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cracks as small as 0.01 inches on steel bridges ex-
hibiting fatigue damage or bridges with fatigue sus-
ceptible members.’’. 
(c) REGULATIONS
ON
CRITICAL
FINDINGS
OF 
BRIDGE DEFICIENCIES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
Transportation shall issue regulations establishing 
procedures to be used by States in reporting critical 
findings of bridge deficiencies, and subsequent moni-
toring activities and corrective actions, to the Sec-
retary in accordance with the standards to be estab-
lished under section 151(b)(7) of title 23, United 
States Code, as added by subsection (b)(3) of this 
section. 
(2) CONTENTS.—Regulations to be issued 
under paragraph (1) shall— 
(A) establish a uniform definition of the 
term ‘‘critical finding’’; 
(B) establish deadlines for State reporting 
of critical finding determinations to the Sec-
retary; 
(C) establish requirements for monitoring 
and follow-up actions and reporting following a 
critical finding determination; and 
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(D) provide for enhanced training of 
bridge inspectors relating to critical findings. 
(d) TRAINING PROGRAM FOR ALL BRIDGE INSPEC-
TORS.—Section 151(c) of such title is amended by adding 
at the end the following: ‘‘The Secretary shall expand the 
scope of the training program to ensure that all persons 
conducting highway bridge inspections receive appropriate 
training and certification under the program.’’. 
(e) FREQUENCY OF BRIDGE INSPECTIONS.—Section 
151 of such title is amended— 
(1) in subsection (b)(2) by inserting ‘‘in accord-
ance with subsection (d)’’ before the semicolon; 
(2) by redesignating subsection (d) as sub-
section (e); and 
(3) by inserting after subsection (c) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(d) FREQUENCY OF BRIDGE INSPECTIONS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), 
the standards established under subsection (a), at a 
minimum, shall provide for— 
‘‘(A) annual inspections of structurally de-
ficient highway bridges using the best prac-
ticable technologies and methods; 
‘‘(B) annual in depth inspections of frac-
ture critical members, as such terms are de-
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fined in section 650.305 of title 23, Code of 
Federal Regulations (as in effect on the date of 
enactment of this paragraph); and 
‘‘(C) 
biennial 
inspections 
of 
highway 
bridges that have not been determined to be 
structurally deficient. 
‘‘(2) EXTENSIONS.—Upon the request of a 
State, the Secretary may extend, to a maximum pe-
riod of 48 months, the time between required inspec-
tions of a highway bridge that has not been deter-
mined to be structurally deficient if the Secretary 
determines that— 
‘‘(A) the extension is appropriate based on 
the age, design, traffic characteristics, and any 
known deficiency of the bridge; 
‘‘(B) the extension is consistent with the 5- 
year performance plan of the State approved 
under section 144(d)(5)(B); and 
‘‘(C) granting the extension will increase 
the overall safety of the State’s bridge inven-
tory.’’. 
(f) QUALIFICATIONS OF PROGRAM MANAGERS AND 
TEAM LEADERS.— 
(1) REVISION
OF
REGULATIONS.—Not later 
than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, 
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the Secretary of Transportation shall revise regula-
tions contained in section 650.309 of title 23, Code 
of Federal Regulations, relating to the qualifications 
of highway bridge inspection personnel, to require 
that, in addition to meeting the qualifications identi-
fied in such section (as in effect on the date of en-
actment of this Act)— 
(A) an individual serving as the program 
manager of a State be a professional engineer 
licensed under the laws of that State; 
(B) an individual serving as a team leader 
for a State for the inspection of complex 
bridges or follow-up inspections of bridges for 
which there has been a critical finding be a li-
censed professional engineer; and 
(C) an individual serving as a team leader 
for a State for the inspection of all other 
bridges be a licensed professional engineer or 
have at least 10 years of bridge inspection expe-
rience. 
(2) APPLICABILITY.—The additional qualifica-
tion requirements specified in paragraphs (1)(A), 
(1)(B), and (1)(C) shall apply only to an individual 
selected by a State to serve as the program manager 
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or a team leader after the date of issuance of revised 
regulations under paragraph (1). 
(3) COMPLEX BRIDGE DEFINED.—In this sub-
section, the term ‘‘complex bridge’’ means a highway 
bridge with unusual characteristics, including mov-
able, suspension, and cable-stayed highway bridges. 
(g) EFFECTIVE DATE.—Not later than 1 year after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall mod-
ify national bridge inspection standards and modify the 
training program for bridge inspectors in accordance with 
the amendments made by this section. 
(h) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 15 days 
after a critical finding determination is made by a State 
which results in the closure of a bridge, the Secretary of 
Transportation shall report to the appropriate Committees 
of Congress regarding the impact, including the economic 
impact, on regional transportation and transit that will re-
sult from the such bridge closure and recommend solutions 
to mitigate such impact. 
SEC. 4. GAO STUDY. 
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Comptroller General shall conduct a study 
and report its findings to the Secretary of Transportation 
regarding— 
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