[115th Congress Public Law 420]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



[[Page 5443]]

         DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION REPORTS HARMONIZATION ACT

[[Page 132 STAT. 5444]]

Public Law 115-420
115th Congress

                                 An Act


 
   To amend certain transportation-related reporting requirements to 
 improve congressional oversight, reduce reporting burdens, and promote 
   transparency, and for other purposes. <<NOTE: Jan. 3, 2019 -  [S. 
                                3367]>> 

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: Department of 
Transportation Reports Harmonization Act.>> 
SECTION 1. <<NOTE: 49 USC 101 note.>>  SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Department of Transportation Reports 
Harmonization Act''.
SEC. 2. <<NOTE: Web posting.>>  PUBLIC AVAILABILITY OF CHARGES AND 
                    FEES FOR ATTENDANCE AT UNITED STATES MERCHANT 
                    MARINE ACADEMY.

    Section 51314(b) of title 46, United States Code, is amended by 
striking ``shall notify Congress of'' and inserting ``shall present at 
the next meeting of the Board of Visitors, and post on a publicly 
available website,''.
SEC. 3. <<NOTE: Web posting.>>  PUBLIC AVAILABILITY OF INFORMATION 
                    ON ALIGNING FEDERAL ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEWS.

    Section 310(f)(1) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by 
inserting ``, and make publicly available on the Department of 
Transportation website,'' after ``House of Representatives''.
SEC. 4. REPORTING ON THE NORTHEAST CORRIDOR.

    (a) Northeast Corridor Safety Committee Report.--Section 24905(e) of 
title 49, United States Code, is amended by striking paragraph (3).
    (b) Contents of Grant Requests.--
            (1) In general.--Section 24319(c) of title 49, United States 
        Code, is amended--
                    (A) in paragraph (2), by striking ``; and'' and 
                inserting a semicolon;
                    (B) in paragraph (3), by striking the period at the 
                end and inserting ``; and''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(4) describe the status of efforts to improve safety and 
        security on the Northeast Corridor main line, including a 
        description of any efforts to implement recommendations of 
        relevant railroad safety advisory committees.''.
            (2) <<NOTE: 49 USC 24319 note.>>  Rule of construction.--
        Nothing in this subsection or an amendment made by this 
        subsection shall affect a grant request made under section 24319 
        of title 49, United States Code, before the date of enactment of 
        this Act.

[[Page 132 STAT. 5445]]

SEC. 5. HIGHWAY SAFETY PROGRAMS REPORT TO CONGRESS.

    (a) DOT Reports.--Section 402 of title 23, United States Code, is 
amended by striking subsection (n) and inserting the following:
    ``(n) <<NOTE: Web posting. Deadline.>>  Public Transparency.--The 
Secretary shall publicly release on its website information that 
contains each State's performance with respect to the State's highway 
safety plan under subsection (k) and performance targets set by the 
States in such plans. Such information shall be posted on the website 
within 45 calendar days of approval of a State's highway safety plan.''.

    (b) GAO Report.--
            (1) <<NOTE: Review.>>  In general.--The Comptroller General 
        of the United States shall conduct a review of the highway 
        safety programs under section 402 of title 23, United States 
        Code. In carrying out the review, the Comptroller General shall 
        review States' progress in achieving safety performance targets, 
        including how States are utilizing grants and problems 
        encountered in achieving such targets.
            (2) <<NOTE: Recommenda- tions.>>  Submission.--Not later 
        than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
        Comptroller General of the United States shall submit a report 
        to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
        Senate and Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the 
        House of Representatives that contains the results of the study 
        conducted under paragraph (1), including any recommendations for 
        improvements to State activities and the Secretary of 
        Transportation's administration of the highway safety programs.
SEC. 6. CESSATION OF CERTAIN ADVISORY COUNCILS AND ADVISORY 
                    COMMITTEES.

    (a) Northeast Corridor Safety Committee.--Section 24905(e) of title 
49, United States Code, as amended by this Act, is further amended by 
striking paragraph (2) and inserting the following:
            ``(2) <<NOTE: Determination.>>  Sunset.--The Committee 
        established under this subsection ceases to exist on the date 
        that the Secretary determines positive train control, as 
        required by section 20157, is fully implemented along the 
        Northeast Corridor.''.

    (b) National Rail Cooperative Research Program Oversight 
Committee.--Section 24910(c) of title 49, United States Code, is amended 
by adding at the end the following:
            ``(3) Sunset.--The advisory board established under this 
        subsection ceases to exist effective January 1, 2019.''.
SEC. 7. TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS TO RAIL IMPROVEMENT GRANTS.

    (a) Redesignation.--Subtitle V of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended--
            (1) by redesignating sections 24401 through 24408 as 
        sections 22901 through 22908, respectively;
            (2) <<NOTE: 49 USC 22901 prec.>>  by redesignating chapter 
        244 as chapter 229;
            (3) <<NOTE: 49 USC 22901 prec.>>  by moving chapter 229, as 
        redesignated, to appear at the end of part B;
            (4) <<NOTE: 49 USC 20101 prec.>>  in the table of chapters--
                    (A) by striking the item relating to chapter 244; 
                and
                    (B) by inserting after the item relating to chapter 
                227 the following:

``Chapter 229.  Rail Improvement Grants.........................22901'';

        and

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            (5) by amending the table of sections for chapter 229, as 
        redesignated, to read as follows:

                 ``CHAPTER 229--RAIL IMPROVEMENT GRANTS

``Sec.
``22901. Definitions.
``22902. Capital investment grants to support intercity passenger rail 
           services.
``22903. Project management oversight.
``22904. Use of capital grants to finance first-dollar liability of 
           grant project.
``22905. Grant conditions.
``22906. Authorization of appropriations.
``22907. Consolidated rail infrastructure and safety improvements.
``22908. Restoration and enhancement grants.''.

    (b) Technical and Conforming Amendments.--
            (1) Technical amendments.--Chapter 229 of title 49, United 
        States Code, as redesignated, is amended--
                    (A) in section 22902, as redesignated--
                          (i) in subsection (c)(3)(A)--
                                    (I) in the matter preceding clause 
                                (i), by inserting ``of'' after ``other 
                                modes''; and
                                    (II) in clause (vi) by striking 
                                ``environmentally'' and inserting 
                                ``environmental''; and
                          (ii) in subsection (k), by striking ``state 
                      rail plan'' and inserting ``State rail plan''; and
                    (B) in section 22905(e)(1), as redesignated--
                          (i) by striking ``government authority'' and 
                      inserting ``governmental authority''; and
                          (ii) by striking ``section 5302(11) and (6), 
                      respectively, of this title'' and inserting 
                      ``section 5302''.
            (2) Conforming amendments.--Chapter 229 of title 49, United 
        States Code, as redesignated, is amended--
                    (A) in section 22901(2)(D), as redesignated, by 
                striking ``24404'' and inserting ``22904'';
                    (B) in section 22904, as redesignated, by striking 
                ``24402'' and inserting ``22902'';
                    (C) in section 22905(e)(1), as redesignated, by 
                striking ``24102(4) of this title'' and inserting 
                ``24102'';
                    (D) in section 22907, as redesignated--
                          (i) in subsection (c)(2), by striking 
                      ``24401(2)'' and inserting ``22901(2)''; and
                          (ii) in subsection (k), by striking ``of 
                      sections 24402, 24403, and 24404 and the 
                      definition contained in 24401(1)'' and inserting 
                      ``under sections 22902, 22903, and 22904, and the 
                      definition contained in section 22901(1)''; and
                    (E) in section 22908, as redesignated--
                          (i) in subsection (a), in the matter preceding 
                      paragraph (1), by striking ``24401(1)'' and 
                      inserting ``22901(1)''; and
                          (ii) in subsection (i)(3), by striking 
                      ``24405'' and inserting ``22905''.
            (3) Additional conforming amendments.--
                    (A) Subtitle v.--Subtitle V of title 49, United 
                States Code, is amended--
                          (i) in part C--
                                    (I) in section 24102(7)(D)(ii), by 
                                striking ``chapter 244'' and inserting 
                                ``chapter 229'';

[[Page 132 STAT. 5447]]

                                    (II) in section 24103, by inserting 
                                ``or chapter 229'' after ``this part'' 
                                each place it appears;
                                    (III) in section 24711(c)(3), by 
                                striking ``24405'' and inserting 
                                ``22905''; and
                                    (IV) in section 24911(i), by 
                                striking ``24405'' and inserting 
                                ``22905''; and
                          (ii) in part D, in section 26106(e)(3), by 
                      striking ``24405 of this title'' and inserting 
                      ``22905''.
                    (B) Railroad safety enhancement act of 2008.--The 
                Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 
                (division B of Public Law 110-432) is amended--
                          (i) in section 301(c) (49 U.S.C. 24405 note), 
                      by striking ``24405(a)'' and inserting 
                      ``22905(a)''; and
                          (ii) in section 502(a)(4)(I) (49 U.S.C. 26106 
                      note), by striking ``24405'' and inserting 
                      ``22905''.
                    (C) FAST act.--The Fixing America's Surface 
                Transportation Act (Public Law 114-94; 129 Stat. 1312) 
                is amended--
                          (i) in section 11102, by adding at the end the 
                      following:

    ``(c) <<NOTE: Effective date.>>  Conforming Provision for 
Redesignation of Applicable Section.--Any amounts authorized under this 
section for grants or project management oversight under section 24407 
of such title shall be deemed to refer to grants or project management 
oversight under section 22907 of such title on or after the date of 
enactment of the Department of Transportation Reports Harmonization 
Act.'';
                          (ii) in section 11104, by adding at the end 
                      the following:

    ``(c) <<NOTE: Effective date.>>  Conforming Provision for 
Redesignation of Applicable Section.--Any amounts authorized under this 
section for grants or project management oversight under section 24408 
of such title shall be deemed to refer to grants or project management 
oversight under section 22908 of such title on or after the date of 
enactment of the Department of Transportation Reports Harmonization 
Act.'';
                          (iii) in section 11308(a)(4)(I), by striking 
                      ``24405'' and inserting ``22905''; and

[[Page 132 STAT. 5448]]

                          (iv) <<NOTE: 49 USC 24407 note.>>  in section 
                      11401(b)(5), by striking ``chapter 244'' and 
                      inserting ``chapter 229''.

    Approved January 3, 2019.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--S. 3367:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

SENATE REPORTS: No. 115-390 (Comm. on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 164 (2018):
            Dec. 18, considered and passed Senate.
            Dec. 21, considered and passed House.

                                  <all>