[THE FOLLOWING TEXT FILE OF H.R. 2950 (ENROLLED BILL), PUB. L. 102-240,
105 STAT. 1914, WAS PURCHASED FROM THE GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. CHECK
FOR ACCURACY BEFORE QUOTING ANY TEXT.]
[Excerpts from the Intermodal Surface Transportation
Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA) - PL 102-240]
SEC. 6006. BUREAU OF TRANSPORTATION STATISTICS.
Chapter I of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the
end the following new section:
``Sec. 111. Bureau of Transportation Statistics
``(a) Establishment.-There is established in the Department of Transportation
a Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
``(b) Director.-
``(1) Appointment.-The Bureau shall be headed by a Director who shall
be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the
Senate.
``(2) Qualifications.-The Director shall be appointed from among individuals
who are qualified to serve as the Director by virtue of their training
and experience in the compilation and analysis of transportation statistics.
``(3) Reporting.-The Director shall report directly to the Secretary.
``(4) Term.-The term of the Director shall be 4 years. The term of the
first Director to be appointed shall begin on the 180th day after the date
of the enactment of this section.
``(c) Responsibilities.-The Director of the Bureau shall be responsible
for carrying out the following duties:
``(1) Compiling transportation statistics.-Compiling, analyzing, and
publishing a comprehensive set of transportation statistics to provide
timely summaries and totals (including industrywide aggregates and multiyear
averages) of transportationrelated information. Such statistics shall be
suitable for conducting costbenefit studies (including comparisons among
individual transportation modes and intermodal transport systems) and shall
include information on-
``(A) productivity in various parts of the transportation sector;
``(B) traffic flows;
``(C) travel times;
``(D) vehicle weights;
``(E) variables influencing traveling behavior, including choice of
transportation mode;
``(F) travel costs of intracity commuting and intercity trips;
``(G) availability of mass transit and the number of passengers served
by each mass transit authority;
``(H) frequency of vehicle and transportation facility _repairs and
other interruptions of transportation service;
``(I) accidents;
``(J) collateral damage to the human and natural environment; and
``(K) the condition of the transportation system.
``(2) Implementing longterm data collection program.-Establishing and
implementing, in cooperation with the modal administrators, the States,
and other Federal officials a comprehensive, longterm program for the collection
and analysis of data relating to the performance of the national transportation
system. Such program shall-
``(A) be coordinated with efforts to develop performance indicators
for the national transportation system undertaken pursuant to section 307(b)(3)
of title 23, United States Code;
``(B) ensure that data is collected under this subsection in a manner
which will maximize the ability to compare data from different regions
and for different time periods; and
``(C) ensure that data collected under this subsection is controlled
for accuracy and disseminated to the States and other interested parties.
``(3) Issuing guidelines.-Issuing guidelines for the collection of information
by the Department of Transportation required for statistics to be compiled
under paragraph (1) in order to ensure that such information is accurate,
reliable, relevant, and in a form that permits systematic analysis.
``(4) Coordinating collection of information.-Coordinating the collection
of information by the Department of Transportation required for statistics
to be compiled under paragraph (1) with related informationgathering activities
conducted by other Federal departments and agencies and collecting appropriate
data not elsewhere gathered.
``(5) Making statistics accessible.-Making the statistics published
under this subsection readily accessible.
``(6) Identifying information needs.-Identifying information that is
needed under paragraph (1) but which is not being collected, reviewing
such needs at least annually with the Advisory Council on Transportation
Statistics, and making recommendations to appropriate Department of Transportation
research officials concerning extramural and intramural _research programs
to provide such information.
``(d) Limitations on Statutory Construction.-Nothing in this section
shall be construed-
``(1) to authorize the Bureau to require any other department or agency
to collect data; or
``(2) to reduce the authority of any other officer of the Department
of Transportation to collect and disseminate data independently.
``(e) Prohibition on Certain Disclosures.-Information compiled by the
Bureau shall not be disclosed publicly in a manner that would reveal the
personal identity of any individual, consistent with the Privacy Act of
1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a), or to reveal trade secrets or allow commercial or
financial information provided by any person to be identified with such
person.
``(f) Transportation Statistics Annual Report.-On or before January
1, 1994, and annually thereafter, the Director shall transmit to the President
and Congress a Transportation Statistics Annual Report which shall include
information on items referred to in subsection (c)(1), documentation of
methods used to obtain and ensure the quality of the statistics presented
in the report, and recommendations for improving transportation statistical
information.
``(g) Performance of Functions of Director Pending Confirmation.-An
individual who, on the date of the enactment of this section, is performing
any function required by this section to be performed by the Director may
continue to perform such function until such function is undertaken by
the Director.''.
(b) Funding.-There shall be available from the Highway Trust Fund (other
than the Mass Transit Account) only for carrying out the amendment made
by subsection (a) $5,000,000 for fiscal year 1992, $10,000,000 for fiscal
year 1993, $15,000,000 per fiscal year for each of fiscal years 1994 and
1995, $20,000,000 for fiscal year 1996, and $25,000,000 for fiscal year
1997. Funds authorized by this subsection shall be available for obligation
in the same manner as if such funds were apportioned under chapter 1 of
title 23, United States Code.
(c) Conforming Amendment.-The analysis for chapter 1 of such title is
amended by adding at the end the following new items:
``Sec. 110. Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation.
``Sec. 111. Bureau of Transportation Statistics.''.
(d) Amendment to Title 5, U.S.C.-Section 5316 of title 5, United States
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
``Director, Bureau of Transportation Statistics.''.
SEC. 6007. ADVISORY COUNCIL ON TRANSPORTATION
STATISTICS.
(a) Establishment.-The Director of the Bureau of Transportation Statistics
shall establish an Advisory Council on Transportation Statistics.
(b) Function.-It shall be the function of the advisory council established
under this section to advise the Director of the Bureau of Transportation
Statistics on transportation statistics and analyses, including whether
or not the statistics and analysis disseminated by the Bureau of Transportation
Statistics are of high quality and are based upon the best available objective
information.
(c) Membership.-The advisory council established under this section
shall be composed of not more than 6 members appointed by the Director
who are not officers or employees of the United States and who (except
for 1 member who shall have expertise in economics and 1 member who shall
have expertise in statistics) have expertise in transportation statistics
and analysis.
(d) Applicability of Federal Advisory Committee Act.-The Federal Advisory
Committee Act shall apply to the advisory council established under this
section, except that section 14 of the Federal Advisory Committee Act shall
not apply to the Advisory Committee established under this section.
SEC. 6008. DOT DATA NEEDS.
(a) Study.-Not later than 1 year after the date of the establishment
of the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, the Secretary shall enter into
an agreement with the National Academy of Sciences to conduct a study on
the adequacy of data collection procedures and capabilities of the Department
of Transportation.
(b) Consultation.-The Secretary shall enter into the agreement under
subsection (a) in consultation with the Director of the Bureau of Transportation
Statistics.
(c) Contents.-The study under subsection (a) shall include an evaluation
of the Department of Transportation's data collection resources, needs,
and requirements and an assessment and evaluation of the systems, capabilities,
and procedures established by the Department to meet such needs and requirements,
including the following:
(1) Data collection procedures and capabilities.
(2) Data analysis procedures and capabilities.
(3) Ability of data bases to integrate with one another.
(4) Computer hardware and software capabilities.
(5) Information management systems, including the ability of information
management systems to integrate with one another.
(6) Availability and training of the personnel of the Department.
(7) Budgetary needs and resources of the Department for data collection.
(d) Report.-Not later than 18 months after the date of the agreement
under subsection (a), the National Academy of Sciences shall transmit to
Congress a report on the results of the study under this section, including
recommendations for improving the Department of Transportation's data collection
systems, capabilities, procedures, and analytical hardware and software
and recommendations for improving the Department's management information
systems.
SEC. 6013. STATE LEVEL OF EFFORT.
(a) Study.-Not later than 3 months after the date of the enactment of
this Act, the Secretary and the Director of the Bureau of Transportation
Statistics shall begin a comprehensive study of the most appropriate and
accurate methods of calculating State level of effort in funding surface
transportation programs.
(b) Contents.-The study under subsection (a) shall include collection
of data relating to State and local revenues collected and spent on surface
transportation programs. Such revenues include income from fuel taxes,
toll revenues (including bridge, tunnel, and ferry tolls), sales taxes,
general fund appropriations, property taxes, bonds, administrative fees,
taxes on commercial vehicles, and such other State and local revenue sources
as the Director of the Bureau considers appropriate.
(c) Report.-Not later than 9 months after the date of the enactment
of this Act, the Secretary and the Director of the Bureau shall transmit
to the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the
Committee on Public Works and Transportation of the House of Representatives
a report on the results of the study under this section, including recommendations
on the most appropriate measure of State level of effort in funding surface
transportation programs and comprehensive data, by State, on revenue sources
and amounts collected by States and local governments and devoted to surface
transportation programs.
SEC. 1098. ALLOCATION FORMULA STUDY.
(a) The General Accounting Office in conjunction with the Bureau of
Transportation Statistics created pursuant to title VI of this Act, shall
conduct a thorough study and recommend to the Congress within 2 years after
the date of the enactment of this Act a fair and equitable apportionment
formula for the allocation of Federalaid highway funds that best directs
highway funds to the places of greatest need for highway maintenance and
enhancement based on the extent of these highway systems, their present
use, and increases in their use.
(b) The results of this study shall be presented to the Senate Committee
on Environment and Public Works and the House Committee on Public Works
and Transportation on or before January 1, 1994, and shall be considered
by these committees as they reauthorize the surface transportation program
in 1996.
SEC. 5002. DUTIES OF SECRETARY; OFFICE OF INTERMODALISM.
(a) Duties of Secretary.-Section 301 of title 49, United States Code
(relating to leadership, consultation and cooperation), is amended by redesignating
paragraphs (3) through (7) as paragraphs (4) through (8), respectively,
and by inserting after paragraph (2) the following new paragraph:
``(3) coordinate Federal policy on intermodal transportation and initiate
policies to promote efficient intermodal transportation in the United States;''.
(b) Intermodal Transportation Advisory Board.
(1) Establishment.-There shall be established within the Office of the
Secretary an Intermodal Transportation Advisory Board.
(2) Membership.-The Intermodal Transportation Advisory Board shall consist
of the Secretary, who shall serve as Chairman, and the Administrator, or
his or her designee, of-
(A) the Federal Highway Administration;
(B) the Federal Aviation Administration;
(C) the Maritime Administration;
(D) the Federal Railroad Administration; and
(E) the Federal Transit Administration.
(3) Functions.-The Intermodal Transportation Advisory Board shall provide
recommendations for carrying out the responsibilities of the Secretary
described in section 301(3) of title 49, United States Code.
(c) Office of Intermodalism.-
(1) Establishment.-The Secretary shall establish within the Office of
the Secretary an Office of Intermodalism.
(2) Director.-The Office shall be headed by a Director who shall be
appointed by the Secretary not later than 6 months after the date of the
enactment of this Act.
(3) Function.-The Director shall be responsible for carrying out the
responsibilities of the Secretary described in section 301(3) of title
49, United States Code.
(4) Intermodal transportation data base.-The Director shall develop,
maintain, and disseminate intermodal transportation data through the Bureau
of Transportation Statistics. The Director shall coordinate the collection
of data for the data base with the States and metropolitan planning organizations.
The data base shall include-
(A) information on the volume of goods and number of people carried
in intermodal transportation by relevant classification;
(B) information on patterns of movement of goods and people carried
in intermodal transportation by relevant classification in terms of origin
and destination; and
(C) information on public and private investment in intermodal transportation
facilities and services.
The Director shall make information from the data base available to
the public.
(5) Research.-The Director shall be responsible for coordinating Federal
research on intermodal transportation in accordance with the plan developed
pursuant to section 6009(b) of this Act and for carrying out additional
research needs identified by the Director.
(6) Technical assistance.-The Director shall provide technical assistance
to States and to metropolitan planning organizations for urban areas having
a population of 1,000,000 or more in collecting data relating to intermodal
transportation in order to facilitate the collection of such data by such
States and metropolitan planning organizations.
(7) Administrative and clerical support.-The Director shall provide
administrative and clerical support to the Intermodal Transportation Advisory
Board.
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