I 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2569 
To reauthorize surface transportation research, development, and technology 
transfer activities, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 21, 2009 
Mr. WU (for himself, Mr. GORDON of Tennessee, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHN-
SON of Texas, Mr. LIPINSKI, and Mr. CARNAHAN) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science and Tech-
nology 
A BILL 
To reauthorize surface transportation research, development, 
and technology transfer activities, 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. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) A comprehensive and coordinated research 
agenda is required to guide all Department of 
Transportation research, development, and tech-
nology transfer programs on the focus areas of liv-
ability, sustainability, and performance for the sur-
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face transportation system. The Department cur-
rently lacks a research, development, and technology 
transfer strategic plan with quantifiable goals, ex-
pected outcomes, implementation strategies, and per-
formance measures. 
(2) The surface transportation sector contrib-
utes 28 percent of the total United States carbon 
emissions. To mitigate the impact of the surface 
transportation sector on the climate, the Depart-
ment’s Office of Climate Change and Environment 
should increase research efforts on effective strate-
gies to reduce emissions from surface transportation 
infrastructure. 
(3) Coordinated research and technology trans-
fer on pavement and paving practices is essential to 
developing roads that are more durable, consume 
less energy in construction and maintenance, and 
are less disruptive to the environment. 
(4) Technology transfer is an integral part of 
research and engineering. Additional efforts are re-
quired to ensure that successful research results are 
deployed to the field. 
(5) The University Transportation Center 
(UTC) program conducts important research and 
trains future transportation professionals. However, 
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the system could be better integrated into the De-
partment of Transportation research and develop-
ment activities. 
SEC. 2. STRATEGIC PLAN. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator shall develop 
annually a comprehensive strategic plan to guide surface 
transportation research, development, and technology 
transfer activities within and funded by the Department 
for the 3-year period beginning with the upcoming fiscal 
year. Such strategic plan shall include— 
(1) the focus areas of national importance that 
such activities will address, including community liv-
ability, sustainability, and performance measures for 
transportation systems; 
(2) quantifiable goals, expected outcomes, im-
plementation strategies, timetables, and performance 
measures for each such focus area; 
(3) the identification of stakeholders and their 
role in identifying research needs and priorities; and 
(4) specific activities for technology transfer 
and the application and utilization of research re-
sults. 
(b) SUBMISSION.—Beginning with the first submis-
sion after the date of enactment of this Act of the Presi-
dent’s annual budget request to Congress, and annually 
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thereafter, the Administrator shall submit to the appro-
priate congressional committees the strategic plan devel-
oped under subsection (a) and shall make such plan avail-
able to the public on the Administration’s Web site. 
SEC. 3. UTC PROGRAM MANAGEMENT. 
(a) REVIEW PROCESS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator shall de-
velop and execute a review process to assess the per-
formance of each UTC. 
(2) REVIEW CRITERIA.—Not later than 1 year 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Adminis-
trator shall develop and make available to UTCs and 
the public the criteria that will be used in the review 
process under paragraph (1). Such criteria shall, at 
a minimum, be consistent with the performance 
measures identified in the strategic plan under sec-
tion 2. 
(3) TIMING.—The Administrator shall develop 
and execute the review process under paragraph (1) 
in such a manner that all UTCs are reviewed during 
a 3-year period with the number of UTCs being re-
viewed dispersed evenly throughout such period. 
(4) TRANSPARENCY.—The Administrator shall 
make results of the review process for each UTC 
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available to the public on the Administration’s Web 
site. 
(b) INTERNSHIP GRANT PROGRAM.—To carry out 
the objective of expanding the transportation-related sci-
entific and technical workforce, the Administrator may es-
tablish a grant program to fund internships for students 
participating in the UTC program at State departments 
of transportation, metropolitan planning organizations, 
and other appropriate organizations as identified by the 
Administrator. 
(c) REPORTS.— 
(1) ANNUAL.—The Administrator shall submit 
to the appropriate congressional committees and 
make available to the public on the Administration’s 
Web site an annual report on the UTC program, de-
tailing— 
(A) the activities of the UTCs during the 
previous year and how such activities reflect the 
priorities in the strategic plan; 
(B) the results of the reviews conducted 
during the previous year; 
(C) the progress of UTCs toward meeting 
the goals and performance measures identified 
in the strategic plan developed under section 2; 
and 
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(D) information about any grants awarded 
under subsection (b). 
(2) MATCHING
FUND
RECOMMENDATION.— 
Within 6 months after the date of enactment of this 
Act, the Administrator shall submit a report to the 
appropriate congressional committees with rec-
ommendations concerning the appropriate require-
ment under section 5506(j) of title 49, United 
States Code, for the Federal share of costs for ac-
tivities carried out using a grant awarded under sec-
tion 5506 of such title. 
(3) EXTENSION CENTERS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Within 6 months after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Adminis-
trator, in consultation with the Director of the 
National Institute of Standards and Tech-
nology, shall submit a report to Congress on 
how best to strengthen facilitation of transpor-
tation-related technology transfer, including 
through the potential establishment of transpor-
tation technology extension centers at UTCs. 
(B) CONTENTS.—In such report, the Ad-
ministrator shall— 
(i) assess the role of UTCs to enable 
workforce education in their regional 
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transportation communities and to pro-
mote the deployment and transfer of new 
transportation 
technology, 
tools, 
tech-
niques, and methods; and 
(ii) include an operational plan, iden-
tify the recipients of technical assistance 
provided by UTCs, and identify the needs 
of those recipients. 
SEC. 4. VISITING COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION RE-
SEARCH. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish a 
visiting committee on surface transportation research (in 
this Act referred to as the ‘‘Committee’’), which shall re-
view and make recommendations regarding the quality of 
the surface transportation research, development, and 
technology transfer activities being carried out by the De-
partment, including the development and execution of the 
strategic plan under section 2 and the coordination of such 
activities by the Administrator. 
(b) MEMBERSHIP.—The Committee shall be com-
posed of 15 members appointed by the Secretary. In mak-
ing such appointments, the Secretary shall— 
(1) consider recommendations submitted by the 
National Academies, professional societies, business 
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associations, labor associations, and other appro-
priate organizations; 
(2) to the extent practicable, ensure that mem-
bers do not have any conflicts of interest; 
(3) not appoint employees of the Federal Gov-
ernment; 
(4) ensure that members are eminent in rel-
evant fields, such as transportation research, trans-
portation engineering, product development, labor, 
education, transportation consulting, environment, 
or State or local government; and 
(5) select members to provide adequate rep-
resentation of a cross-section of— 
(A) surface transportation researchers, de-
cisionmakers at the State and local levels of 
government, transportation practitioners, and 
others in the transportation research, develop-
ment, and technology user community; and 
(B) expertise in the focus areas of national 
importance. 
(c) TERMS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Each member of the Com-
mittee shall be appointed for a term of 3 years, ex-
cept as provided in paragraphs (2) and (3). 
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(2) TERMS OF INITIAL APPOINTEES.—As des-
ignated by the Secretary at the time of appointment, 
of the members first appointed— 
(A) 5 members shall be appointed for a 
term of 1 year; 
(B) 5 members shall be appointed for a 
term of 2 years; and 
(C) 5 members shall be appointed for a 
term of 3 years. 
(3) VACANCIES.—Any member appointed to fill 
a vacancy occurring before the expiration of the 
term for which the member’s predecessor was ap-
pointed shall be appointed only for the remainder of 
such term. 
(4) ROTATION.—Any person who has completed 
2 consecutive full terms of service on the Committee 
shall thereafter be ineligible for appointment during 
the 1-year period following the expiration of the sec-
ond such term. 
(d) MEETINGS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Committee shall meet 
at least twice each year at the call of the Chair-
person and, in addition, whenever one-third of the 
members of the Committee so request in writing. 
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