[Excepts of the House Report, H.R. 106-622. Omissions are indicated by ellipses: " * * * * *"] [From Thomas, a service of the U.S. Congress through its Library. Check for accuracy before citing or quoting.] ========================================================= 64 412 106 th Congress Report HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 2d Session 106-622 DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS BILL, 2001 May 17, 2000.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed Mr. Wolf , from the Committee on Appropriations, submitted the following REPORT together with ADDITIONAL VIEWS [To accompany H.R. 4475] The Committee on Appropriations submits the following report in explanation of the accompanying bill making appropriations for the Department of Transportation and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2001. * * * * * FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION SUMMARY OF FISCAL YEAR 2001 PROGRAM * * * * * National personal transportation survey .--The Committee has not provided the $4,750,000 under this heading for activities related to the national personal transportation survey. The Committee recognizes the need for such data and has included limited funds for this activity within funds provided for policy research and the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. * * * * * LIMITATION ON TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH Limitation, fiscal year 2000\1\ Budget request, fiscal year 2001\1\ Recommended in the bill ($437,250,000) xlBill compared with: Limitation, fiscal year 2000 (+437,250,000) Budget request, fiscal year 2001 (+437,250,000) \1\Resources available in fiscal year 2000 and requested in fiscal year 2001 are assumed within the federal-aid highways obligation limitation. This limitation controls spending for the transportation research and technology contract programs of the Federal Highway Administration. This limitation includes a number of contract programs including intelligent transportation systems, surface transportation research, technology deployment, training and education, and university transportation research. In the past, funding under this limitation was provided in part from the limitation on general operating expenses and from contract authority provided in permanent law. The recommendation includes an obligation limitation for transportation research of $437,250,000. This limitation is consistent with the provisions of TEA21 and mirrors the House-passed fiscal year 2000 Department of Transportation and Related Agencies appropriations bill. The Committee recommendation does not provide an additional $221,500,000 for research and technology programs requested in the budget to be funded from an increase in contract authority. TEA21 authorizes $437,250,000 in fiscal year 2001 for the following transportation research programs: Surface transportation research $98,000,000 Technology deployment program 45,000,000 Training and education 18,000,000 Bureau of transportation statistics 31,000,000 ITS standards, research, operational tests, and development 100,000,000 ITS deployment 118,000,000 University transportation research 27,250,000 437,250,000 * * * * * [Under Surface Transportation Research / Highway Research and Development] Policy research .--The policy research and technology program supports FHWA policy analysis and development, strategic planning, and technology development through research in data collection, management and dissemination; highway financing, investment analysis, and performance measurement; and enhancements to highway program contributions to economic productivity, efficiency, and other national goals. For fiscal year 2001, the Committee recommends $4,600,000 for policy research. For several years, the Committee has provided funds for the department's truck size and weight study, which has been financed primarily from FHWA's policy research budget. This study has been in draft format for several years and has received considerable criticism. The Committee's allowance does not include any funds to continue or revise this study. The Committee will reconsider the need for updating this study when debate over highway reauthorization legislation draws closer. This savings of $450,000 and the additional funds recommended above the fiscal year 2000 appropriation will allow continued work on the National Personal Transportation Survey, which is funded under this category and not under the limitation on administrative expense as requested by the FHWA. Because of budgetary constraints, the Committee has deleted funds for research cooperation with various international organizations and expects to be consulted before future international agreements that are likely to require financial support are consummated. * * * * * Highway operations and asset management .--The highway operations research program is designed to develop, deliver and deploy advanced technologies and administrative methods to provide pavement and bridge durability, and to reduce construction and maintenance-related user delays. The Committee recommends $5,200,000 for highway operations and asset management. Funds provided under this category support a variety of research projects seeking to improve highway operations, including work to improve the manual on uniform traffic control devices, work zone operations, technologies that facilitate operational responses to changes in weather conditions, and freight management operations. Of the $600,000 provided for asset management, the Committee has not included any funds for statistical analysis of the National Quality Initiative. Such analysis shall be performed by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. * * * * * Section 319 provides that funds received from the sale of data products of the Bureau of Transportation Statistics may be credited to the Federal-aid highways account for reimbursing the Bureau for such expenses and that such funds shall be subject to the obligation limitation for federal-aid highways and highway safety construction. * * * * * CHANGES IN THE APPLICATION OF EXISTING LAW * * * * * Section 319 allows funds received by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics from the sale of data products be credited to the Federal-aid highways account for the purpose of reimbursing the Bureau for such expenses. * * * * *