I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3773 
To amend title 49, United States Code, relating to the authority of the 
Secretary of Transportation under the public transportation safety program. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 20, 2015 
Ms. NORTON (for herself, Ms. EDWARDS, and Mrs. COMSTOCK) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation 
and Infrastructure 
A BILL 
To amend title 49, United States Code, relating to the au-
thority of the Secretary of Transportation under the 
public transportation safety program. 
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 ‘‘Protect Riders of Met-
rorail Public Transportation Act of 2015’’. 
SEC. 2. FEDERAL SAFETY MANAGEMENT. 
Section 5329(f) of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(f) AUTHORITY OF SECRETARY.— 
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‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out this sec-
tion, the Secretary may— 
‘‘(A) conduct inspections, investigations, 
audits, examinations, and testing of the equip-
ment, facilities, rolling stock, and operations of 
the public transportation system of a recipient; 
‘‘(B) make reports and issue directives 
with respect to the safety of the public trans-
portation system of a recipient; 
‘‘(C) in conjunction with an accident inves-
tigation or an investigation into a pattern or 
practice of conduct that negatively affects pub-
lic safety, issue a subpoena to, and take the 
deposition of, any employee of a recipient or a 
State safety oversight agency, if— 
‘‘(i) before the issuance of the sub-
poena, the Secretary requests a determina-
tion by the Attorney General of the United 
States as to whether the subpoena will 
interfere with an ongoing criminal inves-
tigation; and 
‘‘(ii) the Attorney General— 
‘‘(I) determines that the sub-
poena will not interfere with an ongo-
ing criminal investigation; or 
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‘‘(II) fails to make a determina-
tion under clause (i) before the date 
that is 30 days after the date on 
which the Secretary makes a request 
under subparagraph (A); 
‘‘(D) require the production of documents 
by, and prescribe recordkeeping and reporting 
requirements for, a recipient or a State safety 
oversight agency; 
‘‘(E) investigate public transportation acci-
dents and incidents and provide guidance to re-
cipients regarding prevention of accidents and 
incidents; 
‘‘(F) at reasonable times and in a reason-
able manner, enter and inspect equipment, fa-
cilities, rolling stock, operations, and relevant 
records of the public transportation system of a 
recipient; and 
‘‘(G) issue rules to carry out this section. 
‘‘(2) ADDITIONAL AUTHORITY.— 
‘‘(A) If the Secretary finds that a State 
safety oversight agency that oversees a rail 
fixed guideway system operating in more than 
2 States has become incapable of providing ade-
quate safety oversight of such system, the Sec-
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retary may administer State safety oversight 
activities for such rail fixed guideway system 
until the States develop a State safety oversight 
program certified by the Secretary in accord-
ance with subsection (e) of this section. 
‘‘(B) To carry out administrative and over-
sight activities authorized by this paragraph, 
the Secretary may use— 
‘‘(i) grant funds apportioned to an eli-
gible State under subsection (e)(6) to de-
velop or carry out a State safety oversight 
program; and 
‘‘(ii) grant funds apportioned to an el-
igible State under subsection (e)(6) that 
have not been obligated within the admin-
istrative period of availability.’’. 
Æ 
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