[Senate Report 116-329]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
Calendar No. 635
116th Congress } { Report
SENATE
2d Session } { 116-329
_______________________________________________________________________
PROMOTING SERVICE IN TRANSPORTATION ACT
__________
R E P O R T
of the
COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION
on
S. 3303
December 15, 2020.--Ordered to be printed
______
U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
19-010 WASHINGTON : 2020
SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION
one hundred sixteenth congress
second session
ROGER F. WICKER, Mississippi, Chairman
JOHN THUNE, South Dakota MARIA CANTWELL, Washington
ROY BLUNT, Missouri AMY KLOBUCHAR, Minnesota
TED CRUZ, Texas RICHARD BLUMENTHAL, Connecticut
DEB FISCHER, Nebraska BRIAN SCHATZ, Hawaii
JERRY MORAN, Kansas EDWARD J. MARKEY, Massachusetts
DAN SULLIVAN, Alaska TOM UDALL, New Mexico
CORY GARDNER, Colorado GARY C. PETERS, Michigan
MARSHA BLACKBURN, Tennessee TAMMY BALDWIN, Wisconsin
SHELLEY MOORE CAPITO, West Virginia TAMMY DUCKWORTH, Illinois
MIKE LEE, Utah JON TESTER, Montana
RON JOHNSON, Wisconsin KYRSTEN SINEMA, Arizona
TODD C. YOUNG, Indiana JACKY ROSEN, Nevada
RICK SCOTT, Florida
John Keast, Staff Director
David Strickland, Minority Staff Director
Calendar No. 635
116th Congress } { Report
SENATE
2d Session } { 116-329
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PROMOTING SERVICE IN TRANSPORTATION ACT
_______
December 15, 2020.--Ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Wicker, from the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation, submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany S. 3303]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, to
which was referred the bill (S. 3303) to amend title 49, United
States Code, to promote transportation career opportunities and
improve diversity in the workforce, having considered the same,
reports favorably thereon with an amendment (in the nature of a
substitute) and recommends that the bill (as amended) do pass.
Purpose of the Bill
The purpose of S. 3303, the Promoting Service in
Transportation Act, is to authorize the Secretary of
Transportation to establish and administer a transportation
outreach program seeking to help fill projected job vacancies
and bolster diversity in the transportation sector.
Background and Needs
The transportation industry represents over 8 percent of
gross domestic product, and the transportation system itself
serves as the backbone of the U.S. economy.\1\ Since all
sectors of the economy rely on a fully functioning
transportation system, the economic impact of the deepening
workforce shortage, as well as the gap in leadership due to
retirements, is predicted to cause wide-reaching national
effects.\2\ In the aviation sector, air travel demand, pilot
retirements, and high training costs have all contributed to
projected vacancies of qualified professionals in the
industry.\3\ Boeing predicts that North America will need
212,000 new pilots, 176,000 new cabin crew, and 193,000 new
technicians over the next 20 years.\4\
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\1\Eno Center for Transportation, ``Navigating the Transportation
Industry Workforce Shortage and Leadership Gap--The Solution Is Hiding
in Plain Sight'', Aug. 27, 2019 (https://www.enotrans.org/article/
navigating-the-transportation-industry-workforce-shortage-and-
leadership-gap-the-solution-is-hiding-in-plain-sight/) (accessed Aug.
17, 2020).
\2\Id.
\3\Tammy Waitt, ``Congress & Industry Unite for Aviation Workforce
& National Aviation Center,'' Mar. 1, 2020, American Security Today
(https://americansecuritytoday.com/
congress-industry-unite-for-aviation-workforce-national-aviation-
center/) (accessed Aug. 17, 2020).
\4\Boeing, ``Pilot & Technician Outlook 2019-2038'' (https://
www.boeing.com/commercial/
market/pilot-technician-outlook/) (accessed Aug. 17, 2020).
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Across surface transportation, workforce challenges are
also contributing to vacancies of current and future qualified
professionals. For instance, the long-distance truckload
freight sector has traditionally experienced a high turnover
rate, which places strain on the workforce needs within the
industry. Transit agencies also have reported workforce
concerns. According to the Regional Transportation District
(RTD) in Denver, Colorado, the agency is facing an historic
labor shortage because of the strong economy and low
unemployment rate, coupled with rapid expansion of commuter and
light rail lines in the past 3 years. In the past 33 months,
RTD hired 791 new bus drivers, but lost 710.\5\
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\5\Associated Press, ``Denver Area Transit System Struggles With
Worker Shortage,'' Nov. 23, 2019, U.S. News (https://www.usnews.com/
news/best-states/colorado/articles/2019-11-23/
denver-area-transit-system-struggles-with-worker-shortage) (accessed
Aug. 17, 2020); Aaron Short, ``Driver Shortages Causing Transit Delays
Nationwide,'' Aug. 27, 2019, Streetsblog USA (https://
usa.streetsblog.org/2019/08/27/driver-shortages-causing-transit-delays-
nationwide/) (accessed Aug. 17, 2020).
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Along with projected job vacancies, the transportation
workforce is also less diverse than some industries. According
to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), over 90 percent of
professional pilots and flight engineers and over 75 percent of
truck drivers are white males.\6\ Moreover, women and other
minorities are historically underrepresented workers in the
transportation industry, yet make up a large percentage of the
U.S. labor force.\7\ According to BLS, in 2018 women made up
nearly 47 percent of the U.S. workforce, but based on a recent
study by the Mineta Transportation Institute, women only
account for 15 percent of the U.S. transportation industry
workforce.\8\ The Promoting Service in Transportation Act aims
to reduce the shortages of professionals and promote diversity
in the industry through a series of public service announcement
campaigns during each of fiscal years 2021 through 2026.
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\6\U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ``Labor Force Statistics From
the Current Population Survey,'' Jan. 22, 2020 (https://www.bls.gov/
cps/cpsaat11.htm) (accessed Aug. 17, 2020).
\7\Eno Center for Transportation, ``Navigating the Transportation
Industry Workforce Shortage and Leadership Gap--The Solution Is Hiding
in Plain Sight,'' Aug. 27, 2019 (https://www.enotrans.org/article/
navigating-the-transportation-industry-workforce-shortage-and-
leadership-gap-the-solution-is-hiding-in-plain-sight/) (accessed Aug.
17, 2020).
\8\Bureau of Labor Statistics, ``Labor Force Statistics From the
Current Population Survey,'' Jan. 22, 2020 (https://www.bls.gov/cps/
cpsaat18.htm) (accessed Aug. 17, 2020); Roger Rudick, ``Women Account
for 15 Percent of Transportation Workforce,'' Feb. 12, 2019,
Streetsblog SF (https://sf.streetsblog.org/2019/02/12/women-account-
for-15-percent-of-transportation-workforce/) (accessed Aug. 17, 2020).
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Summary of Provisions
If enacted, S. 3303 would do the following:
Authorize the Secretary of Transportation to
establish and administer a transportation workforce
outreach program through public service announcement
campaigns during fiscal years 2021 through 2026 to
increase awareness of career opportunities, as well as
promote diversity, in the transportation sector; and
Authorize the Secretary to use funds otherwise made
available, not to exceed $5 million for each fiscal
year, to carry out the program.
Legislative History
S. 3303, the Promoting Service in Transportation Act, was
introducted on February 13, 2020, by Senator Peters (for
himself and Senators Sullivan, Rosen, Gardner, and Cortez
Masto) and was referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science,
and Transportation of the Senate. On March 11, 2020, the
Committee met in open Executive Session and, by voice vote,
ordered S. 3303 reported favorably with an amendment (in the
nature of a substitute).
Estimated Costs
In accordance with paragraph 11(a) of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules of the Senate and section 403 of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee provides the
following cost estimate, prepared by the Congressional Budget
Office:
S. 3303 would authorize the appropriation of $5 million
annually over the 2021-2026 period for the Department of
Transportation to create a program to increase awareness of
career opportunities in the US. Transportation sector. Those
opportunities would include pilots, truck drivers, safety
inspectors, mechanics, and flight attendants, among others.
Assuming appropriation of the authorized amounts and based
on spending patterns for similar programs, CBO estimates that
implementing S. 3303 would cost $24 million over the 2020-2025
period and $6 million after 2025. The costs of the legislation
fall under budget function 400 (transportation).
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Robert Reese.
The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy
Director of Budget Analysis.
Regulatory Impact Statement
In accordance with paragraph 11(b) of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee provides the
following evaluation of the regulatory impact of the
legislation, as reported:
number of persons covered
S. 3303, as reported, would not impose any new regulatory
requirements on businesses.
economic impact
S. 3303, as reported, is not expected to have an adverse
impact on the Nation's economy.
privacy
S. 3303, as reported, is not expected to have an adverse
impact on the personal privacy of individuals.
paperwork
S. 3303, as reported, would not increase the paperwork
requirements for private individuals or businesses. The bill
would establish a transportation outreach program seeking to
help fill projected job vacancies and bolster diversity in the
transportation sector.
Congressionally Directed Spending
In compliance with paragraph 4(b) of rule XLIV of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee provides that no
provisions contained in the bill, as reported, meet the
definition of congressionally directed spending items under the
rule.
Section-by-Section Analysis
Section 1. Short title.
This section would provide that the bill may be cited as
the ``Promoting Service in Transportation Act''.
Section 2. Transportation workforce outreach program.
This section would authorize the Secretary of
Transportation to establish and administer a transportation
workforce outreach program through public service announcement
campaigns during fiscal years 2021 through 2026. The purpose of
the campaigns would be to increase awareness of career
opportunities, as well as promote diversity, in the
transportation sector. This section also would amend 49 U.S.C.
chapter 55 to authorize not more than $5 million per year from
amounts otherwise available to the Secretary of Transportation
to carry out the program for development, production,
advertisements, and outreach initiatives.
Changes in Existing Law
In compliance with paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, changes in existing law made by
the bill, as reported, are shown as follows (existing law
proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new
material is printed in italic, existing law in which no change
is proposed is shown in roman):
UNITED STATES CODE
* * * * * * *
TITLE 49--TRANSPORTATION
* * * * * * *
Subtitle III--General and Intermodal Programs
* * * * * * *
CHAPTER 55--INTERMODAL TRANSPORTATION
[Table of sections]
CHAPTER 55--INTERMODAL TRANSPORTATION
SUBCHAPTER I--GENERAL
Sec.
5501. National Intermodal Transportation System policy.
5502. Intermodal Transportation Advisory Board.
[5503. Repealed.]
5504. Model intermodal transportation plans.
5505. University transportation centers program.
[5506. Repealed.]
5506. Transportation workforce outreach program.
* * * * * * *
Subchapter I--General
Sec. 5501. * * *
* * * * * * *
Sec. 5505. * * *
Sec. 5506. Transportation workforce outreach program
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Transportation (referred
to in this section as the ``Secretary'') shall establish and
administer a transportation workforce outreach program, under
which the Secretary shall carry out a series of public service
announcement campaigns during each of fiscal years 2021 through
2026.
(b) Purposes.--The purpose of the campaigns carried out
under the program under this section shall be--
(1) to increase awareness of career opportunities
in the transportation sector, including aviation
pilots, safety inspectors, mechanics and technicians,
air traffic controllers, flight attendants, truck and
bus drivers, engineers, transit workers, railroad
workers, and other transportation professionals; and
(2) to target awareness of professional
opportunities in the transportation sector to diverse
segments of the population, including with respect to
race, sex, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status.
(c) Advertising.--The Secretary may use, or authorize the
use of, amounts made available to carry out the program under
this section for the development, production, and use of
broadcast, digital, and print media advertising and outreach in
carrying out a campaign under this section.
(d) Funding.--For each of fiscal years 2021 through 2026,
the Secretary may use to carry out this section any amounts
otherwise made available to the Secretary, not to exceed
$5,000,000 for each fiscal year.
* * * * * * *