I 
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2704
To extend the authorization for the ferry boat discretionary program, and 
for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 10, 2003
Mr. LARSEN of Washington (for himself, Mr. COBLE, Mr. DICKS, Mr. 
GEORGE MILLER of California, Mr. LANTOS, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mr. 
MENENDEZ, Mr. ISRAEL, Ms. LOFGREN, Ms. MILLENDER-MCDONALD, 
Mr. INSLEE, Mr. MCINTYRE, Mrs. TAUSCHER, Ms. LEE, Mr. NADLER, 
and Mr. HONDA) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
A BILL 
To extend the authorization for the ferry boat discretionary 
program, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Ferry Transportation 
Enhancement Act of 2003’’.
SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF FUNDING FOR CONSTRUCTION 
OF FERRY BOATS AND FERRY TERMINAL FA-
CILITIES. 
(a) FUNDING.—Section 1064(c) of the Intermodal 
Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (23 U.S.C. 
129 note) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(c) FUNDING.—
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—There shall be available, 
out of the Highway Trust Fund (other than the 
Mass Transit Account), to the Secretary for obliga-
tion at the discretion of the Secretary $150,000,000 
for each of fiscal years 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 
2008, and 2009. Sums made available to carry out 
this section shall remain available until expended. 
‘‘(2) ALLOCATION OF FUNDS.—The Secretary 
shall give priority in the allocation of funds under 
this section to those ferry systems, and public enti-
ties responsible for developing facilities for ferries, 
that carry the greatest number of passengers and 
vehicles, carry the greatest number of passengers in 
passenger-only service, or provide critical access to 
areas that are not well-served by other modes of sur-
face transportation.’’.
SEC. 3. ELIGIBILITY OF FERRY MAINTENANCE FACILITIES 
FOR FEDERAL FUNDING. 
(a) MAINTENANCE FACILITIES.—Section 129(c) of 
title 23, United States Code, is amended—
(1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1) by 
inserting ‘‘and maintenance’’ after ‘‘terminal’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (3) by inserting ‘‘and mainte-
nance’’ after ‘‘terminal’’ each place it appears. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Section 1064 of 
the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 
1991 (23 U.S.C. 129 note) is amended by inserting ‘‘and 
maintenance’’ after ‘‘terminal’’ each place it appears. 
SEC. 4. ELIGIBILITY OF FERRIES FOR CLEAN FUELS PRO-
GRAM. 
Section 5308 of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended—
(1) in subsections (a)(3)(i), (a)(3)(iii), and (e) 
by inserting ‘‘or ferries’’ after ‘‘buses’’ each place it 
appears; 
(2) in subsection (d) by inserting ‘‘or ferry’’ 
after ‘‘bus’’ each place it appears; 
(3) in the heading for subsection (e)(2) by in-
serting ‘‘OR FERRIES’’ after ‘‘BUSES’’; and 
(4) in the heading for subsection (e)(3) by in-
serting ‘‘OR FERRY’’ after ‘‘BUS’’.
SEC. 5. FERRY JOINT PROGRAM OFFICE. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of Transpor-
tation shall establish in the Department of Transportation 
a Ferry Joint Program Office (in this section, referred to 
as the ‘‘Office’’) to coordinate Federal programs affecting 
ferry boat and ferry facility construction, maintenance, 
and operations and to promote ferry service as a compo-
nent of the Nation’s transportation system. The Office 
shall coordinate ferry and ferry-related programs within 
the Department of Transportation (including the Federal 
Highway Administration, the Federal Transit Administra-
tion, the Maritime Administration, and the Bureau of 
Transportation Statistics) and with the Department of 
Homeland Security and other Federal and State agencies, 
as appropriate. 
(b) FUNCTIONS.—The functions of the Office shall 
include—
(1) ensuring resource accountability; 
(2) coordinating policy relating to ferry trans-
portation among the various agencies of the Depart-
ment of Transportation and other departments of 
the United States Government; 
(3) providing strategic leadership for ferry re-
search, development, testing, and deployment; and
(4) promoting ferry transportation as a means 
to reduce social, economic, and environmental costs 
associated with traffic congestion. 
SEC. 6. NATIONAL FERRY DATA BASE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Transportation 
shall maintain a national ferry database, which shall con-
tain current information regarding ferry systems, routes, 
vessels, passengers and vehicles carried, funding sources, 
and such other information as the Secretary deems useful. 
The Secretary shall utilize the study generated as a result 
of section 1207(c) of the Transportation Equity Act for 
the 21st Century (23 U.S.C. 129 note; 112 Stat. 185–
186), and make modifications to that study, as appro-
priate. 
(b) UPDATED
DATABASE.—The Secretary shall 
produce the first updated version of the national ferry 
database within 1 year after the date of enactment of this 
Act and every 2 years thereafter. 
(c) PUBLIC ACCESSIBILITY.—The Secretary shall en-
sure that the national ferry database is easily accessible 
to the public. 
SEC. 7. NATIONAL FERRY TRANSPORTATION INSTITUTE. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of Transpor-
tation shall make grants to an institution of higher edu-
cation, within 1 year after the date of enactment of this
Act, to establish a National Ferry Transportation Insti-
tute (in this section, referred to as the ‘‘Institute’’). 
(b) ADMINISTRATION.—The Secretary shall develop 
and administer the Institute in cooperation with the De-
partment of Transportation, State transportation depart-
ments, public ferry transportation authorities, private 
ferry operators, ferry boat builders, ferry employees, and 
other institutions of higher education and research insti-
tutes. 
(c) FUNCTIONS.—The Institute shall—
(1) conduct research and recommend develop-
ment activities on methods of improving ferry trans-
portation programs in the United States, including 
methods of reducing wake and providing alternative 
propulsion; 
(2) develop and conduct training programs for 
ferry system employees, United States Government 
employees, and other individuals, as appropriate, on 
recent developments, techniques, and procedures 
pertaining to the construction and operation of fer-
ries; 
(3) encourage and assist collaborative efforts by 
public and private entities to preserve, improve, and 
expand the use of ferries as a mode of transpor-
tation; and
(4) preserve, utilize, and display historical in-
formation about the use of ferries in the United 
States and in foreign countries. 
(c) LOCATION.—In selecting the location for the In-
stitute, the Secretary shall consider—
(1) the importance of public and private ferries 
to the region’s transportation system, including both 
regional travel and long-range travel and service to 
isolated communities; 
(2) the historical importance of ferry transpor-
tation to the region; 
(3) the history and diversity of the region’s 
maritime community, including ferry construction 
and repair and other shipbuilding activities; 
(4) the anticipated growth of ferry service and 
ferry boat building in the region; 
(5) the availability of public-private collabora-
tion in the region; and 
(6) the presence of nationally recognized re-
search universities in the region. 
(d) FUNDING.—There are authorized to be appro-
priated to the Secretary of Transportation $2,000,000 for 
each of fiscal years 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, and 
2009, to carry out activities under this section by the In-
stitute. The Secretary may authorize the acceptance and