An act to amend certain transportation-related reporting requirements to improve congressional oversight, reduce reporting burdens, and promote transparency, and for other purposes
PL 115-420 (S.3367), enacted 01/03/2019

132 STAT. 5444 
PUBLIC LAW 115–420—JAN. 3, 2019 
Public Law 115–420 
115th Congress 
An Act 
To amend certain transportation-related reporting requirements to improve congres-
sional oversight, reduce reporting burdens, and promote transparency, 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 ‘‘Department of Transportation 
Reports Harmonization Act’’. 
SEC. 2. PUBLIC AVAILABILITY OF CHARGES AND FEES FOR ATTEND-
ANCE AT UNITED STATES MERCHANT MARINE ACADEMY. 
Section 51314(b) of title 46, United States Code, is amended 
by striking ‘‘shall notify Congress of’’ and inserting ‘‘shall present 
at the next meeting of the Board of Visitors, and post on a publicly 
available website,’’. 
SEC. 3. PUBLIC AVAILABILITY OF INFORMATION ON ALIGNING FED-
ERAL ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEWS. 
Section 310(f)(1) of title 49, United States Code, is amended 
by inserting ‘‘, and make publicly available on the Department 
of Transportation website,’’ after ‘‘House of Representatives’’. 
SEC. 4. REPORTING ON THE NORTHEAST CORRIDOR. 
(a) NORTHEAST CORRIDOR SAFETY COMMITTEE REPORT.—Section 
24905(e) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by striking 
paragraph (3). 
(b) CONTENTS OF GRANT REQUESTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 24319(c) of title 49, United States 
Code, is amended— 
(A) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘; and’’ and inserting 
a semicolon; 
(B) in paragraph (3), by striking the period at the 
end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(4) describe the status of efforts to improve safety and 
security on the Northeast Corridor main line, including a 
description of any efforts to implement recommendations of 
relevant railroad safety advisory committees.’’. 
(2) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this subsection 
or an amendment made by this subsection shall affect a grant 
request made under section 24319 of title 49, United States 
Code, before the date of enactment of this Act. 
49 USC 24319 
note. 
Web posting. 
Web posting. 
49 USC 101 note. 
Department of 
Transportation 
Reports 
Harmonization 
Act. 
Jan. 3, 2019 
[S. 3367] 
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132 STAT. 5445 
PUBLIC LAW 115–420—JAN. 3, 2019 
SEC. 5. HIGHWAY SAFETY PROGRAMS REPORT TO CONGRESS. 
(a) DOT REPORTS.—Section 402 of title 23, United States Code, 
is amended by striking subsection (n) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(n) PUBLIC
TRANSPARENCY.—The Secretary shall publicly 
release on its website information that contains each State’s 
performance with respect to the State’s highway safety plan under 
subsection (k) and performance targets set by the States in such 
plans. Such information shall be posted on the website within 
45 calendar days of approval of a State’s highway safety plan.’’. 
(b) GAO REPORT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Comptroller General of the United 
States shall conduct a review of the highway safety programs 
under section 402 of title 23, United States Code. In carrying 
out the review, the Comptroller General shall review States’ 
progress in achieving safety performance targets, including how 
States are utilizing grants and problems encountered in 
achieving such targets. 
(2) SUBMISSION.—Not later than 2 years after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United 
States shall submit a report to the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation of the Senate and Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representa-
tives that contains the results of the study conducted under 
paragraph (1), including any recommendations for improve-
ments to State activities and the Secretary of Transportation’s 
administration of the highway safety programs. 
SEC. 6. CESSATION OF CERTAIN ADVISORY COUNCILS AND ADVISORY 
COMMITTEES. 
(a) 
NORTHEAST
CORRIDOR
SAFETY
COMMITTEE.—Section 
24905(e) of title 49, United States Code, as amended by this Act, 
is further amended by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(2) SUNSET.—The Committee established under this sub-
section ceases to exist on the date that the Secretary determines 
positive train control, as required by section 20157, is fully 
implemented along the Northeast Corridor.’’. 
(b) NATIONAL RAIL COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAM OVER-
SIGHT COMMITTEE.—Section 24910(c) of title 49, United States Code, 
is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(3) SUNSET.—The advisory board established under this 
subsection ceases to exist effective January 1, 2019.’’. 
SEC. 7. TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS TO RAIL IMPROVEMENT GRANTS. 
(a) REDESIGNATION.—Subtitle V of title 49, United States Code, 
is amended— 
(1) by redesignating sections 24401 through 24408 as sec-
tions 22901 through 22908, respectively; 
(2) by redesignating chapter 244 as chapter 229; 
(3) by moving chapter 229, as redesignated, to appear at 
the end of part B; 
(4) in the table of chapters— 
(A) by striking the item relating to chapter 244; and 
(B) by inserting after the item relating to chapter 
227 the following: 
‘‘Chapter 229. Rail Improvement Grants ...........................................................22901’’; 
and 
49 USC 
prec. 20101. 
49 USC 
prec. 22901. 
49 USC 
prec. 22901. 
Determination. 
Recommenda- 
tions. 
Review. 
Web posting. 
Deadline. 
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132 STAT. 5446 
PUBLIC LAW 115–420—JAN. 3, 2019 
(5) by amending the table of sections for chapter 229, 
as redesignated, to read as follows: 
‘‘CHAPTER 229—RAIL IMPROVEMENT GRANTS 
‘‘Sec. 
‘‘22901. Definitions. 
‘‘22902. Capital investment grants to support intercity passenger rail services. 
‘‘22903. Project management oversight. 
‘‘22904. Use of capital grants to finance first-dollar liability of grant project. 
‘‘22905. Grant conditions. 
‘‘22906. Authorization of appropriations. 
‘‘22907. Consolidated rail infrastructure and safety improvements. 
‘‘22908. Restoration and enhancement grants.’’. 
(b) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) TECHNICAL
AMENDMENTS.—Chapter 229 of title 49, 
United States Code, as redesignated, is amended— 
(A) in section 22902, as redesignated— 
(i) in subsection (c)(3)(A)— 
(I) in the matter preceding clause (i), by 
inserting ‘‘of’’ after ‘‘other modes’’; and 
(II) in clause (vi) by striking ‘‘environmentally’’ 
and inserting ‘‘environmental’’; and 
(ii) in subsection (k), by striking ‘‘state rail plan’’ 
and inserting ‘‘State rail plan’’; and 
(B) in section 22905(e)(1), as redesignated— 
(i) 
by 
striking 
‘‘government 
authority’’ 
and 
inserting ‘‘governmental authority’’; and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘section 5302(11) and (6), respec-
tively, of this title’’ and inserting ‘‘section 5302’’. 
(2) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Chapter 229 of title 49, 
United States Code, as redesignated, is amended— 
(A) in section 22901(2)(D), as redesignated, by striking 
‘‘24404’’ and inserting ‘‘22904’’; 
(B) in section 22904, as redesignated, by striking 
‘‘24402’’ and inserting ‘‘22902’’; 
(C) in section 22905(e)(1), as redesignated, by striking 
‘‘24102(4) of this title’’ and inserting ‘‘24102’’; 
(D) in section 22907, as redesignated— 
(i) in subsection (c)(2), by striking ‘‘24401(2)’’ and 
inserting ‘‘22901(2)’’; and 
(ii) in subsection (k), by striking ‘‘of sections 24402, 
24403, and 24404 and the definition contained in 
24401(1)’’ and inserting ‘‘under sections 22902, 22903, 
and 22904, and the definition contained in section 
22901(1)’’; and 
(E) in section 22908, as redesignated— 
(i) in subsection (a), in the matter preceding para-
graph (1), by striking ‘‘24401(1)’’ and inserting 
‘‘22901(1)’’; and 
(ii) in subsection (i)(3), by striking ‘‘24405’’ and 
inserting ‘‘22905’’. 
(3) ADDITIONAL CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
(A) SUBTITLE V.—Subtitle V of title 49, United States 
Code, is amended— 
(i) in part C— 
(I) in section 24102(7)(D)(ii), by striking 
‘‘chapter 244’’ and inserting ‘‘chapter 229’’; 
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132 STAT. 5447 
PUBLIC LAW 115–420—JAN. 3, 2019 
(II) in section 24103, by inserting ‘‘or chapter 
229’’ after ‘‘this part’’ each place it appears; 
(III) in section 24711(c)(3), by striking ‘‘24405’’ 
and inserting ‘‘22905’’; and 
(IV) in section 24911(i), by striking ‘‘24405’’ 
and inserting ‘‘22905’’; and 
(ii) in part D, in section 26106(e)(3), by striking 
‘‘24405 of this title’’ and inserting ‘‘22905’’. 
(B) RAILROAD
SAFETY
ENHANCEMENT
ACT
OF
2008.— 
The Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 
2008 (division B of Public Law 110–432) is amended— 
(i) in section 301(c) (49 U.S.C. 24405 note), by 
striking ‘‘24405(a)’’ and inserting ‘‘22905(a)’’; and 
(ii) in section 502(a)(4)(I) (49 U.S.C. 26106 note), 
by striking ‘‘24405’’ and inserting ‘‘22905’’. 
(C) 
FAST 
ACT.—The 
Fixing 
America’s 
Surface 
Transportation Act (Public Law 114–94; 129 Stat. 1312) 
is amended— 
(i) in section 11102, by adding at the end the 
following: 
‘‘(c) 
CONFORMING
PROVISION
FOR
REDESIGNATION
OF 
APPLICABLE SECTION.—Any amounts authorized under this section 
for grants or project management oversight under section 24407 
of such title shall be deemed to refer to grants or project manage-
ment oversight under section 22907 of such title on or after the 
date of enactment of the Department of Transportation Reports 
Harmonization Act.’’; 
(ii) in section 11104, by adding at the end the 
following: 
‘‘(c) 
CONFORMING
PROVISION
FOR
REDESIGNATION
OF 
APPLICABLE SECTION.—Any amounts authorized under this section 
for grants or project management oversight under section 24408 
of such title shall be deemed to refer to grants or project manage-
ment oversight under section 22908 of such title on or after the 
date of enactment of the Department of Transportation Reports 
Harmonization Act.’’; 
(iii) in section 11308(a)(4)(I), by striking ‘‘24405’’ 
and inserting ‘‘22905’’; and 
Effective date. 
Effective date. 
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132 STAT. 5448 
PUBLIC LAW 115–420—JAN. 3, 2019 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S. 3367: 
SENATE REPORTS: No. 115–390 (Comm. on Commerce, Science, and Transpor-
tation). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 164 (2018): 
Dec. 18, considered and passed Senate. 
Dec. 21, considered and passed House. 
(iv) in section 11401(b)(5), by striking ‘‘chapter 
244’’ and inserting ‘‘chapter 229’’. 
Approved January 3, 2019. 
49 USC 24407 
note. 
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