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From the House Reports Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
104th Congress Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
2d Session 104-785
_______________________________________________________________________
MAKING APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND RELATED
AGENCIES FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 1997, AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES
_______
September 16, 1996.--Ordered to be printed
_______________________________________________________________________
Mr. Wolf, from the committee of conference, submitted the following
CONFERENCE REPORT
[To accompany H.R. 3675]
The committee of conference on the disagreeing votes of
the two Houses on the amendments of the Senate to the bill
(H.R. 3675) ``making appropriations for the Department of
Transportation and related agencies for the fiscal year ending
September 30, 1997, and for other purposes,'' having met, after
full and free conference, have agreed to recommend and do
recommend to their respective Houses as follows:
That the Senate recede from its amendments numbered 6, 7,
14, 20, 22, 23, 24, 27, 36, 50, 52, 60, 62, 64, 71, 80, 82, 88,
91, 95, 96, 97, 104, 113, 118, 121, 122, 124, 125, 126, 127,
128, 129, 131, 134, 136, 139, 140, 142, 150, 156, 158, 160,
161, 162, and 164.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendments of the Senate numbered 2, 3, 4, 5, 15, 17, 25, 31,
32, 46, 47, 53, 56, 61, 63, 67, 69, 72, 93, 101, 102, 117, 119,
132, 137, 138, 141, 143, 144, 145, 146, 153, 154, 155, 159,
163, 165, 166, 168, 169, and 170, and agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 1.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 1, and agree to the same with
an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the sum proposed by said amendment, insert:
$52,966,000; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 8.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 8, and agree to the same with
an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the sum proposed by said amendment, insert:
$2,319,725,000; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 9.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 9, and agree to the same with
an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the sum proposed by said amendment, insert:
$374,840,000; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 10.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 10, and agree to the same with
an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the sum proposed by said amendment, insert:
$216,500,000; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 11.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 11, and agree to the same with
an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the sum proposed by said amendment, insert:
$18,040,000; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 12.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 12, and agree to the same with
an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the sum proposed by said amendment, insert:
$41,700,000; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 13.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 13, and agree to the same with
an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the sum proposed by said amendment, insert:
$52,350,000; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 16.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 16, and agree to the same with
an amendment, as follows:
Restore the matter stricken by said amendment, amended to
read as follows: : Provided further, That none of the funds in
this Act may be obligated or expended to continue the ``Vessel
Traffic Service (VTS) 2000'' Program: Provided further, That of
the funds provided under this heading, $1,000,000 is available
only for a Coast Guard analysis of future VTS system
requirements which minimizes complexity and is based upon an
open systems architecture maximizing use of off-the-shelf
technology, to be conducted in cooperation with the maritime
community and local organizations affected by the
implementation of such systems; and the Senate agree to the
same.
Amendment numbered 18.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 18, and agree to the same with
an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the sum proposed by said amendment, insert:
$22,000,000; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 19.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 19, and agree to the same with
an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the matter proposed by said amendment, insert:
port safety development
For necessary expenses for debt retirement of the Port of
Portland, Oregon, without further findings and determinations,
$5,000,000, to remain available until expended.
And the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 21.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 21, and agree to the same with
an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the sum proposed by said amendment, insert:
$19,200,000; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 26.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 26, and agree to the same with
an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the sum proposed by said amendment, insert:
$3,182,500,000; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 28.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 28, and agree to the same with
an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the sum proposed by said amendment, insert:
$1,790,000,000; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 29.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 29, and agree to the same with
an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the sum proposed by said amendment, insert:
$1,573,000,000; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 30.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 30, and agree to the same with
an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the sum proposed by said amendment, insert:
$187,412,000; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 33.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 33, and agree to the same with
an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the sum proposed by said amendment, insert:
$521,114,000; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 34.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 34, and agree to the same with
an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the sum proposed by said amendment, insert:
$221,958,000; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 35.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 35, and agree to the same with
an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the sum proposed by said amendment, insert:
$18,000,000,000; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 37.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 37, and agree to the same with
an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the sum proposed by said amendment, insert:
$78,225,000; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 38.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 38, and agree to the same with
an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the matter proposed by said amendment, insert:
state infrastructure banks
To carry out the State Infrastructure Bank Pilot Program
(Public Law 104-59, section 350), $150,000,000, to remain
available until expended: Provided, That the Secretary may
distribute these funds in a manner determined by the Secretary
to any State for which a State Infrastructure Bank has been
approved and the State has requested such funds: Provided
further, That no distribution of funds made available under
this heading shall be made prior to 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act: Provided further, That the Secretary may
approve State Infrastructure Banks for more than 10 States:
Provided further, That these funds shall be used to advance
projects or programs under the terms and conditions of section
350: Provided further, That any State that receives such funds
may deposit any portion of those funds into either the highway
or transit account of the State Infrastructure Bank: Provided
further, That the Secretary shall ensure that the Federal
disbursements shall be at a rate consistent with historic rates
for the Federal-aid highways program.
And the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 39.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 39, and agree to the same with
an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the sum proposed by said amendment, insert:
$80,900,000; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 40.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 40, and agree to the same with
an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the sum proposed by said amendment, insert:
$51,712,000; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 41.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 41, and agree to the same with
an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the sum proposed by said amendment, insert:
$168,100,000; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 42.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 42, and agree to the same with
an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the sum proposed by said amendment, insert:
$168,100,000; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 43.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 43, and agree to the same with
an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the sum proposed by said amendment, insert:
$128,700,000; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 44.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 44, and agree to the same with
an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the sum proposed by said amendment, insert:
$11,500,000; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 45.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 45, and agree to the same with
an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the sum proposed by said amendment, insert:
$25,500,000; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 48.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 48, and agree to the same with
an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the sum proposed by said amendment, insert:
$20,100,000; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 49.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 49, and agree to the same with
an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the sum named in said amendment, insert:
$115,000,000; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 51.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 51, and agree to the same with
an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the sum proposed by said amendment, insert:
$24,757,000; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 54.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 54, and agree to the same with
an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the sum proposed by said amendment, insert:
$7,000,000; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 55.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 55, and agree to the same with
an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the sum proposed by said amendment, insert:
$13,000,000; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 57.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 57, and agree to the same with
an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the sum proposed by said amendment, insert:
$565,450,000; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 58.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 58, and agree to the same with
an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the sum proposed by said amendment, insert:
$223,450,000; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 59.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 59, and agree to the same with
an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the sum proposed by said amendment, insert:
$41,497,000; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 65.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 65, and agree to the same with
an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the sum proposed by said amendment, insert:
$760,000,000; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 66.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 66, and agree to the same with
an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the sum proposed by said amendment, insert:
$380,000,000; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 68.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 68, and agree to the same with
an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the sum proposed by said amendment, insert:
$760,000,000; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 70.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 70, and agree to the same with
an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the sum proposed by said amendment, insert:
$64,410,000; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 73.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 73, and agree to the same with
an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the sum named in said amendment, insert:
$1,000,000; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 74.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 74, and agree to the same with
an amendment, as follows:
Restore the matter stricken by said amendment, amended to
read as follows: $3,500,000 for the Canton-Akron-Cleveland
commuter rail project; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 75.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 75, and agree to the same with
an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the sum proposed by said amendment, insert:
$22,500,000; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 76.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 76, and agree to the same with
an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the sum proposed by said amendment, insert:
$11,000,000; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 77.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 77, and agree to the same with
an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the sum proposed by said amendment, insert:
$15,250,000; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 78.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 78, and agree to the same with
an amendment, as follows:
Restore the matter stricken by said amendment, amended to
read as follows: $661,000 for the DeKalb County, Georgia light
rail project; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 79.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 79, and agree to the same with
an amendment, as follows:
Restore the matter stricken by said amendment, amended to
read as follows: $1,500,000 for the Denver Southwest Corridor
project; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 81.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 81, and agree to the same with
an amendment, as follows:
Restore the matter stricken by said amendment, amended to
read as follows: $1,000,000 for the Griffin light rail project;
and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 83.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 83, and agree to the same with
an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the sum named in said amendment, insert:
$5,500,000; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 84.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 84, and agree to the same with
an amendment, as follows:
Restore the matter stricken by said amendment, amended to
read as follows: $15,000,000 for the Jacksonville ASE extension
project; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 85.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 85, and agree to the same with
an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the sum proposed by said amendment, insert:
$3,000,000; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 86.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 86, and agree to the same with
an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the sum named in said amendment, insert:
$2,000,000; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 87.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 87, and agree to the same with
an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the sum proposed by said amendment, insert:
$70,000,000; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 89.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 89, and agree to the same with
an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the sum proposed by said amendment, insert:
$33,191,000; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 90.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 90, and agree to the same with
an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the sum named in said amendment, insert:
$1,500,000; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 92.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 92, and agree to the same with
an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the sum proposed by said amendment, insert:
$3,039,000; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 94.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 94, and agree to the same with
an amendment, as follows:
Restore the matter stricken by said amendment, amended to
read as follows: $500,000 for the New Jersey West Trenton
commuter rail project; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 98.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 98, and agree to the same with
an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the sum named in said amendment, insert:
$2,000,000; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 99.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 99, and agree to the same with
an amendment, as follows:
Restore the matter stricken by said amendment, amended to
read as follows: $3,000,000 for the Orange County transitway
project; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 100.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 100, and agree to the same
with an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the sum named in said amendment, insert:
$10,000,000; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 103.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 103, and agree to the same
with an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the sum named in said amendment, insert:
$2,000,000; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 105.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 105, and agree to the same
with an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the sum proposed by said amendment, insert:
$35,000,000; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 106.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 106, and agree to the same
with an amendment, as follows:
Restore the matter stricken by said amendment, amended to
read as follows: , of which $10,000,000 may be available for
high-occupancy vehicle lane and corridor design costs; and the
Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 107.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 107, and agree to the same
with an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the sum named in said amendment, insert:
$13,500,000; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 108.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 108, and agree to the same
with an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the sum proposed by said amendment, insert:
$32,000,000; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 109.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 109, and agree to the same
with an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the sum proposed by said amendment, insert:
$27,500,000; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 110.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 110, and agree to the same
with an amendment, as follows:
Restore the matter stricken by said amendment, amended to
read as follows: $1,500,000 for the San Diego-Mid-Coast
Corridor project; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 111.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 111, and agree to the same
with an amendment, as follows:
Restore the matter stricken by said amendment, amended to
read as follows: $4,750,000 for the San Juan Tren Urbano
project; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 112.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 112, and agree to the same
with an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the sum named in said amendment, insert:
$3,000,000; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 114.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 114, and agree to the same
with an amendment, as follows:
Delete the matter stricken by said amendment, and
On page 33 line 12 of the House engrossed bill, H.R.
3675, strike ``to Lakeland commuter rail'' and insert: Bay
Regional Rail; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 115.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 115, and agree to the same
with an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the sum named in said amendment, insert:
$3,000,000; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 116.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 116, and agree to the same
with an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the sum proposed by said amendment, insert:
$3,750,000; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 120.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 120, and agree to the same
with an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the sum proposed by said amendment, insert:
$26,886,000; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 123.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 123, and agree to the same
with an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the sum proposed by said amendment, insert:
$37,900,000; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 130.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 130, and agree to the same
with an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of ``4\3/4\ per centum'' named in said amendment,
insert: 4\1/4\ per centum; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 133.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 133, and agree to the same
with an amendment, as follows:
Delete the matter stricken by said amendment and delete
the matter inserted by said amendment, and
On page 48 line 22 of the House engrossed bill, H.R.
3675, strike ``: Provided further,'' and insert in lieu thereof
a period; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 135.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 135, and agree to the same
with an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the sum proposed by said amendment, insert:
$1,250,000; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 147.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 147, and agree to the same
with an amendment, as follows:
Retain the matter proposed by said amendment, amended as
follows:
In lieu of ``Passenger Railroad Corporation'' named in
said amendment, insert: Railroad Passenger Corporation
(Amtrak); and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 148.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 148, and agree to the same
with an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the matter proposed by said amendment, insert:
Sec. 349. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, of
amounts made available under Federal Aviation Administration
``Operations'', the FAA shall provide personnel at Dutch
Harbor, Alaska to provide real-time weather and runway
observation and other such functions to help ensure the safety
of aviation operations; and the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 149.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 149, and agree to the same
with an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the matter proposed by said amendment, insert:
SEC. 350. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION VOLUNTARY SEPARATION INCENTIVE
PAYMENTS.
(a) Definitions.--For the purposes of this section--
(1) the term ``agency'' means the following
agencies of the Department of Transportation:
(A) the United States Coast Guard;
(B) the Research and Special Programs
Administration;
(C) the St. Lawrence Seaway Development
Corporation;
(D) the Office of the Secretary; and
(E) the Federal Railroad Administration;
(2) the term ``employee'' means an employee (as
defined by section 2105 of title 5, United States Code)
who is employed by the agency serving under an
appointment without time limitation, and has been
currently employed for a continuous period of at least
3 years, but does not include--
(A) a reemployed annuitant under subchapter
III of chapter 83 or chapter 84 of title 5,
United States Code, or another retirement
system for employees of the agency;
(B) an employee having a disability on the
basis of which such employee is or would be
eligible for disability retirement under the
applicable retirement system referred to in
subparagraph (A);
(C) an employee who is in receipt of a
specific notice of involuntary separation for
misconduct or unacceptable performance;
(D) an employee who, upon completing an
additional period of service as referred to in
section 3(b)(2)(B)(ii) of the Federal Workforce
Restructuring Act of 1994 (5 U.S.C. 5597 note),
would qualify for a voluntary separation
incentive payment under section 3 of such Act;
(E) an employee who has previously received
any voluntary separation incentive payment by
the Federal Government under this section or
any other authority and has not repaid such
payment;
(F) an employee covered by statutory
reemployment rights who is on transfer to
another organization;
(G) any employee who, during the twenty-
four month period preceding the date of
separation, has received a recruitment or
relocation bonus under section 5753 of title 5,
United States Code, or who, within the twelve
month period preceding the date of separation,
received a retention allowance under section
5754 of title 5, United States Code; or
(H) any employee who, upon separation and
application, would be eligible for an immediate
annuity under subchapter III of chapter 83 or
chapter 84 of title 5, United States Code (or
another retirement system for employees of the
agency), other than an annuity subject to a
reduction under section 8339(h) or 8415(f) of
such title (or corresponding provisions of
another retirement system for employees of the
agency).
(b) Agency Strategic Plan.--
(1) In general.--The head of an agency, prior to
obligating any resources for voluntary separation
incentive payments, shall submit to the House and
Senate Committees on Appropriations and the Committee
on Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the Committee
on Government Reform and Oversight of the House of
Representatives a strategic plan outlining the intended
use of such incentive payments and a proposed
organizational chart for the agency once such incentive
payments have been completed.
(2) Contents.--The agency's plan shall include--
(A) the positions and functions to be
reduced or eliminated, identified by
organizational unit, geographic location,
occupational category and grade level;
(B) the number and amounts of voluntary
separation incentive payments to be offered;
and
(C) a description of how the agency will
operate without the eliminated positions and
functions.
(c) Authority. To Provide Voluntary Separation Incentive
Payments.--
(1) In general.--A voluntary separation incentive
payment under this section may be paid by an agency to
any employee only to the extent necessary to eliminate
the positions and functions identified by the strategic
plan.
(2) Amount and treatment of payments.--A voluntary
separation incentive payment--
(A) shall be paid in a lump sum after the
employee's separation;
(B) shall be paid from appropriations or
funds available for the payment of the basic
pay of the employees;
(C) shall be equal to the lesser of--
(i) an amount equal to the amount
the employee would be entitled to
receive under section 5595(c) of title
5, United States Code; or
(ii) an amount determined by an
agency head not to exceed $25,000 in
fiscal year 1997;
(D) shall not be a basis for payment, and
shall not be included in the computation, of
any other type of Government benefit; and
(E) shall not be taken into account in
determining the amount of any severance pay to
which the employee may be entitled under
section 5595 of title 5, United States Code,
based on any other separation.
(3) Limitation.--No amount shall be payable under
this section based on any separation occurring before
the date of the enactment of this Act, or after
September 30, 1997.
(d) Additional Agency Contributions to the Retirement
Fund.--
(1) In general.--In addition to any other payments
which it is required to make under subchapter III of
chapter 83 of title 5, United States Code, an agency
shall remit to the Office of Personnel Management for
deposit to the Treasury of the United States to the
credit of the Civil Service Retirement and Disability
Fund an amount equal to 15 percent of the final basic
pay of each employee of the agency who is covered under
subchapter III of chapter 83 or chapter 84 of title 5,
United States Code, to whom a voluntary separation
incentive has been paid under this section.
(2) Definition.--For the purpose of paragraph (1),
the term ``final basic pay'', with respect to an
employee, means the total amount of basic pay which
would be payable for a year of service by such
employee, computed using the employee's final rate of
basic pay, and, if last serving on other than a full-
time basis, with appropriate adjustment therefor.
(e) Effect of Subsequent Employment With the
Government.--An individual who has received a voluntary
separation incentive payment under this section and accepts any
employment for compensation with the Government of the United
States, or who works for any agency of the United States
Government through a personal services contract, within 5 years
after the date of the separation on which the payment is based
shall be required to pay, prior to the individual's first day
of employment, the entire amount of the incentive payment to
the agency that paid the incentive payment.
(f) Reductions of Agency Employment Levels.--
(1) In general.--The total number of funded
employee positions in an agency shall be reduced by one
position for each vacancy credited by the separation of
any employee who has received, or is due to receive, a
voluntary separation incentive payment under this
section. For the purposes of this subsection, positions
shall be counted on a full-time-equivalent basis.
(2) Enforcement.--The President, through the Office
of Management and Budget, shall monitor each agency and
take any action necessary to ensure that the
requirements of this subsection are met.
(g) Effective Date.--This section shall take effect
October 1, 1996.
And the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 151.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 151, and agree to the same
with an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the matter proposed by said amendment, insert:
SEC. 351. TREATMENT OF CERTAIN PENDING CHILD CUSTODY CASES IN SUPERIOR
COURT OF DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
(a) In General.--Subchapter II of chapter 9 of title 11,
District of Columbia Code, is amended by adding at the end the
following new section:
``Sec. 11-925. Rules regarding certain pending child custody cases.
``(a) In any pending case involving custody over a minor
child or the visitation rights of a parent of a minor child in
the Superior Court which is described in subsection (b)--
``(1) at any time after the child attains 13 years
of age, the party to the case who is described in
subsection (b)(1) may not have custody over, or
visitation rights with, the child without the child's
consent; and
``(2) if any person had actual or legal custody
over the child or offered safe refuge to the child
while the case (or other actions relating to the case)
was pending, the court may not deprive the person of
custody or visitation rights over the child or
otherwise impose sanctions on the person on the grounds
that the person had such custody or offered such
refuge.
``(b) A case described in this subsection is a case in
which--
``(1) the child asserts that a party to the case
has been sexually abusive with the child;
``(2) the child has resided outside of the United
States for not less than 24 consecutive months;
``(3) any of the parties to the case has denied
custody or visitation to another party in violation of
an order of the court for not less than 24 consecutive
months; and
``(4) any of the parties to the case has lived
outside of the District of Columbia during such period
of denial of custody or visitation.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections for
subchapter II of chapter 9 of title 11, D.C. Code, is amended
by adding at the end the following new item:
``11-925. Rules regarding certain pending child custody cases.''.
(c) Effective Date.--
(1) In general.--The amendments made by this
section shall apply to cases brought in the Superior
Court of the District of Columbia before, on, or after
the date of the enactment of this Act.
(2) Continuation of provisions until termination.--
The provisions of section 11-925, District of Columbia
Code (as added by subsection (a)), shall apply to any
case described in paragraph (1) until the termination
of the case.
And the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 152.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 152, and agree to the same
with an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the matter proposed by said amendment, insert:
Sec. 352. Not later than December 31, 1997, the
Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall--
(a) take such action as may be necessary to provide
for an independent assessment of the acquisition
management system of the Federal Aviation
Administration that includes a review of any efforts of
the Administrator in promoting and encouraging the use
of full and open competition as the preferred method of
procurement with respect to any contract that involves
an amount greater than $50,000,000; and
(b) submit to the Congress a report on the findings
of that independent assessment: Provided, That for
purposes of this section, the term ``full and open
competition'' has the meaning provided that term in
section 4(6) of the Office of Federal Procurement
Policy Act (41 U.S.C. 403(6)).
And the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 157.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 157, and agree to the same
with an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the matter proposed by said amendment, insert:
Sec. 356. Of the funds made available to the Federal
Railroad Administration, up to $200,000 may be made available
from the Office of the Administrator to establish and operate
the Institute for Railroad Safety as authorized by the Swift
Rail Development Act of 1994.
And the Senate agree to the same.
Amendment numbered 167.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the
amendment of the Senate numbered 167, and agree to the same
with an amendment, as follows:
In lieu of the matter proposed by said amendment, insert:
SEC. 409. TRANSFER OF FUNDS AMONG MINNESOTA HIGHWAY PROJECTS.
(a) In General.--Such portions of the amounts
appropriated for the Minnesota highway projects described in
subsection (b) that have not been obligated as of December 31,
1996, shall be made available to carry out the 34th Street
Corridor Project in Moorhead, Minnesota, authorized by section
149(a)(5)(A)(iii) of the Surface Transportation and Uniform
Relocation Assistance Act of 1987 (Public Law 100-17; 101 Stat.
181) (as amended by section 340(a) of the National Highway
System Designation Act of 1995 (Public Law 104-59; 109 Stat.
607)).
(b) Projects.--The Minnesota highway projects described
in this subsection are--
(1) the project for Saint Louis County authorized
by section 149(a)(76) of the Surface Transportation and
Uniform Relocation Assistance Act of 1987 (Public Law
100-17; 101 Stat. 192); and
(2) the project for Nicollet County authorized by
item 159 of section 1107(b) of the Intermodal Surface
Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (Public Law 102-
240; 105 Stat. 2056).
Sec. 410. Item 52 in the table contained in Section
1106(a)(2) and items 19 and 20 in the table contained in
Section 1107(b) of the Intermodal Surface Transportation
Efficiency Act of 1991 (105 Stat. 2037-2059) are each amended
by inserting ``Mifflin, Fulton and Clearfield,'' after
``Franklin,''.
And the Senate agree to the same.
Frank R. Wolf,
Tom DeLay,
Ralph Regula,
Harold Rogers,
Jim Lightfoot,
Ron Packard,
Sonny Callahan,
Jay Dickey,
Martin Olav Sabo,
Richard J. Durbin (except amendments
150 and 151 and amendment 158),
Ronald Coleman,
Thomas M. Foglietta,
David R. Obey,
Managers on the Part of the House.
Mark O. Hatfield,
Pete V. Domenici (except amendment
150),
Arlen Specter,
Christopher S. Bond,
Slade Gorton,
Richard C. Shelby,
Frank R. Lautenberg,
Robert C. Byrd (except amendment
150),
Tom Harkin,
Barbara Mikulski,
Managers on the Part of the Senate.
JOINT EXPLANATORY STATEMENT OF THE COMMITTEE OF CONFERENCE
The managers on the part of the House and the Senate at
the conference on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses on
amendments of the Senate to the bill (H.R. 3675) making
appropriations for the Department of Transportation and related
agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1997, and for
other purposes, submit the following joint statement to the
House of Representatives and the Senate in explanation of the
effect of the action agreed upon by the managers and
recommended in the accompanying conference report.
congressional directives
The conferees agree that Executive Branch propensities
cannot substitute for Congress' own statements concerning the
best evidence of Congressional intentions; that is, the
official reports of the Congress. Report language included by
the House that is not changed by the report of the Senate, and
Senate report language that is not changed by the conference is
approved by the committee of conference. The statement of the
managers, while repeating some report language for emphasis, is
not intended to negate the language referred to above unless
expressly provided herein.
program, project and activity
During fiscal year 1997, for the purposes of the Balanced
Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Public Law
99-177), as amended, with respect to funds provided for the
Department of Transportation and related agencies, the terms
``program, project and activity'' shall mean any item for which
a dollar amount is contained in an appropriations Act
(including joint resolutions providing continuing
appropriations) or accompanying reports of the House and Senate
Committees on Appropriations, or accompanying conference
reports and joint explanatory statements of the committee of
conference. In addition, the reductions made pursuant to any
sequestration order to funds appropriated for ``Federal
Aviation Administration, facilities and equipment'' and for
``Coast Guard, Acquisition, construction, and improvements''
shall be applied equally to each ``budget item'' that is listed
under said accounts in the budget justifications submitted to
the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations as modified
by subsequent appropriations Acts and accompanying committee
reports, conference reports, or joint explanatory statements of
the committee of conference. The conferees recognize that
adjustments to the above allocations may be required due to
changing program requirements or priorities. The conferees
expect any such adjustment, if required, to be accomplished
only through the normal reprogramming process.
staffing increases provided by congress
The conferees direct the Department of Transportation to
fill expeditiously any positions added in this bill, without
regard to agency-specific staffing targets which may have been
previously established to meet the mandated government-wide
staffing reductions. The conferees support the overall staffing
reductions, and have made reductions in the bill which more
than offset staffing increases provided for a small number of
specific activities.
TITLE I--DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Office of the Secretary
salaries and expenses
Amendment No. 1: Appropriates $52,966,000 for salaries
and expenses of the office of the secretary, instead of
$53,816,000 as proposed by the House and $53,376,000 as
proposed by the Senate.
The conference agreement includes the following changes
to the budget request for this office:
Reductions in staff:
-2 public affairs specialists -$150,000
-2 attorney advisors -200,000
-1 staff assistant, immediate office of the deputy
secretary -60,000
-5 procurement analysts, office of acquisition -1,000,000
Information technology and support...................... -1,000,000
Child safety seats.--The conferees understand that no
less than six entities within the department may be involved in
child safety seat design and that there may be little, if any,
departmental oversight of this activity. Therefore, within
sixty days after the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall
designate one person within the office of the Secretary to the
role of coordinating child safety seat design and report to
both the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations the
individual assigned to this position and a timetable to resolve
key design issues.
Amendment No. 2: Includes language as proposed by the
Senate that provides such sums as necessary to investigate
anti-competitive practices in air transportation. The House
bill contained no similar provision.
transportation planning, research, and development
The conferees are concerned that throughout the United
States rising costs and fragmentation of regional bus systems
may have significant financial and service implications.
Nowhere is this more evident than in the national capital
region. Accordingly, within the $3,000,000 appropriated for
transportation planning, research, and development activities,
the conferees direct the Secretary of Transportation to make
available sufficient resources to the Washington Metropolitan
Area Transit Authority to commission an independent study to
analyze how to meet current and future bus transportation needs
for the greater Washington metropolitan region through the year
2020. The report is to be submitted to both the House and
Senate Committees on Appropriations by September 30, 1997.
The conference agreement includes $100,000 to continue
the department's ongoing analysis of impacts on the United
States and Mexico related to motor carrier impacts of the North
America Free Trade Agreement.
payments to air carriers
(liquidation of contract authorization)
(airport and airway trust fund)
(including rescission of contract authorization)
Amendment No. 3: Appropriates $25,900,000 to liquidate
contract authority obligations for payments to air carriers as
proposed by the Senate instead of $10,000,000 as proposed by
the House.
Amendment No. 4: Limits obligations for payments to air
carriers to $25,900,000 as proposed by the Senate instead of
$10,000,000 as proposed by the House.
Amendment No. 5: Rescinds $12,700,000 in contract
authority from the payments to air carriers program as proposed
by the Senate instead of $28,600,000 as proposed by the House.
The conference agreement rescinds contract authority that is
not available for obligation due to annual limits on
obligations.
rental payments
Amendment No. 6: Appropriates $127,447,000 for rental
payments as proposed by the House instead of $129,500,000 as
proposed by the Senate.
Amendment No. 7: Provides $17,294,000 in rental payments
from ``Federal-aid highways, Limitation on general operating
expenses'' as proposed by the House instead of $17,192,000 as
proposed by the Senate.
Coast Guard
operating expenses
Amendment No. 8: Appropriates $2,319,725,000 for Coast
Guard operating expenses instead of $2,609,100,000 as proposed
by the House and $2,331,350,000 as proposed by the Senate. The
conference agreement assumes that an additional $300,000,000
will be provided in the Department of Defense Appropriations
Act, 1997 for Coast Guard support of national security
missions, as assumed in the Senate bill.
The following table summarizes the budget estimate, House
and Senate recommendations, and the conference agreement by
budget activity:
<GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT>
The conference agreement includes the following
adjustments to the budget estimate:
Pay and Allowances:
Bonuses and awards.................................. -$3,000
Operations and Support:
Maintenance and logistics commands.................. -413,000
District offices.................................... -2,726,000
Ammunition and small arms........................... -2,000,000
Recruiting and Training Support:
Professional training and education................. -2,000,000
Coast Guard-Wide Centralized Services:
FTS-2000............................................ -179,000
Account-Wide Adjustments:
Miscellaneous supplies.............................. -2,5000,000
Boat safety administration-offset................... -304,000
Non-operational travel.............................. -1,000,000
General reduction................................... -7,000,000
Reprogramming violations.--In last year's action, the
appropriations conferees expressed concern over the Coast
Guard's misinterpretation and violation of the existing
Congressional reprogramming guidelines, and requested the
Office of the Secretary to redistribute the guidelines to each
operating administration. Despite this action, however, the
Coast Guard reprogrammed millions of dollars for streamlining
activities without specific Congressional concurrence, and
submitted a reprogramming request after the fact. The conferees
are very concerned about these continued breaches in the Coast
Guard's application of appropriated funds, and hope that by the
time of next year's appropriations hearings, the Coast Guard
can develop a system of internal controls which assure the
Congress that this pattern of frequent violations will no
longer occur.
Abandoned barges, Houston, TX.--The conferees agree to
provide $1,5000,000 for Coast Guard removal of abandoned barges
in the Houston ship channel and the San Jacinto River, and the
Coast Guard is directed to use such funds only for that
purpose. The House bill included $2,000,000 for this purpose.
Marine fire and safety association.--The conferees agree
to provide $297,000 for the marine fire and safety association
for fire fighting and oilspill response contingency plans on
the Columbia River.
Drug interdiction activities.--The conferees do not agree
to the House's allocation of funding for specific drug
interdiction activities based on Coast Guard statements that
this allocation was based on incomplete and outdated
information. However, the conferees urge the Coast Guard to
allocate their drug interdiction resources, to the extent
possible, in a manner consistent with directives of the
Congress in the authorization process.
Air Station Chicago.--The conferees understand that the
Coast Guard has proposed to relocate Air Station Chicago--
currently located in Glenview, Illinois--to Muskegon, Michigan
and that budgetary considerations played a significant role in
this decision. The conferees understand the need for the Coast
Guard to relocate from Glenview in light of that facility's
location at a military installation slated for closure and
redevelopment pursuant to the Base Closure Act, and also
understand the need for the Coast Guard to conserve budgetary
resources. The conferees further note that the proposed
relocation is in compliance with the directive accompanying the
fiscal year 1996 appropriation, which directed the Coast Guard
to maintain a presence in southern Lake Michigan. However, in
light of concerns regarding the search and rescue response time
from Muskegon to points in southern Lake Michigan, the
conferees request that, prior to undertaking this proposed
relocation, the Coast Guard provide to the House and Senate
Transportation Appropriations Subcommittees data demonstrating
that the relocation will not adversely affect boating safety in
the southern Lake Michigan area.
acquisition, construction, and improvements
Amendment No. 9: Appropriates $374,840,000 for
Acquisition, construction, and improvements instead of
$358,000,000 as proposed by the House and $393,100,000 as
proposed by the Senate.
A table showing the distribution of this appropriation by
project as included in the fiscal year 1997 budget estimate,
House bill, Senate bill, and the conference agreement follows:
<GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT>
Amendment No. 10: Provides $216,500,000 to acquire,
repair, renovate, or improve vessels, small boats and related
equipment instead of $205,600,000 as proposed by the House and
$227,960,000 as proposed by the Senate.
Amendment No. 11: Provides $18,040,000 to acquire new
aircraft and increase aviation capability instead of
$18,300,000 as proposed by the House and $19,040,000 as
proposed by the Senate.
Amendment No. 12: Provides $41,700,000 for the equipment
instead of $39,900,000 as proposed by the House and $46,200,000
as proposed by the Senate.
Amendment No. 13: Provides $52,350,000 for shore
facilities and aids to navigation facilities instead of
$47,950,000 as proposed by the House and $52,900,000 as
proposed by the Senate.
Amendment No. 14: Provides $46,250,000 for personnel
compensation and benefits as proposed by the House instead of
$47,000,000 as proposed by the Senate. This provides an
increase of 3.5 percent above the fiscal year 1996 enacted
level.
Amendment No. 15: Deletes language proposed by the House
which would require the disposal of Coast Guard property
located in Wildwood, New Jersey in a manner resulting in saving
during fiscal year 1997 of $20,000,000. The conferees
understand that other federal agencies are interested in this
property, and GSA property disposal procedures in such cases
make any savings unlikely.
Amendment No. 16: Includes House prohibition of funds for
continuing the Vessel Traffic Services 2000 program, and
allocates $1,000,000 for a study of available technical
solutions which minimize complexity and cost in any follow-on
VTS programs, as director in the Senate report.
The conferees are disappointed that, up to this point,
the Coast Guard has been unable to develop a compromise
position between the desires of the agency for the relatively
high-tech, expensive VTS 2000 system and the needs of local
port communities for affordable vessel traffic services. The
Coast Guard is still unable to present the Congress with a firm
cost estimate or siting plan for VTS 2000 systems, and has not
resolved the issue of who will ultimately pay the operating
costs of the system. Recent reviews of the program by the U.S.
General Accounting Office and the National Academy of Sciences
did not endorse this program as currently structured. Given the
questions of support and concerns about which entities will pay
to operate the system, the conferees agree that the presently
configured VTS 2000 program should be ended.
However, the need for state-of-the-art vessel traffic
services remains in some ports, especially New Orleans, which
was the lead port for the VTS 2000 concept. Although these
requirements have existed for many years, the safety benefits
of such systems have been delayed while the Coast Guard
conducted lengthy studies and the program experienced internal
budget reduction. Under the current schedule, many ports would
not receive VTS capability for another seven to ten years.
The conferees can no longer accept further Coast Guard
delays in delivering the safety benefits of vessel traffic
systems to critical ports around the country, particularly
since, as the VTS 2000 schedule slipped and costs rose, systems
have been developed and fielded by private industry which
satisfy many of the ports' VTS requirements. The conferees
firmly believe that, with greater user involvement and a
dedication to truly off-the-shelf technology, the Coast Guard
can and should implement VTS services at critical ports such as
New Orleans more quickly than the ten year implementation
schedule of VTS 2000. To move forward with this new effort, the
conference agreement provides $1,000,000 for the Coast Guard to
identify minimum user requirements for new VTS systems in
consultation with local officials, waterway users, and port
authorities. This study should also review user fee options and
private/public partnerships.
The conferees hope that, at the end of fiscal year 1997,
the Coast Guard will be able to propose a viable new production
program, supported by local communities, which will provide
near-term safety benefits. The conferees also agree to leave
any unobligated VTS 2000 funds in place to support this follow-
on effort. The House had proposed a rescission of those funds,
as described under amendment numbered 17.
acquisition, construction, and improvements
(rescissions)
Amendment No. 17: Deletes rescissions totaling $3,755,000
proposed by the House. The conference agreement allows any
unobligated funds to be used for follow-on activities, as
previously described, but not for VTS 2000. The Coast Guard
should consider these funds as having been reprogrammed.
environmental compliance and restoration
Amendment No. 18: Appropriates $22,000,000 for
Environmental compliance and restoration instead of $21,000,000
as proposed by the House and $23,000,000 as proposed by the
Senate. The conference agreement includes the following
breakdown of funds:
Site-specific cleanup and restoration projects.......... $15,000,000
Environmental compliance................................ 2,800,000
Personnel............................................... 4,200,000
--------------------------------------------------------
____________________________________________________
Total............................................. 22,000,000
The conferees recognize that funding for specific
projects will have to be adjusted to reflect the reduced
appropriation level. The Coast Guard is accorded the discretion
to allocate such reductions without triggering the formal
reprogramming process.
port safety development
Amendment No. 19: Appropriates $5,000,000 for debt
retirement of the Port of Portland, Oregon as proposed by the
Senate, and makes a technical change to the language proposed.
The House bill included no similar appropriation.
alteration of bridges
Amendment No. 20: Appropriates $16,000,000 for Alteration
of obstructive bridges as proposed by the House instead of
$10,000,000 as proposed by the Senate. The conferees agree that
these funds should be allocated as described in the House
report.
research, development, test and evaluation
Amendment No. 21: Appropriates $19,200,000 for Research,
development, test and evaluation instead of $19,000,000 as
proposed by the House and $19,550,000 as proposed by the
Senate. The conferees agree to the following adjustments to the
budget estimate:
Ship Structure Committee; Support for committee......... -$214,000
Servicewide Safety and Environmental Compliance:
Pollution prevention................................ -200,000
Command, Control, Computers and Intelligence: Advanced
communications systems.............................. -86,000
Technology Base:........................................
Future technology assessment........................ -200,000
Select projects..................................... -400,000
--------------------------------------------------------
____________________________________________________
Net adjustment.................................... -1,100,000
boat safety
Amendment No. 22: Appropriates $35,000,000 as proposed by
the House instead of $10,000,000 as proposed by the Senate. The
conferees agree that this safety program should be fully funded
at the authorized level. The Senate level assumed the enactment
of new authorizing legislation which would make the boat safety
program a mandatory appropriation, and which is strongly
opposed by the House appropriations conferees.
federal aviation administration
operations
Amendment No. 23: Appropriates $4,900,000,000 for
operations of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as
proposed by the House instead of $4,899,957,000 as proposed by
the Senate. This appropriation represents an increase of
$254,288,000 (five percent) above the fiscal year 1996
appropriation, and is sufficient to support the hiring of 500
new air traffic controllers, 367 new aviation safety inspectors
and other regulatory oversight personnel, and an increase of
8.9 percent in funding for field maintenance of air traffic
control equipment.
The following table summarizes the House and Senate
recommendations and the conference agreement by budget
activity:
<GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT>
Sanford-Lee County, NC airport.--The conference agreement
includes no site-specific earmarks, either direct or implied,
for particular airport projects. However, the conferees urge
the FAA administrator to give expeditious consideration to
accelerated construction of the new Sanford-Lee County Airport
in North Carolina, in the hope that the project can be
completed as quickly as possible.
Lancaster, PA airport.--The conference agreement includes
no site-specific earmarks, either direct or implied, for
particular airport projects. However, the conferees urge the
FAA administrator to give the environmental assessment for a
proposed runway at Lancaster Airport in Pennsylvania
expeditious consideration, in the hope that the project can be
completed as quickly as possible.
Williamsport-Lycoming County, PA airport.--The conferees
commend to the FAA's attention the growing need for a runway
extension project at the Williamsport-Lycoming County, PA
Airport. The conferees note that the primary runway is
currently 6,449 feet long. If it is extended to 7,000 feet,
there would be opportunities for improved safety, larger
aircraft, and regional air freight service, which would
contribute significantly to economic development. Accordingly,
the conferees urge FAA to give expeditious consideration to the
environmental assessment of the Williamsport-Lycoming Airport's
proposed runway extension project.
ASOS/contract weather observers.--The conferees are aware
of the significant concerns of air traffic controllers that
funds in the President's budget are not adequate to meet the
requirement for contract weather observations. In response, the
FAA has developed a plan to supplement those observations with
additional activities required of air traffic controllers. The
conferees agree that controllers are not optimally trained to
make precise weather observations, and such activities impinge
on their other important safety duties. Therefore, the
conference agreement provides an additional $1,000,000 for
contract weather observers at the highest priority sites.
ASOS/EL Paso International Airport.--The conferees
reiterate strong concern expressed in the House report over the
reliability of weather reporting performed by the automated
surface observing system (ASOS) in the absence of contract
weather observers at the El Paso International Airport. The
conferees urge the FAA to move expeditiously to reinstate
contract weather observation activities at this facility.
Aviation security.--The conference agreement provides
$72,872,000 for aviation security activities, an increase of
$951,000 above the budget estimate. Given the heightened
security posture at domestic airports and the need for greater
attention in some areas, the conferees believe additional
resources are warranted at this time.
Administration of airports.--The conferees agree to
provide $43,250,000 for this activity, as proposed by the
Senate. The FAA administrator is granted the flexibility to
allocate the reduction in this program.
Cargo security program.--The conference agreement
provides $10,500,000 for an expanded cargo security program, in
light of a recent aviation accident investigation calling into
question the effectiveness of current activities in this area.
The Senate bill includes $9,950,000 for this effort, consistent
with a budget amendment received in July 1996. The conferees
have information indicating that the higher level of funding is
needed for this program due to more recent budget estimates.
Given the priority of this program and its impact on aviation
safety, the conferees are providing these funds even though
difficult reductions are required in other areas of the budget.
Mid-America Aviation Resource Consortium.--The conferees
expect the FAA to continue the agency's commitment to the Mid-
America Aviation Resource Consortium (MARC) in Minnesota, and
have included $1,700,000 in the bill for this purpose. These
funds are to be used in Minnesota to support the air traffic
controller training program and to continue research for the
FAA, curriculum development, follow-up on MARC graduates, and
to develop other materials as needed for FAA-related projects.
The conferees also direct the FAA to release these funds to
MARC not less than thirty days after enactment of this Act.
The conferees further expect the FAA to develop a long-
term plan for training en route controllers. The conferees also
expect the FAA to develop long-term projections for air traffic
controllers needed to safely maintain our air traffic control
system. The conferees are very disappointed in the FAA's lack
of long-term planning as it relates to both air traffic control
training and controller needs. MARC has a successful track
record at placing students directly in the field, and the
conferees both support and encourage this cost-effective manner
of training.
Amendment No. 24: Provides that, of the total amount
provided, $1,642,500,000 shall be derived from the airport and
airway trust fund as proposed by the House instead of
$2,742,602,000 as proposed by the Senate. The conference
agreement provides the maximum amount allowable under existing
authorization guidelines. According to the FAA, this level of
trust fund spending, combined with other amounts in the bill,
should be sufficient to support FAA programs without
interruption until approximately September 1997, assuming
current aviation taxes on passenger tickets, jet fuel, cargo
waybills, and other items are not extended beyond the date in
current law (December 31, 1996). However, the conferees wish to
point out that the current situation results once again in
general fund taxpayers subsidizing the aviation system in this
country far beyond the benefits they receive.
Amendment No. 25: Provides that $75,000,000 in new user
fees may be established by the FAA, as proposed by the Senate,
instead of $30,000,000 as proposed by the House. The
President's budget requested $150,000,000 in new fees. As shown
in amendment numbered 27, the conference agreement stipulates
that the only new fee authorized is an ``overflight'' fee, for
services provided to aircraft which traverse U.S.-controlled
airspace without taking off from, or landing in, the United
States. The FAA estimates that, were such collections to begin
immediately in the fiscal year, approximately $109,000,000
could be collected. The conference agreement accepts the fee on
a trial basis, and the lower level allows implementation to
begin later in the fiscal year to allow a longer review and
consultation process with affected parties.
The conferees accept that some additional user fees may
be necessary to accommodate the rising operational costs of the
agency. However, there is still great concern that any fee
proposed be able to meet the test of a user fee, and not be a
tax. The FAA is currently developing an improved cost
accounting system which may improve the credibility of user
fees proposed in future years. The conferees support the
continued development of this system as a vital tool in
evaluating future user fee requests. In addition, the conferees
believe that aviation user fees, where they are successful
around the world, involve significant advance consultation with
those parties paying the fee, as well as detailed accounting
for, and explanation of, costs being incurred by the agency.
Given the relative ease with which user fees can be raised, the
existence of a strong, two-way consultation process is
essential for controlled agency costs and maintaining political
consensus for such a system. Should expansion of the user fee
concept be proposed in future years, the conferees will
consider whether a well-formulated consultation process has
been developed in concert with the specific fee schedules.
Amendment No. 26: Provides a final general fund share of
the overall appropriation estimated at $3,182,500,000 instead
of $2,127,398,000 as proposed by the House and $2,082,355,000
as proposed by the Senate. This figure is the total
appropriation minus offsetting collections from additional user
fees and minus the share of total expenses derived from the
Airport and Airway Trust Fund.
Amendment No. 27: Provides that the only additional user
fees authorized as offsetting collections are ``overflight''
fees, as proposed by the House. The Senate bill contained no
similar provision.
facilities and equipment
(airport and airway trust fund)
Amendment No. 28: Appropriates $1,790,000,000 for
Facilities and equipment instead of $1,800,000,000 as proposed
by the House and $1,788,700,000 as proposed by the Senate.
The following table summarizes the fiscal year 1997
budget estimate, House and Senate recommended levels, and the
conference agreement by budget activity:
<GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT>
Automated surface observing system (ASOS).--The
conference agreement includes $10,000,000 specifically for the
FAA to acquire 55 new automated surface observing system (ASOS)
units; $1,275,000 for ASOS units in Alaska that still await
commissioning; and $1,369,000 for activities included in the
President's budget request. Given the budgetary shortfalls in
this program, the conferees direct the FAA not to reprogram
these funds to other purposes.
Hazardous materials management.--The conferees direct the
FAA to give high priority to hazardous materials issues at the
FAA Technical Center in New Jersey out of the $15,000,000
provided.
Runway incursion technologies.--Last year, the Congress
provided $2,000,000 for loop technology and surface detection
to assist in runway incursion reduction. The conferees direct
the department to report to the House and Senate Committees on
Appropriations by November 30, 1996 regarding the status of
this funding and development of a prototype system.
Amendment No. 29: Specifies that $1,573,000 of the total
amount provided shall be available for three years, instead of
$1,583,000,000 as proposed by the House and $1,571,700,000 as
proposed by the Senate. This is the total appropriation for
budget activities one through four.
research, engineering, and development
(airport and airway trust fund)
Amendment No. 30: Appropriates $187,412,000 for Research,
engineering, and development instead of $185,000,000 as
proposed by the House and $188,490,000 as proposed by the
Senate. The following table summarizes the fiscal year 1997
budget estimate, House and Senate recommended levels, and the
conference agreement:
<GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT>
Weather.--The conference agreement provides $13,000,000,
as proposed by the House, for research to improve aviation
safety under hazardous weather conditions. The amount provided
shall include the following specific allocations for projects
described in the House and Senate reports:
Windshear/downdraft research, Juneau, AK................ $400,000
Project SOCRATES........................................ 1,589,000
National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR)......... 4,600,000
National Center for Atmospheric Research.--The conference
agreement includes $4,600,000 specifically for aviation weather
research and related activities coordinated by the National
Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) and assisted by the
NOAA's Forecast Systems Laboratory, the National Severe Storms
Laboratory, and other organizations. The conferees consider
this work to be of high priority, and direct the FAA not to use
these funds for in-house staffing or to reprogram any of these
funds to other purposes. The FAA is requested to report to the
House and Senate Committees on Appropriations by December 31,
1996 detailing the specific activities to be financed with
these funds and the expected obligation dates.
The conferees are disappointed that the FAA is not
placing a higher priority on aviation weather safety research,
and is not yet taking a leadership role in this area, as
recommended recently by the National Academy of Sciences. The
conferees urge the FAA to develop a more vigorous and effective
program of weather research beginning with the fiscal year 1998
budget request.
System security technology.--The conference agreement
fully funds the administration's request of $36,055,000 for
aviation security technology, as proposed by the Senate. Within
this amount, $27,397,000 is provided for research and
development into new devices to detect explosives and weapons,
and $1,361,000 is provided to harden aircraft against the
effects of explosions.
GRANTS-IN-AID FOR AIRPORTS
(LIQUIDATION OF CONTRACT AUTHORIZATION)
(AIRPORT AND AIRWAY TRUST FUND)
Amendment No. 31: Limits obligations under the grants-in-
aid for airports program to $1,460,000,000 as proposed by the
Senate instead of $1,300,000,000 as proposed by the House. This
is an increase of $10,000,000 above the fiscal year 1996 level
and $110,000,000 above the administration's request.
Letters of intent.--The conferees echo the Senate's
concern with FAA's ability to estimate airport development
projects' impact on system-wide-capacity, and therefore direct
that FAA be granted the authority to award new letters of
intent (LOIs) only after scheduled LOI payments fall to less
than 50 percent of total airport improvement program (AIP)
discretionary funds. The conferees do not agree with the
Senate's directions that FAA enter into any new LOIs at this
time. However, the conferees recognize the priority and need
for capacity enhancements at our nation's airports and do not
intend to preclude meritorious projects from receiving funds.
The conferees encourage the FAA to award discretionary grants
to these projects consistent with existing evaluation criteria.
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.--With respect to
the Senate language regarding consideration of a possible
letter of intent for the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport,
the conferees agree the FAA shall consider the LOI application
from the airport subject to the completion of the required FAA/
federal environmental review process, including the issuance of
a record of decision.
Airport property lease/transfers.--The conferees
recognize the important contribution that aeronautical higher
education programs can make to the U.S. air transportation
system. In recognition of this contribution, the conferees
direct that non-profit, accredited universities or colleges
offering aeronautical higher education programs desiring to
establish or expand campus operations on airport property may
negotiate and execute lease or purchase transactions up to, but
no greater than, the established aeronautical use rate at the
host airport.
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES FRANCHISE FUND
Amendment No. 32: Provides for the establishment of a new
administrative services franchise funds within the FAA, as
proposed by the Senate. The House bill contained no similar
provision. The conferees agree to the establishment of such a
fund on trial basis, and will review the effectiveness and cost
efficiency of the fund in next year's appropriations hearings.
Federal Highway Administration
Limitation on General Operating Expenses
Amendment No. 33: Limits general operating expenses of
the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to $521,114,000,
instead of $510,981,000 as proposed by the House and
$534,846,000 as proposed by the Senate.
Amendment No. 34: Provides for the extended availability
of $221,958,000 for contract programs of the Federal Highway
Administration, instead of $214,698,000 as proposed by the
House and $234,840,000 as proposed by the Senate.
The recommended funding distribution by program and
activity of the administrative expenses and research and
development programs of the FHWA is as follows:
Program/Activity Conference level
Administrative expenses................................. $250,156,000
Motor carrier safety administrative expenses............ 49,000,000
Contract programs:
Research and technology:
Highway research and development................ 68,035,000
Intelligent transportation systems.............. 122,000,000
Technology deployment........................... 13,999,000
National advanced driving simulat...............................
Local technical assistance...................... 2,866,000
National Highway Institute...................... 4,327,000
Disadvantaged business enterprises.............. 9,506,000
International transportation.................... 475,000
International scanning activities...............................
South Africa program............................................
Rehabilitation of TFHRC......................... 500,000
Technical assistance to Russia.................. 200,000
Transportation investment analysis.............. 250,000
Federal-lands contamination site clean-up....... 2,500,000
Cost allocation study........................... 300,000
Accountwide adjustments............................. -3,000,000
--------------------------------------------------------
____________________________________________________
Total............................................. 521,114,000
The highway research and development and intelligent
transportation systems programs by activity are as follows:
Highway research and development:
Safety.............................................. $8,768,000
Pavements........................................... 20,000,000
Structures.......................................... 14,558,000
Environment......................................... 5,517,000
Right-of-way........................................ 322,000
Policy.............................................. 5,401,000
Planning............................................ 5,969,000
Motor carrier....................................... 7,500,000
--------------------------------------------------------
____________________________________________________
Total............................................. 68,035,000
========================================================
____________________________________________________
Intelligent transportation systems:
Research and development............................ $29,000,000
Automated highway systems........................... 22,000,000
Architecture and standards.......................... 5,000,000
Operational tests................................... 56,000,000
Evaluations......................................... 2,000,000
Program support..................................... 8,000,000
--------------------------------------------------------
____________________________________________________
Total............................................. 122,000,000
Office of motor carriers.--The conference agreement
provides $49,000,000 for the office of motor carriers'
administrative expenses within the FHWA's limitation on general
operating expenses. The conference agreement includes the
following adjustments to the budget request:
Outreach and education.................................. -$400,000
NAFTA implementation.................................... -200,000
Administrative expenses, including travel............... -400,000
Exemption and waivering monitoring...................... +300,000
Commerical drivers licensing program.................... +200,000
Pilot safety rating program.--Before February 1, 1998,
FHWA shall develop a pilot project that would encourage those
carriers identified as having safety or compliance problems
through the Commercial Vehicle Information System (CVIS) to
procure the assistance of a third party safety service to work
with the carrier in improving safety performance during the six
month monitoring period following the receipt of a CVIS warning
letter. Whenever appropriate, FHWA may defer imposing civil
penalties, consistent with the provisions of the Motor Carrier
Safety Act of 1984, but shall not do so in those cases in which
evidence of serious safety violations (as defined in the Motor
Carrier Safety Act of 1990) are found. In such cases, FHWA must
follow its existing enforcement policies. FHWA shall consider
the assistance provided by the third party service as a
justification to reduce any penalties as provided under 49
U.S.C. section 521(b)(2)(C). Furthermore, the conferees
recognize that the safety ratings assigned to motor carriers
should be based primarily on actual performance on the highway
(inspection and crash data), and should also take into account
compliance with non-paperwork safety regulations, especially
regulations identified as critical and acute.
Highway research and development.--The conference
agreement deletes the Senate's direction that $100,000 of the
funds provided for highway research and development be used by
a major national organization dedicated to grade crossing
safety. The conference agreement has included sufficient
resources for grade crossing safety activities under the
Federal Railroad Administration's research and development
account.
Pavements.--The conference agreement includes sufficient
resources to develop a systematic approach to expanded waste
utilization using aging tests to ensure long-term physical and
environmental performance of applications using a variety of
recycled and waste materials.
Structures.--The conference agreement provides sufficient
resources for the research and development of composite pilings
and the use and testing of calcium magnesium acetate as a non-
corrosive anti-icer on new concrete and metal surfaces on
bridges in Chicago.
Environment.--The conference agreement provides
$14,558,000 for environmental research and development and
includes sufficient resources to identify at the National
Center for Physical Acoustics scientific issues which impede
accurate noise prediction.
Motor carrier research.--The conference agreement
provides $7,500,000 for motor carrier research and includes
$500,000 to develop better scientific and empirical basis for
the out-of-service criteria and to ensure that the inspection
process is more closely tied to crash reduction measures.
Intelligent transportation systems (ITS) research and
development.--The conference agreement provides $29,000,000 for
ITS research and development. Within these funds, the conferees
have provided $7,000,000 for commercial vehicle operations
(CVO) research and development, including $5,100,000 for SAFER/
MCSAP sites, and $11,000,000 for crash avoidance research.
ITS operational tests.--The conference agreement provides
$56,000,000 for operational tests. Within these funds, the
conferees have provided $2,000,000 for mainstreaming training
activities and $11,900,000 for completion of the CVISN and its
prototype testing and substantial progress on the pilot
projects. The conferees direct that none of the funds provided
for the CVISN project be used for evaluation purposes. In
addition, within the funds provided for commercial vehicle
operations, the conference agreement includes $500,000 to
advance the concept and technology of automated compliance
review. The conference agreement deletes the Senate directive
that $500,000 of the funds for traffic control be used to
support the work of a public/private coalition to address the
institutional issues of incident management.
ITS automated highway systems (AHS).--The conference
agreement provides $22,000,000 for the AHS and includes funds
to incorporate commercial vehicles into the AHS program.
ITS evaluations.--The conference agreement provides
$2,000,000 for ITS evaluations. The conferees agree not to
specify a minimum on the level of resources to be used to
analyze the costs and benefits of the CVISN prototype/pilot
program.
Technology assessment and deployment.--The conference
agreement provides $13,999,000 for technology assessment and
deployment and includes sufficient resources to conduct the
office of highway safety's ongoing outreach activities.
Technical assistance to Russia.--The conference agreement
includes $200,000 to further the FHWA's ongoing technical
assistance program to Russia.
Federal-Aid Highways
(Limitation on Obligations)
(Highway Trust Fund)
Amendment No. 35: Limits obligations for the federal-aid
highways program to $18,000,000,000 instead of $17,550,000,000
as proposed by the House and $17,650,000,000 as proposed by the
Senate.
The conference agreement deletes the Senate references of
priority designations and set-asides within the Federal Highway
Administration's discretionary grant programs.
The conferees direct that within the total provided for
the intelligent transportation systems program, funding shall
be available for the following projects in the amounts
specified below:
Project Conference level
Utah advanced traffic management system................. $5,000,000
Hazardous materials intermodal monitoring system........ 2,000,000
Houston, Texas.......................................... 2,000,000
Texas transportation institute.......................... 600,000
Inglewood, California................................... 1,000,000
Minnesota Guidestar..................................... 3,600,000
I-10 Mobile, Alabama causeway........................... 2,000,000
Mobile, Alabama advanced traffic management system...... 1,000,000
National transportation center, Oakdale, New York....... 2,500,000
Nashville, Tennessee traffic guidance system............ 1,000,000
Operation Respond, Maryland............................. 1,000,000
Green light CVO project, Oregon......................... 7,000,000
Pennsylvania Turnpike................................... 3,000,000
National Capital region congestion mitigation........... 3,500,000
Advanced transportation weather information system,
University of North Dakota.......................... 1,000,000
National advanced driving simulator..................... 14,000,000
Kansas City, Missouri (region).......................... 2,500,000
United States/Canada CVO................................ 1,500,000
TRANSCOM, New York/New Jersey........................... 2,250,000
Rochester, New York congestion management............... 1,500,000
Urban transportation safety systems center, Philadelphia 500,000
New York State Thruway.................................. 3,000,000
Advanced railroad/highway crossings..................... 2,000,000
Rensselaer County, I-90 connector (reprogrammed funds
\1\)................................................ (2,000,000)
\1\ These funds are reprogrammed from the Southern State Parkway, New
York Inform System.
National capital region congestion mitigation.--The
conferees are aware of the specialized analysis and evaluations
associated with the national capital ITS deployment and support
the Virginia Department of Transportation's (VDOT) plan to
allocate $500,000 of the funds made available for this
initiative for modeling the regional impacts of a traveler
information project. The conferees direct the FHWA, working
with VDOT, to ensure that this analysis is conducted in a
manner which fully identifies the impacts and benefits of the
showcase program from a regional basis.
Los Alamos National Laboratory.--The conferees note that
the level of mobile source emissions is increasing in the
United States, raising concerns about the impact of
transportation on air quality. The conferees urge the
department to work with Los Alamos National Laboratory on an
integrated evaluation tool at the laboratory that combines
advanced measurement and modeling tools with innovative policy
approaches.
The conferees direct that any funding provided for
intelligent transportation systems be used only in support of,
or for research on, intelligent transportation systems and not
for construction of buildings in fiscal year 1997.
The director of the joint program office shall ensure
that the operations of each of the ITS projects funded with
either GOE or ISTEA funds is consistent with the national
systems architecture and the purposes of section 6053(b) of
ISTEA. These projects shall contribute to the implementation of
the standards development work and shall promote
interoperability of ITS systems among the states.
The conferees have also included sufficient funding for
the ITS rural initiative, as proposed in the fiscal year 1997
budget.
The conferees support the widest possible distribution of
all published reports resulting from the ITS program to anyone
at reasonable costs. The director of the joint program office
shall encourage the timely distribution of such publications in
electronic forms through clearinghouses.
Orange County toll road.--Any agreement entered into by
the Secretary of Transportation under the provisions of title
IV of this Act must specify that all construction contingency
reserves are to be exhausted before the line of credit provided
in that section is drawn upon; however, any other contingency
reserves, such as environmental reserves, need not be exhausted
and may remain in place. This provision is intended to make
more efficient use of prior appropriations to the underlying
project by permitting substitution of a federal line of credit
for a portion of the project's construction reserves, but it is
not intended to affect or involve required environmental
reserves in any way.
Highway Beautification Act.--The conferees are aware that
the FHWA has announced that it is revising regulations
governing outdoor advertising along certain federal-aid
highways in order to reduce the complexity of these regulations
and emphasizing the role of the states regarding effective
control of such advertising. As part of FHWA's review of this
issue, the FHWA shall prepare a report that discusses the
feasibility, including necessary statutory revisions, of
allowing a state to implement common sense exemptions to
existing prohibitions on the posting of ``for sale'' signs
along certain federal-aid highways if such exemptions respond
to unique needs or issues relevant to the state. The conferees
agree that this report shall be submitted to the House and
Senate Committees on Appropriations no later than January 31,
1997.
right-of-way revolving fund
(limitation on direct loans)
(highway trust fund)
Amendment No. 36: Restores language proposed by the House
and stricken by the Senate that prohibits new obligations for
right-of-way acquisition during fiscal year 1997 and deletes
language proposed by the Senate that would have provided
$8,000,000 for new direct loans.
motor carrier safety grants
(liquidation of contract authorization)
(highway trust fund)
Amendment No. 37: Limits obligations for motor carrier
safety grants to $78,225,000 instead of $77,425,000 as proposed
by the House and $79,000,000 as proposed by the Senate.
The conferees agree to the following program allocations:
Basic grants to states.................................. $60,000,000
Traffic enforcement..................................... 7,800,000
Hazardous materials training............................ 1,500,000
Research and development................................ 500,000
Public education........................................ 500,000
CDL enforcement......................................... 1,000,000
Truck and bus accidents................................. 1,750,000
Uniformity grants....................................... 2,500,000
Uniformity working groups............................... 350,000
Commercial vehicle information system................... 1,500,000
Administrative expenses................................. 825,000
Out-of-service verification activities.--The conferees
agree that, within the basic grant program, $1,000,000 shall be
for out-of-service verification activities, of which at least
$500,000 shall be for new and innovative covert operations
strategies.
Assistance to border states.--The conferees direct that,
within the basic grant program, $1,000,000 shall be for Mexican
border enforcement activities instead of $750,000 as proposed
by the House.
Travel.--In each of the respective reports, both the
House and Senate directed the office of motor carriers (OMC) to
hold its federal grants conference in conjunction with the
Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) conference because
most inspectors and state motor vehicle personnel attend the
CVSA conference. Combining these two conferences would be a
wise use of scarce travel resources. However, the conferees
understand that OMC is planning its own conference,
disregarding House and Senate directives. The conferees again
direct OMC to combine these two conferences as a means to
control costs.
state infrastructure banks
Amendment No. 38: Appropriates $150,000,000 from the
general fund for the state infrastructure bank pilot program
instead of $250,000,000 from the highway trust fund as proposed
by the Senate. The House bill contained no similar
appropriation.
The conference agreement includes language that prohibits
the distribution of funds provided under this Act until 180
days after enactment to ensure that all states have sufficient
time to submit applications for consideration.
The conference agreement deletes the Senate's directive
that funds be provided from the state infrastructure bank pilot
program for the Alameda corridor project.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Operations and Research
Amendment No. 29; Appropriates $80,900,000 from the
general fund for operations and research activities of the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) instead
of $81,895,000 as proposed by the House and $80,000,000 as
proposed by the Senate.
Operations and Research
(Highway Trust Fund)
Amendment No. 40: Appropriates $51,712,000 from the
highway trust fund for operations and research of the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration instead of $50,377,000 as
proposed by the House and $53,195,000 as proposed by the
Senate.
The conference agreement for operations and research
(general fund and highway trust fund combined) includes the
following adjustments to the budget request:
Safety performance:
Vehicle safety standards............................ +$340,000
New car assessment program.......................... -750,000
Fuel economy program................................ -1,500,000
Safety assurance:
Vehicle safety compliance........................... -186,000
Auto safety hotline................................. -300,000
Odometer fraud...................................... -40,000
Vehicle domestic content labeling................... -500,000
Highway safety program:
Safe communities.................................... -900,000
Alcohol, drug, and state program.................... -200,000
Target population education......................... -137,000
State and communities program evaluation............ -900,000
Speed enforcement................................... +100,000
State motor vehicle services........................ -423,000
Rail-highway demonstration program.................. -3,000,000
Older driver........................................ +100,000
Fatigue............................................. +1,000,000
Research and analysis:
Crash avoidance efforts............................. -3,000,000
Fund NADS within ITS program........................ -10,500,000
Data analysis program............................... -465,000
State data program.................................. -800,000
Partnership for next generation vehicles............ -2,500,000
General administration:
Strategic planning.................................. -250,000
Economic analysis................................... -100,000
Office of the administrator:
International harmonization......................... +60,000
Accountwide adjustments:
Training............................................ -50,000
Non-pay inflation................................... -300,000
Computer support.................................... -500,000
Vehicle safety performance standards.--The conferees
provide $929,000 for vehicle safety performance, an increase of
$340,000 from the budget request. This additional funding
should be used toward establishing a federal motor vehicle
safety standard for frontal offset crash testing. The conferees
direct NHTSA to work with interested parties, including the
automotive industry, to develop such a standard under
established rulemaking procedures. The conferees believe that
such a standard will enhance automobile safety for all
consumers. Further, these activities should reflect ongoing
efforts to enhance international harmonization of safety
standards. NHTSA should be prepared to provide a status report
to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees on standards
development and harmonization with current European and
Australian offset crash tests during the fiscal year 1998
hearings.
New car assessment program.--The conference agreement
provides $2,792,000 for the new car assessment program. Funding
is allocated in the following manner: $1,695,000 for frontal
impact testing; $850,000 for side impact testing; and $247,000
for promotional activities. The conferees note that there are
substantial differences between the U.S. side impact standard
and the new European standard. These differences are
inconsistent with the need for the international harmonization
of motor vehicle safety standards. Therefore, NHTSA is directed
to submit a report to the House and Senate Committees on
Appropriations by April 30, 1997, on the agency's plan for
achieving harmonization of the side impact standard.
The conferees have not funded a new frontal offset test
as part of the NCAP program and note that there is no motor
vehicle safety standard for this test. However, the conferees
have provided $340,000 under the vehicle safety standard
program for NHTSA to begin work on establishing a frontal
offset standard.
Vehicle domestic content labeling audit.--The conferees
were unable to provide funding for the vehicle domestic content
labeling audit; however, this does not prejudice the project
from receiving consideration for funding in future
appropriation bills.
State and communities program evaluation.--The conferees
have provided $100,000 to conduct a field evaluation of breath
alcohol ignition interlock devices. Many states have been
experimenting with programs requiring the use of these devices
as a condition of probation or for early relicensing of
impaired driving repeat offenders. Since the effectiveness of
these programs is not well documented, this evaluation should,
among other things, determine if these devices are successful
in preventing drunk drivers from becoming repeat offenders.
Speed enforcement.--The conference agreement provides
$556,000 for speed and unsafe driving, including $100,000 to
undertake a study on the effect of repealing the national speed
limit, as required by the National Highway System Designation
Act of 1995.
Older driver research.--The conferees have provided
$544,000 for older driver research, an increase of $100,000
above the budget request. These additional funds are to be
provided to continue activities to improve older driver
performance, as directed by the Senate.
Driver fatigue.--The conference agreement includes
$1,000,000 to analyze the role of driver fatigue, sleep
disorders, and inattention. NHTSA should collaborate directly
with the National Center on Sleep Disorders Research to conduct
and assess public information activities in these three areas
and submit a report to the House and Senate Appropriations
Committees by May 1, 1997 that describes these collaborative
efforts.
Child passenger safety.--The conferees direct that
$137,000 be used for education and outreach activities to
inform parents of potential dangers of automobile airbag
deployment in connection with infant and child car seats. This
effort can either be supported from appropriated funds or
pledged contributions by a coalition of automobile
manufacturers, air bag suppliers, insurance companies, and
safety organizations.
Motor vehicle services.--The conference agreement directs
that up to $200,000 from the section 402 administrative
takedown account shall be used to provide evaluations and
technical assistance to states on motor vehicle services.
Biomechanics.--The conference agreement provides
$7,450,000 for biomechanics, of which $250,000 shall be for
research on child safety seats and their interaction with
airbags. This funding shall be used to conduct a comprehensive,
interdisciplinary study involving pediatric trauma experts,
engineers, and epidemiologists on means to prevent additional
deaths and injuries. Research is already being conducted in
this area by Children's Hospital in Philadelphia in conjunction
with the University of Pennsylvania School of Engineering.
Bicycle safety.--The conferees note that children aged 5
to 14 are the most common victims of bicycle injuries, with
bicycling the fourth leading cause of death for that age group.
Of the 500,000 bicycle injuries occurring in the United States
each year, the age group 5 to 14 accounts for more than 50
percent. To address this alarming development and the existing
gap in research dedicated to prevention of bicycle accidents,
the conferees urge NHSTA to provide necessary support to
Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh and Carnegie--Mellon
University for human factors research geared to utilizing
advanced technology and medical science to investigate how
bicycle accidents occur in the first place, and to design and
implement a prevention program.
International harmonization.--The conferees have provided
$246,000 for international harmonization, as proposed by the
House. This funding should be used to harmonize international
research efforts, help emerging markets adopt current vehicle
safety standards, and reduce or eliminate incompatibilities
among various safety regulations.
highway traffic safety grants
(liquidation of contract authorization)
(highway trust fund)
Amendment No. 41: Appropriates $168,100,000 to liquidate
contract authority obligations for highway traffic safety
grants instead of $167,100,000 as proposed by the House and
$169,100,000 as proposed by the Senate.
Amendment No. 42. Limits obligations for highway traffic
safety grants to $168,100,000 instead of $167,100,000 as
proposed by the House and $169,100,000 as proposed by the
Senate.
Amendment No. 43. Provides $128,700,000 for state and
community highway safety grants instead of $127,700,000 as
proposed by the House and 129,700,000 as proposed by the
Senate.
Amendment No. 44. Provides $11,500,000 for Section
1003(a)(7) highway safety grants instead of $11,000,000 as
proposed by the House and $12,000,000 as proposed by the
Senate.
Amendment No. 45. Provides $25,500,000 for Section 410
alcohol-impaired driving countermeasures instead of $26,000,000
as proposed by the House and $25,000,000 as proposed by the
Senate.
Amendment No. 46. Provides $5,468,000 for administering
state and community highway safety programs as proposed by the
Senate instead of $5,268,000 as proposed by the House.
Federal Railroad Administration
office of the administrator
Amendment No. 47. Appropriates $16,739,000 for the Office
of the Administrator as proposed by the Senate instead of
$16,469,000 as proposed by the House.
Ravenna, Ohio connection.--The conferees directed the
Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to study, in conjunction
with Amtrak, the State of Ohio, and affected freight railroads,
the feasibility of constructing a railway connection in
Ravenna, Ohio that would restore Amtrak service to the cities
of Youngstown and Ravenna and provide service to New Castle,
Pennsylvania. Of the total funds appropriated, not less than
$200,000 shall be available to conduct this study, which should
address, among other items, closure and safety enhancements to
a highway-rail grade crossing located at the site. it is the
intention of the conferees that should the $200,000 for the
study not be fully spent, excess funds be available for
environmental assessment of the Ravenna connection, provided
that state and/or local funds have been pledged.
Rail Safety Institute.--The conference agreement includes
a general provision that permits FRA to establish a Rail Safety
Institute and provides $200,000 from the office of the
administrator to establish and operate this institute.
Train whistle ban.--In implementing section 20153 of
title 49, United States Code, the conferees encourage the
Secretary of Transportation to document the impact on
communities of any new requirements for the sounding of train
whistles or horns at highway-rail grade crossings, while
keeping in mind the paramount importance of safety. In
exercising the statutory authority to provide for exceptions to
the horn sounding requirement, the Secretary should consider
the safety records of individual highway-rail grade crossings
and provide exceptions where there is no significant history of
loss of life or serious personal injury. The Secretary is also
strongly encouraged to consider comprehensive local rail safety
enforcement and public education programs as supplementary
safety measures. Where it is determined that new physical
supplementary safety measures are necessary, particular
characteristics of the crossing and the views of the affected
community should be considered. Finally, the Secretary is
strongly encouraged to work in close partnership with
communities affected by this law and to provide such
communities with technical assistance.
railroad research and development
Amendment No. 48. Appropriates $20,100,000 for railroad
research and development instead of $20,341,000 as proposed by
the House and $20,000,000 as proposed by the Senate. The
conference agreement includes the following changes to the
budget request:
Reductions in new program initiatives................... $-2,725,000
Delete funding for maglev initiative.................... -1,000,000
Hold environmental program to 1996 level................ -400,000
Offset for high unobligated balances.................... -640,000
Increase Operation Lifesaver............................ +300,000
--------------------------------------------------------
____________________________________________________
Net reduction..................................... $-4,465,000
Mitigation study.--The conference agreement includes
$100,000 to conduct a study on the impacts of reopening the
Stampede Pass rail line operated by Burlington Northern-Santa
Fe Railroad. This study shall be conducted by the FRA in
conjunction with officials from the city of Auburn, Washington,
which will provide local matching funds to complete the study.
Amtrak privatization study.--The conferees encourage FRA
to conduct a study on the privatization of intercity passenger
rail service. Such a study may investigate the alternatives of:
(a) a passenger system operating under the franchise of a
public or private national coordinating authority with service
provided by one or more private operators; (b) privatization of
Amtrak with significant, sustainable, and stable sources of
capital funding; and (c) federal withdrawal from all intercity
passenger rail funding responsibility. The study should also
quantify the costs of the Federal Government of any
privatization options outlined above. The study should seek
analysis and options from a variety of groups, as outlined in
the Senate report, and should be submitted to the House and
Senate Committees on Appropriations by August 1, 1997.
Positive train control.--The conferees commend the FRA
for its consideration of a demonstration project proposal
involving positive train contain technologies, which would
develop on-board locomotive train control devices that could be
applied by railroads using a variety of technologies, and would
be tested on the rail line between Manassas, Virginia through
Hagerstown, Maryland to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Micro-superconducting magnetic energy storage.--The
conferees have become aware of the effectiveness of micro-
superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES) technology in
preventing power outages in certain manufacturing industries
and its potential for generating energy savings and enhancing
safety in the railroad industry. Accordingly, the conferees
direct the Department to report to the House and Senate
Committees on Appropriations by April 1, 1997 on the
feasibility of utilizing micro-SMES technology to provide cost
effective energy regeneration and energy savings capability
along the northeast corridor for both Amtrak and commuter rail
operations.
Northeast Corridor Improvement Program
Amendment No. 49: Appropriates $115,000,000 for the
Northeast Corridor Improvement Program instead of $200,000,000
as proposed by the Senate. The House bill contained no similar
appropriation for this program.
North Philadelphia station.--The conferees note continued
delays in the completion of the rehabilitation of the North
Philadelphia train station. The conferees direct Amtrak to
spend previously appropriated funds by September 1, 1997.
Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Program
Amendment No. 50: Deletes loan guarantees of $75,000,000
and an associated appropriation of $4,158,000 for the railroad
rehabilitation and improvement program proposed by the Senate.
The House bill contained no similar loan guarantees or
appropriation.
Next Generation High-Speed Rail
Amendment No. 51: Appropriates $24,757,000 for next
generation high-speed rail studies, corridor planning,
development, demonstration, and implementation instead of
$19,757,000 as proposed by the House and $26,525,000 as
proposed by the Senate.
The conference agreement provides total funding
(appropriation plus contract authority remaining in the trust
fund) of $26,178,000, to be allocated as follows:
Advanced train control:
State of Oregon..................................... $3,000,000
Flexible blocks..................................... 1,000,000
Nonelectric locomotives:
Transportation technology center.................... 3,000,000
Advanced propulsion project......................... 2,000,000
New York nonelectric locomotives.................... 4,000,000
Grade crossing hazards and innovative technologies...... 5,000,000
Track and structures:
State of Oregon..................................... 5,650,000
Other states........................................ 850,000
Planning technology..................................... 428,000
Northwest high-speed rail projects.--A total of
$8,650,000 is provided for the State of Oregon, including
$5,650,000 for tracks, signals, and grade crossing improvements
within the Eugene, Oregon to Vancouver, Washington segment of
the Pacific Northwest high-speed rail corridor; and $3,000,000
for extending the positive train separation system, modeling,
and testing within the corridor. This will complement State and
local investment being made in this FRA-designated high-speed
rail corridor to achieve two hour service between Portland and
Eugene, Oregon. No matching funds shall be required for this
project.
Amendment No. 52: Provides that next generation high-
speed rail funds may be made available for track and signal
improvements as proposed by the House instead of track, signal,
and station improvements as proposed by the Senate.
alaska railroad rehabilitation
Amendment No. 53: Appropriates $10,000,000 for Alaska
railroad rehabilitation as proposed by the Senate. The House
bill contained no similar provision.
rhode island rail development
Amendment No. 54: Appropriates $7,000,000 for the Rhode
Island rail development project instead of $4,000,000 as
proposed by the House and $10,000,000 as proposed by the
Senate.
Amendment No. 55: Directs the Providence and Worcester
Railroad to reimburse Amtrak and/or the Federal Railroad
Administration up to the first $13,000,000 in legal damages if
damages occur resulting from provision of vertical clearances
in excess of those required for present freight operations
instead of $10,000,000 as proposed by the House and $16,000,000
as proposed by the Senate.
direct loan financing program
Amendment No. 56: Deletes appropriation of $58,680,000 in
direct loan financing for the Alameda Corridor and the
limitation on direct loans of $400,000,000 proposed by the
House. The Senate bill contained no similar a |
