49 U.S.C. § 6503 — Transportation research and development

Page 408 TITLE 49—TRANSPORTATION § 6503 (b) FUNDING REPORT.—In conjunction with each of the annual budget requests submitted by the President under section 1105 of title 31, the Secretary shall annually publish on a public website and submit to the appropriate commit- tees of Congress a report that describes— (1) the amount spent in the last full fiscal year on transportation research and develop- ment with specific descriptions of projects funded at $5,000,000 or more; and (2) the amount proposed in the current budg- et for transportation research and develop- ment with specific descriptions of projects funded at $5,000,000 or more. (c) PERFORMANCE PLANS AND REPORTS.—In the plans and reports submitted under sections 1115 and 1116 of title 31, the Secretary shall include— (1) a summary of the Federal transportation research and development activities for the previous fiscal year in each topic area; (2) the amount spent in each topic area; (3) a description of the extent to which the research and development is meeting the ex- pectations described in section 6503(c)(1); and (4) any amendments to the strategic plan de- veloped under section 6503. (Added Pub. L. 114–94, div. A, title VI, § 6019(b)(1), Dec. 4, 2015, 129 Stat. 1579; amended Pub. L. 117–58, div. B, title V, § 25015(b), Nov. 15, 2021, 135 Stat. 871.) Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 2021—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 117–58 inserted subsec. (a) heading and added pars. (1) and (2) and heading, intro- ductory provisions, and subpars. (A) and (B) of par. (3), and struck out former subsec. (a) heading, former par. (1), which related to publication of research abstract database in general, and former par. (2) heading and subpars. (A) and (B), which related to contents of data- base. Subpars. (C) to (G) of former par. (2) effectively redesignated subpars. (C) to (G) of par. (3). Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE Section effective Oct. 1, 2015, see section 1003 of Pub. L. 114–94, set out as an Effective Date of 2015 Amend- ment note under section 5313 of Title 5, Government Or- ganization and Employees. § 6503. Transportation research and development 5-year strategic plan (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the date of publication of the Department of Transportation Strategic Plan and not less fre- quently than once every 5 years thereafter, the Secretary shall develop a 5-year transportation research and development strategic plan to guide future Federal transportation research and development activities. (b) CONSISTENCY.—Each strategic plan devel- oped under subsection (a) shall be consistent with— (1) section 306 of title 5; (2) sections 1115 and 1116 of title 31; and (3) any other research and development plan within the Department of Transportation. (c) CONTENTS.—Each strategic plandeveloped under subsection (a) shall— (1) describe how the plan furthers the pri- mary purposes of the transportation research and development program, which shall in- clude— (A) improving mobility of people and goods; (B) reducing congestion; (C) promoting safety; (D) improving the durability and extend- ing the life of transportation infrastructure; (E) preserving the environment; (F) preserving the existing transportation system; and (G) reducing transportation cybersecurity risks; (2) for each of the purposes referred to in paragraph (1), list the primary proposed re- search and development activities that the De- partment of Transportation intends to pursue to accomplish that purpose, which may in- clude— (A) fundamental research pertaining to the applied physical and natural sciences; (B) applied science and research; (C) technology development research; and (D) social science research; and (3) for each research and development activ- ity— (A) identify the anticipated annual fund- ing levels for the period covered by the stra- tegic plan; and (B) describe the research findings the De- partment expects to discover at the end of the period covered by the strategic plan. (d) CONSIDERATIONS.—The Secretary shall en- sure that each strategic plan developed under this section— (1) reflects input from a wide range of exter- nal stakeholders; (2) includes and integrates the research and development programs of all of the modal ad- ministrations of the Department of Transpor- tation, including aviation, transit, rail, and maritime and joint programs; (3) takes into account research and develop- ment by other Federal, State, local, private sector, and nonprofit institutions; (4) not later than December 31, 2021, and not less frequently than once every 5 years there- after, is published on a public website; and (5) takes into account how research and de- velopment by other Federal, State, private sector, and nonprofit institutions— (A) contributes to the achievement of the purposes identified under subsection (c)(1); and (B) avoids unnecessary duplication of those efforts. (Added Pub. L. 114–94, div. A, title VI, § 6019(b)(1), Dec. 4, 2015, 129 Stat. 1580; amended Pub. L. 117–58, div. B, title V, § 25014, Nov. 15, 2021, 135 Stat. 869.) Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 2021—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 117–58, § 25014(1), substituted ‘‘Not later than 180 days after the date of publication of the Department of Transportation Strategic Plan and not less frequently than once every 5 years there- after, the Secretary’’ for ‘‘The Secretary’’. Page 409 TITLE 49—TRANSPORTATION § 6701 Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 117–58, § 25014(2), substituted ‘‘Each strategic’’ for ‘‘The strategic’’ in introductory provisions. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 117–58, § 25014(3)(A), substituted ‘‘Each strategic’’ for ‘‘The strategic’’ in introductory provisions. Subsec. (c)(1)(G). Pub. L. 117–58, § 25014(3)(B), added subpar. (G). Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 117–58, § 25014(4)(A), substituted ‘‘each strategic’’ for ‘‘the strategic’’ in introductory provisions. Subsec. (d)(4). Pub. L. 117–58, § 25014(4)(B), substituted ‘‘2021, and not less frequently than once every 5 years thereafter’’ for ‘‘2016’’. Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 117–58, § 25014(5), struck out sub- sec. (e). Prior to amendment, text read as follows: ‘‘Not later than 2 1⁄2 years after the date of enactment of this chapter, the Secretary may publish on a public website an interim report that— ‘‘(1) provides an assessment of the 5-year research and development strategic plan of the Department of Transportation described in this section; and ‘‘(2) includes a description of the extent to which the research and development is or is not successfully meeting the purposes described under subsection (c)(1).’’ Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE Section effective Oct. 1, 2015, see section 1003 of Pub. L. 114–94, set out as an Effective Date of 2015 Amend- ment note under section 5313 of Title 5, Government Or- ganization and Employees. § 6504. Incorporation of Department of Transpor- tation research (a) REVIEW.—Not later than December 31, 2021, and not less frequently than once every 5 years thereafter, in concurrence with the applicable strategic plan under section 6503, the Secretary of Transportation shall— (1) conduct a review of research conducted by the Department of Transportation; and (2) to the maximum extent practicable and appropriate, identify modifications to laws, regulations, guidance, and other policy docu- ments to incorporate any innovations result- ing from the research described in paragraph (1) that have the potential to improve the safety or efficiency of the United States trans- portation system. (b) REQUIREMENTS.—In conducting a review under subsection (a), the Secretary of Transpor- tation shall— (1) identify any innovative practices, mate- rials, or technologies that have demonstrable benefits to the transportation system; (2) determine whether the practices, mate- rials, or technologies described in paragraph (1) require any statutory or regulatory modi- fications for adoption; and (3)(A) if modifications are determined to be required under paragraph (2), develop— (i) a proposal for those modifications; and (ii) a description of the manner in which any such regulatory modifications would be— (I) incorporated into the Unified Regu- latory Agenda; or (II) adopted into existing regulations as soon as practicable; or (B) if modifications are determined not to be required under paragraph (2), develop a de- scription of the means by which the practices, materials, or technologies described in para- graph (1) will otherwise be incorporated into Department of Transportation or modal ad- ministration policy or guidance, including as part of the Technology Transfer Program of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Re- search and Technology. (c) REPORT.—On completion of each review under subsection (a), the Secretary of Transpor- tation shall submit to the appropriate commit- tees of Congress a report describing, with re- spect to the period covered by the report— (1) each new practice, material, or tech- nology identified under subsection (b)(1); and (2) any statutory or regulatory modification for the adoption of such a practice, material, or technology that— (A) is determined to be required under sub- section (b)(2); or (B) was otherwise made during that period. (Added Pub. L. 117–58, div. B, title V, § 25016(a), Nov. 15, 2021, 135 Stat. 872.) CHAPTER 67—MULTIMODAL INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS Sec. 6701. National infrastructure project assistance. 6702. Local and regional project assistance. 6703. National culvert removal, replacement, and restoration grant program. Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 2021—Pub. L. 117–58, div. B, title I, § 21203(b), Nov. 15, 2021, 135 Stat. 677, added item 6703. § 6701. National infrastructure project assistance (a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: (1) DEPARTMENT.—The term ‘‘Department’’ means the Department of Transportation. (2) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘‘eligible en- tity’’ means— (A) a State or a group of States; (B) a metropolitan planning organization; (C) a unit of local government; (D) a political subdivision of a State; (E) a special purpose district or public au- thority with a transportation function, in- cluding a port authority; (F) a Tribal government or a consortium of Tribal governments; (G) a partnership between Amtrak and 1 or more entities described in subparagraphs (A) through (F); and (H) a group of entities described in any of subparagraphs (A) through (G). (3) PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘program’’ means the program established by subsection (b). (4) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary of Transportation. (5) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means— (A) any of the several States; (B) the District of Columbia; (C) the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; (D) the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands; (E) the United States Virgin Islands; (F) Guam;