H. R. 22—265 
SEC. 6018. PORT PERFORMANCE FREIGHT STATISTICS PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 63 of title 49, United States Code, 
is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘§ 6314. Port performance freight statistics program 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Director shall establish, on behalf of 
the Secretary, a port performance statistics program to provide 
nationally consistent measures of performance of, at a minimum— 
‘‘(1) the Nation’s top 25 ports by tonnage; 
‘‘(2) the Nation’s top 25 ports by 20-foot equivalent unit; 
and 
‘‘(3) the Nation’s top 25 ports by dry bulk. 
‘‘(b) REPORTS.— 
‘‘(1) PORT
CAPACITY
AND
THROUGHPUT.—Not later than 
January 15 of each year, the Director shall submit an annual 
report to Congress that includes statistics on capacity and 
throughput at the ports described in subsection (a). 
‘‘(2) PORT PERFORMANCE MEASURES.—The Director shall col-
lect port performance measures for each of the United States 
ports referred to in subsection (a) that— 
‘‘(A) receives Federal assistance; or 
‘‘(B) is subject to Federal regulation to submit nec-
essary information to the Bureau that includes statistics 
on capacity and throughput as applicable to the specific 
configuration of the port. 
‘‘(c) RECOMMENDATIONS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Director shall obtain recommenda-
tions for— 
‘‘(A) port performance measures, including specifica-
tions and data measurements to be used in the program 
established under subsection (a); and 
‘‘(B) a process for the Department to collect timely 
and consistent data, including identifying safeguards to 
protect proprietary information described in subsection 
(b)(2). 
‘‘(2) WORKING GROUP.—Not later than 60 days after the 
date of the enactment of the Transportation for Tomorrow 
Act of 2015, the Director shall commission a working group 
composed of— 
‘‘(A) operating administrations of the Department; 
‘‘(B) the Coast Guard; 
‘‘(C) the Federal Maritime Commission; 
‘‘(D) U.S. Customs and Border Protection; 
‘‘(E) the Marine Transportation System National 
Advisory Council; 
‘‘(F) the Army Corps of Engineers; 
‘‘(G) the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corpora-
tion; 
‘‘(H) the Bureau of Labor Statistics; 
‘‘(I) the Maritime Advisory Committee for Occupational 
Safety and Health; 
‘‘(J) the Advisory Committee on Supply Chain Competi-
tiveness; 
‘‘(K) 1 representative from the rail industry; 
‘‘(L) 1 representative from the trucking industry; 
‘‘(M) 1 representative from the maritime shipping 
industry;
H. R. 22—266 
‘‘(N) 1 representative from a labor organization for 
each industry described in subparagraphs (K) through (M); 
‘‘(O) 1 representative from the International Long-
shoremen’s Association; 
‘‘(P) 1 representative from the International Longshore 
and Warehouse Union; 
‘‘(Q) 1 representative from a port authority; 
‘‘(R) 1 representative from a terminal operator; 
‘‘(S) representatives of the National Freight Advisory 
Committee of the Department; and 
‘‘(T) representatives of the Transportation Research 
Board of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, 
and Medicine. 
‘‘(3) RECOMMENDATIONS.—Not later than 1 year after the 
date of the enactment of the Transportation for Tomorrow 
Act of 2015, the working group commissioned under paragraph 
(2) shall submit its recommendations to the Director. 
‘‘(d) ACCESS TO DATA.—The Director shall ensure that— 
‘‘(1) the statistics compiled under this section— 
‘‘(A) are readily accessible to the public; and 
‘‘(B) are consistent with applicable security constraints 
and confidentiality interests; and 
‘‘(2) the data acquired, regardless of source, shall be pro-
tected in accordance with the Confidential Information Protec-
tion and Statistical Efficiency Act of 2002 (44 U.S.C. 3501 
note; Public Law 107–347).’’. 
(b) 
PROHIBITION
ON
CERTAIN
DISCLOSURES; 
COPIES
OF 
REPORTS.—Section 6307(b) of such title is amended, by inserting 
‘‘or section 6314(b)’’ after ‘‘section 6302(b)(3)(B)’’ each place it 
appears. 
(c) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections for chapter 
63 of such title is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘6314. Port performance freight statistics program.’’. 
SEC. 6019. RESEARCH PLANNING. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that— 
(1) Federal transportation research planning— 
(A) should be coordinated by the Office of the Secretary; 
and 
(B) should be, to the extent practicable, multimodal 
and not occur solely within the sub-agencies of the Depart-
ment; 
(2) managing a multimodal research portfolio within the 
Office of the Secretary will— 
(A) help identify opportunities in which research could 
be applied across modes; and 
(B) prevent duplication of efforts and waste of limited 
Federal resources; 
(3) the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology 
at the Department of Transportation will— 
(A) give stakeholders a formal opportunity to address 
concerns; 
(B) ensure unbiased research; and 
(C) improve the overall research products of the 
Department; and 
(4) increasing transparency of transportation research and 
development efforts will—
H. R. 22—267 
(A) build stakeholder confidence in the final product; 
and 
(B) lead to the improved implementation of research 
findings. 
(b) RESEARCH PLANNING.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subtitle III of title 49, United States 
Code, is amended by inserting after chapter 63 the following: 
‘‘CHAPTER 65—RESEARCH PLANNING 
‘‘Sec. 
‘‘6501. Annual modal research plans. 
‘‘6502. Consolidated research database. 
‘‘6503. Transportation research and development 5-year strategic plan. 
‘‘SEC. 6501. ANNUAL MODAL RESEARCH PLANS. 
‘‘(a) MODAL PLANS REQUIRED.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than May 1 of each year, 
the head of each modal administration and joint program office 
of the Department of Transportation shall submit to the Assist-
ant Secretary for Research and Technology of the Department 
of Transportation (referred to in this chapter as the ‘Assistant 
Secretary’) a comprehensive annual modal research plan for 
the upcoming fiscal year and a detailed outlook for the following 
fiscal year. 
‘‘(2) RELATIONSHIP TO STRATEGIC PLAN.—Each plan sub-
mitted under paragraph (1), after the plan required in 2016, 
shall be consistent with the strategic plan developed under 
section 6503. 
‘‘(b) REVIEW.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than September 1 of each 
year, the Assistant Secretary, for each plan and outlook sub-
mitted pursuant to subsection (a), shall— 
‘‘(A) review the scope of the research; and 
‘‘(B)(i) approve the plan and outlook; or 
‘‘(ii) request that the plan and outlook be revised and 
resubmitted for approval. 
‘‘(2) PUBLICATIONS.—Not later than January 30 of each 
year, the Secretary shall publish on a public website each 
plan and outlook that has been approved under paragraph 
(1)(B)(i). 
‘‘(3) REJECTION OF DUPLICATIVE RESEARCH EFFORTS.—The 
Assistant Secretary may not approve any plan submitted by 
the head of a modal administration or joint program office 
pursuant to subsection (a) if any of the projects described 
in the plan duplicate significant aspects of research efforts 
of any other modal administration. 
‘‘(c) FUNDING LIMITATIONS.—No funds may be expended by 
the Department of Transportation on research that has been deter-
mined by the Assistant Secretary under subsection (b)(3) to be 
duplicative unless— 
‘‘(1) the research is required by an Act of Congress; 
‘‘(2) the research was part of a contract that was funded 
before the date of enactment of this chapter; 
‘‘(3) 
the 
research 
updates 
previously 
commissioned 
research; or
H. R. 22—268 
‘‘(4) the Assistant Secretary certifies to Congress that such 
research is necessary, and provides justification for such certifi-
cation. 
‘‘(d) CERTIFICATION.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall annually certify to 
Congress that— 
‘‘(A) each modal research plan has been reviewed; and 
‘‘(B) there is no duplication of study for research 
directed, commissioned, or conducted by the Department 
of Transportation. 
‘‘(2) CORRECTIVE
ACTION
PLAN.—If the Secretary, after 
submitting a certification under paragraph (1), identifies 
duplication of research within the Department of Transpor-
tation, the Secretary shall— 
‘‘(A) notify Congress of the duplicative research; and 
‘‘(B) submit to Congress a corrective action plan to 
eliminate the duplicative research. 
‘‘SEC. 6502. CONSOLIDATED RESEARCH DATABASE. 
‘‘(a) RESEARCH ABSTRACT DATABASE.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall annually publish 
on a public website a comprehensive database of all research 
projects conducted by the Department of Transportation, 
including, to the extent practicable, research funded through 
University Transportation Centers. 
‘‘(2) CONTENTS.—The database published under paragraph 
(1) shall, to the extent practicable— 
‘‘(A) include the consolidated modal research plans 
approved under section 6501(b)(1)(B)(i); 
‘‘(B) describe the research objectives, progress, findings, 
and allocated funds for each research project; 
‘‘(C) identify research projects with multimodal applica-
tions; 
‘‘(D) specify how relevant modal administrations 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 that has a bearing on more than 1 mode; 
‘‘(F) indicate how the findings of research are being 
disseminated to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, and 
safety of transportation systems; and 
‘‘(G) describe the public and stakeholder input to the 
research plans submitted under section 6501(a)(1). 
‘‘(b) FUNDING REPORT.—In conjunction with each of the annual 
budget requests submitted by the President under section 1105 
of title 31, the Secretary shall annually publish on a public website 
and submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report 
that describes— 
‘‘(1) the amount spent in the last full fiscal year on 
transportation research and development with specific descrip-
tions of projects funded at $5,000,000 or more; and 
‘‘(2) the amount proposed in the current budget for 
transportation research and development with specific descrip-
tions of projects funded at $5,000,000 or more.
H. R. 22—269 
‘‘(c) PERFORMANCE PLANS
AND REPORTS.—In the plans and 
reports submitted under sections 1115 and 1116 of title 31, the 
Secretary shall include— 
‘‘(1) a summary of the Federal transportation research and 
development activities for the previous fiscal year in each topic 
area; 
‘‘(2) the amount spent in each topic area; 
‘‘(3) a description of the extent to which the research and 
development is meeting the expectations described in section 
6503(c)(1); and 
‘‘(4) any amendments to the strategic plan developed under 
section 6503. 
‘‘SEC. 6503. TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT 5-YEAR 
STRATEGIC PLAN. 
‘‘(a) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary shall develop a 5-year 
transportation research and development strategic plan to guide 
future Federal transportation research and development activities. 
‘‘(b) CONSISTENCY.—The strategic plan developed under sub-
section (a) shall be consistent with— 
‘‘(1) section 306 of title 5; 
‘‘(2) sections 1115 and 1116 of title 31; and 
‘‘(3) any other research and development plan within the 
Department of Transportation. 
‘‘(c) CONTENTS.—The strategic plan developed under subsection 
(a) shall— 
‘‘(1) describe how the plan furthers the primary purposes 
of the transportation research and development program, which 
shall include— 
‘‘(A) improving mobility of people and goods; 
‘‘(B) reducing congestion; 
‘‘(C) promoting safety; 
‘‘(D) improving the durability and extending the life 
of transportation infrastructure; 
‘‘(E) preserving the environment; and 
‘‘(F) preserving the existing transportation system; 
‘‘(2) for each of the purposes referred to in paragraph 
(1), list the primary proposed research and development activi-
ties that the Department of Transportation intends to pursue 
to accomplish that purpose, which may include— 
‘‘(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 activity— 
‘‘(A) identify the anticipated annual funding levels for 
the period covered by the strategic plan; and 
‘‘(B) describe the research findings the Department 
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 a wide range of external stake-
holders; 
‘‘(2) includes and integrates the research and development 
programs of all of the modal administrations of the Department
H. R. 22—270 
of Transportation, including aviation, transit, rail, and mari-
time and joint programs; 
‘‘(3) takes into account research and development by other 
Federal, State, local, private sector, and nonprofit institutions; 
‘‘(4) not later than December 31, 2016, is published on 
a public website; and 
‘‘(5) takes into account how research and development by 
other Federal, State, private sector, and nonprofit institutions— 
‘‘(A) contributes to the achievement of the purposes 
identified under subsection (c)(1); and 
‘‘(B) avoids unnecessary duplication of those efforts. 
‘‘(e) INTERIM REPORT.—Not later than 2 1⁄2 years after the 
date of enactment of this chapter, the Secretary may publish on 
a public website an interim report that— 
‘‘(1) provides an assessment of the 5-year research and 
development strategic plan of the Department of Transportation 
described in this section; and 
‘‘(2) includes a description of the extent to which the 
research and development is or is not successfully meeting 
the purposes described under subsection (c)(1).’’. 
(c) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The table of 
chapters for subtitle III of title 49, United States Code, is amended 
by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘63. Bureau of Transportation Statistics ............................................................. 6301
‘‘65. Research planning ......................................................................................... 6501’’. 
(d) 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 ‘‘transpor-
tation research and development strategic plan under 
section 6503 of title 49’’; and 
(ii) in subsection (b)(4), by striking ‘‘transportation 
research and development strategic plan of the Sec-
retary developed under section 508’’ and inserting 
‘‘transportation research and development strategic 
plan under section 6503 of title 49’’; and 
(D) in section 512(b), by striking ‘‘as part of the 
transportation research and development strategic plan 
developed under section 508’’. 
(2) INTELLIGENT
TRANSPORTATION
SYSTEMS.—The Intel-
ligent Transportation Systems Act of 1998 (23 U.S.C. 502 note; 
Public Law 105–178) is amended— 
(A) in section 5205(b), by striking ‘‘as part of the Sur-
face Transportation Research and Development Strategic 
Plan developed under section 508 of title 23’’ and inserting 
‘‘as part of the transportation research and development 
strategic plan under section 6503 of title 49’’; 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’’ and inserting ‘‘or
H. R. 22—271 
the transportation research and development strategic plan 
under section 6503 of title 49’’. 
(3) INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM RESEARCH.—Sec-
tion 5305(h)(3)(A) of SAFETEA–LU (23 U.S.C. 512 note; Public 
Law 109–59) is amended by striking ‘‘the strategic plan under 
section 508 of title 23, United States Code’’ and inserting ‘‘the 
5-year strategic plan under 6503 of title 49, United States 
Code’’. 
SEC. 6020. SURFACE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM FUNDING ALTER-
NATIVES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish a program to 
provide grants to States to demonstrate user-based alternative rev-
enue mechanisms that utilize a user fee structure to maintain 
the long-term solvency of the Highway Trust Fund. 
(b) APPLICATION.—To be eligible for a grant under this section, 
a State or group of States shall submit to the Secretary an applica-
tion in such form and containing such information as the Secretary 
may require. 
(c) OBJECTIVES.—The Secretary shall ensure that the activities 
carried out using funds provided under this section meet the fol-
lowing objectives: 
(1) To test the design, acceptance, and implementation 
of 2 or more future user-based alternative revenue mechanisms. 
(2) To improve the functionality of such user-based alter-
native revenue mechanisms. 
(3) To conduct outreach to increase public awareness 
regarding the need for alternative funding sources for surface 
transportation programs and to provide information on possible 
approaches. 
(4) To provide recommendations regarding adoption and 
implementation of user-based alternative revenue mechanisms. 
(5) To minimize the administrative cost of any potential 
user-based alternative revenue mechanisms. 
(d) USE OF FUNDS.—A State or group of States receiving funds 
under this section to test the design, acceptance, and implementa-
tion of a user-based alternative revenue mechanism— 
(1) shall address— 
(A) the implementation, interoperability, public accept-
ance, and other potential hurdles to the adoption of the 
user-based alternative revenue mechanism; 
(B) the protection of personal privacy; 
(C) the use of independent and private third-party 
vendors to collect fees and operate the user-based alter-
native revenue mechanism; 
(D) market-based congestion mitigation, if appropriate; 
(E) equity concerns, including the impacts of the user- 
based alternative revenue mechanism on differing income 
groups, various geographic areas, and the relative burdens 
on rural and urban drivers; 
(F) ease of compliance for different users of the 
transportation system; and 
(G) the reliability and security of technology used to 
implement the user-based alternative revenue mechanism; 
and 
(2) may address—
H. R. 22—272 
(A) the flexibility and choices of user-based alternative 
revenue mechanisms, including the ability of users to select 
from various technology and payment options; 
(B) the cost of administering the user-based alternative 
revenue mechanism; and 
(C) the ability of the administering entity to audit 
and enforce user compliance. 
(e) CONSIDERATION.—The Secretary shall consider geographic 
diversity in awarding grants under this section. 
(f) LIMITATIONS ON REVENUE COLLECTED.—Any revenue col-
lected through a user-based alternative revenue mechanism estab-
lished using funds provided under this section shall not be consid-
ered a toll under section 301 of title 23, United States Code. 
(g) FEDERAL SHARE.—The Federal share of the cost of an 
activity carried out under this section may not exceed 50 percent 
of the total cost of the activity. 
(h) REPORT TO SECRETARY.—Not later than 1 year after the 
date on which the first eligible entity receives a grant under this 
section, and each year thereafter, each recipient of a grant under 
this section shall submit to the Secretary a report that describes— 
(1) how the demonstration activities carried out with grant 
funds meet the objectives described in subsection (c); and 
(2) lessons learned for future deployment of alternative 
revenue mechanisms that utilize a user fee structure. 
(i) BIENNIAL REPORTS.—Not later than 2 years after the date 
of enactment of this Act, and every 2 years thereafter until the 
completion of the demonstration activities under this section, the 
Secretary shall make available to the public on an Internet website 
a report describing the progress of the demonstration activities. 
(j) FUNDING.—Of the funds authorized to carry out section 
503(b) of title 23, United States Code— 
(1) $15,000,000 shall be used to carry out this section 
for fiscal year 2016; and 
(2) $20,000,000 shall be used to carry out this section 
for each of fiscal years 2017 through 2020. 
(k) GRANT FLEXIBILITY.—If, by August 1 of each fiscal year, 
the Secretary determines that there are not enough grant applica-
tions that meet the requirements of this section for a fiscal year, 
Secretary shall transfer to the program under section 503(b) of 
title 23, United States Code— 
(1) any of the funds reserved for the fiscal year under 
subsection (j) that the Secretary has not yet awarded under 
this section; and 
(2) an amount of obligation limitation equal to the amount 
of funds that the Secretary transfers under paragraph (1). 
SEC. 6021. FUTURE INTERSTATE STUDY. 
(a) FUTURE INTERSTATE SYSTEM STUDY.—Not later than 180 
days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall 
enter into an agreement with the Transportation Research Board 
of the National Academies to conduct a study on the actions needed 
to upgrade and restore the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System 
of Interstate and Defense Highways to its role as a premier system 
that meets the growing and shifting demands of the 21st century. 
(b) METHODOLOGIES.—In conducting the study, the Transpor-
tation Research Board shall build on the methodologies examined
H. R. 22—273 
and recommended in the report prepared for the American Associa-
tion of State Highway and Transportation Officials titled ‘‘National 
Cooperative Highway Research Program Project 20–24(79): Speci-
fications for a National Study of the Future 3R, 4R, and Capacity 
Needs of the Interstate System’’, dated December 2013. 
(c) CONTENTS OF STUDY.—The study— 
(1) shall include specific recommendations regarding the 
features, standards, capacity needs, application of technologies, 
and intergovernmental roles to upgrade the Interstate System, 
including any revisions to law (including regulations) that the 
Transportation Research Board determines appropriate; and 
(2) is encouraged to build on the institutional knowledge 
in the highway industry in applying the techniques involved 
in implementing the study. 
(d) CONSIDERATIONS.—In carrying out the study, the Transpor-
tation Research Board shall determine the need for reconstruction 
and improvement of the Interstate System by considering— 
(1) future demands on transportation infrastructure deter-
mined for national planning purposes, including commercial 
and private traffic flows to serve future economic activity and 
growth; 
(2) the expected condition of the current Interstate System 
over the period of 50 years beginning on the date of enactment 
of this Act, including long-term deterioration and reconstruction 
needs; 
(3) features that would take advantage of technological 
capabilities to address modern standards of construction, 
maintenance, and operations, for purposes of safety, and system 
management, taking into further consideration system perform-
ance and cost; 
(4) those National Highway System routes that should 
be added to the existing Interstate System to more efficiently 
serve national traffic flows; and 
(5) the resources necessary to maintain and improve the 
Interstate System, including the resources required to upgrade 
the National Highway System routes identified in paragraph 
(4) to Interstate standards. 
(e) CONSULTATION.—In carrying out the study, the Transpor-
tation Research Board— 
(1) shall convene and consult with a panel of national 
experts, including operators and users of the Interstate System 
and private sector stakeholders; and 
(2) is encouraged to consult with— 
(A) the Federal Highway Administration; 
(B) States; 
(C) planning agencies at the metropolitan, State, and 
regional levels; 
(D) the motor carrier industry; 
(E) freight shippers; 
(F) highway safety groups; and 
(G) other appropriate entities. 
(f) REPORT.—Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Transportation Research Board shall submit to 
the Secretary, the Committee on Environment and Public Works 
of the Senate, and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastruc-
ture of the House of Representatives a report on the results of 
the study conducted under this section.
H. R. 22—274 
(g) FUNDING.—From amounts authorized to carry out the High-
way Research and Development Program, the Secretary shall use 
to carry out this section not more than $5,000,000 for fiscal year 
2016. 
SEC. 6022. HIGHWAY EFFICIENCY. 
(a) STUDY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may examine the impact 
of pavement durability and sustainability on vehicle fuel 
consumption, vehicle wear and tear, road conditions, and road 
repairs. 
(2) METHODOLOGY.—In carrying out the study, the Sec-
retary 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 Sec-
retary shall consult with— 
(A) modal administrations of the Department and other 
Federal agencies, including the National Institute of Stand-
ards and Technology; 
(B) State departments of transportation; 
(C) industry stakeholders; and 
(D) appropriate academic experts. 
(b) REPORT.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall publish on a 
public website a report describing 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 impacts of pavement dura-
bility and sustainability on safety, vehicle fuel consump-
tion, vehicle wear and tear, road conditions, and road 
repairs; and 
(B) recommendations for State and local governments 
on best practice methods for improving pavement durability 
and sustainability to maximize vehicle fuel economy, 
improve safety, ride quality, and road conditions, and to 
minimize the need for road and vehicle repairs. 
SEC. 6023. TRANSPORTATION TECHNOLOGY POLICY WORKING GROUP. 
To improve the scientific pursuit and research procedures con-
cerning transportation, the Secretary may convene an interagency 
working group— 
(1) to identify opportunities for coordination between the 
Department and universities and the private sector; and 
(2) to identify and develop a plan to address related 
workforce development needs. 
SEC. 6024. COLLABORATION AND SUPPORT. 
The Secretary may solicit the support of, and identify opportuni-
ties to collaborate with, other Federal research agencies and
H. R. 22—275 
national laboratories to assist in the effective and efficient pursuit 
and resolution of research challenges identified by the Secretary. 
SEC. 6025. GAO REPORT. 
Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this 
Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit 
to Congress a report that— 
(1) assesses the status of autonomous transportation tech-
nology policy developed by public entities in the United States; 
(2) assesses the organizational readiness of the Department 
to address autonomous vehicle technology challenges, including 
consumer privacy protections; and 
(3) recommends implementation paths for autonomous 
transportation technology, applications, and policies that are 
based on the assessment described in paragraph (2). 
SEC. 6026. TRAFFIC CONGESTION. 
(a) CONGESTION
RESEARCH.—The Secretary may conduct 
research on the reduction of traffic congestion. 
(b) CONSIDERATION.—The Secretary may— 
(1) recommend research to accelerate the adoption of 
transportation management systems that allow traffic to flow 
in the safest and most efficient manner possible while alle-
viating current and future traffic congestion challenges; 
(2) assess and analyze traffic, transit, and freight data 
from various sources relevant to efforts to reduce traffic conges-
tion so as to maximize mobility, efficiency, and capacity while 
decreasing congestion and travel times; 
(3) examine the use and integration of multiple data types 
from multiple sources and technologies, including road weather 
data, arterial and highway traffic conditions, transit vehicle 
arrival and departure times, real time navigation routing, 
construction zone information, and reports of incidents, to sug-
gest improvements in effective communication of such data 
and information in real time; 
(4) develop and disseminate suggested strategies and solu-
tions to reduce congestion for high-density traffic regions and 
to provide mobility in the event of an emergency or natural 
disaster; and 
(5) collaborate with other relevant Federal agencies, State 
and local agencies, industry and industry associations, and 
university research centers to fulfill goals and objectives under 
this section. 
(c) IDENTIFYING INFORMATION.—The Secretary shall ensure that 
information used pursuant to this section does not contain identi-
fying information of any individual. 
(d) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the completion of 
research under this section, the Secretary may make available 
on a public website a report on any activities under this section. 
SEC. 6027. SMART CITIES TRANSPORTATION PLANNING STUDY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may conduct a study of digital 
technologies 
and 
information 
technologies, 
including 
shared 
mobility, data, transportation network companies, and on-demand 
transportation services— 
(1) to understand the degree to which cities are adopting 
those technologies;
H. R. 22—276 
(2) to assess future planning, infrastructure, and invest-
ment needs; and 
(3) to provide best practices to plan for smart cities in 
which information and technology are used— 
(A) to improve city operations; 
(B) to grow the local economy; 
(C) to improve response in times of emergencies and 
natural disasters; and 
(D) to improve the lives of city residents. 
(b) COMPONENTS.—The study conducted under subsection (a) 
shall— 
(1) identify broad issues that influence the ability of the 
United States to plan for and invest in smart cities, including 
barriers to collaboration and access to scientific information; 
and 
(2) review how the expanded use of digital technologies, 
mobile devices, and information may— 
(A) enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of existing 
transportation networks; 
(B) optimize demand management services; 
(C) impact low-income and other disadvantaged 
communities; 
(D) assess opportunities to share, collect, and use data; 
(E) change current planning and investment strategies; 
and 
(F) provide opportunities for enhanced coordination and 
planning. 
(c) REPORTING.—Not later than 18 months after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary may publish the report con-
taining the results of the study conducted under subsection (a) 
to a public website. 
SEC. 6028. PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT DATA SUPPORT PROGRAM. 
(a) PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT DATA SUPPORT.—The Adminis-
trator of the Federal Highway Administration shall develop, use, 
and maintain data sets and data analysis tools to assist metropoli-
tan planning organizations, States, and the Federal Highway 
Administration in carrying out performance management analyses 
(including the performance management requirements under sec-
tion 150 of title 23, United States Code). 
(b) INCLUSIONS.—The data analysis activities authorized under 
subsection (a) may include— 
(1) collecting and distributing vehicle probe data describing 
traffic on Federal-aid highways; 
(2) collecting household travel behavior data to assess local 
and cross-jurisdictional travel, including to accommodate 
external and through travel; 
(3) enhancing existing data collection and analysis tools 
to accommodate performance measures, targets, and related 
data, so as to better understand trip origin and destination, 
trip time, and mode; 
(4) enhancing existing data analysis tools to improve 
performance predictions and travel models in reports described 
in section 150(e) of title 23, United States Code; and 
(5) developing tools— 
(A) to improve performance analysis; and
H. R. 22—277 
(B) to evaluate the effects of project investments on 
performance. 
(c) FUNDING.—From amounts authorized to carry out the High-
way Research and Development Program, the Administrator of 
the Federal Highway Administration may use up to $10,000,000 
for each of fiscal years 2016 through 2020 to carry out this section. 
TITLE VII—HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 
TRANSPORTATION 
SEC. 7001. SHORT TITLE. 
This title may be cited as the ‘‘Hazardous Materials Transpor-
tation Safety Improvement Act of 2015’’. 
Subtitle A—Authorizations 
SEC. 7101. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
Section 5128 of title 49, United States Code, is amended to 
read as follows: 
‘‘§ 5128. Authorization of appropriations 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be appropriated 
to the Secretary to carry out this chapter (except sections 5107(e), 
5108(g)(2), 5113, 5115, 5116, and 5119)— 
‘‘(1) $53,000,000 for fiscal year 2016; 
‘‘(2) $55,000,000 for fiscal year 2017; 
‘‘(3) $57,000,000 for fiscal year 2018; 
‘‘(4) $58,000,000 for fiscal year 2019; and 
‘‘(5) $60,000,000 for fiscal year 2020. 
‘‘(b) 
HAZARDOUS
MATERIALS
EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS 
FUND.—From the Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness 
Fund established under section 5116(h), the Secretary may expend, 
for each of fiscal years 2016 through 2020— 
‘‘(1) $21,988,000 to carry out section 5116(a); 
‘‘(2) $150,000 to carry out section 5116(e); 
‘‘(3) $625,000 to publish and distribute the Emergency 
Response Guidebook under section 5116(h)(3); and 
‘‘(4) $1,000,000 to carry out section 5116(i). 
‘‘(c) HAZARDOUS MATERIALS TRAINING GRANTS.—From the Haz-
ardous Materials Emergency Preparedness Fund established pursu-
ant to section 5116(h), the Secretary may expend $4,000,000 for 
each of fiscal years 2016 through 2020 to carry out section 5107(e). 
‘‘(d) COMMUNITY SAFETY GRANTS.—Of the amounts made avail-
able under subsection (a) to carry out this chapter, the Secretary 
shall withhold $1,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2016 through 
2020 to carry out section 5107(i). 
‘‘(e) CREDITS TO APPROPRIATIONS.— 
‘‘(1) EXPENSES.—In addition to amounts otherwise made 
available to carry out this chapter, the Secretary may credit 
amounts received from a State, Indian tribe, or other public 
authority or private entity for expenses the Secretary incurs 
in providing training to the State, Indian tribe, authority, or 
entity. 
‘‘(2) AVAILABILITY OF AMOUNTS.—Amounts made available 
under this section shall remain available until expended.’’.
H. R. 22—278 
Subtitle B—Hazardous Material Safety and 
Improvement 
SEC. 7201. NATIONAL EMERGENCY AND DISASTER RESPONSE. 
Section 5103 of title 49, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsections (c) and (d) as subsections 
(d) and (e), respectively; and 
(2) by inserting after subsection (b) the following: 
‘‘(c) FEDERALLY DECLARED DISASTERS AND EMERGENCIES.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary may by order waive 
compliance with any part of an applicable standard prescribed 
under this chapter without prior notice and comment and on 
terms the Secretary considers appropriate if the Secretary 
determines that— 
‘‘(A) it is in the public interest to grant the waiver; 
‘‘(B) the waiver is not inconsistent with the safety 
of transporting hazardous materials; and 
‘‘(C) the waiver is necessary to facilitate the safe move-
ment of hazardous materials into, from, and within an 
area of a major disaster or emergency that has been 
declared under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and 
Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.). 
‘‘(2) PERIOD OF WAIVER.—A waiver under this subsection 
may be issued for a period of not more than 60 days and 
may be renewed upon application to the Secretary only after 
notice and an opportunity for a hearing on the waiver. The 
Secretary shall immediately revoke the waiver if continuation 
of the waiver would not be consistent with the goals and objec-
tives of this chapter. 
‘‘(3) STATEMENT OF REASONS.—The Secretary shall include 
in any order issued under this section the reasons for granting 
the waiver.’’. 
SEC. 7202. MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY PERMITS. 
Section 5109(h) of title 49, United States Code, is amended 
to read as follows: 
‘‘(h) LIMITATION ON DENIAL.—The Secretary may not deny a 
non-temporary permit held by a motor carrier pursuant to this 
section based on a comprehensive review of that carrier triggered 
by safety management system scores or out-of-service disqualifica-
tion standards, unless— 
‘‘(1) the carrier has the opportunity, prior to the denial 
of such permit, to submit a written description of corrective 
actions taken and other documentation the carrier wishes the 
Secretary to consider, including a corrective action plan; and 
‘‘(2) the Secretary determines the actions or plan is insuffi-
cient to address the safety concerns identified during the course 
of the comprehensive review.’’. 
SEC. 7203. IMPROVING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF PLANNING AND 
TRAINING GRANTS. 
(a) PLANNING
AND TRAINING GRANTS.—Section 5116 of title 
49, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsections (c) through (k) as sub-
sections (b) through (j), respectively, 
(2) by striking subsection (b); and
H. R. 22—279 
(3) by striking subsection (a) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(a) PLANNING AND TRAINING GRANTS.—(1) The Secretary shall 
make grants to States and Indian tribes— 
‘‘(A) to develop, improve, and carry out emergency plans 
under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know 
Act of 1986 (42 U.S.C. 11001 et seq.), including ascertaining 
flow patterns of hazardous material on lands under the jurisdic-
tion of a State or Indian tribe, and between lands under the 
jurisdiction of a State or Indian tribe and lands of another 
State or Indian tribe; 
‘‘(B) to decide on the need for regional hazardous material 
emergency response teams; and 
‘‘(C) to train public sector employees to respond to accidents 
and incidents involving hazardous material. 
‘‘(2) To the extent that a grant is used to train emergency 
responders under paragraph (1)(C), the State or Indian tribe shall 
provide written certification to the Secretary that the emergency 
responders who receive training under the grant will have the 
ability to protect nearby persons, property, and the environment 
from the effects of accidents or incidents involving the transpor-
tation of hazardous material in accordance with existing regulations 
or National Fire Protection Association standards for competence 
of responders to accidents and incidents involving hazardous mate-
rials. 
‘‘(3) The Secretary may make a grant to a State or Indian 
tribe under paragraph (1) of this subsection only if— 
‘‘(A) the State or Indian tribe certifies that the total amount 
the State or Indian tribe expends (except amounts of the Fed-
eral Government) for the purpose of the grant will at least 
equal the average level of expenditure for the last 5 years; 
and 
‘‘(B) any emergency response training provided under the 
grant shall consist of— 
‘‘(i) a course developed or identified under section 5115 
of this title; or 
‘‘(ii) any other course the Secretary determines is con-
sistent with the objectives of this section. 
‘‘(4) A State or Indian tribe receiving a grant under this sub-
section shall ensure that planning and emergency response training 
under the grant is coordinated with adjacent States and Indian 
tribes. 
‘‘(5) A training grant under paragraph (1)(C) may be used— 
‘‘(A) to pay— 
‘‘(i) the tuition costs of public sector employees being 
trained; 
‘‘(ii) travel expenses of those employees to and from 
the training facility; 
‘‘(iii) room and board of those employees when at the 
training facility; and 
‘‘(iv) travel expenses of individuals providing the 
training; 
‘‘(B) by the State, political subdivision, or Indian tribe 
to provide the training; and 
‘‘(C) to make an agreement with a person (including an 
authority of a State, a political subdivision of a State or Indian 
tribe, or a local jurisdiction), subject to approval by the Sec-
retary, to provide the training if—
H. R. 22—280 
‘‘(i) the agreement allows the Secretary and the State 
or Indian tribe to conduct random examinations, inspec-
tions, and audits of the training without prior notice; 
‘‘(ii) the person agrees to have an auditable accounting 
system; and 
‘‘(iii) the State or Indian tribe conducts at least one 
on-site observation of the training each year. 
‘‘(6) The Secretary shall allocate amounts made available for 
grants under this subsection among eligible States and Indian 
tribes based on the needs of the States and Indian tribes for 
emergency response planning and training. In making a decision 
about those needs, the Secretary shall consider— 
‘‘(A) the number of hazardous material facilities in the 
State or on land under the jurisdiction of the Indian tribe; 
‘‘(B) the types and amounts of hazardous material trans-
ported in the State or on such land; 
‘‘(C) whether the State or Indian tribe imposes and collects 
a fee for transporting hazardous material; 
‘‘(D) whether such fee is used only to carry out a purpose 
related to transporting hazardous material; 
‘‘(E) the past record of the State or Indian tribe in effec-
tively managing planning and training grants; and 
‘‘(F) any other factors the Secretary determines are appro-
priate to carry out this subsection.’’. 
(b) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) Section 5108(g) of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended by striking ‘‘5116(i)’’ each place it appears and 
inserting ‘‘5116(h)’’. 
(2) Section 5116 of such title is amended— 
(A) in subsection (d), as so redesignated, by striking 
‘‘subsections (a)(2)(A) and (b)(2)(A)’’ and inserting ‘‘sub-
section (a)(3)(A)’’; 
(B) in subsection (h), as so redesignated— 
(i) in paragraph (1) by inserting ‘‘and section 
5107(e)’’ after ‘‘section’’; 
(ii) in paragraph (2) by striking ‘‘(f)’’ and inserting 
‘‘(e)’’; and 
(iii) in paragraph (4) by striking ‘‘5108(g)(2) and 
5115’’ and inserting ‘‘5107(e) and 5108(g)(2)’’; 
(C) in subsection (i), as so redesignated, by striking 
‘‘subsection (b)’’ and inserting ‘‘subsection (a)’’; and 
(D) in subsection (j), as so redesignated— 
(i) by striking ‘‘planning grants allocated under 
subsection (a), training grants under subsection (b), 
and grants under subsection (j) of this section and 
under section 5107’’ and inserting ‘‘planning and 
training grants under subsection (a) and grants under 
subsection (i) of this section and under subsections 
(e) and (i) of section 5107’’; and 
(ii) by redesignating subparagraphs (A) through 
(D) as paragraphs (1) through (4), respectively. 
(c) SAVINGS CLAUSE.—Nothing in this section may be construed 
to prohibit the Secretary from recovering and deobligating funds 
from grants that are not managed or expended in compliance with 
a grant agreement.
H. R. 22—281 
SEC. 7204. IMPROVING PUBLICATION OF SPECIAL PERMITS AND 
APPROVALS. 
Section 5117 of title 49, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) in subsection (b)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘an application for a special permit’’ 
and inserting ‘‘an application for a new special permit 
or a modification to an existing special permit’’; and 
(B) by inserting after the second sentence the following: 
‘‘The Secretary shall make available to the public on the 
Department of Transportation’s Internet Web site any spe-
cial permit other than a new special permit or a modifica-
tion to an existing special permit and shall give the public 
an opportunity to inspect the safety analysis and comment 
on the application for a period of not more than 15 days.’’; 
and 
(2) in subsection (c)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘publish’’ and inserting ‘‘make available 
to the public’’; 
(B) by striking ‘‘in the Federal Register’’; 
(C) by striking ‘‘180’’ and inserting ‘‘120’’; and 
(D) by striking ‘‘the special permit’’ each place it 
appears and inserting ‘‘a special permit or approval’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(g) DISCLOSURE
OF
FINAL
ACTION.—The Secretary shall 
periodically, but at least every 120 days— 
‘‘(1) publish in the Federal Register notice of the final 
disposition of each application for a new special permit, modi-
fication to an existing special permit, or approval during the 
preceding quarter; and 
‘‘(2) make available to the public on the Department of 
Transportation’s Internet Web site notice of the final disposition 
of any other special permit during the preceding quarter.’’. 
SEC. 7205. ENHANCED REPORTING. 
Section 5121(h) of title 49, United States Code, is amended 
by striking ‘‘transmit to the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee 
on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate’’ and 
inserting ‘‘make available to the public on the Department of 
Transportation’s Internet Web site’’. 
SEC. 7206. WETLINES. 
(a) WITHDRAWAL.—Not later than 30 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall withdraw the proposed 
rule described in the notice of proposed rulemaking issued on 
January 27, 2011, entitled ‘‘Safety Requirements for External 
Product Piping on Cargo Tanks Transporting Flammable Liquids’’ 
(76 Fed. Reg. 4847). 
(b) SAVINGS CLAUSE.—Nothing in this section shall prohibit 
the Secretary from issuing standards or regulations regarding the 
safety of external product piping on cargo tanks transporting flam-
mable liquids after the withdrawal is carried out pursuant to sub-
section (a). 
SEC. 7207. GAO STUDY ON ACCEPTANCE OF CLASSIFICATION EXAMINA-
TIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States
H. R. 22—282 
shall evaluate and transmit to the Secretary, 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 standards, metrics, and protocols that 
the Secretary uses to regulate the performance of persons approved 
to recommend hazard classifications pursuant to section 173.56(b) 
of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations (commonly referred to 
as ‘‘third-party labs’’). 
(b) EVALUATION.—The evaluation required under subsection (a) 
shall— 
(1) identify what standards and protocols are used to 
approve such persons, assess the adequacy of such standards 
and protocols to ensure that persons seeking approval are quali-
fied and capable of performing classifications, and make rec-
ommendations to address any deficiencies identified; 
(2) assess the adequacy of the Secretary’s oversight of 
persons approved to perform the classifications, including the 
qualification of individuals engaged in the oversight of approved 
persons, and make recommendations to enhance oversight suffi-
ciently to ensure that classifications are issued as required; 
(3) identify what standards and protocols exist to rescind, 
suspend, or deny approval of persons who perform such classi-
fications, assess the adequacy of such standards and protocols, 
and make recommendations to enhance such standards and 
protocols if necessary; and 
(4) include annual data for fiscal years 2005 through 2015 
on the number of applications received for new classifications 
pursuant to section 173.56(b) of title 49, Code of Federal Regula-
tions, of those applications how many classifications rec-
ommended by persons approved by the Secretary were changed 
to another classification and the reasons for the change, and 
how many hazardous materials incidents have been attributed 
to a classification recommended by such approved persons in 
the United States. 
(c) ACTION PLAN.—Not later than 180 days after receiving 
the report required under subsection (a), the Secretary shall make 
available to the public a plan describing any actions the Secretary 
will take to establish standards, metrics, and protocols based on 
the findings and recommendations in the report to ensure that 
persons approved to perform classification examinations required 
under section 173.56(b) of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, 
can sufficiently perform such examinations in a manner that meets 
the hazardous materials regulations. 
(d) REGULATIONS.—If the report required under subsection (a) 
recommends new regulations in order for the Secretary to have 
confidence in the accuracy of classification recommendations ren-
dered by persons approved to perform classification examinations 
required under section 173.56(b) of title 49, Code of Federal Regula-
tions, the Secretary shall consider such recommendations, and if 
determined appropriate, issue regulations to address the rec-
ommendations not later than 18 months after the date of the 
publication of the plan under subsection (c). 
SEC. 7208. HAZARDOUS MATERIALS ENDORSEMENT EXEMPTION. 
The Secretary shall allow a State, at the discretion of the 
State, to waive the requirement for a holder of a Class A commercial 
driver’s license to obtain a hazardous materials endorsement under
H. R. 22—283 
part 383 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, if the license 
holder— 
(1) is acting within the scope of the license holder’s employ-
ment as an employee of a custom harvester operation, 
agrichemical business, farm retail outlet and supplier, or live-
stock feeder; and 
(2) is operating a service vehicle that is— 
(A) transporting diesel in a quantity of 3,785 liters 
(1,000 gallons) or less; and 
(B) clearly marked with a ‘‘flammable’’ or ‘‘combustible’’ 
placard, as appropriate. 
Subtitle C—Safe Transportation of 
Flammable Liquids by Rail 
SEC. 7301. COMMUNITY SAFETY GRANTS. 
Section 5107 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by 
adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(i) COMMUNITY SAFETY GRANTS.—The Secretary shall establish 
a competitive program for making grants to nonprofit organizations 
for— 
‘‘(1) conducting national outreach and training programs 
to assist communities in preparing for and responding to 
accidents and incidents involving the transportation of haz-
ardous materials, including Class 3 flammable liquids by rail; 
and 
‘‘(2) training State and local personnel responsible for 
enforcing the safe transportation of hazardous materials, 
including Class 3 flammable liquids.’’. 
SEC. 7302. REAL-TIME EMERGENCY RESPONSE INFORMATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with appropriate 
Federal agencies, shall issue regulations that— 
(1) require a Class I railroad transporting hazardous mate-
rials— 
(A) to generate accurate, real-time, and electronic train 
consist information, including— 
(i) the identity, quantity, and location of hazardous 
materials on a train; 
(ii) the point of origin and destination of the train; 
(iii) any emergency response information or 
resources required by the Secretary; and 
(iv) an emergency response point of contact des-
ignated by the Class I railroad; and 
(B) to enter into a memorandum of understanding 
with each applicable fusion center to provide the fusion 
center with secure and confidential access to the electronic 
train consist information described in subparagraph (A) 
for each train transporting hazardous materials in the 
jurisdiction of the fusion center; 
(2) require each applicable fusion center to provide the 
electronic train consist information described in paragraph 
(1)(A) to State and local first responders, emergency response 
officials, and law enforcement personnel that are involved in 
the response to or investigation of an accident, incident, or
H. R. 22—284 
public health or safety emergency involving the rail transpor-
tation of hazardous materials and that request such electronic 
train consist information; 
(3) require each Class I railroad to provide advanced 
notification and information on high-hazard flammable trains 
to each State emergency response commission, consistent with 
the notification content requirements in Emergency Order 
Docket No. DOT–OST–2014–0067, including— 
(A) a reasonable estimate of the number of implicated 
trains that are expected to travel, per week, through each 
county within the applicable State; 
(B) updates to such estimate prior to making any mate-
rial changes to any volumes or frequencies of trains trav-
eling through a county; 
(C) identification and a description of the Class 3 flam-
mable liquid being transported on such trains; 
(D) applicable emergency response information, as 
required by regulation; 
(E) identification of the routes over which such liquid 
will be transported; and 
(F) a point of contact at the Class I railroad responsible 
for serving as the point of contact for State emergency 
response centers and local emergency responders related 
to the Class I railroad’s transportation of such liquid. 
(4) require each applicable State emergency response 
commission to provide to a political subdivision of a State, 
or public agency responsible for emergency response or law 
enforcement, upon request of the political subdivision or public 
agency, the information the commission receives from a Class 
I railroad pursuant to paragraph (3), including, for any such 
political subdivision or public agency responsible for emergency 
response or law enforcement that makes an initial request 
for such information, any updates received by the State emer-
gency response commission. 
(5) prohibit any Class I railroad, employee, or agent from 
withholding, or causing to be withheld, the train consist 
information from first responders, emergency response officials, 
and law enforcement personnel described in paragraph (2) in 
the event of an incident, accident, or public health or safety 
emergency involving the rail transportation of hazardous mate-
rials; 
(6) establish security and confidentiality protections, 
including protections from the public release of proprietary 
information or security-sensitive information, to prevent the 
release to unauthorized persons any electronic train consist 
information or advanced notification or information provided 
by Class I railroads under this section; and 
(7) allow each Class I railroad to enter into a memorandum 
of understanding with any Class II railroad or Class III railroad 
that operates trains over the Class I railroad’s line to incor-
porate the Class II railroad or Class III railroad’s train consist 
information within the existing framework described in para-
graph (1). 
(b) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) APPLICABLE
FUSION
CENTER.—The term ‘‘applicable 
fusion center’’ means a fusion center with responsibility for 
a geographic area in which a Class I railroad operates.
H. R. 22—285 
(2) CLASS I RAILROAD; CLASS II RAILROAD; CLASS III RAIL-
ROAD.—The terms ‘‘Class I railroad’’, ‘‘Class II railroad’’, and 
‘‘Class III railroad’’ have the meaning given those terms in 
section 20102 of title 49, United States Code. 
(3) CLASS 3 FLAMMABLE LIQUID.—The term ‘‘Class 3 flam-
mable liquid’’ has the meaning given the term flammable liquid 
in section 173.120(a) of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations. 
(4) FUSION
CENTER.—The term ‘‘fusion center’’ has the 
meaning given the term in section 210A(j) of the Homeland 
Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 124h(j)). 
(5) HAZARDOUS MATERIAL.—The term ‘‘hazardous material’’ 
means a substance or material the Secretary designates as 
hazardous under section 5103 of title 49, United States Code. 
(6) HIGH-HAZARD
FLAMMABLE
TRAIN.—The term ‘‘high- 
hazard flammable train’’ means a single train transporting 
20 or more tank cars loaded with a Class 3 flammable liquid 
in a continuous block or a single train transporting 35 or 
more tank cars loaded with a Class 3 flammable liquid through-
out the train consist. 
(7) TRAIN CONSIST.—The term ‘‘train consist’’ includes, with 
regard to a specific train, the number of rail cars and the 
commodity transported by each rail car. 
(c) SAVINGS CLAUSE.—Nothing in this section may be construed 
to prohibit a Class I railroad from voluntarily entering into a 
memorandum of understanding, as described in subsection (a)(1)(B), 
with a State emergency response commission or an entity rep-
resenting or including first responders, emergency response officials, 
and law enforcement personnel. 
SEC. 7303. EMERGENCY RESPONSE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Comptroller General of the United States 
shall conduct a study to determine whether limitations or weak-
nesses exist in the emergency response information carried by train 
crews transporting hazardous materials. 
(b) CONTENTS.—In conducting the study under subsection (a), 
the Comptroller General shall evaluate the differences between 
the emergency response information carried by train crews trans-
porting hazardous materials and the emergency response guidance 
provided in the Emergency Response Guidebook issued by the 
Department of Transportation. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Comptroller General shall transmit to the Committee 
on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the 
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of 
Representatives a report of the findings of the study under sub-
section (a) and any recommendations for legislative action. 
SEC. 7304. PHASE-OUT OF ALL TANK CARS USED TO TRANSPORT CLASS 
3 FLAMMABLE LIQUIDS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided for in subsection (b), 
beginning on the date of enactment of this Act, all DOT–111 speci-
fication railroad tank cars used to transport Class 3 flammable 
liquids shall meet the DOT–117, DOT–117P, or DOT–117R speci-
fications in part 179 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, regard-
less of train composition. 
(b) PHASE-OUT SCHEDULE.—Certain tank cars not meeting 
DOT–117, DOT–117P, or DOT–117R specifications on the date of
H. R. 22—286 
enactment of this Act may be used, regardless of train composition, 
until the following end-dates: 
(1) For transport of unrefined petroleum products in Class 
3 flammable service, including crude oil— 
(A) January 1, 2018, for non-jacketed DOT–111 tank 
cars; 
(B) March 1, 2018, for jacketed DOT–111 tank cars; 
(C) April 1, 2020, for non-jacketed CPC–1232 tank 
cars; and 
(D) May 1, 2025, for jacketed CPC–1232 tank cars. 
(2) For transport of ethanol— 
(A) May 1, 2023, for non-jacketed and jacketed DOT– 
111 tank cars; 
(B) July 1, 2023, for non-jacketed CPC–1232 tank cars; 
and 
(C) May 1, 2025, for jacketed CPC–1232 tank cars. 
(3) For transport of Class 3 flammable liquids in Packing 
Group I, other than Class 3 flammable liquids specified in 
paragraphs (1) and (2), May 1, 2025. 
(4) For transport of Class 3 flammable liquids in Packing 
Groups II and III, other than Class 3 flammable liquids speci-
fied in paragraphs (1) and (2), May 1, 2029. 
(c) RETROFITTING SHOP CAPACITY.—The Secretary may extend 
the deadlines established under paragraphs (3) and (4) of subsection 
(b) for a period not to exceed 2 years if the Secretary determines 
that insufficient retrofitting shop capacity will prevent the phase- 
out of tank cars not meeting the DOT–117, DOT–117P, or DOT– 
117R specifications by the deadlines set forth in such paragraphs. 
(d) CONFORMING REGULATORY AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Immediately after the date of enactment 
of this section, the Secretary— 
(A) shall remove or revise the date-specific deadlines 
in any applicable regulations or orders to the extent nec-
essary to conform with the requirements of this section; 
and 
(B) may not enforce any such date-specific deadlines 
or requirements that are inconsistent with the require-
ments of this section. 
(2) IMPLEMENTATION.—Nothing in this section shall be con-
strued to require the Secretary to issue regulations, except 
as required under paragraph (1), to implement this section. 
(e) SAVINGS CLAUSE.—Nothing in this section shall be construed 
to prohibit the Secretary from implementing the final rule issued 
on May 08, 2015, entitled ‘‘Enhanced Tank Car Standards and 
Operational Controls for High-Hazard Flammable Trains’’ (80 Fed. 
Reg. 26643), other than the provisions of the final rule that are 
inconsistent with this section. 
(f) CLASS 3 FLAMMABLE LIQUID DEFINED.—In this section, the 
term ‘‘Class 3 flammable liquid’’ has the meaning given the term 
flammable liquid in section 173.120(a) of title 49, Code of Federal 
Regulations. 
SEC. 7305. THERMAL BLANKETS. 
(a) REQUIREMENTS.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall issue such regulations 
as are necessary to require that each tank car built to meet the 
DOT–117 specification and each non-jacketed tank car modified
H. R. 22—287 
to meet the DOT–117R specification be equipped with an insulating 
blanket with at least 1⁄2-inch-thick material that has been approved 
by the Secretary pursuant to section 179.18(c) of title 49, Code 
of Federal Regulations. 
(b) SAVINGS CLAUSE.—Nothing in this section shall prohibit 
the Secretary from approving new or alternative technologies or 
materials as they become available that provide a level of safety 
at least equivalent to the level of safety provided for under sub-
section (a). 
SEC. 7306. MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR TOP FITTINGS PROTECTION 
FOR CLASS DOT–117R TANK CARS. 
(a) PROTECTIVE HOUSING.—Except as provided in subsections 
(b) and (c), top fittings on DOT specification 117R tank cars shall 
be located inside a protective housing not less than 1⁄2-inch in 
thickness and constructed of a material having a tensile strength 
not less than 65 kilopound per square inch and conform to the 
following specifications: 
(1) The protective housing shall be as tall as the tallest 
valve or fitting involved and the height of a valve or fitting 
within the protective housing must be kept to the minimum 
compatible with their proper operation. 
(2) The protective housing or cover may not reduce the 
flow capacity of the pressure relief device below the minimum 
required. 
(3) The protective housing shall provide a means of drain-
age with a minimum flow area equivalent to six 1-inch diameter 
holes. 
(4) When connected to the nozzle or fittings cover plate 
and subject to a horizontal force applied perpendicular to and 
uniformly over the projected plane of the protective housing, 
the tensile connection strength of the protective housing shall 
be designed to be— 
(A) no greater than 70 percent of the nozzle to tank 
tensile connection strength; 
(B) no greater than 70 percent of the cover plate to 
nozzle connection strength; and 
(C) no less than either 40 percent of the nozzle to 
tank tensile connection strength or the shear strength of 
twenty 1⁄2-inch bolts. 
(b) PRESSURE RELIEF DEVICES.— 
(1) The pressure relief device shall be located inside the 
protective housing, unless space does not permit. If multiple 
pressure relief devices are equipped, no more than 1 may 
be located outside of a protective housing. 
(2) The highest point on any pressure relief device located 
outside of a protective housing may not be more than 12 inches 
above the tank jacket. 
(3) The highest point on the closure of any unused pressure 
relief device nozzle may not be more than 6 inches above 
the tank jacket. 
(c) ALTERNATIVE PROTECTION.—As an alternative to the protec-
tive housing requirements in subsection (a) of this section, the 
tank car may be equipped with a system that prevents the release 
of product from any top fitting in the case of an incident where 
any top fitting would be sheared off.
H. R. 22—288 
(d) IMPLEMENTATION.—Nothing in this section shall be con-
strued to require the Secretary to issue regulations to implement 
this section. 
(e) SAVINGS CLAUSE.—Nothing in this section shall prohibit 
the Secretary from approving new technologies, methods or require-
ments that provide a level of safety equivalent to or greater than 
the level of safety provided for in this section. 
SEC. 7307. RULEMAKING ON OIL SPILL RESPONSE PLANS. 
The Secretary shall, not later than 30 days after the date 
of enactment of this Act and every 90 days thereafter until a 
final rule based on the advanced notice of proposed rulemaking 
issued on August 1, 2014, entitled ‘‘Hazardous Materials: Oil Spill 
Response Plans for High-Hazard Flammable Trains’’ (79 Fed. Reg. 
45079) is promulgated, notify the Committee on Transportation 
and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Com-
mittee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate 
in writing of— 
(1) the status of such rulemaking; 
(2) any reasons why such final rule has not been imple-
mented; 
(3) a plan for completing such final rule as soon as prac-
ticable; and 
(4) the estimated date of completion of such final rule. 
SEC. 7308. MODIFICATION REPORTING. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary shall implement a reporting require-
ment to monitor industry-wide progress toward modifying rail tank 
cars used to transport Class 3 flammable liquids by the applicable 
deadlines established in section 7304. 
(b) TANK CAR DATA.—The Secretary shall collect data from 
shippers and rail tank car owners on— 
(1) the total number of tank cars modified to meet the 
DOT–117R specification, or equivalent, specifying— 
(A) the type or specification of each tank car before 
it was modified, including non-jacketed DOT–111, jacketed 
DOT–111, non-jacketed DOT–111 meeting the CPC–1232 
standard, or jacketed DOT–111 meeting the CPC–1232 
standard; and 
(B) the identification number of each Class 3 flammable 
liquid carried by each tank car in the past year; 
(2) the total number of tank cars built to meet the DOT– 
117 specification, or equivalent; and 
(3) the total number of tank cars used or likely to be 
used to transport Class 3 flammable liquids that have not 
been modified, specifying— 
(A) the type or specification of each tank car not modi-
fied, including the non-jacketed DOT–111, jacketed DOT– 
111, non-jacketed DOT–111 meeting the CPC–1232 
standard, or jacketed DOT–111 meeting the CPC–1232 
standard; and 
(B) the identification number of each Class 3 flammable 
liquid carried by each tank car in the past year. 
(c) TANK CAR SHOP DATA.—The Secretary shall conduct a 
survey of tank car facilities modifying tank cars to the DOT– 
117R specification, or equivalent, or building new tank cars to 
the DOT–117 specification, or equivalent, to generate statistically-
H. R. 22—289 
valid estimates of the anticipated number of tank cars those facili-
ties expect to modify to DOT–117R specification, or equivalent, 
or build to the DOT–117 specification, or equivalent. 
(d) FREQUENCY.—The Secretary shall collect the data under 
subsection (b) and conduct the survey under subsection (c) annually 
until May 1, 2029. 
(e) INFORMATION PROTECTIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall only report data in 
industry-wide totals and shall treat company-specific informa-
tion as confidential business information. 
(2) LEVEL
OF
CONFIDENTIALITY.—The Secretary shall 
ensure the data collected under subsection (b) and the survey 
data under subsection (c) have the same level of confidentiality 
as required by the Confidential Information Protection and 
Statistical Efficiency Act of 2002 (44 U.S.C. 3501 note), as 
administered by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. 
(3) DESIGNEE.—The Secretary may— 
(A) designate the Director of the Bureau of Transpor-
tation Statistics to collect data under subsection (b) and 
the survey data under subsection (c); and 
(B) direct the Director to ensure the confidentially 
of company-specific information to the maximum extent 
permitted by law. 
(f) REPORT.—Each year, not later than 60 days after the date 
that both the collection of the data under subsection (b) and the 
survey under subsection (c) are complete, the Secretary shall submit 
a written report on the aggregate results, without company-specific 
information, to— 
(1) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transpor-
tation of the Senate; and 
(2) the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
of the House of Representatives. 
(g) DEFINITION OF CLASS 3 FLAMMABLE LIQUID.—In this section, 
the term ‘‘Class 3 flammable liquid’’ has the meaning given the 
term flammable liquid in section 173.120 of title 49, Code of Federal 
Regulations. 
SEC. 7309. REPORT ON CRUDE OIL CHARACTERISTICS RESEARCH 
STUDY. 
Not later than 180 days after the research completion of the 
comprehensive Crude Oil Characteristics Research Sampling, Anal-
ysis, and Experiment Plan study at Sandia National Laboratories, 
the Secretary of Energy, in cooperation with the Secretary of 
Transportation, shall submit a report to the Committee on Com-
merce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, the Committee 
on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate, the Committee 
on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representa-
tives, and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House 
of Representatives that contains— 
(1) the results of the comprehensive Crude Oil Characteris-
tics Research Sampling, Analysis, and Experiment Plan study; 
and 
(2) recommendations, based on the findings of the study, 
for— 
(A) regulations by the Secretary of Transportation or 
the Secretary of Energy to improve the safe transport of 
crude oil; and
H. R. 22—290 
(B) legislation to improve the safe transport of crude 
oil. 
SEC. 7310. HAZARDOUS MATERIALS BY RAIL LIABILITY STUDY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 120 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall initiate a study on the 
levels and structure of insurance for railroad carriers transporting 
hazardous materials. 
(b) CONTENTS.—ln conducting the study under subsection (a), 
the Secretary shall evaluate— 
(1) the level and structure of insurance, including self- 
insurance, available in the private market against the full 
liability potential for damages arising from an accident or 
incident involving a train transporting hazardous materials; 
(2) the level and structure of insurance that would be 
necessary and appropriate— 
(A) to efficiently allocate risk and financial responsi-
bility for claims; and 
(B) to ensure that a railroad carrier transporting haz-
ardous materials can continue to operate despite the risk 
of an accident or incident; and 
(3) the potential applicability, for a train transporting haz-
ardous 
materials, 
of 
an 
alternative 
insurance 
model, 
including— 
(A) a secondary liability coverage pool or pools to 
supplement commercial insurance; and 
(B) other models administered by the Federal Govern-
ment. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date the study 
under subsection (a) is initiated, the Secretary shall submit a report 
containing the results of the study and recommendations for 
addressing liability issues with rail transportation of hazardous 
materials to— 
(1) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transpor-
tation of the Senate; and 
(2) the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
of the House of Representatives. 
(d) DEFINITIONS.—ln this section: 
(1) HAZARDOUS MATERIAL.—The term ‘‘hazardous material’’ 
means a substance or material the Secretary designates as 
hazardous under section 5103 of title 49, United States Code. 
(2) RAILROAD CARRIER.—The term ‘‘railroad carrier’’ has 
the meaning given the term in section 20102 of title 49, United 
States Code. 
SEC. 7311. STUDY AND TESTING OF ELECTRONICALLY CONTROLLED 
PNEUMATIC BRAKES. 
(a) GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE STUDY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Comptroller General of the United 
States shall conduct an independent evaluation of ECP brake 
systems, pilot program data, and the Department’s research 
and analysis on the costs, benefits, and effects of ECP brake 
systems. 
(2) STUDY
ELEMENTS.—In completing the independent 
evaluation under paragraph (1), the Comptroller General shall 
examine the following issues related to ECP brake systems:
H. R. 22—291 
(A) Data and modeling results on safety benefits rel-
ative to conventional brakes and to other braking tech-
nologies or systems, such as distributed power and 2-way 
end-of-train devices. 
(B) Data and modeling results on business benefits, 
including the effects of dynamic braking. 
(C) Data on costs, including up-front capital costs and 
on-going maintenance costs. 
(D) Analysis of potential operational benefits and chal-
lenges, including the effects of potential locomotive and 
car segregation, technical reliability issues, and network 
disruptions. 
(E) Analysis of potential implementation challenges, 
including installation time, positive train control integra-
tion complexities, component availability issues, and tank 
car shop capabilities. 
(F) Analysis of international experiences with the use 
of advanced braking technologies. 
(3) REPORT.—Not later than 18 months after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall transmit 
to 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 
results of the independent evaluation under paragraph (1). 
(b) EMERGENCY BRAKING APPLICATION TESTING.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall enter into an agree-
ment with the National Academy of Sciences to— 
(A) complete testing of ECP brake systems during 
emergency braking application, including more than 1 sce-
nario involving the uncoupling of a train with 70 or more 
DOT–117 specification or DOT–117R specification tank 
cars; and 
(B) transmit, not later than 18 months after the date 
of enactment of this Act, to the Committee on Transpor-
tation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives 
and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transpor-
tation of the Senate a report on the results of the testing. 
(2) INDEPENDENT
EXPERTS.—In completing the testing 
under paragraph (1)(A), the National Academy of Sciences may 
contract with 1 or more engineering or rail experts, as appro-
priate, that— 
(A) are not railroad carriers, entities funded by such 
carriers, or entities directly impacted by the final rule 
issued on May 8, 2015, entitled ‘‘Enhanced Tank Car Stand-
ards and Operational Controls for High-Hazard Flammable 
Trains’’ (80 Fed. Reg. 26643); and 
(B) have relevant experience in conducting railroad 
safety technology tests or similar crash tests. 
(3) TESTING FRAMEWORK.—In completing the testing under 
paragraph (1), the National Academy of Sciences and each 
contractor described in paragraph (2) shall ensure that the 
testing objectively, accurately, and reliably measures the 
performance of ECP brake systems relative to other braking 
technologies or systems, such as distributed power and 2-way 
end-of-train devices, including differences in— 
(A) the number of cars derailed; 
(B) the number of cars punctured;
H. R. 22—292 
(C) the measures of in-train forces; and 
(D) the stopping distance. 
(4) FUNDING.—The Secretary shall provide funding, as part 
of the agreement under paragraph (1), to the National Academy 
of Sciences for the testing required under this section— 
(A) using sums made available to carry out sections 
20108 and 5118 of title 49, United States Code; and 
(B) to the extent funding under subparagraph (A) is 
insufficient or unavailable to fund the testing required 
under this section, using such sums as are necessary from 
the amounts appropriated to the Secretary, the Federal 
Railroad Administration, or the Pipeline and Hazardous 
Materials Safety Administration, or a combination thereof. 
(5) EQUIPMENT.— 
(A) RECEIPT.—The National Academy of Sciences and 
each contractor described in paragraph (2) may receive 
or use rolling stock, track, and other equipment or infra-
structure from a railroad carrier or other private entity 
for the purposes of conducting the testing required under 
this section. 
(B) CONTRACTED
USE.—Notwithstanding paragraph 
(2)(A), to facilitate testing, the National Academy of 
Sciences and each contractor may contract with a railroad 
carrier or any other private entity for the use of such 
carrier or entity’s rolling stock, track, or other equipment 
and receive technical assistance on their use. 
(c) EVIDENCE-BASED APPROACH.— 
(1) ANALYSIS.—The Secretary shall— 
(A) not later than 90 days after the report date, fully 
incorporate the results of the evaluation under subsection 
(a) and the testing under subsection (b) and update the 
regulatory impact analysis of the final rule described in 
subsection (b)(2)(A) of the costs, benefits, and effects of 
the applicable ECP brake system requirements; 
(B) as soon as practicable after completion of the 
updated analysis under subparagraph (A), solicit public 
comment in the Federal Register on the analysis for a 
period of not more than 30 days; and 
(C) not later than 60 days after the end of the public 
comment period under subparagraph (B), post the final 
updated regulatory impact analysis on the Department of 
Transportation’s Internet Web site. 
(2) DETERMINATION.—Not later than 2 years after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall— 
(A) determine, based on whether the final regulatory 
impact analysis described in paragraph (1)(C) demonstrates 
that the benefits, including safety benefits, of the applicable 
ECP brake system requirements exceed the costs of such 
requirements, whether the applicable ECP brake system 
requirements are justified; 
(B) if the applicable ECP brake system requirements 
are justified, publish in the Federal Register the determina-
tion and reasons for such determination; and 
(C) if the Secretary does not publish the determination 
under subparagraph (B), repeal the applicable ECP brake 
system requirements.
H. R. 22—293 
(3) SAVINGS CLAUSE.—Nothing in this section shall be con-
strued to prohibit the Secretary from implementing the final 
rule described under subsection (b)(2)(A) prior to the determina-
tion required under subsection (c)(2) of this section, or require 
the Secretary to promulgate a new rule on the provisions of 
such final rule, other than on the applicable ECP brake system 
requirements, if the Secretary does not determine that the 
applicable ECP brake system requirements are justified pursu-
ant to this subsection. 
(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section, the following definitions 
apply: 
(1) APPLICABLE ECP BRAKE SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS.—The 
term ‘‘applicable ECP brake system requirements’’ means sec-
tions 
174.310(a)(3)(ii), 
174.310(a)(3)(iii), 
174.310(a)(5)(v), 
179.202–10, 179.202–12(g), and 179.202–13(i) of title 49, Code 
of Federal Regulations, and any other regulation in effect on 
the date of enactment of this Act requiring the installation 
of ECP brakes or operation in ECP brake mode. 
(2) CLASS 3 FLAMMABLE LIQUID.—The term ‘‘Class 3 flam-
mable liquid’’ has the meaning given the term flammable liquid 
in section 173.120(a) of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations. 
(3) ECP.—The term ‘‘ECP’’ means electronically controlled 
pneumatic when applied to a brake or brakes. 
(4) ECP BRAKE
MODE.—The term ‘‘ECP brake mode’’ 
includes any operation of a rail car or an entire train using 
an ECP brake system. 
(5) ECP BRAKE SYSTEM.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘‘ECP brake system’’ means 
a train power braking system actuated by compressed air 
and controlled by electronic signals from the locomotive 
or an ECP–EOT to the cars in the consist for service 
and emergency applications in which the brake pipe is 
used to provide a constant supply of compressed air to 
the reservoirs on each car but does not convey braking 
signals to the car. 
(B) INCLUSIONS.—The term ‘‘ECP brake system’’ 
includes dual mode and stand-alone ECP brake systems. 
(6) RAILROAD CARRIER.—The term ‘‘railroad carrier’’ has 
the meaning given the term in section 20102 of title 49, United 
States Code. 
(7) REPORT DATE.—The term ‘‘report date’’ means the date 
that the reports under subsections (a)(3) and (b)(1)(B) are 
required to be transmitted pursuant to those subsections. 
TITLE VIII—MULTIMODAL FREIGHT 
TRANSPORTATION 
SEC. 8001. MULTIMODAL FREIGHT TRANSPORTATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subtitle IX of title 49, United States Code, 
is amended to read as follows:
H. R. 22—294 
‘‘Subtitle IX—Multimodal Freight 
Transportation 
‘‘Chapter
Sec. 
‘‘701. Multimodal freight policy ............................................................................ 70101 
‘‘702. Multimodal freight transportation planning and information ................. 70201 
‘‘CHAPTER 701—MULTIMODAL FREIGHT POLICY 
‘‘Sec. 
‘‘70101. National multimodal freight policy. 
‘‘70102. National freight strategic plan. 
‘‘70103. National Multimodal Freight Network. 
‘‘§ 70101. National multimodal freight policy 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—It is the policy of the United States to 
maintain and improve the condition and performance of the 
National Multimodal Freight Network established under section 
70103 to ensure that the Network provides a foundation for the 
United States to compete in the global economy and achieve the 
goals described in subsection (b). 
‘‘(b) GOALS.—The goals of the national multimodal freight policy 
are— 
‘‘(1) to identify infrastructure improvements, policies, and 
operational innovations that— 
‘‘(A) strengthen the contribution of the National 
Multimodal Freight Network to the economic competitive-
ness of the United States; 
‘‘(B) reduce congestion and eliminate bottlenecks on 
the National Multimodal Freight Network; and 
‘‘(C) increase productivity, particularly for domestic 
industries and businesses that create high-value jobs; 
‘‘(2) to improve the safety, security, efficiency, and resiliency 
of multimodal freight transportation; 
‘‘(3) to achieve and maintain a state of good repair on 
the National Multimodal Freight Network; 
‘‘(4) to use innovation and advanced technology to improve 
the safety, efficiency, and reliability of the National Multimodal 
Freight Network; 
‘‘(5) to improve the economic efficiency and productivity 
of the National Multimodal Freight Network; 
‘‘(6) to improve the reliability of freight transportation; 
‘‘(7) to improve the short- and long-distance movement 
of goods that— 
‘‘(A) travel across rural areas between population cen-
ters; 
‘‘(B) travel between rural areas and population centers; 
and 
‘‘(C) travel from the Nation’s ports, airports, and gate-
ways to the National Multimodal Freight Network; 
‘‘(8) to improve the flexibility of States to support multi- 
State corridor planning and the creation of multi-State 
organizations to increase the ability of States to address 
multimodal freight connectivity; 
‘‘(9) to reduce the adverse environmental impacts of freight 
movement on the National Multimodal Freight Network; and
H. R. 22—295 
‘‘(10) to pursue the goals described in this subsection in 
a manner that is not burdensome to State and local govern-
ments. 
‘‘(c) IMPLEMENTATION.—The Under Secretary of Transportation 
for Policy, who shall be responsible for the oversight and 
implementation of the national multimodal freight policy, shall— 
‘‘(1) carry out sections 70102 and 70103; 
‘‘(2) assist with the coordination of modal freight planning; 
and 
‘‘(3) identify interagency data sharing opportunities to pro-
mote freight planning and coordination. 
‘‘§ 70102. National freight strategic plan 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Under Secretary of Transportation 
for Policy shall— 
‘‘(1) develop a national freight strategic plan in accordance 
with this section; and 
‘‘(2) publish the plan on the public Internet Web site of 
the Department of Transportation. 
‘‘(b) CONTENTS.—The national freight strategic plan shall 
include— 
‘‘(1) an assessment of the condition and performance of 
the National Multimodal Freight Network established under 
section 70103; 
‘‘(2) forecasts of freight volumes for the succeeding 5-, 10- 
, and 20-year periods; 
‘‘(3) an identification of major trade gateways and national 
freight corridors that connect major population centers, trade 
gateways, and other major freight generators; 
‘‘(4) an identification of bottlenecks on the National 
Multimodal Freight Network that create significant freight 
congestion, based on a quantitative methodology developed by 
the Under Secretary, which shall include, at a minimum— 
‘‘(A) information from the Freight Analysis Framework 
of the Federal Highway Administration; and 
‘‘(B) to the maximum extent practicable, an estimate 
of the cost of addressing each bottleneck and any oper-
ational improvements that could be implemented; 
‘‘(5) an assessment of statutory, regulatory, technological, 
institutional, financial, and other barriers to improved freight 
transportation performance, and a description of opportunities 
for overcoming the barriers; 
‘‘(6) a process for addressing multistate projects and encour-
aging jurisdictions to collaborate; 
‘‘(7) strategies to improve freight intermodal connectivity; 
‘‘(8) an identification of corridors providing access to energy 
exploration, development, installation, or production areas; 
‘‘(9) an identification of corridors providing access to major 
areas for manufacturing, agriculture, or natural resources; 
‘‘(10) an identification of best practices for improving the 
performance of the National Multimodal Freight Network, 
including critical commerce corridors and rural and urban 
access to critical freight corridors; and 
‘‘(11) an identification of best practices to mitigate the 
impacts of freight movement on communities.
H. R. 22—296 
‘‘(c) UPDATES.—Not later than 5 years after the date of comple-
tion of the national freight strategic plan under subsection (a), 
and every 5 years thereafter, the Under Secretary shall update 
the plan and publish the updated plan on the public Internet 
Web site of the Department of Transportation. 
‘‘(d) CONSULTATION.—The Under Secretary shall develop and 
update the national freight strategic plan— 
‘‘(1) after providing notice and an opportunity for public 
comment; and 
‘‘(2) in consultation with State departments of transpor-
tation, metropolitan planning organizations, and other appro-
priate public and private transportation stakeholders. 
‘‘§ 70103. National Multimodal Freight Network 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Under Secretary of Transportation for 
Policy shall establish a National Multimodal Freight Network in 
accordance with this section— 
‘‘(1) to assist States in strategically directing resources 
toward improved system performance for the efficient move-
ment of freight on the Network; 
‘‘(2) to inform freight transportation planning; 
‘‘(3) to assist in the prioritization of Federal investment; 
and 
‘‘(4) to assess and support Federal investments to achieve 
the national multimodal freight policy goals described in section 
70101(b) of this title and the national highway freight program 
goals described in section 167 of title 23. 
‘‘(b) INTERIM NETWORK.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of enactment of this section, the Under Secretary shall establish 
an interim National Multimodal Freight Network in accordance 
with this subsection. 
‘‘(2) 
NETWORK
COMPONENTS.—The 
interim 
National 
Multimodal Freight Network shall include— 
‘‘(A) the National Highway Freight Network, as estab-
lished under section 167 of title 23; 
‘‘(B) the freight rail systems of Class I railroads, as 
designated by the Surface Transportation Board; 
‘‘(C) the public ports of the United States that have 
total annual foreign and domestic trade of at least 
2,000,000 short tons, as identified by the Waterborne Com-
merce Statistics Center of the Army Corps of Engineers, 
using the data from the latest year for which such data 
is available; 
‘‘(D) the inland and intracoastal waterways of the 
United States, as described in section 206 of the Inland 
Waterways Revenue Act of 1978 (33 U.S.C. 1804); 
‘‘(E) the Great Lakes, the St. Lawrence Seaway, and 
coastal and ocean routes along which domestic freight is 
transported; 
‘‘(F) the 50 airports located in the United States with 
the highest annual landed weight, as identified by the 
Federal Aviation Administration; and 
‘‘(G) other strategic freight assets, including strategic 
intermodal facilities and freight rail lines of Class II and 
Class III railroads, designated by the Under Secretary 
as critical to interstate commerce.
H. R. 22—297 
‘‘(c) FINAL NETWORK.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of enactment of this section, the Under Secretary, after solic-
iting input from stakeholders, including multimodal freight 
system users, transportation providers, metropolitan planning 
organizations, local governments, ports, airports, railroads, and 
States, through a public process to identify critical freight facili-
ties and corridors, including critical commerce corridors, that 
are vital to achieve the national multimodal freight policy goals 
described in section 70101(b) of this title and the national 
highway freight program goals described in section 167 of title 
23, and after providing notice and an opportunity for comment 
on a draft system, shall designate a National Multimodal 
Freight Network with the goal of— 
‘‘(A) improving network and intermodal connectivity; 
and 
‘‘(B) using measurable data as part of the assessment 
of the significance of freight movement, including the 
consideration of points of origin, destinations, and linking 
components of domestic and international supply chains. 
‘‘(2) 
FACTORS.—In 
designating 
or 
redesignating 
the 
National Multimodal Freight Network, the Under Secretary 
shall consider— 
‘‘(A) origins and destinations of freight movement 
within, to, and from the United States; 
‘‘(B) volume, value, tonnage, and the strategic impor-
tance of freight; 
‘‘(C) access to border crossings, airports, seaports, and 
pipelines; 
‘‘(D) economic factors, including balance of trade; 
‘‘(E) access to major areas for manufacturing, agri-
culture, or natural resources; 
‘‘(F) 
access 
to 
energy 
exploration, 
development, 
installation, and production areas; 
‘‘(G) intermodal links and intersections that promote 
connectivity; 
‘‘(H) freight choke points and other impediments 
contributing to significant measurable congestion, delay 
in freight movement, or inefficient modal connections; 
‘‘(I) impacts on all freight transportation modes and 
modes that share significant freight infrastructure; 
‘‘(J) facilities and transportation corridors identified 
by a multi-State coalition, a State, a State freight advisory 
committee, or a metropolitan planning organization, using 
national or local data, as having critical freight importance 
to the region; 
‘‘(K) major distribution centers, inland intermodal 
facilities, and first- and last-mile facilities; and 
‘‘(L) the significance of goods movement, including 
consideration of global and domestic supply chains. 
‘‘(3) CONSIDERATIONS.—In designating or redesignating the 
National Multimodal Freight Network, the Under Secretary 
shall— 
‘‘(A) use, to the extent practicable, measurable data 
to assess the significance of goods movement, including 
the consideration of points of origin, destinations, and
H. R. 22—298 
linking components of the United States global and 
domestic supply chains; 
‘‘(B) consider— 
‘‘(i) the factors described in paragraph (2); and 
‘‘(ii) any changes in the economy that affect freight 
transportation network demand; and 
‘‘(C) provide the States with an opportunity to submit 
proposed designations in accordance with paragraph (4). 
‘‘(4) STATE INPUT.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Each State that proposes additional 
designations for the National Multimodal Freight Network 
shall— 
‘‘(i) consider nominations for additional designa-
tions from metropolitan planning organizations and 
State freight advisory committees, as applicable, within 
the State; 
‘‘(ii) consider nominations for additional designa-
tions from owners and operators of port, rail, pipeline, 
and airport facilities; and 
‘‘(iii) ensure that additional designations are con-
sistent with the State transportation improvement pro-
gram or freight plan. 
‘‘(B) CRITICAL
RURAL
FREIGHT
FACILITIES
AND
COR-
RIDORS.—As part of the designations under subparagraph 
(A), a State may designate a freight facility or corridor 
within the borders of the State as a critical rural freight 
facility or corridor if the facility or corridor— 
‘‘(i) is a rural principal arterial; 
‘‘(ii) provides access or service to energy explo-
ration, development, installation, or production areas; 
‘‘(iii) provides access or service to— 
‘‘(I) a grain elevator; 
‘‘(II) an agricultural facility; 
‘‘(III) a mining facility; 
‘‘(IV) a forestry facility; or 
‘‘(V) an intermodal facility; 
‘‘(iv) connects to an international port of entry; 
‘‘(v) provides access to a significant air, rail, water, 
or other freight facility in the State; or 
‘‘(vi) has been determined by the State to be vital 
to improving the efficient movement of freight of impor-
tance to the economy of the State. 
‘‘(C) LIMITATION.— 
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—A State may propose additional 
designations to the National Multimodal Freight Net-
work in the State in an amount that is not more 
than 20 percent of the total mileage designated by 
the Under Secretary in the State. 
‘‘(ii) DETERMINATION BY UNDER SECRETARY.—The 
Under Secretary shall determine how to apply the 
limitation under clause (i) to the components of the 
National Multimodal Freight Network. 
‘‘(D) SUBMISSION AND CERTIFICATION.—A State shall 
submit to the Under Secretary— 
‘‘(i) a list of any additional designations proposed 
to be added under this paragraph; and 
‘‘(ii) a certification that—
H. R. 22—299 
‘‘(I) the State has satisfied the requirements 
of subparagraph (A); and 
‘‘(II) the designations referred to in clause (i) 
address the factors for designation described in 
this subsection. 
‘‘(d) REDESIGNATION OF NATIONAL MULTIMODAL FREIGHT NET-
WORK.—Not later than 5 years after the initial designation under 
subsection (c), and every 5 years thereafter, the Under Secretary, 
using the designation factors described in subsection (c), shall 
redesignate the National Multimodal Freight Network. 
‘‘CHAPTER 702—MULTIMODAL FREIGHT 
TRANSPORTATION PLANNING AND INFORMATION 
‘‘Sec. 
‘‘70201. State freight advisory committees. 
‘‘70202. State freight plans. 
‘‘70203. Transportation investment data and planning tools. 
‘‘70204. Savings provision. 
‘‘§ 70201. State freight advisory committees 
‘‘(a) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary of Transportation shall 
encourage each State to establish a freight advisory committee 
consisting of a representative cross-section of public and private 
sector freight stakeholders, including representatives of ports, 
freight railroads, shippers, carriers, freight-related associations, 
third-party logistics providers, the freight industry workforce, the 
transportation department of the State, and local governments. 
‘‘(b) ROLE
OF COMMITTEE.—A freight advisory committee of 
a State described in subsection (a) shall— 
‘‘(1) advise the State on freight-related priorities, issues, 
projects, and funding needs; 
‘‘(2) serve as a forum for discussion for State transportation 
decisions affecting freight mobility; 
‘‘(3) communicate and coordinate regional priorities with 
other organizations; 
‘‘(4) promote the sharing of information between the private 
and public sectors on freight issues; and 
‘‘(5) participate in the development of the freight plan of 
the State described in section 70202. 
‘‘§ 70202. State freight plans 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Each State that receives funding under sec-
tion 167 of title 23 shall develop a freight plan that provides 
a comprehensive plan for the immediate and long-range planning 
activities and investments of the State with respect to freight. 
‘‘(b) PLAN CONTENTS.—A State freight plan described in sub-
section (a) shall include, at a minimum— 
‘‘(1) an identification of significant freight system trends, 
needs, and issues with respect to the State; 
‘‘(2) a description of the freight policies, strategies, and 
performance measures that will guide the freight-related 
transportation investment decisions of the State; 
‘‘(3) when applicable, a listing of— 
‘‘(A) multimodal critical rural freight facilities and cor-
ridors designated within the State under section 70103 
of this title; and
H. R. 22—300 
‘‘(B) critical rural and urban freight corridors des-
ignated within the State under section 167 of title 23; 
‘‘(4) a description of how the plan will improve the ability 
of the State to meet the national multimodal freight policy 
goals described in section 70101(b) of this title and the national 
highway freight program goals described in section 167 of title 
23; 
‘‘(5) a description of how innovative technologies and oper-
ational strategies, including freight intelligent transportation 
systems, that improve the safety and efficiency of freight move-
ment, were considered; 
‘‘(6) in the case of roadways on which travel by heavy 
vehicles (including mining, agricultural, energy cargo or equip-
ment, and timber vehicles) is projected to substantially deterio-
rate the condition of the roadways, a description of improve-
ments that may be required to reduce or impede the deteriora-
tion; 
‘‘(7) an inventory of facilities with freight mobility issues, 
such as bottlenecks, within the State, and for those facilities 
that are State owned or operated, a description of the strategies 
the State is employing to address the freight mobility issues; 
‘‘(8) consideration of any significant congestion or delay 
caused by freight movements and any strategies to mitigate 
that congestion or delay; 
‘‘(9) a freight investment plan that, subject to subsection 
(c)(2), includes a list of priority projects and describes how 
funds made available to carry out section 167 of title 23 would 
be invested and matched; and 
‘‘(10) consultation with the State freight advisory com-
mittee, if applicable. 
‘‘(c) RELATIONSHIP TO LONG-RANGE PLAN.— 
‘‘(1) INCORPORATION.—A State freight plan described in 
subsection (a) may be developed separately from or incorporated 
into the statewide strategic long-range transportation plan 
required by section 135 of title 23. 
‘‘(2) FISCAL
CONSTRAINT.—The freight investment plan 
component of a freight plan shall include a project, or an 
identified phase of a project, only if funding for completion 
of the project can reasonably be anticipated to be available 
for the project within the time period identified in the freight 
investment plan. 
‘‘(d) PLANNING PERIOD.—A State freight plan described in sub-
section (a) shall address a 5-year forecast period. 
‘‘(e) UPDATES.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—A State shall update a State freight 
plan described in subsection (a) not less frequently than once 
every 5 years. 
‘‘(2) FREIGHT INVESTMENT PLAN.—A State may update a 
freight investment plan described in subsection (b)(9) more 
frequently than is required under paragraph (1). 
‘‘§ 70203. Transportation investment data and planning tools 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Secretary of Transportation shall— 
‘‘(1) begin development of new tools and improvement of 
existing tools to support an outcome-oriented, performance-
H. R. 22—301 
based approach to evaluate proposed freight-related and other 
transportation projects, including— 
‘‘(A) methodologies for systematic analysis of benefits 
and costs on a national or regional basis; 
‘‘(B) tools for ensuring that the evaluation of freight- 
related and other transportation projects could consider 
safety, economic competitiveness, urban and rural access, 
environmental sustainability, and system condition in the 
project selection process; 
‘‘(C) improved methods for data collection and trend 
analysis; 
‘‘(D) encouragement of public-private collaboration to 
carry out data sharing activities while maintaining the 
confidentiality of all proprietary data; and 
‘‘(E) other tools to assist in effective transportation 
planning; 
‘‘(2) identify transportation-related model data elements 
to support a broad range of evaluation methods and techniques 
to assist in making transportation investment decisions; and 
‘‘(3) at a minimum, in consultation with other relevant 
Federal agencies, consider any improvements to existing freight 
flow data collection efforts that could reduce identified freight 
data gaps and deficiencies and help improve forecasts of freight 
transportation demand. 
‘‘(b) CONSULTATION.—The Secretary shall consult with Federal, 
State, and other stakeholders to develop, improve, and implement 
the tools and collect the data described in subsection (a). 
‘‘§ 70204. Savings provision 
‘‘Nothing in this subtitle provides additional authority to regu-
late or direct private activity on freight networks designated under 
this subtitle.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The analysis of subtitles for title 
49, United States Code, is amended by striking the item relating 
to subtitle IX and inserting the following: 
‘‘IX. Multimodal Freight Transportation .....................................................70101’’. 
TITLE IX—NATIONAL SURFACE TRANS-
PORTATION 
AND 
INNOVATIVE 
FI-
NANCE BUREAU 
SEC. 9001. NATIONAL SURFACE TRANSPORTATION AND INNOVATIVE 
FINANCE BUREAU. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 1 of title 49, United States Code, 
is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘§ 116. National Surface Transportation and Innovative 
Finance Bureau 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of Transportation shall 
establish a National Surface Transportation and Innovative Finance 
Bureau in the Department. 
‘‘(b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of the Bureau shall be— 
‘‘(1) to provide assistance and communicate best practices 
and financing and funding opportunities to eligible entities 
for the programs referred to in subsection (d)(1);
H. R. 22—302 
‘‘(2) to administer the application processes for programs 
within the Department in accordance with subsection (d); 
‘‘(3) to promote innovative financing best practices in 
accordance with subsection (e); 
‘‘(4) to reduce uncertainty and delays with respect to 
environmental reviews and permitting in accordance with sub-
section (f); and 
‘‘(5) to reduce costs and risks to taxpayers in project 
delivery and procurement in accordance with subsection (g). 
‘‘(c) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.— 
‘‘(1) APPOINTMENT.—The Bureau shall be headed by an 
Executive Director, who shall be appointed in the competitive 
service by the Secretary, with the approval of the President. 
‘‘(2) DUTIES.—The Executive Director shall— 
‘‘(A) report to the Under Secretary of Transportation 
for Policy; 
‘‘(B) be responsible for the management and oversight 
of the daily activities, decisions, operations, and personnel 
of the Bureau; 
‘‘(C) support the Council on Credit and Finance estab-
lished under section 117 in accordance with this section; 
and 
‘‘(D) carry out such additional duties as the Secretary 
may prescribe. 
‘‘(d) ADMINISTRATION OF CERTAIN APPLICATION PROCESSES.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Bureau shall administer the applica-
tion processes for the following programs: 
‘‘(A) The infrastructure finance programs authorized 
under chapter 6 of title 23. 
‘‘(B) The railroad rehabilitation and improvement 
financing program authorized under sections 501 through 
503 of the Railroad Revitalization and Regulatory Reform 
Act of 1976 (45 U.S.C. 821–823). 
‘‘(C) Amount allocations authorized under section 
142(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. 
‘‘(D) The nationally significant freight and highway 
projects program under section 117 of title 23. 
‘‘(2) 
CONGRESSIONAL
NOTIFICATION.—The 
Executive 
Director shall ensure that the congressional notification 
requirements for each program referred to in paragraph (1) 
are followed in accordance with the statutory provisions 
applicable to the program. 
‘‘(3) REPORTS.—The Executive Director shall ensure that 
the reporting requirements for each program referred to in 
paragraph (1) are followed in accordance with the statutory 
provisions applicable to the program. 
‘‘(4) COORDINATION.—In administering the application proc-
esses for the programs referred to in paragraph (1), the Execu-
tive Director shall coordinate with appropriate officials in the 
Department and its modal administrations responsible for 
administering such programs. 
‘‘(5) STREAMLINING APPROVAL PROCESSES.—Not later than 
1 year after the date of enactment of this section, the Executive 
Director shall submit to the Committee on Transportation and
H. R. 22—303 
Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Com-
mittee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, the Com-
mittee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, and the Com-
mittee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate a 
report that— 
‘‘(A) evaluates the application processes for the pro-
grams referred to in paragraph (1); 
‘‘(B) identifies administrative and legislative actions 
that would improve the efficiency of the application proc-
esses without diminishing Federal oversight; and 
‘‘(C) describes how the Executive Director will imple-
ment administrative actions identified under subparagraph 
(B) that do not require an Act of Congress. 
‘‘(6) PROCEDURES AND TRANSPARENCY.— 
‘‘(A) PROCEDURES.—With respect to the programs 
referred to in paragraph (1), the Executive Director shall— 
‘‘(i) establish procedures for analyzing and evalu-
ating applications and for utilizing the recommenda-
tions of the Council on Credit and Finance; 
‘‘(ii) establish procedures for addressing late- 
arriving applications, as applicable, and commu-
nicating the Bureau’s decisions for accepting or 
rejecting late applications to the applicant and the 
public; and 
‘‘(iii) document major decisions in the application 
evaluation process through a decision memorandum 
or similar mechanism that provides a clear rationale 
for such decisions. 
‘‘(B) REVIEW.— 
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—The Comptroller General of the 
United States shall review the compliance of the Execu-
tive Director with the requirements of this paragraph. 
‘‘(ii) RECOMMENDATIONS.—The Comptroller Gen-
eral may make recommendations to the Executive 
Director in order to improve compliance with the 
requirements of this paragraph. 
‘‘(iii) REPORT.—Not later than 3 years after the 
date of enactment of this section, the Comptroller Gen-
eral shall submit to the Committee on Transportation 
and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives 
and the Committee on Environment and Public Works, 
the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban 
Affairs, and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate a report on the results 
of the review conducted under clause (i), including 
findings and recommendations for improvement. 
‘‘(e) INNOVATIVE FINANCING BEST PRACTICES.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Bureau shall work with the modal 
administrations within the Department, eligible entities, and 
other public and private interests to develop and promote best 
practices for innovative financing and public-private partner-
ships. 
‘‘(2) ACTIVITIES.—The Bureau shall carry out paragraph 
(1)— 
‘‘(A) by making Federal credit assistance programs 
more accessible to eligible recipients;
H. R. 22—304 
‘‘(B) by providing advice and expertise to eligible enti-
ties that seek to leverage public and private funding; 
‘‘(C) by sharing innovative financing best practices and 
case studies from eligible entities with other eligible enti-
ties that are interested in utilizing innovative financing 
methods; and 
‘‘(D) by developing and monitoring— 
‘‘(i) best practices with respect to standardized 
State public-private partnership authorities and prac-
tices, including best practices related to— 
‘‘(I) accurate and reliable assumptions for ana-
lyzing public-private partnership procurements; 
‘‘(II) procedures for the handling of unsolicited 
bids; 
‘‘(III) policies with respect to noncompete 
clauses; and 
‘‘(IV) other significant terms of public-private 
partnership procurements, as determined appro-
priate by the Bureau; 
‘‘(ii) standard contracts for the most common types 
of public-private partnerships for transportation facili-
ties; and 
‘‘(iii) analytical tools and other techniques to aid 
eligible entities in determining the appropriate project 
delivery model, including a value for money analysis. 
‘‘(3) TRANSPARENCY.—The Bureau shall— 
‘‘(A) ensure the transparency of a project receiving 
credit assistance under a program referred to in subsection 
(d)(1) and procured as a public-private partnership by— 
‘‘(i) requiring the sponsor of the project to undergo 
a value for money analysis or a comparable analysis 
prior to deciding to advance the project as a public- 
private partnership; 
‘‘(ii) requiring the analysis required under subpara-
graph (A), and other key terms of the relevant public- 
private partnership agreement, to be made publicly 
available by the project sponsor at an appropriate time; 
‘‘(iii) not later than 3 years after the date of 
completion of the project, requiring the sponsor of the 
project to conduct a review regarding whether the pri-
vate partner is meeting the terms of the relevant 
public-private partnership agreement; and 
‘‘(iv) providing a publicly available summary of 
the total level of Federal assistance in such project; 
and 
‘‘(B) develop guidance to implement this paragraph 
that takes into consideration variations in State and local 
laws and requirements related to public-private partner-
ships. 
‘‘(4) SUPPORT TO PROJECT SPONSORS.—At the request of 
an eligible entity, the Bureau shall provide technical assistance 
to the eligible entity regarding proposed public-private partner-
ship agreements for transportation facilities, including assist-
ance in performing a value for money analysis or comparable 
analysis. 
‘‘(f) ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW AND PERMITTING.—
H. R. 22—305 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Bureau shall take actions that are 
appropriate and consistent with the Department’s goals and 
policies to improve the delivery timelines for projects carried 
out under the programs referred to in subsection (d)(1). 
‘‘(2) ACTIVITIES.—The Bureau shall carry out paragraph 
(1)— 
‘‘(A) by serving as the Department’s liaison to the 
Council on Environmental Quality; 
‘‘(B) by coordinating efforts to improve the efficiency 
and effectiveness of the environmental review and permit-
ting process; 
‘‘(C) by providing technical assistance and training to 
field and headquarters staff of Federal agencies on policy 
changes and innovative approaches to the delivery of 
projects; and 
‘‘(D) by identifying, developing, and tracking metrics 
for permit reviews and decisions by Federal agencies for 
projects under the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969. 
‘‘(3) SUPPORT TO PROJECT SPONSORS.—At the request of 
an eligible entity that is carrying out a project under a program 
referred to in subsection (d)(1), the Bureau, in coordination 
with the appropriate modal administrations within the Depart-
ment, shall provide technical assistance with regard to the 
compliance of the project with the requirements of the National 
Environmental Policy Act 1969 and relevant Federal environ-
mental permits. 
‘‘(g) PROJECT PROCUREMENT.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Bureau shall promote best practices 
in procurement for a project receiving assistance under a pro-
gram referred to in subsection (d)(1) by developing, in coordina-
tion with modal administrations within the Department as 
appropriate, procurement benchmarks in order to ensure 
accountable expenditure of Federal assistance over the life cycle 
of the project. 
‘‘(2) PROCUREMENT BENCHMARKS.—To the maximum extent 
practicable, the procurement benchmarks developed under 
paragraph (1) shall— 
‘‘(A) establish maximum thresholds for acceptable 
project cost increases and delays in project delivery; 
‘‘(B) establish uniform methods for States to measure 
cost and delivery changes over the life cycle of a project; 
and 
‘‘(C) be tailored, as necessary, to various types of project 
procurements, including design-bid-build, design-build, and 
public-private partnerships. 
‘‘(3) DATA COLLECTION.—The Bureau shall— 
‘‘(A) collect information related to procurement bench-
marks developed under paragraph (1), including project 
specific information detailed under paragraph (2); and 
‘‘(B) provide on a publicly accessible Internet Web site 
of the Department a report on the information collected 
under subparagraph (A). 
‘‘(h) 
ELIMINATION
AND
CONSOLIDATION
OF
DUPLICATIVE 
OFFICES.—
H. R. 22—306 
‘‘(1) ELIMINATION OF OFFICES.—The Secretary may elimi-
nate any office within the Department if the Secretary deter-
mines that— 
‘‘(A) the purposes of the office are duplicative of the 
purposes of the Bureau; and 
‘‘(B) the elimination of the office does not adversely 
affect the obligations of the Secretary under any Federal 
law. 
‘‘(2) CONSOLIDATION OF OFFICES AND OFFICE FUNCTIONS.— 
The Secretary may consolidate any office or office function 
within the Department into the Bureau that the Secretary 
determines has duties, responsibilities, resources, or expertise 
that support the purposes of the Bureau. 
‘‘(3) STAFFING AND BUDGETARY RESOURCES.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall ensure that the 
Bureau is adequately staffed and funded. 
‘‘(B) STAFFING.—The Secretary may transfer to the 
Bureau a position within the Department from any office 
that is eliminated or consolidated under this subsection 
if the Secretary determines that the position is necessary 
to carry out the purposes of the Bureau. 
‘‘(C) SAVINGS
PROVISION.—If the Secretary transfers 
a position to the Bureau under subparagraph (B), the Sec-
retary, in coordination with the appropriate modal adminis-
tration, shall ensure that the transfer of the position does 
not adversely affect the obligations of the modal adminis-
tration under any Federal law. 
‘‘(D) BUDGETARY RESOURCES.— 
‘‘(i) TRANSFER
OF
FUNDS
FROM
ELIMINATED
OR 
CONSOLIDATED
OFFICES.—During the 2-year period 
beginning on the date of enactment of this section, 
the Secretary may transfer to the Bureau funds allo-
cated to any office or office function that is eliminated 
or consolidated under this subsection to carry out the 
purposes of the Bureau. 
‘‘(ii) TRANSFER OF FUNDS ALLOCATED TO ADMINIS-
TRATIVE COSTS.—During the 2-year period beginning 
on the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary 
may transfer to the Bureau funds allocated to the 
administrative costs of processing applications for the 
programs referred to in subsection (d)(1). 
‘‘(4) NOTIFICATION.—Not later than 90 days after the date 
of enactment of this section, and every 90 days thereafter, 
the Secretary shall notify the Committee on Transportation 
and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Environment and Public Works, the Committee 
on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, and the Committee 
on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate of— 
‘‘(A) the offices eliminated under paragraph (1) and 
the rationale for elimination of the offices; 
‘‘(B) the offices and office functions consolidated under 
paragraph (2) and the rationale for consolidation of the 
offices and office functions; 
‘‘(C) the actions taken under paragraph (3) and the 
rationale for taking such actions; and 
‘‘(D) any additional legislative actions that may be 
needed.
H. R. 22—307 
‘‘(i) SAVINGS PROVISIONS.— 
‘‘(1) LAWS AND REGULATIONS.—Nothing in this section may 
be construed to change a law or regulation with respect to 
a program referred to in subsection (d)(1). 
‘‘(2) RESPONSIBILITIES.—Nothing in this section may be con-
strued to abrogate the responsibilities of an agency, operating 
administration, or office within the Department otherwise 
charged by a law or regulation with other aspects of program 
administration, oversight, or project approval or implementa-
tion for the programs and projects subject to this section. 
‘‘(3) APPLICABILITY.—Nothing in this section may be con-
strued to affect any pending application under 1 or more of 
the programs referred to in subsection (d)(1) that was received 
by the Secretary on or before the date of enactment of this 
section. 
‘‘(j) DEFINITIONS.—In this section, the following definitions 
apply: 
‘‘(1) BUREAU.—The term ‘Bureau’ means the National Sur-
face Transportation and Innovative Finance Bureau of the 
Department. 
‘‘(2) DEPARTMENT.—The term ‘Department’ means the 
Department of Transportation. 
‘‘(3) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘eligible entity’ means an 
eligible applicant receiving financial or credit assistance under 
1 or more of the programs referred to in subsection (d)(1). 
‘‘(4) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.—The term ‘Executive Director’ 
means the Executive Director of the Bureau. 
‘‘(5) MULTIMODAL PROJECT.—The term ‘multimodal project’ 
means a project involving the participation of more than 1 
modal administration or secretarial office within the Depart-
ment. 
‘‘(6) PROJECT.—The term ‘project’ means a highway project, 
public transportation capital project, freight or passenger rail 
project, or multimodal project.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The analysis for such chapter is 
amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘116. National Surface Transportation and Innovative Finance Bureau.’’. 
SEC. 9002. COUNCIL ON CREDIT AND FINANCE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 1 of title 49, United States Code, 
as amended by this Act, is further amended by adding at the 
end the following: 
‘‘§ 117. Council on Credit and Finance 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of Transportation shall 
establish a Council on Credit and Finance in accordance with this 
section. 
‘‘(b) MEMBERSHIP.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Council shall be composed of the 
following members: 
‘‘(A) The Deputy Secretary of Transportation. 
‘‘(B) The Under Secretary of Transportation for Policy. 
‘‘(C) The Chief Financial Officer and Assistant Sec-
retary for Budget and Programs. 
‘‘(D) The General Counsel of the Department of 
Transportation. 
‘‘(E) The Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy.
H. R. 22—308 
‘‘(F) The Administrator of the Federal Highway 
Administration. 
‘‘(G) The Administrator of the Federal Transit Adminis-
tration. 
‘‘(H) The Administrator of the Federal Railroad 
Administration. 
‘‘(2) ADDITIONAL MEMBERS.—The Secretary may designate 
up to 3 additional officials of the Department to serve as 
at-large members of the Council. 
‘‘(3) CHAIRPERSON AND VICE CHAIRPERSON.— 
‘‘(A) 
CHAIRPERSON.—The 
Deputy 
Secretary 
of 
Transportation shall serve as the chairperson of the 
Council. 
‘‘(B) VICE CHAIRPERSON.—The Chief Financial Officer 
and Assistant Secretary for Budget and Programs shall 
serve as the vice chairperson of the Council. 
‘‘(4) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.—The Executive Director of the 
National Surface Transportation and Innovative Finance 
Bureau shall serve as a nonvoting member of the Council. 
‘‘(c) DUTIES.—The Council shall— 
‘‘(1) review applications for assistance submitted under the 
programs referred to in subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) of 
section 116(d)(1); 
‘‘(2) review applications for assistance submitted under the 
program referred to in section 116(d)(1)(D), as determined 
appropriate by the Secretary; 
‘‘(3) make recommendations to the Secretary regarding the 
selection of projects to receive assistance under such programs; 
‘‘(4) review, on a regular basis, projects that received assist-
ance under such programs; and 
‘‘(5) carry out such additional duties as the Secretary may 
prescribe.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The analysis for such chapter is 
further amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘117. Council on Credit and Finance.’’. 
TITLE X—SPORT FISH RESTORATION 
AND RECREATIONAL BOATING SAFETY 
SEC. 10001. ALLOCATIONS. 
(a) AUTHORIZATION.—Section 3 of the Dingell-Johnson Sport 
Fish Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. 777b) is amended by striking ‘‘57 
percent’’ and inserting ‘‘58.012 percent’’. 
(b) IN GENERAL.—Section 4 of the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish 
Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. 777c) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘For each’’ and all that follows 
through ‘‘the balance’’ and inserting ‘‘For each fiscal 
year through fiscal year 2021, the balance’’; and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘multistate conservation grants 
under section 14’’ and inserting ‘‘activities under sec-
tion 14(e)’’; 
(B) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘18.5 percent’’ and 
inserting ‘‘18.673 percent’’;
H. R. 22—309 
(C) in paragraph (2) by striking ‘‘18.5 percent’’ and 
inserting ‘‘17.315 percent’’; 
(D) by striking paragraphs (3) and (4); 
(E) by redesignating paragraph (5) as paragraph (4); 
and 
(F) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following: 
‘‘(3) BOATING INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—An amount equal to 4 percent to 
the Secretary of the Interior for qualified projects under 
section 5604(c) of the Clean Vessel Act of 1992 (33 U.S.C. 
1322 note) and section 7404(d) of the Sportfishing and 
Boating Safety Act of 1998 (16 U.S.C. 777g–1(d)). 
‘‘(B) LIMITATION.—Not more than 75 percent of the 
amount under subparagraph (A) shall be available for 
projects under either of the sections referred to in subpara-
graph (A).’’; 
(2) in subsection (b)— 
(A) in paragraph (1)(A) by striking ‘‘for each’’ and all 
that follows through ‘‘the Secretary’’ and inserting ‘‘for 
each fiscal year through fiscal year 2021, the Secretary’’; 
(B) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (3); 
(C) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following: 
‘‘(2) SET-ASIDE FOR COAST GUARD ADMINISTRATION.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—From the annual appropriation 
made in accordance with section 3, for each of fiscal years 
2016 through 2021, the Secretary of the department in 
which the Coast Guard is operating may use no more 
than the amount specified in subparagraph (B) for the 
fiscal year for the purposes set forth in section 13107(c) 
of title 46, United States Code. The amount specified in 
subparagraph (B) for a fiscal year may not be included 
in the amount of the annual appropriation distributed 
under subsection (a) for the fiscal year. 
‘‘(B) AVAILABLE
AMOUNTS.—The available amount 
referred to in subparagraph (A) is— 
‘‘(i) for fiscal year 2016, $7,700,000; and 
‘‘(ii) for fiscal year 2017 and each fiscal year there-
after, the sum of— 
‘‘(I) the available amount for the preceding 
fiscal year; and 
‘‘(II) the amount determined by multiplying— 
‘‘(aa) the available amount for the pre-
ceding fiscal year; and 
‘‘(bb) the change, relative to the preceding 
fiscal year, in the Consumer Price Index for 
All Urban Consumers published by the 
Department of Labor.’’; and 
(D) in paragraph (3), as so redesignated— 
(i) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘until the end 
of the fiscal year.’’ and inserting ‘‘until the end of 
the subsequent fiscal year.’’; and 
(ii) in subparagraph (B) by striking ‘‘under sub-
section (e)’’ and inserting ‘‘under subsection (c)’’; 
(3) in subsection (c)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘(c) The Secretary’’ and inserting ‘‘(c)(1) 
The Secretary,’’;
H. R. 22—310 
(B) by striking ‘‘grants under section 14 of this title’’ 
and inserting ‘‘activities under section 14(e)’’; 
(C) by striking ‘‘57 percent’’ and inserting ‘‘58.012 per-
cent’’; and 
(D) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(2) The Secretary shall deduct from the amount to be appor-
tioned under paragraph (1) the amounts used for grants under 
section 14(a).’’; and 
(4) in subsection (e)(1), by striking ‘‘those subsections,’’ 
and inserting ‘‘those paragraphs,’’. 
(c) SUBMISSION AND APPROVAL OF PLANS AND PROJECTS.—Sec-
tion 6(d) of the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act (16 
U.S.C. 777e(d)) is amended by striking ‘‘for appropriations’’ and 
inserting ‘‘from appropriations’’. 
(d) UNEXPENDED OR UNOBLIGATED FUNDS.—Section 8(b)(2) of 
the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. 
777g(b)(2)) is amended by striking ‘‘57 percent’’ and inserting 
‘‘58.012 percent’’. 
(e) COOPERATION.—Section 12 of the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish 
Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. 777k) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘57 percent’’ and inserting ‘‘58.012 percent’’; 
and 
(2) by striking ‘‘under section 4(b)’’ and inserting ‘‘under 
section 4(c)’’. 
(f) OTHER ACTIVITIES.—Section 14 of the Dingell-Johnson Sport 
Fish Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. 777m) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)(1), by striking ‘‘of each annual appro-
priation made in accordance with the provisions of section 
3’’; and 
(2) in subsection (e)— 
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1) by striking 
‘‘Of amounts made available under section 4(b) for each 
fiscal year—’’ and inserting ‘‘Not more than $1,200,000 
of each annual appropriation made in accordance with the 
provisions of section 3 shall be distributed to the Secretary 
of the Interior for use as follows:’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (1)(D) by striking ‘‘; and’’ and 
inserting a period. 
(g) REPEAL.—The Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act 
(16 U.S.C. 777 et seq.) is amended— 
(1) by striking section 15; and 
(2) by redesignating section 16 as section 15. 
SEC. 10002. RECREATIONAL BOATING SAFETY. 
Section 13107 of title 46, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘(1) Subject to paragraph (2) and sub-
section (c),’’ and inserting ‘‘Subject to subsection (c),’’; 
(B) by striking ‘‘the sum of (A) the amount made avail-
able from the Boat Safety Account for that fiscal year 
under section 15 of the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restora-
tion Act and (B)’’; and 
(C) by striking paragraph (2); and 
(2) in subsection (c)— 
(A) by striking the subsection designation and para-
graph (1) and inserting the following:
H. R. 22—311 
‘‘(c)(1)(A) The Secretary may use amounts made available each 
fiscal year under section 4(b)(2) of the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish 
Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. 777c(b)(2)) for payment of expenses 
of the Coast Guard for investigations, personnel, and activities 
directly related to— 
‘‘(i) administering State recreational boating safety pro-
grams under this chapter; or 
‘‘(ii) coordinating or carrying out the national recreational 
boating safety program under this title. 
‘‘(B) Of the amounts used by the Secretary each fiscal year 
under subparagraph (A)— 
‘‘(i) not less than $2,100,000 is available to ensure compli-
ance with chapter 43 of this title; and 
‘‘(ii) not more than $1,500,000 is available to conduct by 
grant or contract a survey of levels of recreational boating 
participation and related matters in the United States.’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (2)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘No funds’’ and inserting ‘‘On and 
after October 1, 2016, no funds’’; and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘traditionally’’. 
TITLE XI—RAIL 
SEC. 11001. SHORT TITLE. 
This title may be cited as the ‘‘Passenger Rail Reform and 
Investment Act of 2015’’. 
Subtitle A—Authorizations 
SEC. 11101. AUTHORIZATION OF GRANTS TO AMTRAK. 
(a) NORTHEAST CORRIDOR.—There are authorized to be appro-
priated to the Secretary for the use of Amtrak for activities associ-
ated with the Northeast Corridor the following amounts: 
(1) For fiscal year 2016, $450,000,000. 
(2) For fiscal year 2017, $474,000,000. 
(3) For fiscal year 2018, $515,000,000. 
(4) For fiscal year 2019, $557,000,000. 
(5) For fiscal year 2020, $600,000,000. 
(b) NATIONAL NETWORK.—There are authorized to be appro-
priated to the Secretary for the use of Amtrak for activities associ-
ated with the National Network the following amounts: 
(1) For fiscal year 2016, $1,000,000,000. 
(2) For fiscal year 2017, $1,026,000,000. 
(3) For fiscal year 2018, $1,085,000,000. 
(4) For fiscal year 2019, $1,143,000,000. 
(5) For fiscal year 2020, $1,200,000,000. 
(c) PROJECT MANAGEMENT OVERSIGHT.—The Secretary may 
withhold up to one half of 1 percent of the amount appropriated 
under subsections (a) and (b) for the costs of management oversight 
of Amtrak. 
(d) GULF COAST WORKING GROUP.—Of the total amount made 
available to the Office of the Secretary of Transportation and the 
Federal Railroad Administration, for each of fiscal years 2016 and 
2017, $500,000 shall be used to convene the Gulf Coast rail service
H. R. 22—312 
working group established under section 11304 of this Act and 
carry out its responsibilities under such section. 
(e) COMPETITION.—In administering grants to Amtrak under 
section 24319 of title 49, United States Code, the Secretary may 
withhold, from amounts that would otherwise be made available 
to Amtrak, such sums as are necessary from the amount appro-
priated under subsection (b) of this section to cover the operating 
subsidy described in section 24711(b)(1)(E)(ii) of title 49, United 
States Code. 
(f) STATE-SUPPORTED ROUTE COMMITTEE.—The Secretary may 
withhold up to $2,000,000 from the amount appropriated in each 
fiscal year under subsection (b) of this section for the use of the 
State-Supported Route Committee established under section 24712 
of title 49, United States Code. 
(g) NORTHEAST CORRIDOR COMMISSION.—The Secretary may 
withhold up to $5,000,000 from the amount appropriated in each 
fiscal year under subsection (a) of this section for the use of the 
Northeast Corridor Commission established under section 24905 
of title 49, United States Code. 
(h) NORTHEAST CORRIDOR.—For purposes of this section, the 
term ‘‘Northeast Corridor’’ means the Northeast Corridor main line 
between Boston, Massachusetts, and the District of Columbia, and 
facilities and services used to operate and maintain that line. 
(i) SMALL BUSINESS PARTICIPATION STUDY.—Of the total amount 
made available to the Office of the Secretary of Transportation 
and the Federal Railroad Administration, for each of fiscal years 
2016 and 2017, $1,500,000 shall be used to implement the small 
business participation study authorized under section 11310 of this 
Act. 
SEC. 11102. CONSOLIDATED RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE AND SAFETY 
IMPROVEMENTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be appropriated to 
the Secretary for grants under section 24407 of title 49, United 
States Code, (as added by section 11301 of this Act), the following 
amounts: 
(1) For fiscal year 2016, $98,000,000. 
(2) For fiscal year 2017, $190,000,000. 
(3) For fiscal year 2018, $230,000,000. 
(4) For fiscal year 2019, $255,000,000. 
(5) For fiscal year 2020, $330,000,000. 
(b) PROJECT MANAGEMENT OVERSIGHT.—The Secretary may 
withhold up to 1 percent from the amount appropriated under 
subsection (a) of this section for the costs of project management 
oversight of grants carried out under section 24407 of title 49, 
United States Code. 
SEC. 11103. FEDERAL-STATE PARTNERSHIP FOR STATE OF GOOD 
REPAIR. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be appropriated to 
the Secretary for grants under section 24911 of title 49, United 
States Code, (as added by section 11302 of this Act), the following 
amounts: 
(1) For fiscal year 2016, $82,000,000. 
(2) For fiscal year 2017, $140,000,000. 
(3) For fiscal year 2018, $175,000,000. 
(4) For fiscal year 2019, $300,000,000. 
(5) For fiscal year 2020, $300,000,000.
H. R. 22—313 
(b) PROJECT MANAGEMENT OVERSIGHT.—The Secretary may 
withhold up to 1 percent from the amount appropriated under 
subsection (a) of this section for the costs of project management 
oversight of grants carried out under section 24911 of title 49, 
United States Code. 
SEC. 11104. RESTORATION AND ENHANCEMENT GRANTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be appropriated to 
the Secretary for grants under section 24408 of title 49, United 
States Code, (as added by section 11303 of this Act), $20,000,000 
for each of fiscal years 2016 through 2020. 
(b) PROJECT MANAGEMENT OVERSIGHT.—The Secretary may 
withhold up to 1 percent from the amount appropriated under 
subsection (a) of this section for the costs of project management 
oversight of grants carried out under section 24408 of title 49, 
United States Code. 
SEC. 11105. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR AMTRAK 
OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL. 
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Office of 
Inspector General of Amtrak the following amounts: 
(1) For fiscal year 2016, $20,000,000. 
(2) For fiscal year 2017, $20,500,000. 
(3) For fiscal year 2018, $21,000,000. 
(4) For fiscal year 2019, $21,500,000. 
(5) For fiscal year 2020, $22,000,000. 
SEC. 11106. DEFINITIONS. 
(a) TITLE 49 AMENDMENTS.—Section 24102 of title 49, United 
States Code, is amended— 
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (5) through (9) as para-
graphs (7) through (11), respectively; 
(2) by inserting after paragraph (4) the following new para-
graphs: 
‘‘(5) ‘long-distance route’ means a route described in 
subparagraph (C) of paragraph (7). 
‘‘(6) ‘National Network’ includes long-distance routes and 
State-supported routes.’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following new paragraphs: 
‘‘(12) ‘state-of-good-repair’ means a condition in which phys-
ical assets, both individually and as a system, are— 
‘‘(A) performing at a level at least equal to that called 
for in their as-built or as-modified design specification 
during any period when the life cycle cost of maintaining 
the assets is lower than the cost of replacing them; and 
‘‘(B) sustained through regular maintenance and 
replacement programs. 
‘‘(13) ‘State-supported route’ means a route described in 
subparagraph (B) or (D) of paragraph (7), or in section 24702, 
that is operated by Amtrak, excluding those trains operated 
by Amtrak on the routes described in paragraph (7)(A).’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) Section 217 of the Passenger Rail Investment and 
Improvement Act of 2008 (49 U.S.C. 24702 note) is amended 
by striking ‘‘24102(5)(D)’’ and inserting ‘‘24102(7)(D)’’. 
(2) Section 209(a) of the Passenger Rail Investment and 
Improvement Act of 2008 (49 U.S.C. 24101 note) is amended
H. R. 22—314 
by striking ‘‘24102(5)(B) and (D)’’ and inserting ‘‘24102(7)(B) 
and (D)’’. 
Subtitle B—Amtrak Reforms 
SEC. 11201. ACCOUNTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 243 of title 49, United States Code, 
is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘§ 24317. Accounts 
‘‘(a) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this section is to— 
‘‘(1) promote the effective use and stewardship by Amtrak 
of Amtrak revenues, Federal, State, and third party invest-
ments, appropriations, grants and other forms of financial 
assistance, and other sources of funds; and 
‘‘(2) enhance the transparency of the assignment of reve-
nues and costs among Amtrak business lines while ensuring 
the health of the Northeast Corridor and National Network. 
‘‘(b) ACCOUNT STRUCTURE.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of enactment of the Passenger Rail Reform and Investment 
Act of 2015, the Secretary of Transportation, in consultation with 
Amtrak, shall define an account structure and improvements to 
accounting methodologies, as necessary, to support, at a minimum, 
the Northeast Corridor and the National Network. 
‘‘(c) FINANCIAL SOURCES.—In defining the account structure 
and improvements to accounting methodologies required under sub-
section (b), the Secretary shall ensure, to the greatest extent prac-
ticable, that Amtrak assigns the following: 
‘‘(1) For the Northeast Corridor account, all revenues, 
appropriations, grants and other forms of financial assistance, 
compensation, and other sources of funds associated with the 
Northeast Corridor, including— 
‘‘(A) grant funds appropriated for the Northeast Cor-
ridor pursuant to section 11101(a) of the Passenger Rail 
Reform and Investment Act of 2015 or any subsequent 
Act; 
‘‘(B) compensation received from commuter rail pas-
senger transportation providers for such providers’ share 
of capital and operating costs on the Northeast Corridor 
provided to Amtrak pursuant to section 24905(c); and 
‘‘(C) any operating surplus of the Northeast Corridor, 
as allocated pursuant to section 24318. 
‘‘(2) For the National Network account, all revenues, appro-
priations, grants and other forms of financial assistance, com-
pensation, and other sources of funds associated with the 
National Network, including— 
‘‘(A) grant funds appropriated for the National Network 
pursuant to section 11101(b) of the Passenger Rail Reform 
and Investment Act of 2015 or any subsequent Act; 
‘‘(B) compensation received from States provided to 
Amtrak pursuant to section 209 of the Passenger Rail 
Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 (42 U.S.C. 24101 
note); and 
‘‘(C) any operating surplus of the National Network, 
as allocated pursuant to section 24318.
H. R. 22—315 
‘‘(d) FINANCIAL USES.—In defining the account structure and 
improvements to accounting methodologies required under sub-
section (b), the Secretary shall ensure, to the greatest extent prac-
ticable, that amounts assigned to the Northeast Corridor and 
National Network accounts shall be used by Amtrak for the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(1) For the Northeast Corridor, all associated costs, 
including— 
‘‘(A) operating activities; 
‘‘(B) 
capital 
activities 
as 
described 
in 
section 
24904(a)(2)(E); 
‘‘(C) acquiring, rehabilitating, manufacturing, remanu-
facturing, overhauling, or improving equipment and associ-
ated facilities used for intercity rail passenger transpor-
tation by Northeast Corridor train services; 
‘‘(D) payment of principal and interest on loans for 
capital projects described in this paragraph or for capital 
leases attributable to the Northeast Corridor; 
‘‘(E) other capital projects on the Northeast Corridor, 
determined appropriate by the Secretary, and consistent 
with section 24905(c)(1)(A)(i); and 
‘‘(F) if applicable, capital projects described in section 
24904(b). 
‘‘(2) For the National Network, all associated costs, 
including— 
‘‘(A) operating activities; 
‘‘(B) capital activities; and 
‘‘(C) the payment of principal and interest on loans 
or capital leases attributable to the National Network. 
‘‘(e) IMPLEMENTATION AND REPORTING.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of enactment of the Passenger Rail Reform and Investment 
Act of 2015, Amtrak, in consultation with the Secretary, shall 
implement any account structures and improvements defined 
under subsection (b) so that Amtrak is able to produce profit 
and loss statements for each of the business lines described 
in section 24320(b)(1) and, as appropriate, each of the asset 
categories described in section 24320(c)(1) that identify sources 
and uses of— 
‘‘(A) revenues; 
‘‘(B) appropriations; and 
‘‘(C) transfers between business lines. 
‘‘(2) UPDATED
PROFIT
AND
LOSS
STATEMENTS.—Not later 
than 1 month after the implementation under paragraph (1), 
and monthly thereafter, Amtrak shall submit updated profit 
and loss statements for each of the business lines and asset 
categories to the Secretary. 
‘‘(f) ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT.—For the purposes of account 
management, Amtrak may transfer funds between the Northeast 
Corridor account and National Network account without prior 
notification and approval under subsection (g) if such transfers— 
‘‘(1) do not materially impact Amtrak’s ability to achieve 
its anticipated financial, capital, and operating performance 
goals for the fiscal year; and 
‘‘(2) would not materially change any grant agreement 
entered into pursuant to section 24319(d), or other agreements 
made pursuant to applicable Federal law.
H. R. 22—316 
‘‘(g) TRANSFER AUTHORITY.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—If Amtrak determines that a transfer 
between the accounts defined under subsection (b) does not 
meet the account management standards established under 
subsection (f), Amtrak may transfer funds between the North-
east Corridor and National Network accounts if— 
‘‘(A) Amtrak notifies the Amtrak Board of Directors, 
including the Secretary, at least 10 days prior to the 
expected date of transfer; and 
‘‘(B) solely for a transfer that will materially change 
a grant agreement, the Secretary approves. 
‘‘(2) REPORT.—Not later than 5 days after the Amtrak 
Board of Directors receives notification from Amtrak under 
paragraph (1)(A), the Board shall transmit to the Secretary, 
the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the 
Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives, 
and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 
and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate, a report 
that includes— 
‘‘(A) the amount of the transfer; and 
‘‘(B) a detailed explanation of the reason for the 
transfer, including— 
‘‘(i) the effects on Amtrak services funded by the 
account from which the transfer is drawn, in compari-
son to a scenario in which no transfer was made; 
and 
‘‘(ii) the effects on Amtrak services funded by the 
account receiving the transfer, in comparison to a sce-
nario in which no transfer was made. 
‘‘(3) NOTIFICATIONS.—Not later than 5 days after the date 
that Amtrak notifies the Amtrak Board of Directors of a 
transfer under paragraph (1) to or from an account, Amtrak 
shall transmit to the State-Supported Route Committee and 
Northeast Corridor Commission a letter that includes the 
information described under subparagraphs (A) and (B) of para-
graph (2). 
‘‘(h) REPORT.—Not later than 2 years after the date of enact-
ment of the Passenger Rail Reform and Investment Act of 2015, 
Amtrak shall submit to the Secretary a report assessing the account 
and reporting structure established under this section and providing 
any recommendations for further action. Not later than 180 days 
after the date of receipt of such report, the Secretary shall provide 
an assessment that supplements Amtrak’s report and submit the 
Amtrak report with the supplemental assessment to the Committee 
on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the 
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of 
Representatives. 
‘‘(i) DEFINITION
OF NORTHEAST CORRIDOR.—Notwithstanding 
section 24102, for purposes of this section, the term ‘Northeast 
Corridor’ means the Northeast Corridor main line between Boston, 
Massachusetts, and the District of Columbia, and facilities and 
services used to operate and maintain that line.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING
AMENDMENT.—The table of contents for 
chapter 243 is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘24317. Accounts.’’.
H. R. 22—317 
SEC. 11202. AMTRAK GRANT PROCESS. 
(a) REQUIREMENTS AND PROCEDURES.—Chapter 243 of title 49, 
United States Code, is further amended by adding at the end 
the following: 
‘‘§ 24318. Costs and revenues 
‘‘(a) ALLOCATION.—Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of the Passenger Rail Reform and Investment Act of 
2015, Amtrak shall establish and maintain internal controls to 
ensure Amtrak’s costs, revenues, and other compensation are appro-
priately allocated to the Northeast Corridor, including train services 
or infrastructure, or the National Network, including proportional 
shares of common and fixed costs. 
‘‘(b) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this section shall 
be construed to limit the ability of Amtrak to enter into an agree-
ment with 1 or more States to allocate operating and capital costs 
under section 209 of the Passenger Rail Investment and Improve-
ment Act of 2008 (49 U.S.C. 24101 note). 
‘‘(c) DEFINITION
OF NORTHEAST CORRIDOR.—Notwithstanding 
section 24102, for purposes of this section, the term ‘Northeast 
Corridor’ means the Northeast Corridor main line between Boston, 
Massachusetts, and the District of Columbia, and facilities and 
services used to operate and maintain that line. 
‘‘§ 24319. Grant process 
‘‘(a) PROCEDURES FOR GRANT REQUESTS.—Not later than 90 
days after the date of enactment of the Passenger Rail Reform 
and Investment Act of 2015, the Secretary of Transportation shall 
establish and transmit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation and the Committee on Appropriations of the 
Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representa-
tives substantive and procedural requirements, including schedules, 
for grant requests under this section. 
‘‘(b) GRANT REQUESTS.—Amtrak shall transmit to the Secretary 
grant requests for Federal funds appropriated to the Secretary 
of Transportation for the use of Amtrak. 
‘‘(c) CONTENTS.—A grant request under subsection (b) shall, 
as applicable— 
‘‘(1) describe projected operating and capital costs for the 
upcoming fiscal year for Northeast Corridor activities, including 
train services and infrastructure, and National Network activi-
ties, including State-supported routes and long-distance routes, 
in comparison to prior fiscal year actual financial performance; 
‘‘(2) describe the capital projects to be funded, with cost 
estimates and an estimated timetable for completion of the 
projects covered by the request; and 
‘‘(3) assess Amtrak’s financial condition. 
‘‘(d) REVIEW AND APPROVAL.— 
‘‘(1) THIRTY-DAY APPROVAL PROCESS.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 30 days after the 
date that Amtrak submits a grant request under this sec-
tion, the Secretary of Transportation shall complete a 
review of the request and provide notice to Amtrak that— 
‘‘(i) the request is approved; or
H. R. 22—318 
‘‘(ii) the request is disapproved, including the rea-
son for the disapproval and an explanation of any 
incomplete or deficient items. 
‘‘(B) GRANT
AGREEMENT.—If a grant request is 
approved, the Secretary shall enter into a grant agreement 
with Amtrak. 
‘‘(2) FIFTEEN-DAY MODIFICATION PERIOD.—Not later than 
15 days after the date of a notice under paragraph (1)(A)(ii), 
Amtrak shall submit a modified request for the Secretary’s 
review. 
‘‘(3) MODIFIED REQUESTS.—Not later than 15 days after 
the date that Amtrak submits a modified request under para-
graph (2), the Secretary shall either approve the modified 
request, or, if the Secretary finds that the request is still 
incomplete or deficient, the Secretary shall identify in writing 
to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 
and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate and the 
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Com-
mittee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives the 
remaining deficiencies and recommend a process for resolving 
the outstanding portions of the request. 
‘‘(e) PAYMENTS TO AMTRAK.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—A grant agreement entered into under 
subsection (d) shall specify the operations, services, and other 
activities to be funded by the grant. The grant agreement 
shall include provisions, consistent with the requirements of 
this chapter, to measure Amtrak’s performance and ensure 
accountability in delivering the operations, services, or activities 
to be funded by the grant. 
‘‘(2) SCHEDULE.—Except as provided in paragraph (3), in 
each fiscal year for which amounts are appropriated to the 
Secretary for the use of Amtrak, and for which the Secretary 
and Amtrak have entered into a grant agreement under sub-
section (d), the Secretary shall disburse grant funds to Amtrak 
on the following schedule: 
‘‘(A) 50 percent on October 1. 
‘‘(B) 25 percent on January 1. 
‘‘(C) 25 percent on April 1. 
‘‘(3) EXCEPTIONS.—The Secretary may make a payment 
to Amtrak of appropriated funds— 
‘‘(A) more frequently than the schedule under para-
graph (2) if Amtrak, for good cause, requests more frequent 
payment before the end of a payment period; or 
‘‘(B) with a different frequency or in different percent-
age allocations in the event of a continuing resolution or 
in the absence of an appropriations Act for the duration 
of a fiscal year. 
‘‘(f) AVAILABILITY OF AMOUNTS AND EARLY APPROPRIATIONS.— 
Amounts appropriated to the Secretary for the use of Amtrak shall 
remain available until expended. Amounts for capital acquisitions 
and improvements may be appropriated for a fiscal year before 
the fiscal year in which the amounts will be obligated. 
‘‘(g) LIMITATIONS ON USE.—Amounts appropriated to the Sec-
retary for the use of Amtrak may not be used to cross-subsidize 
operating losses or capital costs of commuter rail passenger or 
freight rail transportation.
H. R. 22—319 
‘‘(h) DEFINITION OF NORTHEAST CORRIDOR.—Notwithstanding 
section 24102, for purposes of this section, the term ‘Northeast 
Corridor’ means the Northeast Corridor main line between Boston, 
Massachusetts, and the District of Columbia, and facilities and 
services used to operate and maintain that line.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—The table of contents for 
chapter 243 is further amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘24318. Costs and revenues. 
‘‘24319. Grant process.’’. 
(c) REPEALS.— 
(1) ESTABLISHMENT
OF
GRANT
PROCESS.—Section 206 of 
the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 
(49 U.S.C. 24101 note) and the item relating to that section 
in the table of contents of that Act are repealed. 
(2) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Section 24104 of 
title 49, United States Code, and the item relating to that 
section in the table of contents of chapter 241 are repealed. 
SEC. 11203. 5-YEAR BUSINESS LINE AND ASSET PLANS. 
(a) AMTRAK 5-YEAR BUSINESS LINE AND ASSET PLANS.—Chapter 
243 of title 49, United States Code, is further amended by inserting 
after section 24319 the following: 
‘‘§ 24320. Amtrak 5-year business line and asset plans 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.— 
‘‘(1) FINAL PLANS.—Not later than February 15 of each 
year, Amtrak shall submit to Congress and the Secretary of 
Transportation final 5-year business line plans and 5-year asset 
plans prepared in accordance with this section. These final 
plans shall form the basis for Amtrak’s general and legislative 
annual report to the President and Congress required by section 
24315(b). Each plan shall cover a period of 5 fiscal years, 
beginning with the first fiscal year after the date on which 
the plan is completed. 
‘‘(2) FISCAL CONSTRAINT.—Each plan prepared under this 
section shall be based on funding levels authorized or otherwise 
available to Amtrak in a fiscal year. In the absence of an 
authorization or appropriation of funds for a fiscal year, the 
plans shall be based on the amount of funding available in 
the previous fiscal year, plus inflation. Amtrak may include 
an appendix to the asset plan required in subsection (c) that 
describes any funding needs in excess of amounts authorized 
or otherwise available to Amtrak in a fiscal year. 
‘‘(b) AMTRAK 5-YEAR BUSINESS LINE PLANS.— 
‘‘(1) AMTRAK BUSINESS LINES.—Amtrak shall prepare a 5- 
year business line plan for each of the following business lines 
and services: 
‘‘(A) Northeast Corridor train services. 
‘‘(B) State-supported routes operated by Amtrak. 
‘‘(C) Long-distance routes operated by Amtrak. 
‘‘(D) Ancillary services operated by Amtrak, including 
commuter operations and other revenue generating activi-
ties as determined by the Secretary in coordination with 
Amtrak. 
‘‘(2) CONTENTS OF 5-YEAR BUSINESS LINE PLANS.—The 5- 
year business line plan for each business line shall include, 
at a minimum—
H. R. 22—320 
‘‘(A) a statement of Amtrak’s objectives, goals, and 
service plan for the business line, in consultation with 
any entities that are contributing capital or operating 
funding to support passenger rail services within those 
business lines, and aligned with Amtrak’s Strategic Plan 
and 5-year asset plans under subsection (c); 
‘‘(B) all projected revenues and expenditures for the 
business line, including identification of revenues and 
expenditures incurred by— 
‘‘(i) passenger operations; 
‘‘(ii) non-passenger operations that are directly 
related to the business line; and 
‘‘(iii) governmental funding sources, including reve-
nues and other funding received from States; 
‘‘(C) projected ridership levels for all passenger oper-
ations; 
‘‘(D) estimates of long-term and short-term debt and 
associated principal and interest payments (both current 
and forecasts); 
‘‘(E) annual profit and loss statements and forecasts 
and balance sheets; 
‘‘(F) annual cash flow forecasts; 
‘‘(G) a statement describing the methodologies and 
significant assumptions underlying estimates and forecasts; 
‘‘(H) specific performance measures that demonstrate 
year over year changes in the results of Amtrak’s oper-
ations; 
‘‘(I) financial performance for each route within each 
business line, including descriptions of the cash operating 
loss or contribution and productivity for each route; 
‘‘(J) specific costs and savings estimates resulting from 
reform initiatives; 
‘‘(K) prior fiscal year and projected equipment reli-
ability statistics; and 
‘‘(L) an identification and explanation of any major 
adjustments made from previously-approved plans. 
‘‘(3) 5-YEAR
BUSINESS
LINE
PLANS
PROCESS.—In meeting 
the requirements of this section, Amtrak shall— 
‘‘(A) consult with the Secretary in the development 
of the business line plans; 
‘‘(B) for the Northeast Corridor business line plan, 
consult with the Northeast Corridor Commission and 
transmit to the Commission the final plan under subsection 
(a)(1), and consult with other entities, as appropriate; 
‘‘(C) for the State-supported route business line plan, 
consult with the State-Supported Route Committee estab-
lished under section 24712; 
‘‘(D) for the long-distance route business line plan, 
consult with any States or Interstate Compacts that provide 
funding for such routes, as appropriate; 
‘‘(E) ensure that Amtrak’s general and legislative 
annual report, required under section 24315(b), to the 
President and Congress is consistent with the information 
in the 5-year business line plans; and 
‘‘(F) identify the appropriate Amtrak officials that are 
responsible for each business line.
H. R. 22—321 
‘‘(4) 
DEFINITION
OF
NORTHEAST
CORRIDOR.—Notwith-
standing section 24102, for purposes of this section, the term 
‘Northeast Corridor’ means the Northeast Corridor main line 
between Boston, Massachusetts, and the District of Columbia, 
and facilities and services used to operate and maintain that 
line. 
‘‘(c) AMTRAK 5-YEAR ASSET PLANS.— 
‘‘(1) ASSET CATEGORIES.—Amtrak shall prepare a 5-year 
asset plan for each of the following asset categories: 
‘‘(A) Infrastructure, including all Amtrak-controlled 
Northeast Corridor assets and other Amtrak-owned infra-
structure, and the associated facilities that support the 
operation, maintenance, and improvement of those assets. 
‘‘(B) Passenger rail equipment, including all Amtrak- 
controlled rolling stock, locomotives, and mechanical shop 
facilities that are used to overhaul equipment. 
‘‘(C) Stations, including all Amtrak-controlled pas-
senger rail stations and elements of other stations for which 
Amtrak has legal responsibility or intends to make capital 
investments. 
‘‘(D) National assets, including national reservations, 
security, training and training centers, and other assets 
associated with Amtrak’s national rail passenger transpor-
tation system. 
‘‘(2) CONTENTS OF 5-YEAR ASSET PLANS.—Each asset plan 
shall include, at a minimum— 
‘‘(A) a summary of Amtrak’s 5-year strategic plan for 
each asset category, including goals, objectives, any rel-
evant performance metrics, and statutory or regulatory 
actions affecting the assets; 
‘‘(B) an inventory of existing Amtrak capital assets, 
to the extent practicable, including information regarding 
shared use or ownership, if applicable; 
‘‘(C) a prioritized list of proposed capital investments 
that— 
‘‘(i) categorizes each capital project as being pri-
marily associated with— 
‘‘(I) normalized capital replacement; 
‘‘(II) backlog capital replacement; 
‘‘(III) 
improvements 
to 
support 
service 
enhancements or growth; 
‘‘(IV) strategic initiatives that will improve 
overall operational performance, lower costs, or 
otherwise improve Amtrak’s corporate efficiency; 
or 
‘‘(V) statutory, regulatory, or other legal man-
dates; 
‘‘(ii) identifies each project or program that is asso-
ciated with more than 1 category described in clause 
(i); and 
‘‘(iii) describes the anticipated business outcome 
of each project or program identified under this 
subparagraph, including an assessment of— 
‘‘(I) the potential effect on passenger oper-
ations, safety, reliability, and resilience;
H. R. 22—322 
‘‘(II) the potential effect on Amtrak’s ability 
to meet regulatory requirements if the project or 
program is not funded; and 
‘‘(III) the benefits and costs; and 
‘‘(D) annual profit and loss statements and forecasts 
and balance sheets for each asset category. 
‘‘(3) 5-YEAR ASSET PLAN PROCESS.—In meeting the require-
ments of this subsection, Amtrak shall— 
‘‘(A) consult with each business line described in sub-
section (b)(1) in the preparation of each 5-year asset plan 
and ensure integration of each 5-year asset plan with the 
5-year business line plans; 
‘‘(B) as applicable, consult with the Northeast Corridor 
Commission, the State-Supported Route Committee, and 
owners of assets affected by 5-year asset plans; and 
‘‘(C) identify the appropriate Amtrak officials that are 
responsible for each asset category. 
‘‘(4) EVALUATION
OF
NATIONAL
ASSETS
COSTS.—The Sec-
retary shall— 
‘‘(A) evaluate the costs and scope of all national assets; 
and 
‘‘(B) determine the activities and costs that are— 
‘‘(i) required in order to ensure the efficient oper-
ations of a national rail passenger system; 
‘‘(ii) appropriate for allocation to 1 of the other 
Amtrak business lines; and 
‘‘(iii) extraneous to providing an efficient national 
rail passenger system or are too costly relative to the 
benefits or performance outcomes they provide. 
‘‘(5) DEFINITION OF NATIONAL ASSETS.—In this section, the 
term ‘national assets’ means the Nation’s core rail assets shared 
among Amtrak services, including national reservations, secu-
rity, training and training centers, and other assets associated 
with Amtrak’s national rail passenger transportation system. 
‘‘(6) RESTRUCTURING OF NATIONAL ASSETS.—Not later than 
1 year after the date of completion of the evaluation under 
paragraph (4), the Administrator of the Federal Railroad 
Administration, in consultation with the Amtrak Board of 
Directors, the governors of each relevant State, and the Mayor 
of the District of Columbia, or their designees, shall restructure 
or reallocate, or both, the national assets costs in accordance 
with the determination under that section, including making 
appropriate updates to Amtrak’s cost accounting methodology 
and system. 
‘‘(7) EXEMPTION.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—Upon written request from the 
Amtrak Board of Directors, the Secretary may exempt 
Amtrak from including in a plan required under this sub-
section any information described in paragraphs (1) and 
(2). 
‘‘(B) PUBLIC AVAILABILITY.—The Secretary shall make 
available to the public on the Department’s Internet Web 
site any exemption granted under subparagraph (A) and 
a detailed justification for granting such exemption. 
‘‘(C) INCLUSION IN PLAN.—Amtrak shall include in the 
plan required under this subsection any request granted
H. R. 22—323 
under subparagraph (A) and justification under subpara-
graph (B). 
‘‘(d) STANDARDS TO PROMOTE FINANCIAL STABILITY.—In pre-
paring plans under this section, Amtrak shall— 
‘‘(1) apply sound budgetary practices, including reducing 
costs 
and 
other 
expenditures, 
improving 
productivity, 
increasing revenues, or combinations of such practices; and 
‘‘(2) use the categories specified in the financial accounting 
and reporting system developed under section 203 of the Pas-
senger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 (49 U.S.C. 
24101 note).’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATES.—The requirement for Amtrak to submit 
5-year business line plans under section 24320(a)(1) of title 49, 
United States Code, shall take effect on February 15, 2017, the 
due date of the first business line plans. The requirement for 
Amtrak to submit 5-year asset plans under section 24320(a)(1) 
of such title shall take effect on February 15, 2019, the due date 
of the first asset plans. 
(c) CONFORMING
AMENDMENTS.—The table of contents for 
chapter 243 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding 
at the end the following: 
‘‘24320. Amtrak 5-year business line and asset plans.’’. 
(d) REPEAL OF 5-YEAR FINANCIAL PLAN.—Section 204 of the 
Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 (49 U.S.C. 
24101 note), and the item relating to that section in the table 
of contents of that Act, are repealed. 
SEC. 11204. STATE-SUPPORTED ROUTE COMMITTEE. 
(a) AMENDMENT.—Chapter 247 of title 49, United States Code, 
is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘§ 24712. State-supported routes operated by Amtrak 
‘‘(a) STATE-SUPPORTED ROUTE COMMITTEE.— 
‘‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of enactment of the Passenger Rail Reform and Investment 
Act of 2015, the Secretary of Transportation shall establish 
the State-Supported Route Committee (referred to in this sec-
tion as the ‘Committee’) to promote mutual cooperation and 
planning pertaining to the rail operations of Amtrak and related 
activities of trains operated by Amtrak on State-supported 
routes and to further implement section 209 of the Passenger 
Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 (49 U.S.C. 24101 
note). 
‘‘(2) MEMBERSHIP.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Committee shall consist of— 
‘‘(i) members representing Amtrak; 
‘‘(ii) members representing the Department of 
Transportation, 
including 
the 
Federal 
Railroad 
Administration; and 
‘‘(iii) members representing States. 
‘‘(B) NON-VOTING
MEMBERS.—The Committee may 
invite and accept other non-voting members to participate 
in Committee activities, as appropriate. 
‘‘(3) DECISIONMAKING.—The Committee shall establish a 
bloc voting system under which, at a minimum—
H. R. 22—324 
‘‘(A) there are 3 separate voting blocs to represent 
the Committee’s voting members, including— 
‘‘(i) 1 voting bloc to represent the members 
described in paragraph (2)(A)(i); 
‘‘(ii) 1 voting bloc to represent the members 
described in paragraph (2)(A)(ii); and 
‘‘(iii) 1 voting bloc to represent the members 
described in paragraph (2)(A)(iii); 
‘‘(B) each voting bloc has 1 vote; 
‘‘(C) the vote of the voting bloc representing the mem-
bers described in paragraph (2)(A)(iii) requires the support 
of at least two-thirds of that voting bloc’s members; and 
‘‘(D) the Committee makes decisions by unanimous 
consent of the 3 voting blocs. 
‘‘(4) MEETINGS; RULES AND PROCEDURES.—The Committee 
shall convene a meeting and shall define and implement the 
rules and procedures governing the Committee’s proceedings 
not later than 180 days after the date of establishment of 
the Committee by the Secretary. The rules and procedures 
shall— 
‘‘(A) incorporate and further describe the decision-
making procedures to be used in accordance with paragraph 
(3); and 
‘‘(B) be adopted in accordance with such decision-
making procedures. 
‘‘(5) COMMITTEE DECISIONS.—Decisions made by the Com-
mittee in accordance with the Committee’s rules and proce-
dures, once established, are binding on all Committee members. 
‘‘(6) COST ALLOCATION METHODOLOGY.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Subject to subparagraph (B), the 
Committee may amend the cost allocation methodology 
required and previously approved under section 209 of 
the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 
2008 (49 U.S.C. 24101 note). 
‘‘(B) PROCEDURES FOR CHANGING METHODOLOGY.—The 
rules and procedures implemented under paragraph (4) 
shall include procedures for changing the cost allocation 
methodology. 
‘‘(C) REQUIREMENTS.—The cost allocation methodology 
shall— 
‘‘(i) ensure equal treatment in the provision of 
like services of all States and groups of States; and 
‘‘(ii) allocate to each route the costs incurred only 
for the benefit of that route and a proportionate share, 
based upon factors that reasonably reflect relative use, 
of costs incurred for the common benefit of more than 
1 route. 
‘‘(b) INVOICES AND REPORTS.—Not later than April 15, 2016, 
and monthly thereafter, Amtrak shall provide to each State that 
sponsors a State-supported route a monthly invoice of the cost 
of operating such route, including fixed costs and third-party costs. 
The Committee shall determine the frequency and contents of finan-
cial and performance reports that Amtrak shall provide to the 
States, as well as the planning and demand reports that the States 
shall provide to Amtrak. 
‘‘(c) DISPUTE RESOLUTION.—
H. R. 22—325 
‘‘(1) REQUEST FOR DISPUTE RESOLUTION.—If a dispute arises 
with respect to the rules and procedures implemented under 
subsection (a)(4), an invoice or a report provided under sub-
section (b), implementation or compliance with the cost alloca-
tion methodology developed under section 209 of the Passenger 
Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 (49 U.S.C. 24101 
note) or amended under subsection (a)(6) of this section, either 
Amtrak or the State may request that the Surface Transpor-
tation Board conduct dispute resolution under this subsection. 
‘‘(2) PROCEDURES.—The Surface Transportation Board shall 
establish procedures for resolution of disputes brought before 
it under this subsection, which may include provision of profes-
sional mediation services. 
‘‘(3) BINDING EFFECT.—A decision of the Surface Transpor-
tation Board under this subsection shall be binding on the 
parties to the dispute. 
‘‘(4) OBLIGATION.—Nothing in this subsection shall affect 
the obligation of a State to pay an amount not in dispute. 
‘‘(d) ASSISTANCE.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may provide assistance 
to the parties in the course of negotiations for a contract for 
operation of a State-supported route. 
‘‘(2) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.—From among available funds, 
the Secretary shall provide— 
‘‘(A) financial assistance to Amtrak or 1 or more States 
to perform requested independent technical analysis of 
issues before the Committee; and 
‘‘(B) administrative expenses that the Secretary deter-
mines necessary. 
‘‘(e) PERFORMANCE METRICS.—In negotiating a contract for oper-
ation of a State-supported route, Amtrak and the State or States 
that sponsor the route shall consider including provisions that 
provide penalties and incentives for performance. 
‘‘(f) STATEMENT OF GOALS AND OBJECTIVES.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Committee shall develop a state-
ment of goals, objectives, and associated recommendations con-
cerning the future of State-supported routes operated by 
Amtrak. The statement shall identify the roles and responsibil-
ities of Committee members and any other relevant entities, 
such as host railroads, in meeting the identified goals and 
objectives, or carrying out the recommendations. The Com-
mittee may consult with such relevant entities, as the Com-
mittee considers appropriate, when developing the statement. 
‘‘(2) TRANSMISSION OF STATEMENT OF GOALS AND OBJEC-
TIVES.—Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment 
of the Passenger Rail Reform and Investment Act of 2015, 
the Committee shall transmit the statement developed under 
paragraph (1) to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Transpor-
tation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives. 
‘‘(g) RULE
OF CONSTRUCTION.—The decisions of the Com-
mittee— 
‘‘(1) shall pertain to the rail operations of Amtrak and 
related activities of trains operated by Amtrak on State-spon-
sored routes; and
H. R. 22—326 
‘‘(2) shall not pertain to the rail operations or related 
activities of services operated by other rail carriers on State- 
supported routes. 
‘‘(h) DEFINITION OF STATE.—In this section, the term ‘State’ 
means any of the 50 States, including the District of Columbia, 
that sponsor the operation of trains by Amtrak on a State-supported 
route, or a public entity that sponsors such operation on such 
a route.’’. 
(b) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for chapter 
247 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding 
at the end the following: 
‘‘24712. State-supported routes operated by Amtrak.’’. 
(2) PASSENGER RAIL INVESTMENT AND IMPROVEMENT ACT.— 
Section 209 of the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement 
Act of 2008 (49 U.S.C. 24101 note) is amended— 
(A) by striking subsection (b); and 
(B) by redesignating subsections (c) and (d) as sub-
sections (b) and (c), respectively. 
SEC. 11205. COMPOSITION OF AMTRAK’S BOARD OF DIRECTORS. 
Section 24302 of title 49, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)(1)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘9 directors’’ and inserting ‘‘10 direc-
tors’’; 
(B) in subparagraph (B) by inserting ‘‘, who shall serve 
as a nonvoting member of the Board’’ after ‘‘Amtrak’’; and 
(C) in subparagraph (C) by striking ‘‘7’’ and inserting 
‘‘8’’; and 
(2) in subsection (e), by inserting ‘‘who are eligible to vote’’ 
after ‘‘serving’’. 
SEC. 11206. ROUTE AND SERVICE PLANNING DECISIONS. 
Section 208 of the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement 
Act of 2008 (49 U.S.C. 24101 note) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘SEC. 208. METHODOLOGIES FOR AMTRAK ROUTE AND SERVICE PLAN-
NING DECISIONS. 
‘‘(a) METHODOLOGY DEVELOPMENT.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of enactment of the Passenger Rail Reform and 
Investment Act of 2015, Amtrak shall obtain the services of an 
independent entity to develop and recommend objective methodolo-
gies for Amtrak to use in determining what intercity rail passenger 
transportation routes and services it should provide, including the 
establishment of new routes, the elimination of existing routes, 
and the contraction or expansion of services or frequencies over 
such routes. 
‘‘(b) CONSIDERATIONS.—Amtrak shall require the independent 
entity, in developing the methodologies described in subsection (a), 
to consider— 
‘‘(1) the current and expected performance and service 
quality of intercity rail passenger transportation operations, 
including cost recovery, on-time performance, ridership, on- 
board services, stations, facilities, equipment, and other serv-
ices; 
‘‘(2) the connectivity of a route with other routes;
H. R. 22—327 
‘‘(3) the transportation needs of communities and popu-
lations that are not well served by intercity rail passenger 
transportation service or by other forms of intercity transpor-
tation; 
‘‘(4) the methodologies of Amtrak and major intercity rail 
passenger transportation service providers in other countries 
for determining intercity passenger rail routes and services; 
‘‘(5) the financial and operational effects on the overall 
network, including the effects on direct and indirect costs; 
‘‘(6) the views of States, rail carriers that own infrastruc-
ture over which Amtrak operates, Interstate Compacts estab-
lished by Congress and States, Amtrak employee representa-
tives, stakeholder organizations, and other interested parties; 
and 
‘‘(7) the funding levels that will be available under 
authorization levels that have been enacted into law. 
‘‘(c) RECOMMENDATIONS.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of enactment of the Passenger Rail Reform and Investment Act 
of 2015, Amtrak shall transmit to the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives 
the recommendations developed by the independent entity under 
subsection (a). 
‘‘(d) CONSIDERATION
OF RECOMMENDATIONS.—Not later than 
90 days after the date on which the recommendations are trans-
mitted under subsection (c), the Amtrak Board of Directors shall 
consider the adoption of each recommendation and transmit to 
the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
of the House of Representatives a report explaining the reasons 
for adopting or not adopting each recommendation.’’. 
SEC. 11207. FOOD AND BEVERAGE REFORM. 
(a) AMENDMENT.—Chapter 243 of title 49, United States Code, 
is further amended by adding at the end the following new section: 
‘‘§ 24321. Food and beverage reform 
‘‘(a) PLAN.—Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment 
of the Passenger Rail Reform and Investment Act of 2015, Amtrak 
shall develop and begin implementing a plan to eliminate, within 
5 years of such date of enactment, the operating loss associated 
with providing food and beverage service on board Amtrak trains. 
‘‘(b) CONSIDERATIONS.—In developing and implementing the 
plan, Amtrak shall consider a combination of cost management 
and revenue generation initiatives, including— 
‘‘(1) scheduling optimization; 
‘‘(2) on-board logistics; 
‘‘(3) product development and supply chain efficiency; 
‘‘(4) training, awards, and accountability; 
‘‘(5) technology enhancements and process improvements; 
and 
‘‘(6) ticket revenue allocation. 
‘‘(c) SAVINGS CLAUSE.—Amtrak shall ensure that no Amtrak 
employee holding a position as of the date of enactment of the 
Passenger Rail Reform and Investment Act of 2015 is involuntarily 
separated because of—
H. R. 22—328 
‘‘(1) the development and implementation of the plan 
required under subsection (a); or 
‘‘(2) any other action taken by Amtrak to implement this 
section. 
‘‘(d) NO FEDERAL FUNDING FOR OPERATING LOSSES.—Beginning 
on the date that is 5 years after the date of enactment of the 
Passenger Rail Reform and Investment Act of 2015, no Federal 
funds may be used to cover any operating loss associated with 
providing food and beverage service on a route operated by Amtrak 
or a rail carrier that operates a route in lieu of Amtrak pursuant 
to section 24711. 
‘‘(e) REPORT.—Not later than 120 days after the date of enact-
ment of the Passenger Rail Reform and Investment Act of 2015, 
and annually thereafter for 5 years, Amtrak shall transmit to 
the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House 
of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate a report containing the plan developed 
pursuant to subsection (a) and a description of progress in the 
implementation of the plan.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The table of sections for chapter 
243 of title 49, United States Code, is further amended by adding 
at the end the following new item: 
‘‘24321. Food and beverage reform.’’. 
SEC. 11208. ROLLING STOCK PURCHASES. 
(a) AMENDMENT.—Chapter 243 of title 49, United States Code, 
is further amended by adding at the end the following new section: 
‘‘§ 24322. Rolling stock purchases 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Prior to entering into any contract in excess 
of $100,000,000 for rolling stock and locomotive procurements 
Amtrak shall submit a business case analysis to the Secretary 
of Transportation, the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate 
and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the 
Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives, on 
the utility of such procurements. 
‘‘(b) CONTENTS.—The business case analysis shall— 
‘‘(1) include a cost and benefit comparison that describes 
the total lifecycle costs and the anticipated benefits related 
to revenue, operational efficiency, reliability, and other factors; 
‘‘(2) set forth the total payments by fiscal year; 
‘‘(3) identify the specific source and amounts of funding 
for each payment, including Federal funds, State funds, Amtrak 
profits, Federal, State, or private loans or loan guarantees, 
and other funding; 
‘‘(4) include an explanation of whether any payment under 
the contract will increase Amtrak’s funding request in its gen-
eral and legislative annual report required under section 
24315(b) in a particular fiscal year; and 
‘‘(5) describe how Amtrak will adjust the procurement if 
future funding is not available. 
‘‘(c) RULE
OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this section shall 
be construed as requiring Amtrak to disclose confidential informa-
tion regarding a potential vendor’s proposed pricing or other sen-
sitive business information prior to contract execution or prohibiting
H. R. 22—329 
Amtrak from entering into a contract after submission of a business 
case analysis under subsection (a).’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The table of sections for chapter 
243 of title 49, United States Code, is further amended by adding 
at the end the following new item: 
‘‘24322. Rolling stock purchases.’’. 
SEC. 11209. LOCAL PRODUCTS AND PROMOTIONAL EVENTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 6 months after the date of 
enactment of this Act, Amtrak shall establish a pilot program 
for a State or States that sponsor a State-supported route operated 
by Amtrak to facilitate— 
(1) onboard purchase and sale of local food and beverage 
products; and 
(2) partnerships with local entities to hold promotional 
events on trains or in stations. 
(b) PROGRAM DESIGN.—The pilot program under paragraph (1) 
shall— 
(1) allow a State or States to nominate and select a local 
food and beverage products supplier or suppliers or local pro-
motional event partner; 
(2) allow a State or States to charge a reasonable price 
or fee for local food and beverage products or promotional 
events and related activities to help defray the costs of program 
administration and State-supported routes; and 
(3) provide a mechanism to ensure that State products 
can effectively be handled and integrated into existing food 
and beverage services, including compliance with all applicable 
regulations and standards governing such services. 
(c) PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION.—The pilot program shall— 
(1) for local food and beverage products, ensure the products 
are integrated into existing food and beverage services, 
including compliance with all applicable regulations and stand-
ards; 
(2) for promotional events, ensure the events are held in 
compliance with all applicable regulations and standards, 
including terms to address insurance requirements; and 
(3) require an annual report that documents revenues and 
costs and indicates whether the products or events resulted 
in a reduction in the financial contribution of a State or States 
to the applicable State-supported route. 
(d) REPORT.—Not later than 4 years after the date of enactment 
of this Act, Amtrak shall report to the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives 
on which States have participated in the pilot programs under 
this section. The report shall summarize the financial and oper-
ational outcomes of the pilot programs and include any plan for 
future action. 
(e) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this section shall be 
construed as limiting Amtrak’s ability to operate special trains 
in accordance with section 216 of the Passenger Rail Investment 
and Improvement Act of 2008 (49 U.S.C. 24308 note).
H. R. 22—343 
‘‘(B) terminate any grant agreement upon— 
‘‘(i) the cessation of service; or 
‘‘(ii) the violation of any other term of the grant 
agreement. 
‘‘(3) GRANT CONDITIONS.—The Secretary shall require each 
recipient of a grant under this section to comply with the 
grant requirements of section 24405. 
‘‘(j) REPORT.—Not later than 4 years after the date of enactment 
of the Passenger Rail Reform and Investment Act of 2015, the 
Secretary, after consultation with grant recipients under this sec-
tion, shall submit to Congress a report that describes— 
‘‘(1) the implementation of this section; 
‘‘(2) the status of the investments and operations funded 
by such grants; 
‘‘(3) the performance of the routes funded by such grants; 
‘‘(4) the plans of grant recipients for continued operation 
and funding of such routes; and 
‘‘(5) any legislative recommendations.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) CHAPTER 244.—Chapter 244 of title 49, United States 
Code, is further amended— 
(A) in the table of contents by adding at the end 
the following: 
‘‘24408. Restoration and enhancement grants.’’; 
(B) in the chapter heading by striking ‘‘INTERCITY 
PASSENGER RAIL SERVICE CORRIDOR CAPITAL 
ASSISTANCE’’ and inserting ‘‘RAIL IMPROVEMENT 
GRANTS’’; 
(C) in section 24402 by striking subsection (j); and 
(D) in section 24405— 
(i) in subsection (b)(2) by striking ‘‘(43’’ and 
inserting ‘‘(45’’; 
(ii) in subsection (c)(2)(B) by striking ‘‘protective 
arrangements established’’ and inserting ‘‘protective 
arrangements that are equivalent to the protective 
arrangements established’’; 
(iii) in subsection (d)(1), in the matter preceding 
subparagraph (A), by inserting ‘‘or unless Amtrak 
ceased providing intercity passenger railroad transpor-
tation over the affected route more than 3 years before 
the commencement of new service’’ after ‘‘unless such 
service was provided solely by Amtrak to another 
entity’’; and 
(iv) in subsection (f) by striking ‘‘under this chapter 
for commuter rail passenger transportation, as defined 
in section 24102(4) of this title.’’ and inserting ‘‘under 
this chapter for commuter rail passenger transpor-
tation (as defined in section 24102(3)).’’; and 
(2) TABLE OF CHAPTERS AMENDMENT.—The item relating 
to chapter 244 in the table of chapters of subtitle V of title 
49, United States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘Intercity pas-
senger rail service corridor capital assistance’’ and inserting 
‘‘Rail improvement grants’’.
H. R. 22—367 
(B) by striking ‘‘website’’ each place it appears and 
inserting ‘‘Web site’’; and 
(C) by striking ‘‘website’s’’ and inserting ‘‘Web site’s’’. 
(6) ALCOHOL
AND
CONTROLLED
SUBSTANCE
TESTING
FOR 
MAINTENANCE-OF-WAY EMPLOYEES.—Section 412 of title IV of 
division A of the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (49 
U.S.C. 20140 note) is amended by striking ‘‘Secretary of 
Transportation’’ and inserting ‘‘Secretary’’. 
(7) TUNNEL INFORMATION.—Section 414 of title IV of divi-
sion A of the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (49 U.S.C. 
20103 note) is amended— 
(A) by striking ‘‘parts 171.8, 173.115’’ and inserting 
‘‘sections 171.8, 173.115’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘part 1520.5’’ and inserting ‘‘section 
1520.5’’. 
(8) SAFETY INSPECTIONS IN MEXICO.—Section 416 of title 
IV of division A of the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 
(49 U.S.C. 20107 note) is amended— 
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking 
‘‘Secretary of Transportation’’ and inserting ‘‘Secretary’’; 
and 
(B) in paragraph (4), by striking ‘‘subsection’’ and 
inserting ‘‘section’’. 
(9) HEADING OF TITLE VI.—The heading of title VI of divi-
sion A of the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (122 Stat. 
4900) is amended by striking ‘‘SOLID WASTE FACILITIES’’ 
and inserting ‘‘SOLID WASTE RAIL TRANSFER FACILI-
TIES’’. 
(10) HEADING OF SECTION 602.—The heading of section 602 
of title VI of division A of the Rail Safety Improvement Act 
of 2008 (122 Stat. 4900) is amended by striking ‘‘SOLID WASTE 
TRANSFER
FACILITIES’’ and inserting ‘‘SOLID
WASTE
RAIL 
TRANSFER FACILITIES’’. 
(k) CONTINGENT INTEREST RECOVERIES.—Section 22106(b) of 
title 49, United States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘interest 
thereof’’ and inserting ‘‘interest thereon’’. 
(l) MISSION.—Section 24101(b) of title 49, United States Code, 
is amended by striking ‘‘of subsection (d)’’ and inserting ‘‘set forth 
in subsection (c)’’. 
(m) TABLE OF CONTENTS AMENDMENT.—The table of contents 
for chapter 243 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by 
striking the item relating to section 24316 and inserting the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘24316. Plans to address the needs of families of passengers involved in rail pas-
senger accidents.’’. 
(n) AMTRAK.—Chapter 247 of title 49, United States Code, 
is amended— 
(1) in section 24706— 
(A) in subsection (a)— 
(i) in paragraph (1) by striking ‘‘a discontinuance 
under section 24704 or or’’; and 
(ii) in paragraph (2) by striking ‘‘section 24704 
or’’; and 
(B) in subsection (b) by striking ‘‘section 24704 or’’; 
and
H. R. 22—489 
under subsection (b), the Bureau shall not be required to consider 
such designation in its evaluation. 
(d) PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 60 days after receiving 
an application submitted under subsection (a), the Bureau 
shall— 
(A) publish such application in the Federal Register; 
and 
(B) make such application available for public comment 
for not fewer than 90 days. 
(2) LIMITATION ON ADDITIONAL APPLICATIONS.—Nothing in 
this section shall be construed to require the Bureau, during 
the public comment period with respect to an application sub-
mitted under subsection (a), to accept an additional application 
with respect to the area that is the subject of the initial applica-
tion. 
(e) DECISION ON DESIGNATION.—Not later than 90 days after 
the end of the public comment period under subsection (d)(1) for 
an application, the Bureau shall— 
(1) grant or deny such application, in whole or in part; 
and 
(2) publish such grant or denial in the Federal Register, 
along with an explanation of what factors the Bureau relied 
on in making such determination. 
(f) SUBSEQUENT APPLICATIONS.—A decision by the Bureau 
under subsection (e) to deny an application for an area to be 
designated as a rural area shall not preclude the Bureau from 
accepting a subsequent application submitted under subsection (a) 
for such area to be so designated, so long as such subsequent 
application is made after the end of the 90-day period beginning 
on the date that the Bureau denies the application under subsection 
(e). 
(g) SUNSET.—This section shall cease to have any force or 
effect after the end of the 2-year period beginning on the date 
of the enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 89003. OPERATIONS IN RURAL AREAS. 
The Truth in Lending Act (15 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) is amended—
H. R. 22—490 
(1) in section 129C(b)(2)(E)(iv)(I), by striking ‘‘predomi-
nantly’’; and 
(2) in section 129D(c)(1), by striking ‘‘predominantly’’. 
Speaker of the House of Representatives. 
Vice President of the United States and
President of the Senate.