WASHINGTON, D.C. – The United States Senate today passed the National Transportation Safety Board Reauthorization Act of 2006 (S. 3679), which was approved earlier this year by the Commerce Committee.  The bill reauthorizes NTSB appropriations for two years ($79.6 million in Fiscal Year ‘07 and $84.4 million in Fiscal Year ’08) and was introduced by Senator Conrad Burns, the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Aviation, and Senator Rockefeller, the Ranking Member on the Subcommittee on Aviation.

 The bill requires the NTSB to develop a plan, to be implemented within two years of enactment, for the NTSB Academy to achieve self-sufficiency and fully utilize the Academy’s resources and facilities.  It also requires the Board to annually submit to Congress a list of accidents the Board was required to investigate but did not, as well as a list of ongoing investigations exceeding the time allotted by Board order.  

The bill establishes the position of a Managing Director that will appoint and supervise officers and employees, as well as fix the pay of all officers and employees.  The Managing Director will be appointed by the Chairman and subject to an approval process established by the Board.  The bill allows each Board member to appoint and supervise the employees in his or her immediate office.  It also sets up an investigation tracking system to be available to all Board members and also requires the Board to establish a process for members to review and comment on documents submitted to the President, Office of Management and Budget, or Congress.


The bill allows the Board to enter into agreements or contracts for investigations conducted under the Board’s general authority without regard to any provision of law requiring competition, only if necessary to expedite the investigation.  The NTSB is also permitted to use refunds and reimbursements that are received in a fiscal year subsequent to the year for which the funds were originally appropriated.

The Senate bill expands the DOT IG's ability to promote economy, efficiency, and effictiveness, and to prevent fraud and abuse at the NTSB.  While the general authority of the DOT IG over the NTSB is expanded, it does not include direct involvement or oversight over how specific accidents are investigated.  The bill also removes a requirement established in 2000 that the NTSB reimburse the DOT IG for costs associated with the review authority of the DOT IG, with the understanding that the DOT IG would be funded directly.

The bill requires Amtrak to submit to the NTSB, DOT, and DHS a plan for providing the NTSB and DOT a list of the names of passengers involved in train accidents and notifying their families appropriately.