Teacher:In this task, you are given text for US Congressional and California state bills, your task is to generate a summary for this bill.
Teacher: Now, understand the problem? Solve this instance: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ''National High Performance Passenger
Rail Transportation-Oriented Development Act of 2012''.

SEC. 2. TRANSPORTATION-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE.

(a) Establishment.--The Secretary of Transportation (in this Act
referred to as the ''Secretary'') shall establish an initiative to
promote passenger rail operations and transportation-oriented
development by creating incentives for communities to encourage
dedicated revenue sources for urban and regional rail corridor
development.
(b) Implementation.--The Secretary shall appoint a Planning
Developer to oversee implementation of this initiative. The Planning
Developer shall report to the Secretary.
(c) Coordinating Committee.--The Secretary shall harmonize planning
requirements and direct coordination and administration of the
initiative between the Federal Railroad Administration and the Federal
Transit Administration. The Secretary shall appoint a Transportation-
Oriented Development Coordinating Committee composed of the Planning
Developer as Chair, the Administrator of the Federal Railroad
Administration, and the Administrator of the Federal Transit
Administration.

SEC. 3. FEDERAL INCENTIVES.

(a) Qualified Projects.--
(1) Criteria.--The Secretary shall establish criteria for
the designation of projects qualified for Federal incentives
pursuant to this section and the amendments made by this
section.
(2) Types of projects that may qualify.--Projects that may
qualify for Federal incentives pursuant to this section and the
amendments made by this section are those that contribute to
the generation of revenue by the capture of increasing value
from development around station areas, as defined by the
Secretary, which are likely to make long-term contributions to
rail corridor development funds or similar mechanisms that help
finance intercity and urban passenger rail infrastructure or
operating expenses. Such commercial development or other
projects designated as qualified by the Secretary may generate
revenue for transportation-oriented development and rail
operations in the region by increasing the tax base, promoting
job growth, promoting cost effectiveness, facilitating
intermodal connectivity, combining congestion relief with
station development, stimulating economic development, or any
other appropriate means. The capture of increased value shall
be through the establishment of special assessment districts or
similar mechanisms, and distribution of revenues shall be
through rail corridor development funds or similar mechanisms
established within the regions.
(3) Designated coordinating authority.--The Secretary shall
designate a State authority, or regional commission in
appropriate regions of the country as defined by the Secretary,
that petitions the Secretary to participate in the initiative
established under section 2. Such designated entity shall
provide for coordination among stakeholders, local governments,
and private developers in the defined region, and shall endorse
each project of, and be the lead party in, an application for
Federal incentives pursuant to this section and the amendments
made by this section.
(b) Railroad Rehabilitation Improvement Financing.--Section 502 of
the Railroad Revitalization and Regulatory Reform Act of 1976 (45
U.S.C. 822) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)--
(A) by striking ''and'' at the end of paragraph
(5);
(B) by striking the period at the end of paragraph
(6) and inserting ''; and''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following new
paragraph:
''(7) persons conducting a qualified project (as defined in
section 8 of the National High Performance Passenger Rail
Transportation-Oriented Development Act of 2012).''; and
(2) in subsection (b)(1)--
(A) by striking ''and'' at the end of subparagraph
(B);
(B) by striking the period at the end of
subparagraph (C) and inserting ''; or''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following new
subparagraph:
''(D) conduct a qualified project (as defined by
the Secretary under section 3 of the National High
Performance Passenger Rail Transportation-Oriented
Development Act of 2012.''.
(c) Transportation Infrastructure Finance.--Section 601(a)(8) of
title 23, United States Code, is amended--
(1) by striking ''and'' at the end of subparagraph (C);
(2) by striking the period at the end of subparagraph (D)
and inserting ''; and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
''(E) a qualified project (as defined by the
Secretary under section 3 of the National High
Performance Passenger Rail Transportation-Oriented
Development Act of 2012).''.
(d) Application Priority.--In general, Federal applications to the
Federal Railroad Administration and Federal Transit Administration for
railroad projects that participate in the transportation-oriented
development program under this Act shall receive a priority for funding
in the application decision process.
(e) Administrative Costs.--For administrative costs to carry out
this Act, including contracting with and support for the Planning
Developer and transportation-oriented development initial
administrative costs of the Federal Railroad Administration and Federal
Transit Administration for the first 5 years, the Secretary may use
such funds as necessary which are appropriated for carrying out chapter
6 of title 23, United States Code.
(f) Revenue Neutral Program Cost.--The Secretary may establish a
mechanism whereby amounts used under subsection (e) will be repaid to
the Secretary for use in carrying out chapter 6 of title 23, United
States Code. Repayment shall be derived from a small fee to all
recipients of funding provided under subsection (e). The repayment
shall commence upon substantial completion of qualified projects.

SEC. 4. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.

(a) National Technical Assistance.--The program established under
this Act shall provide technical assistance to the States with respect
to--
(1) identification of transportation-oriented development
opportunities;
(2) establishment of special assessment districts in
regions;
(3) establishment of rail corridor development funds; and
(4) expediting Federal, State, and local regulatory
approvals.
(b) States and Regions Outside the Northeast Corridor.--The
Secretary, through the initiative established by this Act, shall
provide technical assistance to the States and regions outside the
Northeast Corridor as identified by the Secretary, and shall provide--
(1) technical assistance on the establishment of Regional
Advisory Committees appropriate to carrying out the purposes of
this Act at the regional level; and
(2) technical assistance at the request of a State or
qualified entity provided by the Planning Developer that will
identify stations and potential stations within a given region,
and conduct a preliminary survey of property available and
potentially available, to maximize development and commercial
revenue generation to financially support the development of a
high performance rail passenger corridor.
(c) Northeast Corridor.--The Secretary, through the initiative
established under this Act, shall provide technical assistance to the
States and entities along the Northeast Corridor as identified by the
Secretary--
(1) on the establishment, by the Northeast Corridor
Infrastructure and Operations Advisory Commission established
under section 24905 of title 49, United States Code, of a
Northeast Corridor Transportation-Oriented Development Working
Group, which shall--
(A) include outside members with expertise in
transportation-oriented development;
(B) be chaired by the Planning Developer; and
(C) advise the Secretary and the Northeast Corridor
Infrastructure and Operations Advisory Commission on
the ways and means for carrying out the purposes of
this Act at the regional level; and
(2) technical assistance provided by the Planning Developer
to the Secretary and identified States and entities, not more
than one year after the date of enactment of this Act, that
will identify Northeast Corridor stations and potential
stations, and conduct a preliminary survey of property
available and potentially available, to maximize development
and commercial revenue generation to financially support the
creation of a true high-speed rail corridor in the Northeast
Corridor.
Student:
National High Performance Passenger Rail Transportation-Oriented Development Act of 2012 - Directs the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) to establish an initiative to promote passenger rail operations and transportation-oriented development by creating rail projects qualified for federal incentives for communities to encourage dedicated revenue sources for urban and regional rail corridor development.

Amends the Railroad Revitalization and Regulatory Reform Act of 1976 to direct the Secretary to provide direct loans and loan guarantees for qualified rail projects. Authorizes the Secretary to make secured loans, loan guarantees, or lines of credit for such projects.

Directs the Secretary to provide technical assistance to: (1) states to identify transportation-oriented development opportunities, (2) states and regions outside the Northeast Corridor to establish Regional Advisory Committees and identify stations and potential stations within the region to maximize development and commercial revenue generation to support financially the development of a high performance rail passenger corridor, and (3) states and entities along the Northeast Corridor to establish a Northeast Corridor Transportation-Oriented Development Working Group and identify Northeast Corridor stations and potential stations to maximize development and commercial revenue generation to support financially the creation of a true high-speed rail corridor in the Northeast Corridor.