I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3585 
To authorize surface transportation research and development programs, and 
for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 22, 2015 
Mrs. COMSTOCK (for herself, Mr. SMITH of Texas, Mr. MOOLENAAR, Mr. 
LUCAS, Mr. HULTGREN, Mr. WESTERMAN, and Mr. ABRAHAM) intro-
duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, 
Space, and Technology, and in addition to the Committee on Transpor-
tation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by 
the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall with-
in the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To authorize surface transportation research and 
development programs, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Surface Transpor-
tation Research and Development Act of 2015’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress makes the followings findings: 
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(A) fundamental research pertaining to the 
applied physical and natural sciences; 
(B) applied science and research; 
(C) technology development research; and 
(D) social science research; and 
(3) for each research and development activ-
ity— 
(A) identify the anticipated annual funding 
levels for the period covered by the strategic 
plan; and 
(B) describe the research findings the De-
partment of Transportation expects to discover 
at the end of the period covered by the strategic 
plan. 
(d) CONSIDERATIONS.—The Secretary shall ensure 
that the strategic plan developed under this section— 
(1) reflects input from external stakeholders; 
(2) includes and integrates the research and de-
velopment programs of all of the Department of 
Transportation’s modal administrations and joint 
programs; 
(3) takes into account research and develop-
ment by other Federal, State, local, private sector, 
and nonprofit institutions; and 
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(4) is published on a public website by Decem-
ber 31, 2016. 
(e) REPORT.— 
(1) NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL REVIEW.— 
The Secretary shall enter into an agreement with 
the National Research Council for a review and 
analysis of the Department’s 5-year research and de-
velopment strategic plan described in this section. 
By March 31, 2017, the Secretary shall publish on 
a public website the National Research Council’s 
analysis of the Department’s plan. 
(2) INTERIM REPORT.—By June 30, 2019, the 
Secretary shall publish on a public website an in-
terim report that— 
(A) provides an assessment of the Depart-
ment’s 5-year research and development stra-
tegic plan described in this section that includes 
a description of the extent to which the re-
search and development is or is not successfully 
meeting the purposes described under sub-
section (c)(1); and 
(B) addresses any concerns and identifies 
any gaps that may have been raised by the Na-
tional Research Council analysis under para-
graph (1), including how the plan is or is not 
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responsive to the National Research Council re-
view. 
(f) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) CHAPTER 5 OF TITLE 23.—Chapter 5 of 
title 23, United States Code, is amended— 
(A) by striking section 508; 
(B) in the table of contents, by striking the 
item relating to section 508; 
(C) in section 502— 
(i) in subsection (a)(9), by striking 
‘‘transportation research and technology 
development strategic plan developed under 
section 508’’ and inserting ‘‘transportation 
research and development strategic plan 
under section 3 of the Surface Transpor-
tation Research and Development Act of 
2015’’; and 
(ii) in subsection (b)(4), by striking 
‘‘transportation research and development 
strategic plan of the Secretary developed 
under section 508’’ and inserting ‘‘trans-
portation research and development stra-
tegic plan under section 3 of the Surface 
Transportation Research and Development 
Act of 2015’’; and 
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(D) in section 512(b), by striking ‘‘as part 
of the transportation research and development 
strategic plan developed under section 508’’. 
(2) 
INTELLIGENT
TRANSPORTATION
SYS-
TEMS.—The Intelligent Transportation Systems Act 
of 1998 (23 U.S.C. 502 note) is amended— 
(A) in section 5205(b), by striking ‘‘as 
part of the Surface Transportation Research 
and Development Strategic Plan developed 
under section 508 of title 23, United States 
Code’’ and inserting ‘‘as part of the transpor-
tation research and development strategic plan 
under section 3 of the Surface Transportation 
Research and Development Act of 2015’’; and 
(B) in section 5206(e)(2)(A), by striking 
‘‘or the Surface Transportation Research and 
Development Strategic Plan developed under 
section 508 of title 23, United States Code’’ 
and inserting ‘‘or the transportation research 
and development strategic plan under section 3 
of the Surface Transportation Research and 
Development Act of 2015’’. 
(3) INTELLIGENT
TRANSPORTATION
SYSTEM 
RESEARCH.—Subtitle C of title V of the Safe, Ac-
countable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity 
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Act: A Legacy for Users (23 U.S.C. 512 note) is 
amended— 
(A) in section 5305(h)(3)(A), by striking 
‘‘the strategic plan under section 508 of title 
23, United States Code’’ and inserting ‘‘the 5- 
year transportation research and development 
strategic plan under section 3 of the Surface 
Transportation Research and Development Act 
of 2015’’; and 
(B) in section 5307(c)(2)(A), by striking 
‘‘or the surface transportation research and de-
velopment strategic plan developed under sec-
tion 508 of title 23, United States Code’’ and 
inserting ‘‘or the 5-year transportation research 
and development strategic plan under section 3 
of the Surface Transportation Research and 
Development Act of 2015’’. 
SEC. 4. ANNUAL RESEARCH PLANS AND RESEARCH AB-
STRACT DATABASE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than May 1 of each 
year, the head of each modal administration and joint pro-
gram office of the Department of Transportation shall 
submit a comprehensive annual research plan for the fiscal 
year following the upcoming fiscal year to the Assistant 
Secretary for Research and Technology of the Department 
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of Transportation (referred to in this section as the ‘‘As-
sistant Secretary’’). Each plan submitted under this sub-
section, after 2016, shall be consistent with the strategic 
plan developed under section 3. 
(b) REVIEW.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than September 1 
of each year, the Assistant Secretary, for each plan 
submitted pursuant to subsection (a), shall— 
(A) review the scope of the research; and 
(B)(i) approve the plan; or 
(ii) request that the plan be revised and re-
submitted for approval. 
(2) PUBLICATIONS.—Not later than January 
30 of each year, the Assistant Secretary shall pub-
lish on a public website each plan that has been ap-
proved under paragraph (1)(B)(i). 
(3) REJECTION OF DUPLICATIVE RESEARCH EF-
FORTS.—The Assistant Secretary may not approve 
any plan submitted by the head of a modal adminis-
tration or joint program office pursuant to sub-
section (a) if such plan duplicates significant aspects 
of research projects of any other modal administra-
tion. 
(c) FUNDING LIMITATIONS.—No funds may be ex-
pended by the Department of Transportation on research 
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that has not previously been approved as part of a re-
search plan approved by the Assistant Secretary unless— 
(1) such research is required by an Act of Con-
gress; 
(2) such research was part of a contract that 
was funded before the date of enactment of this Act; 
or 
(3) the Secretary of Transportation certifies to 
Congress that such research is necessary and pro-
vides justification for the certification. 
(d) DUPLICATIVE RESEARCH.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-
graph (2), no funds may be expended by the Depart-
ment of Transportation on more than one research 
project that the Assistant Secretary identifies as du-
plicative under subsection (b)(3). 
(2) EXCEPTIONS.—Paragraph (1) shall not 
apply to— 
(A) research commissioned before the date 
of enactment of this Act; 
(B) updates to previously commissioned re-
search, including replication studies; or 
(C) research specifically required by law. 
(e) RESEARCH ABSTRACT DATABASE.— 
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(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Assistant Secretary 
shall annually publish on a public website a com-
prehensive database of all research projects con-
ducted by the Department of Transportation, includ-
ing, to the extent practicable, research funded 
through University Transportation Centers. 
(2) CONTENTS.—The database published under 
paragraph (1) shall— 
(A) include the research plans approved 
under subsection (b)(1)(B)(i); 
(B) 
describe 
the 
research 
objectives, 
progress, findings, and allocated funds for each 
research project; 
(C) 
identify 
research 
projects 
with 
multimodal applications; 
(D) specify how relevant modal administra-
tions have assisted, will contribute to, or plan 
to use the findings from the research projects 
identified under paragraph (1); 
(E) identify areas in which more than 1 
modal administration is conducting research on 
a similar subject or a subject which has a bear-
ing on more than 1 mode; 
(F) describe the interagency and cross- 
modal communication and coordination that has 
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occurred to develop the research plans approved 
under subsection (b)(1)(B)(i), and to prevent 
duplication of research projects within the De-
partment of Transportation; 
(G) indicate how the findings of research 
are being disseminated to improve the effi-
ciency, effectiveness, and safety of transpor-
tation systems; and 
(H) describe the specific content and 
sources of public and stakeholder input to the 
research plans approved under subsection 
(b)(1)(B)(i). 
(f) FUNDING REPORT.—In conjunction with each of 
the President’s annual budget requests under section 1105 
of title 31, United States Code, the Secretary of Transpor-
tation shall submit to Congress and annually publish on 
a public website a report that describes— 
(1) the amount spent in the last completed fis-
cal year on each transportation research and devel-
opment project; and 
(2) the amount that the Secretary plans or esti-
mates the Department will spend during the current 
fiscal year on each transportation research and de-
velopment project. 
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SEC. 5. TRAFFIC CONGESTION. 
(a) WORKING GROUP.—The Secretary of Transpor-
tation shall establish a working group consisting of appro-
priate representatives from the different modal adminis-
trations of the Department of Transportation, chaired by 
the Assistant Secretary of Transportation for Research 
and Technology, to design, develop, and propose a pro-
gram of research on the reduction of traffic congestion. 
(b) DUTIES.—The working group established under 
subsection (a), shall— 
(1) establish goals and objectives for the pro-
gram under this section; 
(2) recommend research to accelerate the adop-
tion of transportation management systems that 
allow traffic to flow in the safest and most efficient 
manner possible while alleviating current and future 
traffic congestion challenges; 
(3) assess and analyze traffic, transit, and 
freight data from various sources relevant to efforts 
to reduce traffic congestion so as to maximize mobil-
ity, efficiency, and capacity while decreasing conges-
tion and travel times; 
(4) examine the use and integration of multiple 
data types from multiple sources and technologies, 
including road weather data, private vehicle (includ-
ing Global Positioning System) data, arterial and 
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highway traffic conditions, transit vehicle arrival and 
departure times, real time navigation routing, con-
struction zone information, and reports of incidents, 
to suggest improvements in effective communication 
of such data and information in real time; 
(5) study and propose solutions to the traffic 
congestion issues on high-traffic roads in the Wash-
ington, DC, area to alleviate and prevent gridlock in 
and around the Nation’s Capital, reflecting its sig-
nificance as the seat of the Federal Government and 
headquarters for several critical national security 
agencies; 
(6) develop and disseminate suggested strate-
gies and solutions to reduce congestion for high-den-
sity traffic regions nationwide; and 
(7) collaborate with other relevant Federal 
agencies, State and local agencies, industry and in-
dustry associations, and university research centers 
to fulfill its goals and objectives. 
(c) 
IDENTIFYING
INFORMATION.—The 
working 
group shall ensure that information used pursuant to this 
section does not contain identifying information of any in-
dividual. 
(d) CONGRESSIONAL NOTIFICATION.—The working 
group shall keep the Committee on Science, Space, and 
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Technology and the Committee on Transportation and In-
frastructure of the House of Representatives and the Com-
mittee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the 
Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Sen-
ate apprised of the activities and progress of the working 
group at least once every 6 months. 
(e) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the working group shall transmit 
to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and 
the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of 
the House of Representatives and the Committee on Com-
merce, Science, and Transportation and the Committee on 
Environment and Public Works of the Senate a report on 
its activities under this section, including a transportation 
strategy that enables our transportation system in and 
around Washington, DC, to provide mobility in the event 
of an emergency or natural disaster. 
SEC. 6. HIGHWAY EFFICIENCY. 
(a) STUDY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Assistant Secretary of 
Transportation for Research and Technology shall 
examine the impact of pavement durability and sus-
tainability on vehicle fuel consumption, vehicle wear 
and tear, road conditions, and road repairs. 
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(2) METHODOLOGY.—In carrying out the study, 
the Assistant Secretary shall— 
(A) conduct a thorough review of relevant 
peer-reviewed research published during at least 
the past 5 years; 
(B) analyze impacts of different types of 
pavement on all motor vehicle types, including 
commercial vehicles; 
(C) specifically examine the impact of 
pavement deformation and deflection; and 
(D) analyze impacts of different types of 
pavement on road conditions and road repairs. 
(3) CONSULTATION.—In carrying out the study, 
the Assistant Secretary shall consult with— 
(A) experts from the different modal ad-
ministrations of the Department of Transpor-
tation and from other Federal agencies, includ-
ing the National Institute of Standards and 
Technology; 
(B) State departments of transportation; 
(C) local government engineers and public 
works professionals; 
(D) industry stakeholders; and 
(E) appropriate academic experts active in 
the field. 
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(b) REPORT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Assistant Sec-
retary shall publish on a public website the results 
of the study. 
(2) CONTENTS.—The report shall include— 
(A) a summary of the different types of 
pavements analyzed in the study and the im-
pacts of pavement durability and sustainability 
on vehicle fuel consumption, vehicle wear and 
tear, road conditions, and road repairs; and 
(B) recommendations for State and local 
governments on best practice methods for im-
proving pavement durability and sustainability 
to maximize vehicle fuel economy, ride quality, 
and road conditions and to minimize the need 
for road and vehicle repairs. 
SEC. 7. INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION TECHNOLOGIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Assistant Secretary of Trans-
portation for Research and Technology, as part of the In-
telligent Transportation Systems research program, with 
the goal of reducing traffic congestion and vehicle crashes 
and accelerating testing and research on the introduction 
of safe, connected, and automated vehicle technology sys-
tems, shall— 
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(1) seek to identify and understand— 
(A) new and innovative vehicle tech-
nologies, including active safety technologies, 
and their safe application in vehicles; and 
(B) emerging vehicle technologies and ad-
vanced communications and sensing techniques 
that may require additional exploration and un-
derstanding by the Department of Transpor-
tation of how such technologies work alone and 
in conjunction with other vehicle and relevant 
nonvehicle technologies; 
(2) assess wireless technologies’ capabilities to 
achieve a deployable system in which vehicles of all 
types (including automobiles, trucks, motor coaches, 
transit vehicles, and other fleets), traffic signals, 
other infrastructure systems, pedestrians, motorcy-
clists, bicyclists, and mobile devices can interact with 
and among each other through secure communica-
tions, including by conducting rigorous, real-world 
testing, in cooperation with representatives of the 
Federal Communications Commission, the National 
Telecommunications and Information Administra-
tion, the automotive, Wi-Fi, cellular, and Intelligent 
Transportation Systems communities, of viable spec-
trum sharing technologies that could enable the safe 
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operation of unlicensed devices, including Wi-Fi, in 
the 5.9 GHz band without interfering with con-
nected and automated vehicle communications; and 
(3) assist in the development of cybersecurity 
standards in cooperation with relevant modal admin-
istrations of the Department of Transportation and 
other Federal agencies, including the National Insti-
tute of Standards and Technology, to help prevent 
hacking, spoofing, and disruption of connected and 
automated transportation applications among sur-
face transportation vehicles of all types. 
(b) REPORT.—Upon completion of the testing de-
scribed in subsection (a)(2), the Secretary of Transpor-
tation shall send to Congress and the Federal Communica-
tions Commission, and publish on a public website, a re-
port identifying any potential signal interference risks to 
connected and automated vehicle communications that 
may exist due to unlicensed devices, including Wi-Fi, oper-
ating in the 5.9 GHz band, including a determination of 
whether such devices can safely operate in the 5.9 GHz 
band without creating signal interference that could jeop-
ardize or delay the deployment of an effective connected 
and automated vehicle communications system. 
(c) ANALYSIS.—In carrying out this section, the As-
sistant Secretary of Transportation for Research and 
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Technology shall document and analyze the technologies 
described in subsection (a), and share results of the anal-
ysis with the National Highway Traffic Safety Adminis-
tration annually. 
(d) PRIVACY.—In carrying out this section, the Sec-
retary and the Assistant Secretary shall ensure the privacy 
of individuals. 
(e) DEFINITION.—In this section, the term ‘‘active 
safety technologies’’ means technologies which actively as-
sist drivers or vehicles in preventing or mitigating a crash. 
SEC. 8. RAIL SAFETY. 
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Assistant Secretary of Transportation for 
Research and Technology shall transmit to Congress a re-
port containing— 
(1) the results of a study to examine the state 
of rail safety technologies and an analysis of whether 
the passenger, commuter, and transit rail transpor-
tation industries are keeping up with innovations in 
technologies to make rail cars safer for passengers 
and transport of commerce; 
(2) a determination of how much additional 
time and public and private resources will be re-
quired for railroad carriers to meet the positive train 
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control system implementation requirements under 
section 20157 of title 49, United States Code; and 
(3) an identification of technologies that in 
whole or in part achieve the safety goals of the posi-
tive train control implementation requirements 
under section 20157 that could be implemented 
sooner than positive train control systems, along 
with an analysis of the advantages and disadvan-
tages, including costs, of incorporating those alter-
native technologies to supplement or substitute for 
positive train control systems. 
SEC. 9. UNIVERSITY TRANSPORTATION CENTERS PRO-
GRAM. 
Section 5505 of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) 
in 
subsection 
(a)(2)(B) 
by 
inserting 
‘‘multimodal’’ before ‘‘transportation knowledge’’; 
(2) in subsection (b)— 
(A) by striking paragraph (2) and insert-
ing the following: 
‘‘(2) RESTRICTIONS.— 
‘‘(A) LIMITATION ON APPLICATIONS.— 
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—A nonprofit insti-
tution of higher education may only submit 
1 grant application described in clause (ii) 
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per fiscal year for each of the transpor-
tation centers described under paragraphs 
(2), (3), and (4) of subsection (c). 
‘‘(ii) APPLICATIONS.—Applications re-
ferred to in clause (i) are applications sub-
mitted by a nonprofit institution of higher 
education— 
‘‘(I) in an individual capacity, 
not through participation in a consor-
tium of nonprofit institutions of high-
er education; or 
‘‘(II) as the lead institution of a 
consortium of nonprofit institutions of 
higher education. 
‘‘(B) LIMITATION
ON
AWARDS.—A non-
profit institution of higher education may not 
receive in any fiscal year more than 1 grant 
under paragraphs (2), (3), and (4) of sub-
section (c) based on applications described in 
subparagraph (A)(ii) of this paragraph.’’; 
(B) in paragraph (4)(B)(iii) by inserting 
‘‘multimodal’’ 
before 
‘‘transportation 
prob-
lems’’; and 
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(C) in paragraph (4)(B)(v)(II) by inserting 
‘‘, including women and underrepresented popu-
lations’’ after ‘‘field’’; and 
(3) in subsection (c)— 
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘1 year 
after the date of enactment of the Transpor-
tation Research and Innovative Technology Act 
of 2012’’ and inserting ‘‘June 1, 2017’’; 
(B) by amending paragraph (3)(E) to read 
as follows: 
‘‘(E) FOCUSED RESEARCH.— 
‘‘(i) 
COMPREHENSIVE
TRANSPOR-
TATION
SAFETY.—The Secretary shall 
make a grant to 1 of the 10 regional uni-
versity transportation centers established 
under this paragraph for the purpose of 
furthering the objectives described in sub-
section (a)(2) in the field of comprehensive 
transportation safety. 
‘‘(ii) 
TRAFFIC
CONGESTION.—The 
Secretary shall make a separate grant to 1 
of the 10 regional university transportation 
centers established under this paragraph 
for the purpose of furthering the objectives 
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described in subsection (a)(2) in the field 
of traffic congestion.’’; and 
(C) in paragraph (4)— 
(i) by striking subparagraph (B); 
(ii) by redesignating subparagraphs 
(C) and (D) as subparagraphs (B) and 
(C), respectively; and 
(iii) in subparagraph (C), as so redes-
ignated by clause (ii) of this subparagraph, 
by striking ‘‘paragraph’’ and inserting 
‘‘section’’. 
SEC. 10. PRIZE COMPETITIONS. 
Section 502(b)(7) of title 23, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (D)— 
(A) 
by 
inserting 
‘‘(such 
as 
www.challenge.gov)’’ after ‘‘public website’’; 
(B) by redesignating clauses (iii) and (iv) 
as clauses (iv) and (v), respectively; 
(C) by inserting after clause (ii) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(iii) the process for participants to 
register for the competition;’’; and 
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(D) in clause (iv) (as redesignated by sub-
paragraph (B) of this paragraph), by striking 
‘‘prize’’ and inserting ‘‘cash prize purse’’; 
(2) in subparagraph (E), by striking ‘‘prize’’ 
both places it appears and inserting ‘‘cash prize 
purse’’; 
(3) 
by 
redesignating 
subparagraphs 
(F) 
through (K) as subparagraphs (G) through (L), re-
spectively; 
(4) by inserting after subparagraph (E) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(F) USE OF FEDERAL FACILITIES; CON-
SULTATION
WITH
FEDERAL
EMPLOYEES.—An 
individual or entity is not ineligible to receive a 
cash prize purse under this paragraph as a re-
sult of the individual or entity using a Federal 
facility or consulting with a Federal employee 
related to the individual or entity’s participation 
in a prize competition under this paragraph if 
the same facility or employee is made available 
to all individuals and entities participating in 
the prize competition on an equitable basis.’’; 
(5) in subparagraph (G) (as redesignated by 
paragraph (3) of this section)— 
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(A) in clause (i)(I), by striking ‘‘competi-
tion’’ and inserting ‘‘prize competition under 
this paragraph’’; 
(B) in clause (ii)(I)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘participation in a 
competition’’ and inserting ‘‘participation 
in a prize competition under this para-
graph’’; and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘competition activi-
ties’’ and inserting ‘‘prize competition ac-
tivities’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(iii) INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY.— 
‘‘(I) PROHIBITION ON REQUIRING 
WAIVER.—The Secretary may not re-
quire a participant to waive claims 
against the Department arising out of 
the unauthorized use or disclosure by 
the Department of the intellectual 
property, trade secrets, or confidential 
business information of the partici-
pant. 
‘‘(II) PROHIBITION ON GOVERN-
MENT ACQUISITION OF INTELLECTUAL 
PROPERTY
RIGHTS.—The 
Federal 
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Government may not gain an interest 
in intellectual property developed by a 
participant for a prize competition 
under this paragraph without the 
written consent of the participant. 
‘‘(III) LICENSES.—The Federal 
Government may negotiate a license 
for the use of intellectual property de-
veloped by a participant for a prize 
competition under this paragraph.’’; 
(6) in subparagraph (H)(i) (as redesignated by 
paragraph (3) of this section), by striking ‘‘subpara-
graph (H)’’ and inserting ‘‘subparagraph (I)’’; 
(7) in subparagraph (I) (as redesignated by 
paragraph (3) of this section), by striking ‘‘an agree-
ment with a private, nonprofit entity’’ and inserting 
‘‘a grant, contract, cooperative agreement, or other 
agreement with a private sector for-profit or non-
profit entity’’; 
(8) in subparagraph (J) (as redesignated by 
paragraph (3) of this section)— 
(A) in clause (i)— 
(i) in subclause (I), by striking ‘‘the 
private sector’’ and inserting ‘‘private sec-
tor for-profit and nonprofit entities, to be 
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available to the extent provided by appro-
priations Acts’’; 
(ii) in subclause (II), by striking ‘‘and 
metropolitan planning organizations’’ and 
inserting ‘‘metropolitan planning organiza-
tions, and private sector for-profit and 
nonprofit entities’’; and 
(iii) in subclause (III), by inserting 
‘‘for-profit or nonprofit’’ after ‘‘private sec-
tor’’; 
(B) in clause (ii), by striking ‘‘prize 
awards’’ and inserting ‘‘cash prize purses’’; 
(C) in clause (iv)— 
(i) by inserting ‘‘competition’’ after 
‘‘A prize’’; and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘the prize’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘the cash prize purse’’; 
(D) in clause (v)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘amount of a prize’’ 
and inserting ‘‘amount of a cash prize 
purse’’; 
(ii) by inserting ‘‘competition’’ after 
‘‘announcement of the prize’’; and 
(iii) in subclause (I), by inserting 
‘‘competition’’ after ‘‘prize’’; 
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(E) in clause (vi), by striking ‘‘offer a 
prize’’ and inserting ‘‘offer a cash prize purse’’; 
and 
(F) in clause (vii), by striking ‘‘cash 
prizes’’ and inserting ‘‘cash prize purses’’; 
(9) in subparagraph (K) (as redesignated by 
paragraph (3) of this section), by striking ‘‘or pro-
viding a prize’’ and inserting ‘‘a prize competition or 
providing a cash prize purse’’; and 
(10) in subparagraph (L)(ii) (as redesignated 
by paragraph (3) of this section)— 
(A) in subclause (I), by striking ‘‘The Sec-
retary’’ and inserting ‘‘Not later than March 1 
of each year, the Secretary’’; and 
(B) in subclause (II)— 
(i) in item (cc), by striking ‘‘cash 
prizes’’ both places it appears and insert-
ing ‘‘cash prize purses’’; and 
(ii) in item (ee), by striking ‘‘agency’’ 
and inserting ‘‘Department’’. 
SEC. 11. MOTORCYCLE SAFETY. 
(a) STUDY.—The Assistant Secretary for Research 
and Technology of the Department of Transportation shall 
enter into an agreement, within 45 days after the date 
of enactment of this Act, with the National Academy of 
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Sciences to conduct a study on the most effective means 
of preventing motorcycle crashes. 
(b) LIMITATION.—The Department of Transpor-
tation may not provide a grant or any funds to a State, 
county, town, township, Indian tribe, municipal, or other 
local government to be used for any program to check hel-
met usage or create checkpoints for an operator of a mo-
torcycle or passenger on a motorcycle until the Assistant 
Secretary submits to the Committee on Science, Space, 
and Technology and the Committee on Transportation 
and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and 
the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 
of the Senate a report on the study required under sub-
section (a). 
(c) SUBMITTAL TO CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES.— 
The Assistant Secretary shall submit the report to the 
committees as described in subsection (b) within 30 days 
after receiving the results of the study from the National 
Academy of Sciences. 
SEC. 12. PROHIBITION OF LOBBYING ACTIVITIES. 
No funds appropriated to the Secretary of Transpor-
tation shall be available for any activity whose purpose is 
to influence any pending Federal, State, or local legisla-
tion, except that this section shall not prevent officers or 
employees of the United States or of its departments or 
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agencies from communicating to Members of Congress on 
the request of any Member or to Congress, through the 
proper channels, requests for legislation or appropriations 
which they deem necessary for the efficient conduct of the 
public business. Nothing in this section shall prohibit offi-
cers or employees of the United States or its departments 
or agencies from testifying before any Federal, State, or 
local legislative body upon the invitation of such legislative 
body. 
SEC. 13. BRIDGE SAFETY. 
(a) HIGHWAY AND BRIDGE INFRASTRUCTURE RE-
SEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.—Section 503(b)(3)(A)(i) of 
title 23, United States Code, is amended by inserting ‘‘, 
including through corrosion prevention measures for 
structural integrity of bridges’’ before the semicolon. 
(b) RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, TESTING, 
AND 
TRAINING FOR RAILROAD SAFETY.—Section 20108(a) of 
title 49, United States Code, is amended by inserting ‘‘, 
including corrosion prevention measures and structural in-
tegrity of rail bridges’’ before the period at the end. 
SEC. 14. HAZARDOUS MATERIALS RESEARCH AND DEVEL-
OPMENT. 
Section 5118 of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)(2)— 
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(A) in subparagraph (A), by striking 
‘‘and’’; 
(B) in subparagraph (B), by striking the 
period at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’ ; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following new 
subparagraph: 
‘‘(C) coordinate, as appropriate, with other 
Federal agencies, including the National Insti-
tute of Standards and Technology, the Depart-
ment of Homeland Security, and the Depart-
ment of Energy.’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new sub-
section: 
‘‘(c) COOPERATIVE RESEARCH.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—As part of the program es-
tablished in subsection (a), the Secretary may carry 
out cooperative research on hazardous materials 
transport. 
‘‘(2) NATIONAL
ACADEMIES.—The Secretary 
may enter into an agreement with the National 
Academies to support such research. 
‘‘(3) RESEARCH.—Research conducted under 
this subsection may include activities related to— 
‘‘(A) emergency planning and response, in-
cluding information and programs that can be 
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readily assessed and implemented in local juris-
dictions; 
‘‘(B) risk analysis and perception and data 
assessment; 
‘‘(C) commodity flow data, including vol-
untary collaboration between shippers and first 
responders for secure data exchange of critical 
information; 
‘‘(D) integration of safety and security; 
‘‘(E) cargo packaging and handling; 
‘‘(F) hazmat release consequences; and 
‘‘(G) materials and equipment testing.’’. 
SEC. 15. WEB-BASED TRAINING FOR EMERGENCY RE-
SPONDERS. 
Section 5115(a) of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended by inserting ‘‘, including online curriculum as ap-
propriate,’’ after ‘‘a current curriculum of courses’’. 
Æ 
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