lcalvobartolome/proxann_data huggingface dataset:
Topic: Transportation — Highways
Subject: Transportation and public works
Date: 2015-06-25 00:00:00

Future Transportation Research and Innovation for Prosperity Act or the Future TRIP Act

This bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to establish:

 an Automated and Connected Vehicle Research Initiative for the broad scale adoption of automated vehicle technology, and a competitively selected Intelligent Transportation Systems Science & Technology Center. The bill revises requirements for the university transportation centers program.

Each nonprofit institution of higher education (other than the lead nonprofit institution of higher education of a consortium of such institutions) may only submit to DOT one grant application per fiscal year to establish and operate a national, regional, or tier one university transportation center.

The Office of Science and Technology Policy of the Executive Office of the President shall convene an interagency working group to assist DOT in implementing a strategic research and development plan for DOT transportation research programs.

The bill reauthorizes, and revises requirements for, the technology and accelerated innovation deployment program.

In carrying out such program, DOT shall:

 establish workshops to promote innovations in highway transportation; and provide assistance in establishing regional, state, and local technology needs, such as through frameworks developed in the National Cooperative Highway Research Program Report 750. Certain amounts of a state's apportionment of federal-aid highway funds for state transportation planning and research shall be available for:

 travel for research and technology, and activities and training related to developing a culture of innovation and adoption of innovative technologies with respect to highway programs. The Bureau of Transportation Statistics shall establish:

 a Travel Data Initiative, and a pilot program to evaluate freight data collection and reporting measures. DOT shall establish a national cooperative freight transportation research program.

The bill reauthorizes, and revises requirements for, the program for commercial remote sensing products and spatial information technologies.
Topic: Transportation — Highways
Subject: Transportation and public works
Date: 2015-06-25 00:00:00

Autocycle Safety Act

This bill defines "autocycle" as a motor vehicle with three wheels, a fully enclosed occupant compartment, and a steering wheel, which is subject to applicable federal motor vehicle safety standards.

Specified interim automotive and motorcycle safety standards apply to autocycles until at most three years after enactment of this Act, by which time the Department of Transportation shall issue appropriate final rules, interpretations, and test procedures.

Automotive fuel standards also apply to autocyles.
Topic: Transportation — Highways
Subject: Transportation and public works
Date: 2015-06-25 00:00:00

This bill revises federal vehicle length limitations to prohibit states from prescribing or enforcing a regulation that imposes an overall length limitation of less than 82 feet on a towaway trailer transporter combination operating on any segment of the Dwight D. Eisenhower System of Interstate and Defense Highways and qualifying federal-aid primary system highways.

The bill defines "trailer transporter towing unit" as a power unit not used to carry property when operating in a towaway trailer transporter combination.

The bill defines "towaway trailer transporter combination" as a combination of vehicles consisting of a trailer transporter towing unit and two trailers or semitrailers:

 with a total weight not exceeding 26,000 pounds; and which carry no property and constitute inventory property of a manufacturer, distributor or dealer of such trailers or semitrailers.
Topic: Transportation — Highways
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2015-07-08 00:00:00

Highway Trust Fund Certainty Act 

This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) increase the current excise tax rates on gasoline and diesel fuel or kerosene and special fuels and to repeal the reversion of increased fuel tax rates to 4.3 cents per gallon after September 30, 2016, (2) make permanent the excise tax on certain alcohol fuels and fuels used in certain buses, (3) allow U.S. citizens a new tax credit after 2015 for the lesser of 3.1% of earned income or $133, and (4) allow additional appropriations to the Highway and Mass Transit Accounts of the Highway Trust Fund and provide for repayments from such Fund to the general fund of the Treasury for amounts advanced to such Fund.
Topic: Transportation — Highways
Subject: Transportation and public works
Date: 2015-07-13 00:00:00

Research of Alcohol Detection Systems for Stopping Alcohol-Related Fatalities Everywhere Act of 2015 or the ROADS SAFE Act of 2015

This bill directs the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to: (1) carry out a collaborative research effort to continue to explore the feasibility and the potential benefits of, and public policy challenges associated with, more widespread deployment of in-vehicle technology to prevent alcohol-impaired driving; and (2) report annually to Congress.
Topic: Transportation — Highways
Subject: Transportation and public works
Date: 2015-07-16 00:00:00

Correct the Safety Analysis Act

This bill permits the Department of Transportation (DOT), in determining the safety risk of a motor carrier under the Compliance, Safety, Accountability program, to attribute a crash to a motor carrier only if it determines that the carrier could have prevented the crash.

DOT: (1) shall use the safety data of a motor carrier developed under the program solely for internal purposes of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, including allocating resources to conduct audits and inspections of motor carriers; and (2) may not make the scores available to the public.
Topic: Transportation — Highways
Subject: Transportation and public works
Date: 2015-07-22 00:00:00

Safe Bridges Investment Act of 2015

This bill includes as a project eligible for funds apportioned to a state to carry out the National Highway Performance Program the construction, reconstruction, resurfacing, restoration, rehabilitation, and preservation of, or operational improvements for, a bridge not on the National Highway System if such bridge is on the Federal-aid Highway System.
Topic: Transportation — Highways
Subject: Transportation and public works
Date: 2015-07-28 00:00:00

Fair Action for Interstate Recovery Vehicles on Truck Operating Weights Act or the FAIR TOW Act

Exempts certain heavy-duty tow and recovery vehicles traveling on federal highways from federal vehicle weight limitations.
Topic: Transportation — Highways
Subject: Transportation and public works
Date: 2015-07-29 00:00:00

This bill authorizes the Department of Transportation to permit states to carry out bridge projects using previously allocated funds that have been identified as being excess or inactive. The projects may include operational improvements, capital and operating costs, environmental measures, and transportation control measures. The funds will remain available for three years after the year in which this bill is enacted.
Topic: Transportation — Highways
Subject: Transportation and public works
Date: 2015-09-10 00:00:00

Safe, Flexible, and Efficient Trucking Act of 2015

This bill allows a state to authorize a vehicle with a maximum gross weight (including enforcement tolerances) exceeding certain federal weight limitations to operate on Interstate Highway System routes in the state if:

 the vehicle is equipped with at least six axles, the weight of any single axle does not exceed 20,000 pounds, the weight of any tandem axle does not exceed 34,000 pounds, the weight of any group of 3 or more axles does not exceed 51,000 pounds, the gross weight of the vehicle does not exceed 91,000 pounds, and the vehicle complies with a specified bridge formula. The Department of Transportation may issue regulations necessary to require such a vehicle to include one item of additional equipment not otherwise required by law, but only if the equipment item is available at the time the rule is proposed.
Topic: Transportation — Highways
Subject: Transportation and public works
Date: 2015-09-11 00:00:00

Alisa's Law of 2015

 Directs the Department of Transportation to withhold specified graduated percentages of a state's apportionment of certain federal-aid highway funds for FY2017-FY2019 if the state has not enacted and is not enforcing a law requiring the installation of an ignition interlock device for a minimum of 180 days on each motor vehicle operated by an individual convicted of driving while intoxicated or driving under the influence.

Defines "driving while intoxicated" and "driving under the influence" as driving or being in actual physical control of a motor vehicle while having a blood alcohol concentration greater than or equal to the lesser of:

 the blood alcohol concentration limit of the state in which the individual is driving, or 0.08%. Requires an ignition interlock device to:

 require a driver to provide a breath sample before the motor vehicle starts, and prevent a motor vehicle from starting if the alcohol concentration of the driver is above the legal limit.
Topic: Transportation — Highways
Subject: Transportation and public works
Date: 2015-09-17 00:00:00

Safe Roads Act of 2015

This bill directs the Department of Transportation to prescribe minimum motor vehicle safety standards requiring commercial motor vehicles to be equipped with a forward collision avoidance and mitigation braking system.

The term "forward collision avoidance and mitigation braking system" means a system on a motor vehicle that:

 alerts the driver of an obstacle; and if necessary to avoid or mitigate a collision with the obstacle, automatically applies the vehicle's brakes.
Topic: Transportation — Highways
Subject: Transportation and public works
Date: 2015-10-06 00:00:00

This bill modifies the existing authority for the Starr-Camargo Bridge Company to maintain and operate a toll bridge across the Rio Grande River near Rio Grande City, Texas.

The authority, which currently expires 66 years after completion of the bridge, is made permanent and expanded to include the successors or assigns of the company. The bridge must not consist of more than 14 lanes.

The company and its successors and assigns may use eminent domain to acquire certain land needed for the bridge, subject to Texas laws and requirements for just compensation and public proceedings.
Topic: Transportation — Highways
Subject: Transportation and public works
Date: 2015-10-08 00:00:00

Highway Exceptions for Ranchers' Deliveries Act of 2015

This bill authorizes a state to allow, by special permit, the operation of vehicles with a gross vehicle weight of up to 95,000 pounds for the hauling of livestock. The cost of such permit may not exceed $200 per year for a livestock trailer.
Topic: Transportation — Highways
Subject: Transportation and public works
Date: 2015-10-09 00:00:00

Veterans' Expanded Trucking Opportunities Act

This bill authorizes a qualified Department of Veterans Affairs physician to perform a medical examination and provide a medical certificate for purposes of compliance with medical standards and guidelines for the physical qualifications of operators of commercial motor vehicles. Such an operator is a veteran who is enrolled in the veterans' health care system and had a valid medical certificate prior to May 21, 2014.

The certification shall include a statement that the physical condition of the operator is adequate to enable such operator to operate a commercial motor vehicle safely.
Topic: Transportation — Highways
Subject: Transportation and public works
Date: 2015-10-09 00:00:00

Integrated Transportation and Economic Development Act

This bill: (1) adds as a new goal of the federal-aid highway program to improve road conditions in economically distressed urban communities and increase access to jobs, markets, and economic opportunities for people who live in such communities; (2) requires the Department of Transportation to establish measures for states to use to assess the conditions, accessibility, and reliability of roads in such communities; and (3) requires each state to set performance targets that reflect such measures.
Topic: Transportation — Highways
Subject: Transportation and public works
Date: 2015-10-16 00:00:00

Drunk Driving Repeat Offender Prevention Act of 2015

 Directs the Department of Transportation to withhold specified graduated percentages of a state's apportionment of certain federal-aid highway funds for FY2018-FY2020 if the state has not enacted and is not enforcing a law requiring the installation of an ignition interlock device for a minimum of 180 days on each motor vehicle operated by an individual convicted of driving while intoxicated or driving under the influence.

Defines "driving while intoxicated" and "driving under the influence" as driving or being in actual physical control of a motor vehicle while having a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08% or greater.

Requires an ignition interlock device to:

 require a driver to provide a breath sample before the motor vehicle starts, and prevent a motor vehicle from starting if the alcohol concentration of the driver is above the legal limit. Authorizes reduction of the 180-day period to 90 days if:

 the driver's license is suspended for a minimum of 180 days as a result of the conviction, and the period for installation of an ignition interlock device begins after the last day of the suspension.
Topic: Transportation — Highways
Subject: Transportation and public works
Date: 2015-10-20 00:00:00

Protect Riders of Metrorail Public Transportation Act of 2015

This bill authorizes the Department of Transportation (DOT), in carrying out the public transportation safety program, to:

 conduct inspections, investigations, audits, examinations, and testing of the equipment, facilities, rolling stock, and operations of the public transportation system of a recipient of financial assistance; make reports and issue directives with respect to the safety of a recipient's system; subpoena and depose any employee of a recipient or of a state safety oversight agency, subject to certain administrative requirements, in conjunction with an accident investigation or an investigation into a pattern or practice of conduct negatively affecting public safety; and investigate public transportation accidents and incidents and provide guidance to recipients regarding their prevention. DOT may also administer state safety oversight activities for a rail fixed guideway system operating in more than two states, if the state safety oversight agency overseeing the system has become incapable of providing adequate safety oversight, until the states involved develop a state safety oversight program that DOT certifies as meeting specified criteria.
Topic: Transportation — Highways
Subject: Transportation and public works
Date: 2015-10-21 00:00:00

Trees on the Interstate Means a Better Economy and Roads Act of 2015 or the TIMBER Act of 2015

This bill directs the Department of Transportation to waive certain Interstate Highway System vehicle weight limitations for covered logging vehicles.

The bill defines "covered logging vehicle" to mean a vehicle that:

 is transporting raw or unfinished forest products, including logs, pulpwood, biomass, or wood chips; has a gross vehicle weight of not more than 98,000 pounds; has at least 6 axles; and is operating on a segment of Interstate Route 39 in Wisconsin from mile marker 175.8 to mile marker 189.
Topic: Transportation — Highways
Subject: Transportation and public works
Date: 2015-10-21 00:00:00

Mobility, Opportunity, and Vocation Enabling Act or the MOVE Act

This bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to issue regulations necessary to establish performance measures relating to multimodal transportation connectivity and accessibility for states and metropolitan planning organizations to use to assess the connectivity and accessibility of roadways, public transit infrastructure, pedestrian and bikeway infrastructure, and other transportation infrastructure.

Such performance measures must include ones to assess specified transportation accessibility factors with respect to the general population as well as disadvantaged populations (low-income or minority populations and people with disabilities).

A metropolitan planning organization shall coordinate selection of multimodal transportation accessibility performance targets with the relevant state and public transportation providers to ensure consistency with the performance measures DOT shall require under this bill.
Topic: Transportation — Highways
Subject: Transportation and public works
Date: 2015-10-21 00:00:00

Young Adults Driving Safety Act of 2015

This bill directs the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to award competitive grants of up to $100,000 to non-profit organizations, tribal governments, or educational institutions to develop model programs to assist young adults with obtaining or regaining driver's licenses.

A recipient may use grant funds to:

 conduct a comprehensive assessment of the driver's licensing status of young adults in the neighborhoods to be served; develop and implement strategies to address licensing deficits and barriers faced by young adults and disconnected youth (low-income young adults who are homeless, are in foster care, have come into contact with the juvenile justice or criminal justice system, are not employed and not enrolled in school, or are at risk of dropping out of an educational institution) in obtaining a driver's license; study the impact of state and local driver's license suspensions and revocation policies on young adults in the areas to be served; identify potential sources of funding for high school driver's education programs; develop innovative and cost-effective strategies for preparing young adults for legal driving; and evaluate the effectiveness of the funded grant activities in achieving the program goals. The Department of Transportation (DOT) shall give priority to entities proposing programs to assist low-income young adults with obtaining or regaining driver's licenses.

Statewide efforts to improve traffic safety for teen drivers, for which states may use DOT-approved highway safety program funds, shall include peer-to-peer education and prevention strategies in schools and communities designed to support teen driving education and driving skills improvement.
Topic: Transportation — Highways
Subject: Transportation and public works
Date: 2015-10-22 00:00:00

Broadband Conduit Deployment Act of 2015

This bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to require states to evaluate the need for broadband conduit (fiber optic cables that support broadband or wireless facilities for broadband service) as part of any covered highway construction project (a project to construct a new highway or an additional lane or paved shoulder for an existing highway that receives funding under federal-aid highway provisions), in consultation with telecommunications providers. If the evaluation reveals a need in the next 15 years for broadband conduit beneath hard surfaces to be constructed by the project, the conduit shall be installed.

DOT shall establish standards to carry out installation requirements that consider:

 the ability to accommodate broadband installation without impacting the safety, operations, and maintenance of the highway facility, its users, or others; population density in the area; the type of highway involved; and existing broadband access in the area. DOT shall ensure that:

 an appropriate number of broadband conduits are installed along such highway to accommodate multiple broadband providers, the size of conduit is consistent with industry best practices and sufficient to accommodate potential demand, hand holes and manholes for fiber access and pulling such conduit are placed at intervals consistent with industry best practices, installed conduit includes a pull tape and is capable of supporting fiber optic cable placement techniques consistent with industry best practices, installed conduit is placed at a depth consistent with industry best practices and cable separation requirements of electrical codes, and any requesting broadband provider has access to each broadband conduit installed on a competitively neutral and nondiscriminatory basis for a charge not to exceed a cost-based rate. DOT may waive the requirements of this Act upon determining that the waiver is appropriate based upon:

 a showing of undue burden, a determination that the installation of conduit beneath hard surfaces is not necessary based on the availability of existing broadband infrastructure, or a cost-benefit analysis.
Topic: Transportation — Highways
Subject: Transportation and public works
Date: 2015-10-22 00:00:00

Design-Build Incentive Act of 2015

This bill directs the Department of Transportation, in selecting surface transportation projects and other infrastructure projects eligible for federal assistance under the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act and the Safe Accountable Flexible Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), to give preference to applicants who demonstrate that a project will achieve cost efficiencies through the use of innovative project development, finance, operations, or delivery methods, such as design-build.
Topic: Transportation — Highways
Subject: Transportation and public works
Date: 2015-11-02 00:00:00

This bill directs the Department of Transportation to allocate the funds made available to the territories each fiscal year under the territorial highway program according to quantifiable measures that are indicative of the surface transportation requirements of each of the territories, which may include the use of population, land area, or roadway mileage measures.
Topic: Transportation — Highways
Subject: Transportation and public works
Date: 2015-11-03 00:00:00

Driver Accountability and Accident Prevention (DAAP) Act of 2015

This bill increases civil and criminal penalties for violations of:

 commercial motor vehicle safety regulations (except those for minimum financial responsibility for transporting passengers or property); and requirements for motor carrier employee qualifications and maximum hours of service, and safety and equipment standards. The Department of Transportation shall disqualify for one year, for a first violation, or for life, for second and multiple violations, anyone who has operated a commercial motor vehicle the individual knew, or reasonably should have known, had a defect that resulted in a fatality.
Topic: Transportation — Highways
Subject: Transportation and public works
Date: 2015-11-16 00:00:00

Distracted Driving Education Act of 2015

This bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to establish a distracted driving education grant program under which DOT may make a competitive grant to a nonprofit organization to provide education to the public regarding the risks of distracted driving.
Topic: Transportation — Highways
Subject: Transportation and public works
Date: 2015-11-17 00:00:00

Open Fuel Act of 2015 

 This bill requires each fleet of a manufacturer of passenger automobiles (including light-duty motor vehicles) to comprise at least:

 30% qualified vehicles in model year 2018, and 50% qualified vehicles in model year 2019 and each subsequent year. A "qualified vehicle" is:

 a vehicle that operates on natural gas, hydrogen, or biodiesel; a flexible fuel vehicle capable of operating on gasoline, E85, and M85; a plug-in electric drive vehicle; or a vehicle propelled solely by fuel cell or by something other than an internal combustion engine. The bill authorizes a manufacturer to request an exemption from such requirement from the Department of Transportation.