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[From Thomas, a service of the U.S. Congress through its Library.
Check for accuracy before citing or quoting.]
[Omissions are indicated by ellipses: "* * * * *"]
42 275 cc
Calendar No. 121
105 th Congress
Report
SENATE
1st Session
105 55
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND RELATED AGENCIES
APPROPRIATIONS BILL,
1998
July 22, 1997--Ordered to be printed
Mr. Shelby, from the Committee on Appropriations, submitted the
following
REPORT
[To accompany S. 1048]
The Committee on Appropriations reports the bill (S. 1048) making
appropriations for the Department of Transportation and related agencies
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1998, and for other purposes,
reports favorably thereon and recommends that the bill do pass.
* * * * *
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY
* * * * *
TRANSPORTATION PLANNING, RESEARCH, AND DEVELOPMENT
* * * * *
The Committee has reduced the administration's request by $1,608,000.
The recommended level includes $300,000 for reimbursement to the Bureau
of Transportation Statistics [BTS] for services provided by the Office
of Aviation Information. These funds should be tendered to BTS in the
first quarter of the fiscal year to assist BTS in defraying the costs of
providing these and other services to OST.
* * * * *
BUREAU OF TRANSPORTATION STATISTICS
Appropriations, 1997 ...........................($25,000,000)
Budget estimate, 1998 ...........................(31,000,000)
Committee recommendation ...........................
(By transfer, highway trust fund) (25,000,000)
The Bureau of Transportation Statistics [BTS] was established in
section 6006 of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act
[ISTEA], to compile, analyze, and make accessible information on the
Nation's transportation systems, collect information on intermodal
transportation, and enhance the quality and effectiveness of the
statistical programs of the Department of Transportation. Financing of
BTS operations is authorized as contract authority out of the highway
trust fund, by transfer from the Federal-aid highways program, and is
subject to the obligations limitation on that program. For fiscal year
1998, a funding level of $31,000,000 is proposed for BTS programs in the
administration's NEXTEA reauthorization proposal.
The Committee recommends a transfer of $25,000,000 from Federal
Highway Administration highway trust funds, for continued BTS program
activities at the fiscal year 1997 enacted level. BTS offices include
the Director, Statistical Programs and Services, Transportation Studies,
and the Office of Aviation Information [OAI]. In addition, effective
January 1, 1996, the responsibility to collect motor carrier financial
data was transferred to the BTS after the sunset of the Interstate
Commerce Commission.
The Office of Aviation Information collects and compiles financial
and traffic (passenger and cargo) data. This information provides the
Government with uniform and comprehensive economic and market data on
individual airline operations. This program includes a small field
office located in Anchorage, AK, which provides consumers and the
Government with airline data related to essential air service and the
intra-Alaskan mail rate program. The statistical aviation data compiled
by OAI includes: airline passenger traffic statistics, ontime
performance data by carrier, financial performance and certification
data, fuel purchase and consumption, and other business and consumer
directed statistics. These statistics are vitally important to the
Federal Government and the aviation industry. In some cases, it is
statutorily required that these statistics be used by the Federal
Aviation Administration and the Office of the Secretary of
Transportation in allocation of trust funds, aviation bilateral
negotiations, and other Federal transportation policy decisionmaking.
Earlier in this report, the Office of the Secretary is directed to
tender BTS $300,000 in the first quarter of 1998 in reimbursement for
OAI statistical support.
Reauthorization issues .--The Committee encourages the BTS Director
to identify potential fiscal year 1998 carryover funds, in order to
ensure continued Bureau operations in the event that there is no enacted
ISTEA reauthorization before the new fiscal year begins.
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