Title: RTP Funding Transparency Act
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
RTP Funding Transparency Act
This bill requires the Department of Transportation to carry out an assessment of the best available estimate of the total amount of nonhighway recreational fuel taxes received by the Department of the Treasury and transferred to the Highway Trust Fund for the period covered by the assessment.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1527 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1527

 To require the Secretary of Transportation to conduct, and submit to 
Congress a report describing the results of, an assessment of the total 
amount of nonhighway recreational fuel taxes received by the Secretary 
  of the Treasury and transferred to the Highway Trust Fund, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 16, 2019

Ms. Klobuchar (for herself, Mr. Risch, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Burr, and Mr. 
  Van Hollen) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
       referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To require the Secretary of Transportation to conduct, and submit to 
Congress a report describing the results of, an assessment of the total 
amount of nonhighway recreational fuel taxes received by the Secretary 
  of the Treasury and transferred to the Highway Trust Fund, and for 
                            other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``RTP Funding Transparency Act''.

SEC. 2. NONHIGHWAY RECREATIONAL FUEL STUDY.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Highway trust fund.--The term ``Highway Trust Fund'' 
        means the Highway Trust Fund established by section 9503(a) of 
        the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
            (2) Nonhighway recreational fuel taxes.--The term 
        ``nonhighway recreational fuel taxes'' means taxes under 
        sections 4041 and 4081 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 
        with respect to fuel used in vehicles on recreational trails or 
        back country terrain (including vehicles registered for highway 
        use when used on recreational trails, trail access roads not 
        eligible for funding under title 23, United States Code, or 
        back country terrain).
            (3) Recreational trails program.--The term ``recreational 
        trails program'' means the recreational trails program under 
        section 206 of title 23, United States Code.
            (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Transportation.
    (b) Assessment; Report.--
            (1) Assessment.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
        enactment of this Act and not less frequently than once every 5 
        years thereafter, as determined by the Secretary, the Secretary 
        shall carry out an assessment of the best available estimate of 
        the total amount of nonhighway recreational fuel taxes received 
        by the Secretary of the Treasury and transferred to the Highway 
        Trust Fund for the period covered by the assessment.
            (2) Report.--After carrying out each assessment under 
        paragraph (1), the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on 
        Finance and Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the 
        Committees on Ways and Means and Transportation and 
        Infrastructure of the House of Representatives a report that 
        includes--
                    (A) a description of the results of the assessment 
                and an evaluation of whether the current recreational 
                trails program funding level reflects the amount of 
                nonhighway recreational fuel taxes collected and 
                transferred to the general fund of the Treasury and 
                transferred to the Highway Trust Fund, to assist 
                Congress in decisionmaking with respect to appropriate 
                funding levels for the recreational trails program;
                    (B) an evaluation of whether the current 
                recreational trails program funding level of each 
                participating State accurately reflects the 
                apportionment criteria described in section 133(h)(5) 
                of title 23, United States Code; and
                    (C) in the case of the first report submitted under 
                this paragraph, an estimate of the frequency with which 
                the Secretary anticipates carrying out the assessment 
                under paragraph (1), subject to the condition that such 
                an assessment shall be carried out not less frequently 
                than once every 5 years.
    (c) Consultation.--In carrying out an assessment under subsection 
(b)(1), the Secretary may consult with, as the Secretary determines to 
be appropriate--
            (1) the heads of--
                    (A) State agencies designated by Governors pursuant 
                to section 206(c)(1) of title 23, United States Code, 
                to administer the recreational trails program; and
                    (B) division offices of the Department of 
                Transportation;
            (2) the Secretary of the Treasury;
            (3) the Administrator of the Federal Highway 
        Administration; and
            (4) groups representing recreational activities and 
        interests, including hiking, biking and mountain biking, 
        horseback riding, water trails, snowshoeing, cross-country 
        skiing, snowmobiling, off-highway motorcycling, all-terrain 
        vehicles and other offroad motorized vehicle activities, and 
        recreational trail advocates.
    (d) Maintenance in Effect of Recreational Trails Program.--
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary, in 
consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, shall ensure that--
            (1) for fiscal year 2020 and each fiscal year thereafter, 
        the amount made available to carry out the recreational trails 
        program is equal to not less than the amount made available to 
        carry out the recreational trails program during fiscal year 
        2019; and
            (2) the recreational trails program shall be carried out as 
        a distinct program of the Department of Transportation, in 
        accordance with section 206 of title 23, United States Code.
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