‘‘(5) data gathering of travel behavior, includ-
ing the public’s short and long-term responses to 
transformational technologies; 
‘‘(6) impacts of private-sector transportation 
product development on society and the traditional 
research enterprise; 
‘‘(7) support for a public-sector culture of 
transportation innovation and acceleration of feder-
ally-funded research into practice, codes, and stand-
ards; and 
‘‘(8) fostering development of transportation 
educators and transportation professionals. 
‘‘(b) REPORT.—The National Academies of Sciences, 
Engineering, and Medicine shall submit a report to Con-
gress not later than 2 years after the date of enactment 
of this Act.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions for such subchapter is further amended by adding 
at the end the following: 
‘‘5508. Strategic Transportation Research Program.’’. 
(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$1,500,000 for fiscal year 2022. 
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SEC. 210. ADVANCED TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH AND IN-
NOVATION PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter I of chapter 55 of title 
49, United States Code, as amended, is further amended 
by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘§ 5509. Advanced Transportation Research and In-
novation Program 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT; PURPOSES.—The Secretary 
of Transportation shall establish the Advanced Transpor-
tation Research and Innovation Program, to be adminis-
tered by the Assistant Secretary of Research and Tech-
nology. The purposes of the program shall be to— 
‘‘(1) support research that addresses the long- 
term barriers to development of multimodal ad-
vanced transportation technologies with the potential 
to meet the Nation’s long-term safety, competitive-
ness, and transportation goals; 
‘‘(2) support high-risk research and develop-
ment to accelerate transformational transportation 
innovations and make federal investments in emerg-
ing technology development; 
‘‘(3) leverage Federal interagency research 
mechanisms and the academic research enterprise; 
‘‘(4) educate and train students in science, 
technology, engineering, and mathematics fields to 
conduct research and standards development rel-
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evant to transportation technologies, materials, sys-
tems, operations, processes, and policies; and 
‘‘(5) fostering collaboration among Federal re-
searchers and academic researchers. 
‘‘(b) INTERAGENCY
COLLABORATION.—The Sec-
retary shall collaborate on, identify, and disseminate with-
in the Department, as appropriate, advanced transpor-
tation research, development, and other activities of other 
Federal agencies, including the Office of Science and 
Technology Policy, the National Science Foundation, the 
Department of Energy, the National Institute of Stand-
ards and Technology, the Department of Homeland Secu-
rity, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 
and the Department of Defense to ensure the Depart-
ment’s research investments are making the best possible 
contribution to the Nation’s goals of public health and 
safety, economic prosperity, national security, and envi-
ronmental quality. 
‘‘(c) RESEARCH GRANTS.—The Secretary may sup-
port the purposes of the program and carry out activities 
described under subsection (a) through— 
‘‘(1) competitive, merit-based basic research 
grants to individual investigators and teams of in-
vestigators; and 
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‘‘(2) centers of excellence selected through a 
competitive, merit-based process. 
‘‘(d) APPLICATION.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—An investigator, team of in-
vestigators, or an institution of higher education (or 
consortium thereof) seeking funding under this sec-
tion shall submit an application to the Secretary at 
such time, in such manner, and containing such in-
formation as the Secretary may require. 
‘‘(2) RESEARCH
CENTERS.—Each application 
under paragraph (1) from an institution of higher 
education (or consortium thereof) shall include a de-
scription of how the Center will promote multidisci-
plinary transportation research and development col-
laboration. 
‘‘(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026. 
‘‘(f) RESEARCH.—At a minimum, the Secretary shall 
award 75 percent of awards under this program to 
projects for basic research. 
‘‘(g) REVIEW.—Not later than September 30, 2026, 
the Secretary shall enter into an agreement with the Na-
tional Academies to conduct a review of the research and 
activities carried out under this program and assess 
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whether they are consistent with meeting the purposes de-
scribed in subsection (a). Members of the review panel 
shall represent, at a minimum, multimodal surface trans-
portation researchers and practitioners. 
‘‘(h) REPORT.—Not later than one year after the 
date of enactment of this Act, and biennially thereafter, 
the Secretary shall provide to the Committees on Com-
merce, Science, and Transportation and Environment and 
Public Works of the Senate and the Committees on Trans-
portation and Infrastructure and Science, Space, and 
Technology of the House of Representatives a report on 
implementation of this program and research areas that 
the program will support.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions for such subchapter, as amended, is further amended 
by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘5509. Advanced Transportation Research and Innovation Program’’. 
SEC. 211. RAIL COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAM. 
Section 24910 of title 49, United States Code is 
amended— 
(1) in subsection (c)(3) by striking ‘‘2019’’ and 
inserting ‘‘2026’’; and 
(2) in subsection (e) by striking ‘‘2010 through 
2013’’ and inserting ‘‘2022 through 2026’’. 
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SEC. 212. MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION DEMONSTRA-
TION PROGRAM. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary may establish 
a program for the demonstration of advanced transpor-
tation technologies, including autonomous systems, for 
surface transportation modes, including highways, public 
transportation, freight, ports, and maritime. 
(b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this program is to 
provide Federal investment in the demonstration of 
emerging technologies in small and mid-sized communities 
to achieve the purposes of the national transportation re-
search and development program described in section 
6503 of title 49, United States Code. Activities supported 
under this section may include data interoperability, mo-
bility-on-demand and micro-mobility projects to dem-
onstrate first-mile/last-mile transportation, and any other 
topics as determined by the Secretary. Where appropriate, 
joint interagency funding for projects is authorized to sup-
port multimodal projects. 
(c) ELIGIBILITY.—Eligible recipients of grants under 
this program include local transportation organizations 
and transit agencies serving a population of not more than 
250,000 individuals, including communities of economic 
hardship and communities that experience transportation 
equity and accessibility issues. 
(d) APPLICATION.— 
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(1) IN
GENERAL.—An organization seeking 
funding under this section shall submit an applica-
tion to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, 
and containing such information as the Secretary 
may require. 
(2) COLLABORATION.—Each application sub-
mitted under this section shall describe how that or-
ganization will collaborate, as appropriate, with in-
stitutions of higher education, State and local gov-
ernments, regional transportation organizations, 
nonprofit research organizations, and private sector 
entities. 
(e) AUTHORIZATION.—There is authorized to be ap-
propriated to carry out activities under this section 
$30,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026. 
SEC. 213. ADVISORY COUNCIL ON TRANSPORTATION RE-
SEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—In consultation with the As-
sistant Secretary for Research and Technology, the Sec-
retary shall establish a surface transportation research 
and development advisory board. 
(b) DUTIES.—It shall be the duty of the advisory 
board to review and make recommendations to the Sec-
retary and the Assistant Secretary for Research and Tech-
nology for general policy for the Department’s surface 
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transportation research and development activities, its or-
ganization, its budget and its programs as they relate to 
national surface transportation policies. 
(c) MEMBERSHIP.—The Secretary shall appoint not 
less than 9 members from State transportation depart-
ments, local governments, nonprofit organizations, aca-
demia, and the private sector, a majority of whom shall 
be from institutions of higher education. 
(d) QUALIFICATIONS.—The persons appointed as 
members of the advisory board— 
(1) shall be experts in areas such as Federal 
transportation research and development, engineer-
ing, education, climate change, resilient transpor-
tation technologies; public-private partnerships; data 
science; information and communications tech-
nologies; and social, behavioral and economic 
sciences; 
(2) shall be selected solely on the basis of estab-
lished records of distinguished service; 
(3) shall not be employees of the Federal Gov-
ernment; and 
(4) shall represent multiple surface transpor-
tation modes and disciplines of legacy and emerging 
technologies, materials, and processes. 
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(e) REPORT.—The advisory board established in this 
section shall make publicly available a biennial report of 
recommendations made by the advisory board to the Sec-
retary and the Assistant Secretary for Research and Tech-
nology and any such additional reports the advisory board 
deems necessary. 
SEC. 214. TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH AND DEVELOP-
MENT QUINQUENNIAL REVIEW AND STRA-
TEGIC PLAN. 
Section 6503 of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘The Sec-
retary’’ and inserting ‘‘For each 5-year period begin-
ning with fiscal year 2022, the Secretary’’; 
(2) in subsection (c)(1)— 
(A) in subparagraph (C), by striking the 
semicolon and inserting ‘‘and security in the 
transportation system;’’; and 
(B) by amending subparagraph (F) to read 
as follows: 
‘‘(F) developing and maintaining a diverse 
workforce in transportation sectors;’’; and 
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(3) in subsection (d)(4), by striking ‘‘not later 
than December 31, 2016,’’ and inserting ‘‘not later 
than December 31, 2022,’’. 
Æ 
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