SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Norman Y. Mineta
Research and Special Programs Improvement Act’’.
SEC. 2. PIPELINE AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SAFETY AD-
MINISTRATION.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 108 of title 49, United
States Code, is amended to read as follows:
‘‘§ 108. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Ad-
ministration
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Pipeline and Hazardous
Materials Safety Administration shall be an administra-
tion in the Department of Transportation.
‘‘(b) SAFETY AS HIGHEST PRIORITY.—In carrying
out its duties, the Administration shall consider the as-
signment and maintenance of safety as the highest pri-
ority, recognizing the clear intent, encouragement, and
dedication of Congress to the furtherance of the highest
degree of safety in pipeline transportation and hazardous
materials transportation.
‘‘(c) ADMINISTRATOR.—The head of the Administra-
tion shall be the Administrator who shall be appointed by
the President, by and with the advice and consent of the
Senate, and shall be an individual with professional experi-
ence in pipeline safety, hazardous materials safety, or
other transportation safety. The Administrator shall re-
port directly to the Secretary of Transportation.
‘‘(d) DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR.—The Administration
shall have a Deputy Administrator who shall be appointed
by the Secretary. The Deputy Administrator shall carry
out duties and powers prescribed by the Administrator.
‘‘(e) CHIEF SAFETY OFFICER.—The Administration
shall have an Assistant Administrator for Pipeline and
Hazardous Materials Safety appointed in the competitive
service by the Secretary. The Assistant Administrator
shall be the Chief Safety Officer of the Administration.
The Assistant Administrator shall carry out the duties and
powers prescribed by the Administrator.
‘‘(f) DUTIES
AND
POWERS
OF
THE
ADMINIS-
TRATOR.—The Administrator shall carry out—
‘‘(1) duties and powers related to pipeline and
hazardous materials transportation and safety vested
in the Secretary by chapters 51, 57, 61, 601, and
603; and
‘‘(2) other duties and powers prescribed by the
Secretary.
‘‘(g) LIMITATION.—A duty or power specified in sub-
section (f)(1) may be transferred to another part of the
Department of Transportation or another government en-
tity only if specifically provided by law.’’.
(b) TRANSFER OF DUTIES AND POWERS OF RE-
SEARCH
AND SPECIAL PROGRAMS ADMINISTRATION.—
The authority of the Research and Special Programs Ad-
ministration exercised under chapters 51, 57, 61, 601, and
603 of title 49, United States Code, is transferred to the
Administrator of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials
Safety Administration.
(c) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—
(1) CHAPTER
ANALYSIS.—The analysis for
chapter 1 of title 49, United States Code, is amend-
ed by striking the item relating to section 108 and
inserting the following:
‘‘108. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.’’.
(2) DOT INSPECTORS.—Section 5118(b)(3)(A)
of title 49, United States Code, is amended by strik-
ing ‘‘Research and Special Programs Administra-
tion’’ and inserting ‘‘Pipeline and Hazardous Mate-
rials Safety Administration’’.
(3) NTSB SAFETY RECOMMENDATIONS.—Sec-
tion 19(a) of the Pipeline Safety Improvement Act
of 2002 (49 U.S.C 1135 note; 116 Stat. 3009) is
amended by striking ‘‘Research and Special Pro-
gram Administration’’ and inserting ‘‘Pipeline and
Hazardous Materials Safety Administration’’.
(4) NATIONAL MARITIME ENHANCEMENTS IN-
STITUTES.—Section 8(f)(2) of Public Law 101–115
(46 U.S.C. App. 1121–2(f)(2)) is amended by strik-
ing ‘‘Research and Special Programs Administra-
tion’’ and inserting ‘‘Research and Innovative Tech-
nology Administration’’.
(5) OIL POLLUTION RESEARCH AND DEVELOP-
MENT PROGRAM.—Section 7001 of the Oil Pollution
Act of 1990 (33 U.S.C. 2761) is amended—
(A) in subsection (a)(3) by striking ‘‘Re-
search and Special Projects Administration’’
and inserting ‘‘Pipeline and Hazardous Mate-
rials Safety Administration’’; and
(B) in subsection (c)(11) by striking ‘‘Re-
search and Special Programs Administration’’
and inserting ‘‘Pipeline and Hazardous Mate-
rials Safety Administration’’.
(6) PENALTIES.—Section 844(g)(2)(B) of title
18, United State Code, is amended by striking ‘‘Re-
search and Special Projects Administration’’ and in-
serting ‘‘Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety
Administration’’.
(d) EXECUTIVE SCHEDULE PAY RATE.—Section
5314 of title 5, United States Code, is amended by adding
at the end the following:
‘‘Administrator, Pipeline and Hazardous Mate-
rials Safety Administration.’’.
SEC. 3. BUREAU OF TRANSPORTATION STATISTICS.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Section 111(a) of title 49,
United States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘in the De-
partment of Transportation’’ and inserting ‘‘in the Re-
search and Innovative Technology Administration’’.
(b) APPOINTMENT OF DIRECTOR.—Section 111(b) of
title 49, United States Code, is amended—
(1) by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the
following:
‘‘(1) APPOINTMENT.—The Bureau shall be
headed by a Director who shall be appointed in the
competitive service by the Secretary.’’; and
(2) by striking paragraphs (3) and (4).
(c) EXECUTIVE
SCHEDULE
PAY
RATE.—Section
5316 of title 5, United States Code, is amended by strik-
ing the undesignated paragraph relating to the Director,
Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
SEC. 4. RESEARCH AND INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY ADMIN-
ISTRATION.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 112 of title 49, United
States Code, is amended—
(1) by striking the section heading and insert-
ing the following:
‘‘§ 112. Research and Innovative Technology Adminis-
tration’’;
(2) by striking subsection (a) and inserting the
following:
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Research and Innova-
tive Technology Administration shall be an administration
in the Department of Transportation.’’;
(3) by striking subsection (d) and inserting the
following:
‘‘(d) POWERS
AND
DUTIES
OF
THE
ADMINIS-
TRATOR.—The Administrator shall carry out—
‘‘(1) powers and duties prescribed by the Sec-
retary for—
‘‘(A) coordination, facilitation, and review
of the Department’s research and development
programs and activities;
‘‘(B) advancement, and research and devel-
opment, of innovative technologies, including in-
telligent transportation systems;
‘‘(C) comprehensive transportation statis-
tics research, analysis, and reporting;
‘‘(D) education and training in transpor-
tation and transportation-related fields; and
‘‘(E) activities of the Volpe National
Transportation Center; and
‘‘(2) other powers and duties prescribed by the
Secretary.’’; and
(4) by striking subsection (e).
(b) CLARIFICATION.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Nothing in this Act shall
grant any authority to the Research and Innovative
Technology Administration over research and other
programs, activities, standards, or regulations ad-
ministered by the Secretary of Transportation
through the National Highway Traffic Safety Ad-
ministration.
(2) APPLICABILITY.—Paragraph (1) shall not
apply to the research and other programs, activities,
standards, or regulations provided for in highway
and traffic safety programs, administered by the
Secretary through the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration, in title 23, United States
Code, and chapter 303 of title 49, United States
Code, as in effect on the date of enactment of this
Act.
(c) OFFICE OF INTERMODALISM.—Section 5503(a) of
title 49, United States Code, is amended to read as fol-
lows:
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established in the
Research and Innovative Technology Administration an
Office of Intermodalism.’’.
(d) TRANSFER OF POWERS AND DUTIES OF RE-
SEARCH
AND SPECIAL PROGRAMS ADMINISTRATION.—
The authority of the Research and Special Programs Ad-
ministration, other than authority exercised under chap-
ters 51, 57, 61, 601, and 603 of title 49, United States
Code, is transferred to the Administrator of the Research
and Innovative Technology Administration.
(e) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The analysis for
chapter 1 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by
striking the item relating to section 112 and inserting the
following:
‘‘112. Research and Innovative Technology Administration.’’.
(f) EXECUTIVE
SCHEDULE
PAY
RATE.—Section
5314 of title 5, United States Code, is amended by strik-
ing the undesignated paragraph relating to the Adminis-
trator, Research and Special Programs Administration
and inserting the following:
‘‘Administrator, Research and Innovative Tech-
nology Administration.’’.
(g) REPORT.—
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 120 days
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Adminis-
trator of the Research and Innovative Technology
Administration shall submit to the Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure and the Com-
mittee on Science of the House of Representatives
and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation of the Senate a report on the re-
search activities of the Department of Transpor-
tation.
(2) CONTENTS.—The report shall include—
(A) a summary of the mission and stra-
tegic goals of the Administration;
(B) a prioritized list of the research and
development activities that the Department in-
tends to pursue over the next 5 years;
(C) a description of the primary purposes
for conducting such research and development
activities, such as reducing traffic congestion,
improving mobility, and promoting safety;
(D) an estimate of the funding levels need-
ed to implement such research and development
activities for the current fiscal year; and
(E) any additional information the Admin-
istrator considers appropriate.
(3) DEVELOPMENT.—In developing the report,
the Administrator shall—
(A) solicit input from a wide range of
stakeholders;
(B) take into account how the research
and development activities of other Federal,
State, private sector, and not-for-profit institu-
tions contribute to the achievement of the pur-
poses identified under paragraph (2)(C); and
(C) address methods to avoid unnecessary
duplication of efforts in achieving such pur-
poses.
SEC. 5. SAVINGS PROVISIONS.
(a) TRANSFER OF ASSETS AND PERSONNEL.—Per-
sonnel, property, and records employed, used, held, avail-
able, or to be made available in connection with functions
transferred within the Department of Transportation by
this Act shall be transferred for use in connection with
the functions transferred, and unexpended balances of ap-
propriations, allocations, and other funds (including funds
of any predecessor entity) shall also be transferred accord-
ingly.
(b) LEGAL DOCUMENTS.—All orders, determinations,
rules, regulations, permits, grants, loans, contracts, settle-
ments, agreements, certificates, licenses, and privileges—
(1) that have been issued, made, granted, or al-
lowed to become effective by any officer or employee,
or any other Government official, or by a court of
competent jurisdiction, in the performance of any
function that is transferred by this Act; and
(2) that are in effect on the effective date of
such transfer (or become effective after such date
pursuant to their terms as in effect on such effective
date),
shall continue in effect according to their terms until
modified, terminated, superseded, set aside, or revoked in
accordance with law by the Department, any other author-
ized official, a court of competent jurisdiction, or operation
of law.
(c) PROCEEDINGS.—The provisions of this Act shall
not affect any proceedings, including administrative en-
forcement actions, pending before this Act takes effect, in-
sofar as those functions are transferred by this Act; but
such proceedings, to the extent that they relate to func-
tions so transferred, shall proceed in accordance with ap-
plicable law and regulations. Nothing in this subsection
shall be deemed to prohibit the conclusion or modification
of any proceeding described in this subsection under the
same terms and conditions and to the same extent that
such proceeding could have been concluded or modified if
this Act had not been enacted. The Secretary of Transpor-