I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3416 
To establish in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration a Rural 
and Mountainous Advisory Council to make recommendations regarding 
the testing and deployment of highly automated vehicles and automated 
driving systems in areas that are rural, remote, mountainous, insular, 
or unmapped. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 26, 2017 
Mr. MCKINLEY (for himself and Mr. WELCH) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in 
addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a 
period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the com-
mittee concerned 
A BILL 
To establish in the National Highway Traffic Safety Admin-
istration a Rural and Mountainous Advisory Council to 
make recommendations regarding the testing and deploy-
ment of highly automated vehicles and automated driving 
systems in areas that are rural, remote, mountainous, 
insular, or unmapped. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. RURAL AND MOUNTAINOUS ADVISORY COUN-
CIL. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Subject to the availability of 
appropriations, not later than 6 months after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation 
shall establish in the National Highway Traffic Safety Ad-
ministration a Rural and Mountainous Advisory Council 
(hereinafter referred to as the ‘‘Council’’). 
(b) MEMBERSHIP.—Members of the Council shall in-
clude a diverse group representative of business, academia 
and independent researchers, State and local authorities, 
safety and consumer advocates, engineers, labor organiza-
tions, environmental experts, a representative of the Na-
tional Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and other 
members determined to be appropriate by the Secretary. 
The Council shall be composed of not less than 15 and 
not more than 30 members appointed by the Secretary. 
(c) TERMS.—Members of the Council shall be ap-
pointed by the Secretary of Transportation and shall serve 
for a term of three years. 
(d) VACANCIES.—Any vacancy occurring in the mem-
bership of the Council shall be filled in the same manner 
as the original appointment for the position being vacated. 
The vacancy shall not affect the power of the remaining 
members to execute the duties of the Council. 
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(e) DUTIES.—The Council shall undertake informa-
tion gathering activities, develop technical advice, and 
present best practices or recommendations to the Sec-
retary regarding the testing and deployment of highly 
automated vehicles and automated driving systems in 
areas that are rural, remote, mountainous, insular, or 
unmapped to evaluate operational limitations caused by 
natural geographical or man-made features, or adverse 
weather conditions, and to enhance the safety and reli-
ability of highly automated vehicles and automated driving 
systems used in such areas with such features or condi-
tions. 
(f) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—The recommendations 
of the Council shall also be reported to the Committee on 
Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives 
and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transpor-
tation of the Senate. 
(g) FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACT.—The es-
tablishment and operation of the Council shall conform to 
the requirements of the Federal Advisory Committee Act 
(5 U.S.C. App.). 
(h) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—On request of the 
Council, the Secretary shall provide such technical assist-
ance to the Council as the Secretary determines to be nec-
essary to carry out the Council’s duties. 
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(i) DETAIL OF FEDERAL EMPLOYEES.—On the re-
quest of the Council, the Secretary may detail, with or 
without reimbursement, any of the personnel of the De-
partment of Transportation to the Council to assist the 
Council in carrying out its duties. Any detail shall not in-
terrupt or otherwise affect the civil service status or privi-
leges of the Federal employee. 
(j) PAYMENT
AND EXPENSES.—Members of the 
Council shall serve without pay, except travel and per diem 
will be paid each member for meetings called by the Sec-
retary. 
(k) TERMINATION.—The Council shall terminate 6 
years after the date of enactment of this Act. 
(l) DEFINITIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—In this section— 
(A) the term ‘‘automated driving system’’ 
means the hardware and software that are col-
lectively capable of performing the entire dy-
namic driving task on a sustained basis, regard-
less of whether such system is limited to a spe-
cific operational design domain; 
(B) the term ‘‘dynamic driving task’’ 
means all of the real time operational and tac-
tical functions required to operate a vehicle in 
on-road traffic, excluding the strategic func-
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