Public Law 115-420 | Public Law 115–420: To amend certain transportation-related reporting requirements to improve congressional oversight, reduce reporting burdens, and promote transparency, and for other purposes.

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PUBLIC LAW 115–420—JAN. 3, 2019

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION REPORTS HARMONIZATION ACT

132 STAT. 5444

Public Law

115–420

115th Congress

An Act

To amend certain transportation-related reporting requirements to improve congressional oversight, reduce reporting burdens, and promote transparency, and for other purposes.

Jan. 3, 2019

[S. 3367]

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

Department of Transportation Reports Harmonization Act.

SECTION 1.

49 USC 101 note.

SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the “

Department of Transportation Reports Harmonization Act

”.

SEC. 2.

Web posting.

PUBLIC AVAILABILITY OF CHARGES AND FEES FOR ATTENDANCE AT UNITED STATES MERCHANT MARINE ACADEMY.

Section 51314(b) of title 46, United States Code,

is amended

striking

“shall notify Congress of” and

inserting

“shall present at the next meeting of the Board of Visitors, and post on a publicly available website,”.

SEC. 3.

Web posting.

PUBLIC AVAILABILITY OF INFORMATION ON ALIGNING FEDERAL ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEWS.

Section 310(f)(1) of title 49, United States Code,

is amended

inserting

“, and make publicly available on the Department of Transportation website,” after “House of Representatives”.

SEC. 4.

REPORTING ON THE NORTHEAST CORRIDOR.

(a)

Northeast Corridor Safety Committee Report.—

Section 24905(e) of title 49, United States Code,

is amended

striking

paragraph (3).

(b)

Contents of Grant Requests.—

(1)

In general.—

Section 24319(c) of title 49, United States Code,

is amended

—

(A)

in paragraph (2), by

striking

“; and” and

inserting

a semicolon;

(B)

in paragraph (3), by

striking

the period at the end and

inserting

“; and”; and

(C)

adding

at the end the following:

“(4)

describe the status of efforts to improve safety and security on the Northeast Corridor main line, including a description of any efforts to implement recommendations of relevant railroad safety advisory committees.”

(2)

49 USC 24319 note.

Rule of construction.—

Nothing in this subsection or an amendment made by this subsection shall affect a grant request made under section 24319 of title 49, United States Code, before the date of enactment of this Act.132 STAT. 5445

SEC. 5.

HIGHWAY SAFETY PROGRAMS REPORT TO CONGRESS.

(a)

DOT Reports.—

Section 402 of title 23, United States Code,

is amended

striking

subsection (n) and

inserting

the following:

“(n)

Web posting.

Deadline.

Public Transparency.—

The Secretary shall publicly release on its website information that contains each State’s performance with respect to the State’s highway safety plan under subsection (k) and performance targets set by the States in such plans. Such information shall be posted on the website within 45 calendar days of approval of a State’s highway safety plan.”

(b)

GAO Report.—

(1)

Review.

In general.—

The Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a review of the highway safety programs under section 402 of title 23, United States Code. In carrying out the review, the Comptroller General shall review States’ progress in achieving safety performance targets, including how States are utilizing grants and problems encountered in achieving such targets.

(2)

Recommenda-

tions.

Submission.—

Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit a report to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives that contains the results of the study conducted under paragraph (1), including any recommendations for improvements to State activities and the Secretary of Transportation’s administration of the highway safety programs.

SEC. 6.

CESSATION OF CERTAIN ADVISORY COUNCILS AND ADVISORY COMMITTEES.

(a)

Northeast Corridor Safety Committee.—

Section 24905(e) of title 49, United States Code, as amended by this Act, is further amended by

striking

paragraph (2) and

inserting

the following:

“(2)

Determination.

Sunset.—

The Committee established under this subsection ceases to exist on the date that the Secretary determines positive train control, as required by section 20157, is fully implemented along the Northeast Corridor.”

(b)

National Rail Cooperative Research Program Oversight Committee.—

Section 24910(c) of title 49, United States Code,

is amended

adding

at the end the following:

“(3)

Sunset.—

The advisory board established under this subsection ceases to exist effective January 1, 2019.”

SEC. 7.

TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS TO RAIL IMPROVEMENT GRANTS.

(a)

Redesignation.—

Subtitle V of title 49, United States Code,

is amended

—

(1)

redesignating

sections 24401 through 24408 as sections 22901 through 22908, respectively;

(2)

49 USC 22901 prec.

redesignating

chapter 244 as chapter 229;

(3)

49 USC 22901 prec.

by moving chapter 229, as redesignated, to appear at the end of part B;

(4)

49 USC 20101 prec.

in the table of chapters—

(A)

striking

the item relating to chapter 244; and

(B)

inserting

after the item relating to chapter 227 the following:

“Chapter 229.

Rail Improvement Grants

22901”;

and132 STAT. 5446

(5)

amending

the table of sections for chapter 229, as redesignated, to read as follows:

“CHAPTER 229—

RAIL IMPROVEMENT GRANTS

“Sec.

“22901.

Definitions.

“22902.

Capital investment grants to support intercity passenger rail services.

“22903.

Project management oversight.

“22904.

Use of capital grants to finance first-dollar liability of grant project.

“22905.

Grant conditions.

“22906.

Authorization of appropriations.

“22907.

Consolidated rail infrastructure and safety improvements.

“22908.

Restoration and enhancement grants.”.

(b)

Technical and Conforming Amendments.—

(1)

Technical amendments.—

Chapter 229 of title 49, United States Code, as redesignated,

is amended

—

(A)

in section 22902, as redesignated—

(i)

in subsection (c)(3)(A)—

(I)

in the matter preceding clause (i), by

inserting

“of” after “other modes”; and

(II)

in clause (vi) by

striking

“environmentally” and

inserting

“environmental”; and

(ii)

in subsection (k), by

striking

“state rail plan” and

inserting

“State rail plan”; and

(B)

in section 22905(e)(1), as redesignated—

(i)

striking

“government authority” and

inserting

“governmental authority”; and

(ii)

striking

“section 5302(11) and (6), respectively, of this title” and

inserting

“section 5302”.

(2)

Conforming amendments.—

Chapter 229 of title 49, United States Code, as redesignated,

is amended

—

(A)

in section 22901(2)(D), as redesignated, by

striking

“24404” and

inserting

“22904”;

(B)

in section 22904, as redesignated, by

striking

“24402” and

inserting

“22902”;

(C)

in section 22905(e)(1), as redesignated, by

striking

“24102(4) of this title” and

inserting

“24102”;

(D)

in section 22907, as redesignated—

(i)

in subsection (c)(2), by

striking

“24401(2)” and

inserting

“22901(2)”; and

(ii)

in subsection (k), by

striking

“of sections 24402, 24403, and 24404 and the definition contained in 24401(1)” and

inserting

“under sections 22902, 22903, and 22904, and the definition contained in section 22901(1)”; and

(E)

in section 22908, as redesignated—

(i)

in subsection (a), in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by

striking

“24401(1)” and

inserting

“22901(1)”; and

(ii)

in subsection (i)(3), by

striking

“24405” and

inserting

“22905”.

(3)

Additional conforming amendments.—

(A)

Subtitle v.—

Subtitle V of title 49, United States Code,

is amended

—

(i)

in part C—

(I)

in section 24102(7)(D)(ii), by

striking

“chapter 244” and

inserting

“chapter 229”;132 STAT. 5447

(II)

in section 24103, by

inserting

“or chapter 229” after “this part” each place it appears;

(III)

in section 24711(c)(3), by

striking

“24405” and

inserting

“22905”; and

(IV)

in section 24911(i), by

striking

“24405” and

inserting

“22905”; and

(ii)

in part D, in section 26106(e)(3), by

striking

“24405 of this title” and

inserting

“22905”.

(B)

Railroad safety enhancement act of 2008.—

The Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 (division B of Public Law 110–432)

is amended

—

(i)

in section 301(c) (49 U.S.C. 24405 note), by

striking

“24405(a)” and

inserting

“22905(a)”; and

(ii)

in section 502(a)(4)(I) (49 U.S.C. 26106 note), by

striking

“24405” and

inserting

“22905”.

(C)

FAST act.—

The Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (Public Law 114–94; 129 Stat. 1312)

is amended

—

(i)

in section 11102, by

adding

at the end the following:

“(c)

Effective date.

Conforming Provision for Redesignation of Applicable Section.—

Any amounts authorized under this section for grants or project management oversight under section 24407 of such title shall be deemed to refer to grants or project management oversight under section 22907 of such title on or after the date of enactment of the Department of Transportation Reports Harmonization Act.”

;

(ii)

in section 11104, by

adding

at the end the following:

“(c)

Effective date.

Conforming Provision for Redesignation of Applicable Section.—

Any amounts authorized under this section for grants or project management oversight under section 24408 of such title shall be deemed to refer to grants or project management oversight under section 22908 of such title on or after the date of enactment of the Department of Transportation Reports Harmonization Act.”

;

(iii)

in section 11308(a)(4)(I), by

striking

“24405” and

inserting

“22905”; and132 STAT. 5448

(iv)

49 USC 24407 note.

in section 11401(b)(5), by

striking

“chapter 244” and

inserting

“chapter 229”.

Approved January 3, 2019.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S. 3367:

SENATE REPORTS: ┐No. 115–390 (Comm. on Commerce, Science, and Transportation).

CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 164 (2018):

Dec. 18, considered and passed Senate.

Dec. 21, considered and passed House.

○

Public Law 115–420: To amend certain transportation-related reporting requirements to improve congressional oversight, reduce reporting burdens, and promote transparency, and for other purposes.

SHORT TITLE.

PUBLIC AVAILABILITY OF CHARGES AND FEES FOR ATTENDANCE AT UNITED STATES MERCHANT MARINE ACADEMY.

PUBLIC AVAILABILITY OF INFORMATION ON ALIGNING FEDERAL ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEWS.

REPORTING ON THE NORTHEAST CORRIDOR.

Northeast Corridor Safety Committee Report.—

Contents of Grant Requests.—

In general.—

Rule of construction.—

HIGHWAY SAFETY PROGRAMS REPORT TO CONGRESS.

DOT Reports.—

Public Transparency.—

GAO Report.—

In general.—

Submission.—

CESSATION OF CERTAIN ADVISORY COUNCILS AND ADVISORY COMMITTEES.

Northeast Corridor Safety Committee.—

Sunset.—

National Rail Cooperative Research Program Oversight Committee.—

Sunset.—

TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS TO RAIL IMPROVEMENT GRANTS.

Redesignation.—

RAIL IMPROVEMENT GRANTS

Technical and Conforming Amendments.—

Technical amendments.—

Conforming amendments.—

Additional conforming amendments.—

Subtitle v.—

Railroad safety enhancement act of 2008.—

FAST act.—

Conforming Provision for Redesignation of Applicable Section.—

Conforming Provision for Redesignation of Applicable Section.—

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S. 3367:

CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 164 (2018):

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