I 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 5105 

To ensure that the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority includes 

board members who have certified expertise in certain areas, and for 

other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 28, 2016 

Mr. DELANEY (for himself, Mr. MEADOWS, and Mrs. COMSTOCK) introduced 

the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, 

and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, 

for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case 

for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 

committee concerned 

A BILL 

To ensure that the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit 

Authority includes board members who have certified 

expertise in certain areas, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘WMATA Governance 

5 Reform Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. WMATA BOARD APPOINTMENTS. 

2 (a) FEDERAL APPROVAL.—The Government shall not 

3 approve an amendment to the Washington Metropolitan 

4 Area Transit Authority Compact (an interstate compact 

5 created effective February 20, 1967), unless the signato6 ries of the compact, the District of Columbia, the State 

7 of Maryland, and the Commonwealth of Virginia, certify 

8 that beginning after the date of implementation of the 

9 amended compact and thereafter, that each signatory will 

10 appoint an absolute majority of the Board of Directors 

11 of the Authority with the expertise described in subsection 

12 (b). 

13 (b) AREAS OF EXPERTISE.— 

14 (1) IN GENERAL.—The expertise of an absolute 

15 majority of Directors referred to in subsections (a) 

16 and (c) shall include 1 or more of the following 

17 qualifications: 

18 (A) A certified transit expert who has 

19 served in a senior executive capacity, or the 

20 equivalent, of a transit authority in the United 

21 States. 

22 (B) A certified management expert who is 

23 currently or has previously served for 5 or more 

24 years and has in his or her capacity managed, 

25 directly or indirectly, more than 1,000 full-time 

26 employees— 


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1 (i) as a president, chief operating offi2 cer, chief executive officer, chairman, or 

3 managing partner of an equivalent position 

4 of a qualifying business or nonprofit entity; 

5 or 

6 (ii) as the president or most senior 

7 manager of a division of a qualifying busi8 ness. 

9 (C) A certified financial expert who meets 

10 the standards of an audit committee financial 

11 expert under New York Stock Exchange rules. 

12 (D) A certified safety expert who has a 

13 minimum of 5 years of experience as a chair14 man, director, senior investigator or equivalent 

15 position of a transportation or transit safety 

16 board in the United States. 

17 (2) OTHER SIGNATORY APPOINTMENTS.—If a 

18 signatory appoints an individual to the Board of Di19 rectors who does not meet the qualifications of sub20 section (b), the signatory shall provide the Board 

21 with an explanation of the individual’s qualifications 

22 and why such qualifications will be beneficial to the 

23 Board. 

24 (c) FEDERAL APPOINTMENTS.— 


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1 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Transpor2 tation shall ensure that the next 3 Federal appoint3 ments to the Board of Directors of the Washington 

4 Metropolitan Area Transit Authority and an abso5 lute majority thereafter have the qualifications de6 scribed in subsection (b) and to the extent prac7 ticable, include appointees who reflect the diversity 

8 of the communities in the region served by the Au9 thority. 

10 (2) OTHER POSSIBLE FEDERAL APPOINT11 MENTS.—If the Secretary of Transportation ap12 points an individual to the Board of Directors who 

13 does not meet the qualifications of subsection (b), 

14 the Secretary shall provide the Board with an expla15 nation of the individual’s qualifications and why 

16 such qualifications will be beneficial to the Board. 

17 (d) DEFINITION OF QUALIFYING BUSINESS.—For 

18 purposes of this section, the term ‘‘qualifying business’’ 

19 means a corporation, partnership, or limited liability enti20 ty that is engaged primarily in operating activities and not 

21 investing activities. 

Æ 


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