the trade name ``NeighborWorks America,'' helps 
local communities to establish efficient, effective 
partnerships between residents and representatives of the 
public and private sectors. These partnership-based 
organizations are independent, tax-exempt, non-profit entities, 
collectively known as the ``NeighborWorks Network.'' Nearly 250 
NeighborWorks organizations serve almost 3,000 urban, suburban, 
and rural communities in every State, the District of Columbia, 
and Puerto Rico.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $151,000,000 
for NeighborWorks America. The Committee also includes an 
additional $1,000,000 for the promotion and development of 
shared equity housing models. This total amount is $124,600,000 
more than the budget request and equal to the fiscal year 2019 
enacted level. The Committee continues to support the set-aside 
of $5,000,000 for the multifamily rental housing initiative, 
which has been successful in developing innovative approaches 
to producing mixed-income affordable housing throughout the 
nation. The Committee directs NeighborWorks to provide at least 
3 days' advance notice to the House and Senate Committees on 
Appropriations prior to the announcement of any grant exceeding 
$50,000 that is awarded to a NeighborWorks Network 
organization.
    Rural Areas.--The Committee commends NeighborWorks' efforts 
to build capacity in rural areas and urges NeighborWorks to 
continue those initiatives.
    Shared Equity Homeownership.--Shared equity models offer 
unique opportunities for low- to moderate-income families and 
first-time homebuyers to purchase housing at a lower cost, 
while also maintaining those homes' long-term affordability, 
building the homeowners' assets, and revitalizing the 
surrounding communities. The Committee recommendation includes 
$1,000,000 for the promotion and development of shared equity 
housing models, building upon the $2,000,000 provided in fiscal 
year 2019. This funding will be used to: increase the capacity 
of network organizations to develop shared equity models; 
better understand scalable, sustainable shared equity models; 
and develop an array of strategies for different housing 
markets. These investments will also allow for NeighborWorks to 
increase the total number of and the amount provided for 
initial seed grants, as well as to offer more extensive 
technical assistance to interested network organizations in 
order to help with their strategic planning and development of 
shared equity housing. NeighborWorks will also host a shared 
equity housing symposium and offer scholarships for other 
national training courses, including to those organizations 
which have already successfully implemented shared equity 
models to share their expertise and to discuss how to improve 
their planning and operations.
    NeighborWorks is directed to continue to evaluate 
strategies undertaken by each organization in order to 
determine both individual and community-level outcomes, 
including impacts on resident health, well-being, and financial 
security. NeighborWorks shall also develop two additional 
courses on shared equity models to be offered at National 
Training Institutes. In developing these courses and performing 
evaluations, NeighborWorks is directed to work with affiliated 
organizations with extensive experience in offering shared 
equity homeownership opportunities.
    Multilingual Training Courses.--The Committee directs 
NeighborWorks to survey the NeighborWorks Network to determine 
whether there is sufficient need for additional professional 
development and certification training courses for non-profit 
community development staff to be offered in additional 
languages. NeighborWorks is encouraged to develop new courses, 
including translated materials, to meet those needs.

                      Surface Transportation Board


                         SALARIES AND EXPENSES

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            Crediting
                                        Appropriation      offsetting
                                                           collections
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appropriations, 2019................       $37,100,000        $1,250,000
Budget estimate, 2020...............        37,100,000         1,250,000
Committee recommendation............        37,100,000         1,250,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The Surface Transportation Board [STB] was created on 
January 1, 1996, by the Interstate Commerce Commission 
Termination Act of 1995 [ICCTA] (Public Law 104-88). The Board 
is a five-member, bipartisan, decisionally independent 
adjudicatory body and is responsible for the regulation of the 
rail and pipeline industries and certain non-licensing 
regulations of motor carriers and water carriers.
    STB's rail oversight activities include rate 
reasonableness, car service and interchange, mergers, line 
acquisitions, line constructions, and abandonments. STB's 
jurisdiction also includes certain oversight of the intercity 
bus industry, pipeline carriers, intercity passenger train 
service, rate regulation involving noncontiguous domestic water 
transportation, household goods carriers, and collectively 
determined motor carrier rates.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends a total appropriation of 
$37,100,000. This funding level is equal to the budget request 
and equal to the fiscal year 2019 enacted level. Included in 
the recommendation is $1,250,000 in fees, which will offset the 
appropriated funding, resulting in final appropriation from the 
general fund estimated at no more than $35,850,000.
    Regulatory Proceedings.--There remain a number of pending 
regulatory proceedings that would reform existing regulations 
at the STB. The Committee continues to encourage the STB to 
provide a timely and decisive regulatory process and encourages 
the administration to nominate the full complement of board 
members to the STB as soon as possible.
    Movement of Commerce.--The Committee is aware of the STB 
requesting information from Class I freight railroads regarding 
concerns of service issues impacting shippers and receivers of 
certain commerce. The Committee encourages the STB to continue 
to work with railroads, shippers, and receivers to fully 
understand the scope of the issue and to fully exercise its 
authority in order to effectively address these matters.
    Cost-Benefit Analysis.--The Committee supports the use of 
cost-benefit analysis in the rulemaking process for significant 
regulatory actions as required by current law, recognizing that 
independent regulatory agencies are generally exempt from 
Federal requirements to undergo such analysis. The Committee is 
concerned that the STB may not have the adequate staffing or 
expertise to undergo such an extensive assessment for all of 
its rulemaking proceedings. Before the Board decides whether to 
conduct any such assessments, it should set a threshold for 
determining which rulemakings should have a cost-benefit 
analysis. In its future budget requests, the Board should 
request additional resources to undertake any such assessments.

           United States Interagency Council on Homelessness


                           OPERATING EXPENSES

Appropriations, 2019....................................      $3,600,000
Budget estimate, 2020...................................         730,000
Committee recommendation................................       3,700,000

                          PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

    The United States Interagency Council on Homelessness 
[USICH] is an independent agency created by the McKinney-Vento 
Homeless Assistance Act of 1987 to coordinate and direct the 
multiple efforts of Federal agencies and other designated 
groups. USICH was authorized to review Federal programs that 
assist homeless persons and to take necessary actions to reduce 
duplication. USICH can recommend improvements in programs and 
activities conducted by Federal, State, and local government, 
as well as local volunteer organizations. USICH consists of the 
heads of 19 Federal agencies, including the Departments of 
Housing and Urban Development, Health and Human Services, 
Veterans Affairs [VA], Agriculture, Commerce, Defense [DoD], 
Education, Labor [DOL], Transportation, and other entities as 
deemed appropriate.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $3,700,000 for 
USICH. This amount is $2,970,000 greater than the budget 
request and $100,000 more than the fiscal year 2019 enacted 
level. USICH supports Federal collaboration and implementation 
of the Federal strategic plan to prevent and end homelessness. 
The Committee recognizes the complexity of homelessness and the 
valuable role USICH plays to help communities identify 
comprehensive and coordinated strategies to prevent and end 
homelessness. USICH's establishment of criteria and benchmarks 
for ending homelessness in America has been critical to the 
progress made nationwide toward this goal. Since 2010, overall 
homelessness has decreased by more than 13 percent, with 
chronic homelessness decreasing by 18 percent and family 
homelessness decreasing by 24 percent. The Committee applauds 
the work of USICH and recognizes how its support for mayors and 
governors across the country helps them address the unique 
drivers of homelessness in their communities. USICH promotes 
collaborative engagement across government, public housing 
agencies, homeless service providers, and local partners, which 
results in more effective alignment of resources, efforts, 
goals, and measures of success. As challenges to preventing and 
ending homelessness arise at the local and Federal level, USICH 
continues to serve as the lead agency for identifying suitable 
cost-effective solutions. Its work was recognized by GAO in its 
February 2012 report on ways to reduce duplication, overlap, 
and fragmentation in the Federal Government. As such, the 
Committee extended the agency's operating authority through 
October 1, 2028 in fiscal year 2019. The Committee supports a 
permanent extension of USICH and encourages the authorizing 
committees to eliminate the statutory sunset that is harmful to 
the short- and long-term interagency efforts to prevent and end 
homelessness for the more than 550,000 individuals and families 
without stable housing or shelter.
    Supporting Transitioning Service Members.--Through local 
engagement, combined with USICH's efforts to convene the VA and 
HUD to streamline and triage the VA's case management and 
housing placements through HUD's housing assistance programs, 
including the HUD-VASH program, USICH has played a key role in 
the overall reduction in veteran homelessness by 46 percent 
since 2010. However, the Committee believes there is more to be 
done to ensure that those who served our country do not 
experience homelessness by down-streaming homeless prevention 
strategies into the DoD discharge process. To that end, in the 
fiscal year 2017 the Committee directed USICH to collaborate 
with the DoD and the VA on how the veteran transition process 
can be improved to minimize the risk of homelessness. In 
response, USICH released a report to Congress in March of 2018 
with methods, strategies, and directives to prevent 
transitioning service members from experiencing homelessness.
    The Committee recognizes the diligent work USICH has 
performed on this issue and the complexities that exist within 
interagency collaboration. USICH leads an interagency working 
group with the DOL, VA, and DoD that was tasked to carry out 
the directives outlined in the 2018 report to ensure 
transitioning service members were effectively referred to 
employment and housing services, a process referred to as a 
``warm handover''. Service members are discharged with the 
assistance from DoD support staff and referred to VA and DOL 
liaisons for a seamless transition into civilian life. Specific 
data points are necessary to determine the outcomes of this 
transition initiative which were identified in the 2018 USICH 
report. DoD and the VA were directed to provide USICH with the 
following: the numbers and percentages of discharged service 
members, the percentage of veterans' referrals to transition 
liaisons, the rate of housing referrals, and the number of 
service members flagged for referral to VA Homelessness program 
services. DoD and the VA have failed to meet these basic metric 
requirements despite repeated requests.
    The Committee is gravely concerned with the lack of 
response and cooperation from DoD and the VA. As such, cross-
agency Committee directives are included in the Fiscal Year 
2020 reports accompanying the Senate Department of Defense and 
the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related 
Agencies Appropriations Acts to ensure accountability of all 
Federal agency stakeholders to effectively improve this 
transition process and minimize veterans experiencing 
homelessness. Further, the Committee directs USICH to notify 
the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations should 
further resistance to achieve this evaluation occur.
    Technical Assistance in Providing Transitional Housing for 
Survivors of Domestic Violence.--Survivors fleeing domestic 
violence have a significant risk of homelessness. Providing 
safe and stable housing requires specialized training for 
Continuums of Care [CoC] due to the traumatic and high-risk 
situations survivors face. The Committee applauds USICH and 
their efforts in providing data, technical assistance, and best 
practices for CoCs administering housing services through their 
partnership with the Domestic Violence and Housing Technical 
Assistance Consortium. However, concerns have been raised to 
the Committee about the intake process for survivors entering a 
CoC and the lines of questioning within the Homelessness 
Management Information System [HMIS] intake process.
    HMIS gathers local data to analyze housing, service, and 
client information to assist individuals and families either in 
homelessness or at risk of homelessness. HMIS has specific 
guidelines on the necessary questions when determining risk and 
history of domestic violence, as well as strict regulations to 
ensure survivors' privacy and safety during the intake process. 
While significant procedural enhancements have been made to 
ensure these protections, the Committee recognizes some CoCs 
lack the appropriate training when addressing crises that 
should be handled in a sensitive and trauma-informed manner. 
This can cause a delay in administering services to survivors 
seeking to escape their dangerous living environments, seeing 
as clients may not initially appear to require relocation if a 
service provider is unaware of the abuse indicators during 
intake. Due to the immense trauma surrounding domestic 
violence, meticulousness and sensitivity is required to ensure 
individuals and families can safely and stably relocate.
    In working with local entities, USICH can continue to be an 
effective resource for advocates and service providers, and 
they are able to ensure the safety and stability of domestic 
violence survivors remain a high priority during the intake 
process. The Committee directs USICH to continue collaborating 
with affected stakeholders to improve the intake methodology 
and practices for at-risk populations by providing necessary 
technical assistance that CoCs can efficiently implement.

                                TITLE IV

                      GENERAL PROVISIONS--THIS ACT

    Section 401 prohibits pay and other expenses for non-
Federal parties in regulatory or adjudicatory proceedings 
funded in this act.
    Section 402 prohibits obligations beyond the current fiscal 
year and prohibits transfers of funds unless expressly so 
provided here-in.
    Section 403 limits expenditures for consulting services 
through procurement contracts where such expenditures are a 
matter of public record and available for public inspection.
    Section 404 prohibits the use of funds for employee 
training unless such training bears directly upon the 
performance of official duties.
    Section 405 authorizes the reprogramming of funds within a 
budget account and specifies the reprogramming procedures for 
agencies funded by this act.
    Section 406 ensures that 50 percent of unobligated balances 
may remain available for certain purposes.
    Section 407 prohibits the use of funds for eminent domain 
unless such taking is employed for public use.
    Section 408 prohibits funds in this act to be transferred 
without express authority.
    Section 409 protects employment rights of Federal employees 
who return to their civilian jobs after assignment with the 
Armed Forces.
    Section 410 prohibits the use of funds for activities not 
in compliance with the Buy American Act.
    Section 411 prohibits funding for any person or entity 
convicted of violating the Buy American Act.
    Section 412 prohibits funds for first-class airline 
accommodation in contravention of section 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 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 the U.S. law.
    Section 414 restricts the number of employees that agencies 
funded in this act may send to international conferences.
    Section 415 prohibits the Surface Transportation Board from 
charging filing fees for rate or practice complaints that are 
greater than the fees authorized for district court civil 
suits.
    Section 416 prohibits funds to agencies unless they are in 
compliance with the Presidential Memorandum--Federal Fleet 
Performance, dated May 24, 2011.
    Section 417 prohibits funds from being used to maintain or 
establish computer networks unless such networks block the 
viewing, downloading, or exchange of pornography.
    Section 418 prohibits funds from denying an Inspector 
General timely access to any records, documents, or other 
materials available to the department or agency over which that 
Inspector General has responsibilities, or to prevent or impede 
that Inspector General's access.
    Section 419 prohibits funds from being used to pay awards 
or fees for contractors with poor performance.

  COMPLIANCE WITH PARAGRAPH 7, RULE XVI, OF THE STANDING RULES OF THE 
                                 SENATE

    Paragraph 7 of rule XVI requires that Committee reports on 
general appropriations bills identify each Committee amendment 
to the House bill ``which proposes an item of appropriation 
which is not made to carry out the provisions of an existing 
law, a treaty stipulation, or an act or resolution previously 
passed by the Senate during that session.''
    The Committee is filing an original bill, which is not 
covered under this rule, but reports this information in the 
spirit of full disclosure.
    The Committee recommends funding for the following programs 
or activities which currently lack authorization for fiscal 
year 2020:

                 Title I--Department of Transportation

    National Infrastructure Investments
    Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
    Office of Pipeline Safety, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials 
Safety Administration
    Maritime Administration

         Title II--Department of Housing and Urban Development

    Rental Assistance Programs
    Indian Housing Block Grants
    Indian Housing Loan Guarantee Fund
    Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant
    Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS
    Community Development Fund
    Community Development Loan Guarantee
    Home Investment Partnerships Program
    Choice Neighborhoods Initiatives
    Self-Help Homeownership Opportunity Program
    Homeless Assistance
    Housing for the Elderly
    Housing for Persons with Disabilities
    FHA General and Special Risk Program Account
    GNMA Mortgage Backed Securities Loan Guarantee Program 
Account
    Policy Development and Research
    Fair Housing Activities, Fair Housing Program
    Lead Hazard Reduction Program
    Salaries and Expenses

COMPLIANCE WITH PARAGRAPH 7(C), RULE XXVI OF THE STANDING RULES OF THE 
                                 SENATE

    Pursuant to paragraph 7(c) of rule XXVI, on September 19, 
2019, the Committee ordered favorably reported a bill (S. 2520) 
making appropriations for the Departments of Transportation, 
and Housing and Urban Development, and related agencies for the 
fiscal year ending September 30, 2020, and for other purposes, 
provided, that the bill be subject to amendment and that the 
bill be consistent with its budget allocation, and provided 
that the Chairman of the Committee or his designee be 
authorized to offer the substance of the original bill as a 
Committee amendment in the nature of a substitute to the House 
companion measure, by a recorded vote of 31-0, a quorum being 
present. The vote was as follows:
        Yeas                          Nays
Chairman Shelby
Mr. McConnell
Mr. Alexander
Ms. Collins
Ms. Murkowski
Mr. Graham
Mr. Blunt
Mr. Moran
Mr. Hoeven
Mr. Boozman
Mrs. Capito
Mr. Kennedy
Mrs. Hyde-Smith
Mr. Daines
Mr. Rubio
Mr. Lankford
Mr. Leahy
Mrs. Murray
Mrs. Feinstein
Mr. Durbin
Mr. Reed
Mr. Tester
Mr. Udall
Mrs. Shaheen
Mr. Merkley
Mr. Coons
Mr. Schatz
Ms. Baldwin
Mr. Murphy
Mr. Manchin
Mr. Van Hollen

 COMPLIANCE WITH PARAGRAPH 12, RULE XXVI OF THE STANDING RULES OF THE 
                                 SENATE

    Paragraph 12 of rule XXVI requires that Committee reports 
on a bill or joint resolution repealing or amending any statute 
or part of any statute include ``(a) the text of the statute or 
part thereof which is proposed to be repealed; and (b) a 
comparative print of that part of the bill or joint resolution 
making the amendment and of the statute or part thereof 
proposed to be amended, showing by stricken-through type and 
italics, parallel columns, or other appropriate typographical 
devices the omissions and insertions which would be made by the 
bill or joint resolution if enacted in the form recommended by 
the committee.''
    In compliance with this rule, no changes to existing law 
are displayed because this bill proposes no changes.
                                ------                                


                        BUDGETARY IMPACT OF BILL

  PREPARED IN CONSULTATION WITH THE CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE PURSUANT TO SEC. 308(A), PUBLIC LAW 93-344, AS
                                                     AMENDED
                                            [In millions of dollars]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                               Budget authority                 Outlays
                                                         -------------------------------------------------------
                                                            Committee    Amount  in     Committee    Amount  in
                                                           allocation       bill       allocation       bill
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Comparison of amounts in the bill with the subcommittee
 allocation for 2020: Subcommittee on Transportation and
 Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies:
    Mandatory...........................................  ............  ............  ............  ............
    Discretionary.......................................       74,300        74,300       133,803    \1\133,803
        Security........................................          300           300            NA            NA
        Nonsecurity.....................................       74,000        74,000            NA            NA
Projection of outlays associated with the
 recommendation:
    2020................................................  ............  ............  ............    \2\49,356
    2021................................................  ............  ............  ............       40,328
    2022................................................  ............  ............  ............       17,372
    2023................................................  ............  ............  ............        8,529
    2024 and future years...............................  ............  ............  ............       13,103
Financial assistance to State and local governments for            NA        39,608            NA    \2\35,003
 2020...................................................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\Includes outlays from prior-year budget authority.
\2\Excludes outlays from prior-year budget authority.
 
NA: Not applicable.


  COMPARATIVE STATEMENT OF NEW BUDGET (OBLIGATIONAL) AUTHORITY FOR FISCAL YEAR 2019 AND BUDGET ESTIMATES AND AMOUNTS RECOMMENDED IN THE BILL FOR FISCAL
                                                                        YEAR 2020
                                                                [In thousands of dollars]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                                        Senate Committee recommendation
                                                                                                                            compared with (+ or -)
                             Item                                     2019         Budget estimate      Committee    -----------------------------------
                                                                  appropriation                      recommendation         2019
                                                                                                                        appropriation    Budget estimate
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             TITLE I--DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
 
                    Office of the Secretary
 
Salaries and expenses.........................................           113,910           117,993           113,910  ................            -4,083
    Immediate Office of the Secretary.........................           (3,065)  ................           (3,065)  ................          (+3,065)
    Immediate Office of the Deputy Secretary..................           (1,000)  ................           (1,000)  ................          (+1,000)
    Office of the General Counsel.............................          (20,428)  ................          (20,428)  ................         (+20,428)
    Office of the Under Secretary of Transportation for Policy          (10,331)  ................          (10,331)  ................         (+10,331)
    Office of the Assistant Secretary for Budget and Programs.          (14,300)  ................          (14,300)  ................         (+14,300)
    Office of the Assistant Secretary for Governmental Affairs           (2,546)  ................           (2,546)  ................          (+2,546)
    Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration......          (29,244)  ................          (29,244)  ................         (+29,244)
    Office of Public Affairs..................................           (2,142)  ................           (2,142)  ................          (+2,142)
    Office of the Executive Secretariat.......................           (1,859)  ................           (1,859)  ................          (+1,859)
    Office of Intelligence, Security, and Emergency Response..          (12,181)  ................          (12,181)  ................         (+12,181)
    Office of the Chief Information Officer...................          (16,814)  ................          (16,814)  ................         (+16,814)
Research and Technology.......................................             8,471            22,000             8,000              -471           -14,000
National Infrastructure Investments...........................           900,000         1,000,000         1,000,000          +100,000  ................
National Surface Transportation and Innovative Finance Bureau.             5,000             4,000             5,000  ................            +1,000
Nationally Significant Freight Projects.......................  ................         1,035,000  ................  ................        -1,035,000
Financial Management Capital..................................             2,000             2,000             2,000  ................  ................
Cyber Security Initiatives....................................            15,000            15,000            15,000  ................  ................
Office of Civil Rights........................................             9,470             9,000             9,470  ................              +470
Transportation Planning, Research, and Development............             7,879             8,000             7,879  ................              -121
Working Capital Fund..........................................         (319,793)  ................         (319,793)  ................        (+319,793)
Minority Business Resource Center Program.....................               500  ................  ................              -500  ................
Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilizaton and Outreach......             3,488             3,000             3,488  ................              +488
Payments to Air Carriers (Airport & Airway Trust Fund)........           175,000           125,000           162,000           -13,000           +37,000
Working Capital Fund (legislative proposal) (reappropriation).  ................            12,000  ................  ................           -12,000
                                                               -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Total, Office of the Secretary..........................         1,240,718         2,352,993         1,326,747           +86,029        -1,026,246
                                                               =========================================================================================
                Federal Aviation Administration
 
Operations....................................................        10,410,758        10,340,000        10,540,511          +129,753          +200,511
    Air traffic organization..................................       (7,841,720)       (7,777,357)       (7,925,734)         (+84,014)        (+148,377)
    Aviation safety...........................................       (1,336,969)       (1,327,779)       (1,359,607)         (+22,638)         (+31,828)
    Commercial space transportation...........................          (24,949)          (25,598)          (26,040)          (+1,091)            (+442)
    Finance and management....................................         (816,398)         (784,832)         (800,646)         (-15,752)         (+15,814)
    NextGen...................................................          (61,258)          (60,145)          (61,538)            (+280)          (+1,393)
    Security and Hazardous Materials Safety...................         (114,165)         (117,694)         (118,642)          (+4,477)            (+948)
    Staff offices.............................................         (215,299)         (246,595)         (248,304)         (+33,005)          (+1,709)
Facilities and Equipment (Airport & Airway Trust Fund)........         3,000,000         3,295,000         3,153,801          +153,801          -141,199
Research, Engineering, and Development (Airport & Airway Trust           191,100           120,000           194,230            +3,130           +74,230
 Fund.........................................................
Grants-in-Aid for Airports (Airport and Airway Trust                 (3,000,000)       (3,000,000)       (3,000,000)  ................  ................
 Fund)(Liquidation of contract authorization).................
    (Limitation on obligations)...............................       (3,350,000)       (3,350,000)       (3,350,000)  ................  ................
        Administration........................................         (112,600)         (112,353)         (113,000)            (+400)            (+647)
        Airport cooperative research program..................          (15,000)          (15,000)          (15,000)  ................  ................
        Airport technology research...........................          (33,210)          (33,224)          (39,224)          (+6,014)          (+6,000)
        Small community air service development program.......          (10,000)  ................          (10,000)  ................         (+10,000)
Airport Discretionary Grants (General Fund)...................           500,000  ................           450,000           -50,000          +450,000
                                                               -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Total, Federal Aviation Administration..................        14,101,858        13,755,000        14,338,542          +236,684          +583,542
 
          Limitations on obligations..........................       (3,350,000)       (3,350,000)       (3,350,000)  ................  ................
      Total budgetary resources...............................      (17,451,858)      (17,105,000)      (17,688,542)        (+236,684)        (+583,542)
                                                               =========================================================================================
                Federal Highway Administration
 
Limitation on Administrative Expenses.........................         (449,692)         (456,797)         (456,797)          (+7,105)  ................
 
Federal-Aid Highways (Highway Trust Fund):
    (Liquidation of contract authorization)...................      (46,007,596)      (47,104,092)      (47,104,092)      (+1,096,496)  ................
    (Limitation on obligations)...............................      (45,268,596)      (46,365,092)      (46,365,092)      (+1,096,496)  ................
    (Exempt contract authority)...............................         (739,000)         (739,000)         (739,000)  ................  ................
Highway Infrastructure Programs (General Fund)................         3,250,000           300,000         2,700,000          -550,000        +2,400,000
 
                   Administrative Provisions
 
Rescission of budget authority (legislative proposal).........  ................          -209,722  ................  ................          +209,722
                                                               -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Total, Federal Highway Administration...................         3,250,000            90,278         2,700,000          -550,000        +2,609,722
 
          Limitations on obligations..........................      (45,268,596)      (46,365,092)      (46,365,092)      (+1,096,496)  ................
          Exempt contract authority...........................         (739,000)         (739,000)         (739,000)  ................  ................
      Total budgetary resources...............................      (49,257,596)      (47,194,370)      (49,804,092)        (+546,496)      (+2,609,722)
                                                               =========================================================================================
          Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
 
Motor Carrier Safety Operations and Programs (Highway Trust            (284,000)         (288,000)         (288,000)          (+4,000)  ................
 Fund) (Liquidation of contract authorization)................
    (Limitation on obligations)...............................         (284,000)         (288,000)         (288,000)          (+4,000)  ................
Motor Carrier Safety Grants (Highway Trust Fund) (Liquidation          (382,800)         (387,800)         (391,136)          (+8,336)          (+3,336)
 of contract authorization)...................................
    (Limitation on obligations)...............................         (382,800)         (387,800)         (391,136)          (+8,336)          (+3,336)
                                                               -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Total, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration......  ................  ................  ................  ................  ................
 
          Limitations on obligations..........................         (666,800)         (675,800)         (679,136)         (+12,336)          (+3,336)
      Total budgetary resources...............................         (666,800)         (675,800)         (679,136)         (+12,336)          (+3,336)
                                                               =========================================================================================
        National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
 
Operations and Research (general fund)........................           190,000           151,000           194,000            +4,000           +43,000
Operations and Research (Highway Trust Fund) (Liquidation of           (152,100)         (155,300)         (155,300)          (+3,200)  ................
 contract authorization)......................................
    (Limitation on obligations)...............................         (152,100)         (155,300)         (155,300)          (+3,200)  ................
                                                               -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Subtotal, Operations and Research.......................           342,100           306,300           349,300            +7,200           +43,000
 
Highway Traffic Safety Grants (Highway Trust Fund)                     (610,208)         (623,017)         (623,017)         (+12,809)  ................
 (Liquidation of contract authorization)......................
    (Limitation on obligations)...............................         (610,208)         (623,017)         (623,017)         (+12,809)  ................
        Highway safety programs (23 U.S.C. 402)...............         (270,400)         (279,800)         (279,800)          (+9,400)  ................
        National priority safety programs (23 U.S.C. 405).....         (283,000)         (285,900)         (285,900)          (+2,900)  ................
        High visibility enforcement...........................          (30,200)          (30,500)          (30,500)            (+300)  ................
        Administrative expenses...............................          (26,608)          (26,817)          (26,817)            (+209)  ................
 
                   Administrative Provision
 
Impaired Driving/Rail-Grade funding (Sec. 143) (General Fund).            14,000  ................  ................           -14,000  ................
      Child safety and booster seat grants (Sec. 144).........  ................  ................  ................  ................  ................
                                                               -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Total, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration...           204,000           151,000           194,000           -10,000           +43,000
 
            Limitations on obligations........................         (762,308)         (778,317)         (778,317)         (+16,009)  ................
      Total budgetary resources...............................         (966,308)         (929,317)         (972,317)          (+6,009)         (+43,000)
                                                               =========================================================================================
                Federal Railroad Administration
 
Safety and Operations.........................................           221,698           213,134           221,698  ................            +8,564
Railroad Research and Development.............................            40,600            19,000            40,600  ................           +21,600
                                                               -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Subtotal................................................           262,298           232,134           262,298  ................           +30,164
 
Federal-State Partnership for State of Good Repair............           400,000  ................           300,000          -100,000          +300,000
Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements......           255,000           330,000           255,000  ................           -75,000
Restoration and Enhancement Grants............................             5,000           550,000             2,000            -3,000          -548,000
Magnetic Levitation Program...................................            10,000  ................  ................           -10,000  ................
                                                               -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Subtotal................................................           670,000           880,000           557,000          -113,000          -323,000
 
National Railroad Passenger Corporation:
    Northeast Corridor Grants.................................           650,000           325,466           680,000           +30,000          +354,534
    National Network..........................................         1,291,600           611,000         1,320,000           +28,400          +709,000
                                                               -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Subtotal................................................         1,941,600           936,466         2,000,000           +58,400        +1,063,534
 
                   Administrative Provisions
 
Transportation Technology Center financing (legislative         ................           100,000  ................  ................          -100,000
 proposal)....................................................
Rail unobligated balances (rescission) (legislative proposal).  ................           -55,726  ................  ................           +55,726
                                                               -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Total, Federal Railroad Administration..................         2,873,898         2,092,874         2,819,298           -54,600          +726,424
                                                               =========================================================================================
                Federal Transit Administration
 
Administrative Expenses.......................................           113,165           110,552           113,165  ................            +2,613
Transit Formula Grants (Hwy Trust Fund, Mass Transit Account         (9,900,000)      (10,800,000)      (10,800,000)        (+900,000)  ................
 (Liquidation of contract authorization)......................
    (Limitation on obligations)...............................       (9,939,380)      (10,150,348)      (10,150,348)        (+210,968)  ................
Transit Infrastructure Grants.................................           700,000           500,000           560,000          -140,000           +60,000
Technical Assistance and Training.............................             5,000  ................             5,000  ................            +5,000
Capital Investment Grants.....................................         2,552,687         1,505,190         1,978,000          -574,687          +472,810
Grants to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority..           150,000           150,000           150,000  ................  ................
Transit Formula Grants (rescission) (legislative proposal)....           -46,560  ................  ................           +46,560  ................
                                                               -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Total, Federal Transit Administration...................         3,474,292         2,265,742         2,806,165          -668,127          +540,423
 
          Limitations on obligations..........................       (9,939,380)      (10,150,348)      (10,150,348)        (+210,968)  ................
      Total budgetary resources...............................      (13,413,672)      (12,416,090)      (12,956,513)        (-457,159)        (+540,423)
                                                               =========================================================================================
         Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation
 
Operations and Maintenance (Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund)....            36,000            28,000            36,000  ................            +8,000
 
                    Maritime Administration
 
Maritime Security Program.....................................           300,000           300,000           300,000  ................  ................
    Rescission (legislative proposal).........................  ................           -25,000  ................  ................           +25,000
Operations and Training.......................................           149,442           377,497           142,619            -6,823          -234,878
State Maritime Academy Operations.............................           345,200  ................           342,280            -2,920          +342,280
Assistance to Small Shipyards.................................            20,000  ................            20,000  ................           +20,000
Ship Disposal.................................................             5,000             5,000             5,000  ................  ................
 
Maritime Guaranteed Loan (Title XI) Program Account:
    Administrative expenses and guarantees....................             3,000  ................             3,000  ................            +3,000
Port Infrastructure Development Program.......................           292,730  ................            91,600          -201,130           +91,600
                                                               -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Total, Maritime Administration..........................         1,115,372           657,497           904,499          -210,873          +247,002
                                                               =========================================================================================
    Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
 
Operational Expenses:
    General Fund..............................................            23,710            24,215            24,215              +505  ................
 
Hazardous Materials Safety:
    General Fund..............................................            58,000            53,000            60,000            +2,000            +7,000
 
Pipeline Safety:
    Pipeline Safety Fund......................................           134,000           119,000           134,000  ................           +15,000
    Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund............................            23,000            22,000            23,000  ................            +1,000
    Underground Natural Gas Storage Facility Safety Fund......             8,000             8,000             8,000  ................  ................
                                                               -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Subtotal................................................           165,000           149,000           165,000  ................           +16,000
 
Emergency Preparedness Grants:
    Limitation on emergency preparedness fund.................          (28,318)          (28,318)          (28,318)  ................  ................
                                                               -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Total, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety                     246,710           226,215           249,215            +2,505           +23,000
       Administration.........................................
 
          Limitations on obligations..........................          (28,318)          (28,318)          (28,318)  ................  ................
      Total budgetary resources...............................         (275,028)         (254,533)         (277,533)          (+2,505)         (+23,000)
                                                               =========================================================================================
Pipeline safety user fees.....................................          -134,000          -119,000          -134,000  ................           -15,000
Underground Natural Gas Storage Facility Safety Fund user fee.            -8,000            -8,000            -8,000  ................  ................
 
                  Office of Inspector General
 
Salaries and Expenses.........................................            92,600            92,152            92,600  ................              +448
 
       General Provisions--Department of Transportation
 
                                                               =========================================================================================
      Total, title I, Department of Transportation............        26,493,448        21,584,751        25,325,066        -1,168,382        +3,740,315
          Appropriations......................................      (26,540,008)      (21,875,199)      (25,325,066)      (-1,214,942)      (+3,449,867)
          Rescissions.........................................         (-46,560)        (-265,448)  ................         (+46,560)        (+265,448)
          Limitations on obligations..........................      (59,987,084)      (61,319,557)      (61,322,893)      (+1,335,809)          (+3,336)
      Total budgetary resources...............................      (86,480,532)      (82,904,308)      (86,647,959)        (+167,427)      (+3,743,651)
                                                               =========================================================================================
     TITLE II--DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
 
                 Management and Administration
 
Executive Offices.............................................            14,900            16,000            14,217              -683            -1,783
Administration Support Offices................................           541,500           556,500           563,378           +21,878            +6,878
 
Program Office Salaries and Expenses:
    Public and Indian Housing.................................           219,800           206,000           225,000            +5,200           +19,000
    Community Planning and Development........................           112,344           114,000           123,000           +10,656            +9,000
    Housing...................................................           382,500           398,700           387,000            +4,500           -11,700
    Policy Development and Research...........................            26,000            26,000            28,000            +2,000            +2,000
    Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity........................            72,900            73,200            72,000              -900            -1,200
    Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes...........             8,600             9,000             9,000              +400  ................
                                                               -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Subtotal................................................           822,144           826,900           844,000           +21,856           +17,100
                                                               -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Total, Management and Administration....................         1,378,544         1,399,400         1,421,595           +43,051           +22,195
                                                               =========================================================================================
                   Public and Indian Housing
 
Tenant-based Rental Assistance:
    Renewals..................................................        20,313,000        20,115,541        21,502,000        +1,189,000        +1,386,459
    Tenant protection vouchers................................            85,000           130,000            75,000           -10,000           -55,000
    Administrative fees.......................................         1,886,000         1,738,459         1,977,000           +91,000          +238,541
    Sec. 811 vouchers, incremental and renewals...............           225,000           259,500           218,000            -7,000           -41,500
    Incremental VASH vouchers.................................            40,000  ................            40,000  ................           +40,000
    Tribal veterans affairs supportive housing renewals.......             4,000  ................             1,000            -3,000            +1,000
    Incremental family unification vouchers...................            20,000  ................            20,000  ................           +20,000
    Mobility Demonstration....................................            25,000  ................  ................           -25,000  ................
                                                               -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Subtotal (available this fiscal year)...................        22,598,000        22,243,500        23,833,000        +1,235,000        +1,589,500
 
    Advance appropriations....................................         4,000,000         4,000,000         4,000,000  ................  ................
    Less appropriations from prior year advances..............        -4,000,000        -4,000,000        -4,000,000  ................  ................
    Rescission (emergency)....................................  ................            -6,000  ................  ................            +6,000
                                                               -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Total, Tenant-based Rental Assistance appropriated in           22,598,000        22,237,500        23,833,000        +1,235,000        +1,595,500
       this bill..............................................
                                                               =========================================================================================
Rental Assistance Demonstration...............................  ................           100,000  ................  ................          -100,000
Public Housing Capital Fund...................................         2,775,000  ................         2,855,000           +80,000        +2,855,000
Public Housing Operating Fund.................................         4,653,116         2,863,000         4,650,000            -3,116        +1,787,000
Choice Neighborhoods..........................................           150,000  ................           100,000           -50,000          +100,000
Family Self-Sufficiency.......................................            80,000            75,000  ................           -80,000           -75,000
Self-Sufficiency Programs.....................................  ................  ................           130,000          +130,000          +130,000
    Family Self-Sufficiency...................................  ................  ................          (80,000)         (+80,000)         (+80,000)
    ROSS......................................................  ................  ................          (35,000)         (+35,000)         (+35,000)
    Jobs Plus.................................................  ................  ................          (15,000)         (+15,000)         (+15,000)
Native American Housing Block Grants..........................           755,000           600,000  ................          -755,000          -600,000
Native American Programs......................................  ................  ................           820,000          +820,000          +820,000
    Native American Housing Block Grants, Formula.............  ................  ................         (646,000)        (+646,000)        (+646,000)
    Title VI Loan Program.....................................  ................  ................           (2,000)          (+2,000)          (+2,000)
    Native American Housing Block Grants, Competitive.........  ................  ................         (100,000)        (+100,000)        (+100,000)
    Indian CDBG...............................................  ................  ................          (65,000)         (+65,000)         (+65,000)
    Training and Technical Assistance.........................  ................  ................           (7,000)          (+7,000)          (+7,000)
Indian Housing Loan Guarantee Fund Program Account............             1,440             2,500             1,600              +160              -900
    (Limitation on guaranteed loans)..........................         (553,846)       (1,000,000)       (1,000,000)        (+446,154)  ................
Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant...........................             2,000  ................             1,745              -255            +1,745
                                                               -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Total, Public and Indian Housing........................        31,014,556        25,878,000        32,391,345        +1,376,789        +6,513,345
                                                               =========================================================================================
              Community Planning and Development
 
Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS...................           393,000           330,000           330,000           -63,000  ................
 
Community Development Fund:
    CDBG formula..............................................         3,300,000  ................         3,325,000           +25,000        +3,325,000
    Indian CDBG...............................................            65,000  ................  ................           -65,000  ................
                                                               -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Subtotal................................................         3,365,000  ................         3,325,000           -40,000        +3,325,000
 
Community Development Loan Guarantees (Section 108):
    (Limitation on guaranteed loans)..........................         (300,000)  ................         (300,000)  ................        (+300,000)
HOME Investment Partnerships Program..........................         1,250,000  ................         1,250,000  ................        +1,250,000
Self-help and Assisted Homeownership Opportunity Program......            54,000  ................            54,000  ................           +54,000
Homeless Assistance Grants....................................         2,636,000         2,598,600         2,761,000          +125,000          +162,400
                                                               -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Total, Community Planning and Development...............         7,698,000         2,928,600         7,720,000           +22,000        +4,791,400
                                                               =========================================================================================
                       Housing Programs
 
Project-based Rental Assistance:
    Renewals..................................................        11,502,000        11,676,000        12,215,000          +713,000          +539,000
    Contract administrators...................................           245,000           345,000           345,000          +100,000  ................
                                                               -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Subtotal (available this fiscal year)...................        11,747,000        12,021,000        12,560,000          +813,000          +539,000
 
    Advance appropriations....................................           400,000           400,000           400,000  ................  ................
    Less appropriations from prior year advances..............          -400,000          -400,000          -400,000  ................  ................
    Rescission (emergency)....................................  ................            -1,000  ................  ................            +1,000
                                                               -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Total, Project-based Rental Assistance appropriated in          11,747,000        12,020,000        12,560,000          +813,000          +540,000
       this bill..............................................
                                                               =========================================================================================
Housing for the Elderly.......................................           678,000           644,000           696,000           +18,000           +52,000
Housing for Persons with Disabilities.........................           184,155           157,000           184,155  ................           +27,155
Housing Counseling Assistance.................................            50,000            45,000            45,000            -5,000  ................
Rental Housing Assistance.....................................             5,000             3,000             3,000            -2,000  ................
Manufactured Housing Fees Trust Fund..........................            12,000            12,000            13,000            +1,000            +1,000
    Offsetting collections....................................           -12,000           -12,000           -13,000            -1,000            -1,000
                                                               -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Total, Housing Programs.................................        12,664,155        12,869,000        13,488,155          +824,000          +619,155
                                                               =========================================================================================
                Federal Housing Administration
 
Mutual Mortgage Insurance Program Account:
    (Limitation on guaranteed loans)..........................     (400,000,000)     (400,000,000)     (400,000,000)  ................  ................
    (Limitation on direct loans)..............................           (1,000)           (1,000)           (1,000)  ................  ................
    Offsetting receipts.......................................        -6,930,000        -5,649,000        -5,649,000        +1,281,000  ................
    Additional offsetting receipts (Sec. 223).................  ................           -20,000  ................  ................           +20,000
    Administrative contract expenses..........................           130,000           150,000           130,000  ................           -20,000
 
General and Special Risk Program Account:
    (Limitation on guaranteed loans)..........................      (30,000,000)      (30,000,000)      (30,000,000)  ................  ................
    (Limitation on direct loans)..............................           (1,000)           (1,000)           (1,000)  ................  ................
    Offsetting receipts.......................................          -620,000          -602,000          -602,000           +18,000  ................
                                                               -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Total, Federal Housing Administration...................        -7,420,000        -6,121,000        -6,121,000        +1,299,000  ................
                                                               =========================================================================================
           Government National Mortgage Association
 
Guarantees of Mortgage-backed Securities Loan Guarantee
 Program Account:
    (Limitation on guaranteed loans)..........................     (550,000,000)     (550,000,000)     (550,000,000)  ................  ................
    Administrative expenses...................................            27,000            28,400            29,626            +2,626            +1,226
    Offsetting receipts.......................................          -104,000          -132,000          -132,000           -28,000  ................
    Offsetting receipts.......................................        -1,900,000        -1,050,000        -1,050,000          +850,000  ................
    Additional contract expenses..............................             1,000             1,000             1,000  ................  ................
                                                               -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Total, Gov't National Mortgage Association..............        -1,976,000        -1,152,600        -1,151,374          +824,626            +1,226
                                                               =========================================================================================
                Policy Development and Research
 
Research and Technology.......................................            96,000            87,000            96,000  ................            +9,000
 
              Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity
 
Fair Housing Activities.......................................            65,300            62,300            65,300  ................            +3,000
 
        Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes
 
Lead Hazard Reduction.........................................           279,000           290,000           290,000           +11,000  ................
Cybersecurity and Information Technology Fund.................           280,000           280,000           280,000  ................  ................
Office of Inspector General...................................           128,082           129,400           132,489            +4,407            +3,089
 
General Provision--Department of Housing and Urban Development
 
Sec. 235 unobligated balances (rescission of emergency funds).  ................  ................            -7,000            -7,000            -7,000
Unobligated balances (rescission).............................               -99  ................  ................               +99  ................
                                                               -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Total, General Provisions...............................               -99  ................            -7,000            -6,901            -7,000
                                                               =========================================================================================
      Total, title II, Department of Housing and Urban                44,207,538        36,650,100        48,605,510        +4,397,972       +11,955,410
       Development............................................
          Appropriations......................................      (49,373,637)      (39,722,100)      (51,658,510)      (+2,284,873)     (+11,936,410)
          Rescissions of emergency funding....................  ................          (-7,000)          (-7,000)          (-7,000)  ................
          Advance appropriations..............................       (4,400,000)       (4,400,000)       (4,400,000)  ................  ................
          Offsetting receipts.................................      (-9,554,000)      (-7,453,000)      (-7,433,000)      (+2,121,000)         (+20,000)
          Offsetting collections..............................         (-12,000)         (-12,000)         (-13,000)          (-1,000)          (-1,000)
          (Limitation on direct loans)........................           (2,000)           (2,000)           (2,000)  ................  ................
          (Limitation on guaranteed loans)....................     (980,853,846)     (981,000,000)     (981,300,000)        (+446,154)        (+300,000)
                                                               =========================================================================================
             TITLE III--OTHER INDEPENDENT AGENCIES
 
Access Board..................................................             8,400             8,400             9,200              +800              +800
Federal Maritime Commission...................................            27,490            28,000            28,000              +510  ................
National Railroad Passenger Corporation Office of Inspector               23,274            23,274            23,274  ................  ................
 General......................................................
National Transportation Safety Board..........................           110,400           110,400           110,400  ................  ................
Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation.........................           152,000            27,400           152,000  ................          +124,600
Surface Transportation Board..................................            37,100            37,100            37,100  ................  ................
    Offsetting collections....................................            -1,250            -1,250            -1,250  ................  ................
                                                               -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Subtotal................................................            35,850            35,850            35,850  ................  ................
 
United States Interagency Council on Homelessness.............             3,600               730             3,700              +100            +2,970
                                                               =========================================================================================
      Total, title III, Other Independent Agencies............           361,014           234,054           362,424            +1,410          +128,370
                                                               =========================================================================================
            TITLE IV--GENERAL PROVISIONS--THIS ACT
 
Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing Subsidy                 17,000  ................  ................           -17,000  ................
 Reimbursement................................................
                                                               =========================================================================================
      Total, title IV, General Provisions This Act............            17,000  ................  ................           -17,000  ................
                                                               =========================================================================================
                     OTHER APPROPRIATIONS
 
SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR DISASTER RELIEF, 2018  (Public
                    Law 115-254 Division I)
 
Community Development Fund (emergency)........................         1,680,000  ................  ................        -1,680,000  ................
                                                               =========================================================================================
  ADDITIONAL SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR DISASTER RELIEF
                           ACT, 2019
 
                 DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
 
                Federal Highway Administration
 
Emergency Relief Program (emergency)..........................         1,650,000  ................  ................        -1,650,000  ................
 
                Federal Transit Administration
 
Public Transportation Emergency Relief Program (emergency)....            10,542  ................  ................           -10,542  ................
                                                               -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Total, Department of Transportation.....................         1,660,542  ................  ................        -1,660,542  ................
                                                               =========================================================================================
          DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
 
              Community Planning and Development
 
Community Development Fund (emergency)........................         2,431,000  ................  ................        -2,431,000  ................
                                                               -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Total, Additional Supplemental Appropriations for                4,091,542  ................  ................        -4,091,542  ................
       Disaster Relief Act, 2019..............................
                                                               =========================================================================================
      Total, Other Appropriations.............................         5,771,542  ................  ................        -5,771,542  ................
                                                               =========================================================================================
      Grand total.............................................        76,850,542        58,468,905        74,293,000        -2,557,542       +15,824,095
          Appropriations......................................      (76,292,909)      (61,832,603)      (77,347,250)      (+1,054,341)     (+15,514,647)
          Rescissions.........................................         (-46,659)        (-265,448)  ................         (+46,659)        (+265,448)
          Rescissions of emergency funding....................  ................          (-7,000)          (-7,000)          (-7,000)  ................
          Emergency appropriations............................       (5,771,542)  ................  ................      (-5,771,542)  ................
          Advance appropriations..............................       (4,400,000)       (4,400,000)       (4,400,000)  ................  ................
          Offsetting receipts.................................      (-9,554,000)      (-7,453,000)      (-7,433,000)      (+2,121,000)         (+20,000)
          Offsetting collections..............................         (-13,250)         (-13,250)         (-14,250)          (-1,000)          (-1,000)
          (Limitation on obligations).........................      (59,987,084)      (61,319,557)      (61,322,893)      (+1,335,809)          (+3,336)
      Total budgetary resources...............................     (136,837,626)     (119,788,462)     (135,615,893)      (-1,221,733)     (+15,827,431)
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