Signed Legislation: Surface Transportation Reauthorization and Reform Act of 2015 (Part 18)

Read part I of  Surface Transportation Reauthorization and Reform Act of 2015

`Sec. 70202. State freight plans

`(a) In General- Each State shall develop a freight plan that provides a comprehensive plan for the immediate and long-range planning activities and investments of the State with respect to freight.

`(b) Plan Contents- A freight plan described in subsection (a) shall include, at a minimum--

`(1) an identification of significant freight system trends, needs, and issues with respect to the State;

`(2) a description of the freight policies, strategies, and performance measures that will guide the freight-related transportation investment decisions of the State;

`(3) a description of how the plan will improve the ability of the State to meet the national freight goals described in section 70101;

`(4) evidence of consideration of innovative technologies and operational strategies, including intelligent transportation systems, that improve the safety and efficiency of freight movement;

`(5) in the case of routes on which travel by heavy vehicles (including mining, agricultural, energy cargo or equipment, and timber vehicles) is projected to substantially deteriorate the condition of roadways, a description of improvements that may be required to reduce or impede the deterioration; and

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`(6) an inventory of facilities with freight mobility issues, such as truck bottlenecks, within the State, and a description of the strategies the State is employing to address those freight mobility issues.

`(c) Relationship to State Plans-

`(1) IN GENERAL- A freight plan described in subsection (a) may be developed separately from or incorporated into the statewide transportation plans required by section 135 of title 23.

`(2) UPDATES- If the freight plan described in subsection (a) is developed separately from the State transportation improvement program, the freight plan shall be updated at least every 5 years.

`Sec. 70203. Data and tools

`(a) In General- Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall--

`(1) begin development of new tools or improve existing tools to support an outcome-oriented, performance-based approach to evaluate proposed freight-related and other transportation projects, including--

`(A) methodologies for systematic analysis of benefits and costs;

`(B) tools for ensuring that the evaluation of freight-related and other transportation projects may consider safety, economic competitiveness, environmental sustainability, and system condition in the project selection process; and

`(C) other elements to assist in effective transportation planning;

`(2) identify transportation-related freight travel models and model data elements to support a broad range of evaluation methods and techniques to assist in making transportation investment decisions; and

`(3) at a minimum, in consultation with other relevant Federal agencies, consider any improvements to existing freight flow data collection efforts, including improved methods to standardize and manage the data, that could reduce identified freight data gaps and deficiencies and help improve forecasts of freight transportation demand.

`(b) Consultation- The Secretary shall consult with Federal, State, and other stakeholders to develop, improve, and implement the tools and collect the data described in subsection (a).'.

(b) Clerical Amendment- The analysis of subtitles for title 49, United States Code, is amended by striking the item relating to subtitle IX and inserting the following:

70101'.

(c) Repeals- Sections 1117 and 1118 of MAP-21 (Public Law 112-141), and the items relating to such sections in the table of contents in section 1(c) of such Act, are repealed.

TITLE IX--NATIONAL SURFACE TRANSPORTATION AND INNOVATIVE FINANCE BUREAU

SEC. 9001. NATIONAL SURFACE TRANSPORTATION AND INNOVATIVE FINANCE BUREAU.

(a) In General- Chapter 1 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

`Sec. 116. National Surface Transportation and Innovative Finance Bureau

`(a) Establishment- The Secretary of Transportation shall establish a National Surface Transportation and Innovative Finance Bureau in the Department.

`(b) Purposes- The purposes of the Bureau shall be--

`(1) to administer the application processes for programs within the Department in accordance with subsection (d);

`(2) to promote innovative financing best practices in accordance with subsection (e);

`(3) to reduce uncertainty and delays with respect to environmental reviews and permitting in accordance with subsection (f);

`(4) to reduce costs and risks to taxpayers in project delivery and procurement in accordance with subsection (g); and

`(5) to carry out subtitle IX of this title.

`(c) Executive Director-

`(1) APPOINTMENT- The Bureau shall be headed by an Executive Director, who shall be appointed in the competitive service by the Secretary, with the approval of the President.

`(2) DUTIES- The Executive Director shall--

`(A) report to the Under Secretary of Transportation for Policy;

`(B) be responsible for the management and oversight of the daily activities, decisions, operations, and personnel of the Bureau;

`(C) support the Council on Credit and Finance established under section 117 in accordance with this section; and

`(D) carry out such additional duties as the Secretary may prescribe.

`(d) Administration of Certain Application Processes-

`(1) IN GENERAL- The Bureau shall administer the application processes for the following programs:

`(A) The infrastructure finance programs authorized under chapter 6 of title 23.

`(B) The railroad rehabilitation and improvement financing program authorized under sections 501 through 503 of the Railroad Revitalization and Regulatory Reform Act of 1976 (45 U.S.C. 821-823).

`(C) Amount allocations authorized under section 142(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

`(D) The nationally significant freight and highway projects program under section 117 of title 23.

`(2) CONGRESSIONAL NOTIFICATION- The Secretary shall ensure that the congressional notification requirements for each program referred to in paragraph (1) are followed in accordance with the statutory provisions applicable to the program.

`(3) REPORTS- The Secretary shall ensure that the reporting requirements for each program referred to in paragraph (1) are followed in accordance with the statutory provisions applicable to the program.

`(4) COORDINATION- In administering the application processes for the programs referred to in paragraph (1), the Executive Director of the Bureau shall coordinate with appropriate officials in the Department and its modal administrations responsible for administering such programs.

`(5) STREAMLINING APPROVAL PROCESSES- Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, and the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate a report that--

`(A) evaluates the application processes for the programs referred to in paragraph (1);

`(B) identifies administrative and legislative actions that would improve the efficiency of the application processes without diminishing Federal oversight; and

`(C) describes how the Secretary will implement administrative actions identified under subparagraph (B) that do not require an Act of Congress.

`(6) PROCEDURES AND TRANSPARENCY-

`(A) PROCEDURES- The Secretary shall, with respect to the programs referred to in paragraph (1)--

`(i) establish procedures for analyzing and evaluating applications and for utilizing the recommendations of the Council on Credit and Finance;

`(ii) establish procedures for addressing late-arriving applications, as applicable, and communicating the Bureau's decisions for accepting or rejecting late applications to the applicant and the public; and

`(iii) document major decisions in the application evaluation process through a decision memorandum or similar mechanism that provides a clear rationale for such decisions.

`(B) REVIEW-

`(i) IN GENERAL- The Comptroller General of the United States shall review the compliance of the Secretary with the requirements of this paragraph.

`(ii) RECOMMENDATIONS- The Comptroller General may make recommendations to the Secretary in order to improve compliance with the requirements of this paragraph.

`(iii) REPORT- Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this section, the Comptroller General shall submit to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Environment and Public Works and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report on the results of the review conducted under clause (i), including findings and recommendations for improvement.

`(e) Innovative Financing Best Practices-

`(1) IN GENERAL- The Bureau shall work with the modal administrations within the Department, the States, and other public and private interests to develop and promote best practices for innovative financing and public-private partnerships.

`(2) ACTIVITIES- The Bureau shall carry out paragraph (1)--

`(A) by making Federal credit assistance programs more accessible to eligible recipients;

`(B) by providing advice and expertise to State and local governments that seek to leverage public and private funding;

`(C) by sharing innovative financing best practices and case studies from State and local governments with other State and local governments that are interested in utilizing innovative financing methods; and

`(D) by developing and monitoring--

`(i) best practices with respect to standardized State public-private partnership authorities and practices, including best practices related to--

`(I) accurate and reliable assumptions for analyzing public-private partnership procurements;

`(II) procedures for the handling of unsolicited bids;

`(III) policies with respect to noncompete clauses; and

`(IV) other significant terms of public-private partnership procurements, as determined appropriate by the Bureau;

`(ii) standard contracts for the most common types of public-private partnerships for transportation facilities; and

`(iii) analytical tools and other techniques to aid State and local governments in determining the appropriate project delivery model, including a value for money analysis.

`(3) TRANSPARENCY- The Bureau shall--

`(A) ensure transparency of a project receiving credit assistance under a program identified in subsection (d)(1) and procured as a public-private partnership by--

`(i) requiring the project sponsor of such project to undergo a value for money analysis or a comparable analysis prior to deciding to advance the project as a public-private partnership;

`(ii) requiring the analysis required under subparagraph (A) and other key terms of the relevant public-private partnership agreement, to be made publicly available by the project sponsor at an appropriate time;

`(iii) not later than 3 years after the completion of the project, requiring the project sponsor of such project to conduct a review regarding whether the private partner is meeting the terms of the relevant public private partnership agreement for the project; and

`(iv) providing a publicly available summary of the total level of Federal assistance in such project; and

`(B) develop guidance to implement this paragraph that takes into consideration variations in State and local laws and requirements related to public-private partnerships.

`(4) SUPPORT TO PROJECTS SPONSORS- At the request of a State or local government, the Bureau shall provide technical assistance to the State or local government regarding proposed public-private partnership agreements for transportation facilities, including assistance in performing a value for money analysis or comparable analysis.

`(5) FIXED GUIDEWAY TRANSIT PROCEDURES REPORT- Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate a report that--

`(A) evaluates the differences between traditional design-bid-build, design-build, and public-private partnership procurements for projects carried out under the fixed guideway capital investment program authorized under section 5309;

`(B) identifies, for project procured as public-private partnerships whether the review and approval process under the program requires modification to better suit the unique nature of such procurements; and

`(C) describes how the Secretary will implement any administrative actions identified under subparagraph (B) that do not require an Act of Congress.

`(f) Environmental Review and Permitting-

`(1) IN GENERAL- The Bureau shall take such actions as are appropriate and consistent with the goals and policies set forth in this title and title 23, including with the concurrence of other Federal agencies as required under this title and title 23, to improve delivery timelines for projects.

`(2) ACTIVITIES- The Bureau shall carry out paragraph (1)--

`(A) by serving as the Department's liaison to the Council on Environmental Quality;

`(B) by coordinating Department-wide efforts to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the environmental review and permitting process;

`(C) by coordinating Department efforts under section 139 of title 23;

`(D) by supporting modernization efforts at Federal agencies to achieve innovative approaches to the permitting and review of projects;

`(E) by providing technical assistance and training to field and headquarters staff of Federal agencies on policy changes and innovative approaches to the delivery of projects;

`(F) by identifying, developing, and tracking metrics for permit reviews and decisions by Federal agencies for projects under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969; and

`(G) by administering and expanding the use of Internet-based tools providing for--

`(i) the development and posting of schedules for permit reviews and permit decisions for projects; and

`(ii) the sharing of best practices related to efficient permitting and reviews for projects.

`(3) SUPPORT TO PROJECT SPONSORS- At the request of a State or local government, the Bureau, in coordination with the other appropriate modal agencies within the Department, shall provide technical assistance with regard to the compliance of a project sponsored by the State or local government with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act 1969 and relevant Federal environmental permits.

`(g) Project Procurement-

`(1) IN GENERAL- The Bureau shall promote best practices in procurement for a project receiving assistance under a program identified in subsection (d)(1) by developing, in coordination with the Federal Highway Administration and other modal agencies as appropriate, procurement benchmarks in order to ensure accountable expenditure of Federal assistance over the life cycle of such project.

`(2) PROCUREMENT BENCHMARKS- The procurement benchmarks developed under paragraph (1) shall, to the maximum extent practicable--

`(A) establish maximum thresholds for acceptable project cost increases and delays in project delivery;

`(B) establish uniform methods for States to measure cost and delivery changes over the life cycle of a project; and

`(C) be tailored, as necessary, to various types of project procurements, including design-bid-build, design-build, and public private partnerships.

`(h) Elimination and Consolidation of Duplicative Offices-

`(1) ELIMINATION OF OFFICES- The Secretary may eliminate any office within the Department if the Secretary determines that the purposes of the office are duplicative of the purposes of the Bureau, and the elimination of such office shall not adversely affect the obligations of the Secretary under any Federal law.

`(2) CONSOLIDATION OF OFFICES- The Secretary may consolidate any office within the Department into the Bureau that the Secretary determines has duties, responsibilities, resources, or expertise that support the purposes of the Bureau.

`(3) STAFFING AND BUDGETARY RESOURCES-

`(A) IN GENERAL- The Secretary shall ensure that the Bureau is adequately staffed and funded.

`(B) STAFFING- The Secretary may transfer to the Bureau a position within the Department from any office that is eliminated or consolidated under this subsection if the Secretary determines that the position is necessary to carry out the purposes of the Bureau.

`(C) BUDGETARY RESOURCES-

`(i) TRANSFER OF FUNDS FROM ELIMINATED OR CONSOLIDATED OFFICES- The Secretary may transfer to the Bureau funds allocated to any office that is eliminated or consolidated under this subsection to carry out the purposes of the Bureau.

`(ii) TRANSFER OF FUNDS ALLOCATED TO ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS- The Secretary shall transfer to the Bureau funds allocated to the administrative costs of processing applications for the programs referred to in subsection (d)(1).

`(4) REPORT- Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Environment and Public Works and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report that--

`(A) lists the offices eliminated under paragraph (1) and provides the rationale for elimination of the offices;

`(B) lists the offices consolidated under paragraph (2) and provides the rationale for consolidation of the offices; and

`(C) describes the actions taken under paragraph (3) and provides the rationale for taking such actions.

`(i) Savings Provisions-

`(1) LAWS AND REGULATIONS- Nothing in this section may be construed to change a law or regulation with respect to a program referred to in subsection (d)(1).

`(2) RESPONSIBILITIES- Nothing in this section may be construed to abrogate the responsibilities of an agency, operating administration, or office within the Department otherwise charged by a law or regulation with other aspects of program administration, oversight, and project approval or implementation for the programs and projects subject to this section.

`(j) Definitions- In this section, the following definitions apply:

`(1) BUREAU- The term `Bureau' means the National Surface Transportation and Innovative Finance Bureau of the Department.

`(2) DEPARTMENT- The term `Department' means the Department of Transportation.

`(3) MULTIMODAL PROJECT- The term `multimodal project' means a project involving the participation of more than one modal administration or secretarial office within the Department.

`(4) PROJECT- The term `project' means a highway project, public transportation capital project, freight or passenger rail project, or multimodal project.'.

(b) Clerical Amendment- The analysis for such chapter is amended by adding at the end the following:

`116. National Surface Transportation and Innovative Finance Bureau.'.

SEC. 9002. COUNCIL ON CREDIT AND FINANCE.

(a) In General- Chapter 1 of title 49, United States Code, as amended by this Act, is further amended by adding at the end the following:

`Sec. 117. Council on Credit and Finance

`(a) Establishment- The Secretary of Transportation shall establish a Council on Credit and Finance in accordance with this section.

`(b) Membership-

`(1) IN GENERAL- The Council shall be composed of the following members:

`(A) The Under Secretary of Transportation for Policy.

`(B) The Chief Financial Officer and Assistant Secretary for Budget and Programs.

`(C) The General Counsel of the Department of Transportation.

`(D) The Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy.

`(E) The Administrator of the Federal Highway Administration.

`(F) The Administrator of the Federal Transit Administration.

`(G) The Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration.

`(2) ADDITIONAL MEMBERS- The Secretary may designate up to 3 additional officials of the Department to serve as at-large members of the Council.

`(3) CHAIRPERSON AND VICE CHAIRPERSON-

`(A) CHAIRPERSON- The Under Secretary of Transportation for Policy shall serve as the chairperson of the Council.

`(B) VICE CHAIRPERSON- The Chief Financial Officer and Assistant Secretary for Budget and Programs shall serve as the vice chairperson of the Council.

`(4) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR- The Executive Director of the National Surface Transportation and Innovative Finance Bureau shall serve as a nonvoting member of the Council.

`(c) Duties- The Council shall--

`(1) review applications for assistance submitted under the programs referred to in section 116(d)(1);

`(2) make recommendations to the Secretary regarding the selection of projects to receive assistance under the programs referred to in section 116(d)(1);

`(3) review, on a regular basis, projects that received assistance under the programs referred to in section 116(d)(1); and

`(4) carry out such additional duties as the Secretary may prescribe.'.

(b) Clerical Amendment- The analysis for such chapter is further amended by adding at the end the following:

`117. Council on Credit and Finance.'.

TITLE X--SPORT FISH RESTORATION AND RECREATIONAL BOATING SAFETY

SEC. 10001. ALLOCATIONS.

(a) Authorization- Section 3 of the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. 777b) is amended by striking `57 percent' and inserting `58.012 percent'.

(b) In General- Section 4 of the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. 777c) is amended--

(1) in subsection (a)--

(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1)--

(i) by striking `For each' and all that follows through `the balance' and inserting `For each fiscal year through fiscal year 2021, the balance'; and

(ii) by striking `multistate conservation grants under section 14' and inserting `activities under section 14(e)';

(B) in paragraph (1), by striking `18.5 percent' and inserting `18.673 percent';

(C) in paragraph (2) by striking `18.5 percent' and inserting `17.315 percent';

(D) by striking paragraphs (3) and (4);

(E) by redesignating paragraph (5) as paragraph (4); and

(F) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following:

`(3) BOATING INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT-

`(A) IN GENERAL- An amount equal to 4 percent to the Secretary of the Interior for qualified projects under section 5604(c) of the Clean Vessel Act of 1992 (33 U.S.C. 1322 note) and section 7404(d) of the Sportfishing and Boating Safety Act of 1998 (16 U.S.C. 777g-1(d)).

`(B) LIMITATION- Not more than 75 percent of the amount under subparagraph (A) shall be available for projects under either of the sections referred to in subparagraph (A).';

(2) in subsection (b)--

(A) in paragraph (1)(A) by striking `for each' and all that follows through `the Secretary' and inserting `for each fiscal year through fiscal year 2021, the Secretary';

(B) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (3);

(C) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following:

`(2) SET-ASIDE FOR COAST GUARD ADMINISTRATION-

`(A) IN GENERAL- From the annual appropriation made in accordance with section 3, for each of fiscal years 2016 through 2021, the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating may use no more than the amount specified in subparagraph (B) for the fiscal year for the purposes set forth in section 13107(c) of title 46, United States Code. The amount specified in subparagraph (B) for a fiscal year may not be included in the amount of the annual appropriation distributed under subsection (a) for the fiscal year.

`(B) AVAILABLE AMOUNTS- The available amount referred to in subparagraph (A) is--

`(i) for fiscal year 2016, $7,300,000;

`(ii) for fiscal year 2017, $7,400,000;

`(iii) for fiscal year 2018, $7,500,000;

`(iv) for fiscal year 2019, $7,600,000;

`(v) for fiscal year 2020, $7,700,000; and

`(vi) for fiscal year 2021, $7,800,000.'; and

(D) in paragraph (3), as so redesignated--

(i) in subparagraph (A), by striking `until the end of the fiscal year.' and inserting `until the end of the subsequent fiscal year.'; and

(ii) in subparagraph (B) by striking `under subsection (e)' and inserting `under subsection (c)';

(3) in subsection (c)--

(A) by striking `(c) The Secretary' and inserting `(c)(1) The Secretary,';

(B) by striking `grants under section 14 of this title' and inserting `activities under section 14(e)';

(C) by striking `57 percent' and inserting `58.012 percent'; and

(D) by adding at the end the following:

`(2) The Secretary shall deduct from the amount to be apportioned under paragraph (1) the amounts used for grants under section 14(a).'; and

(4) in subsection (e)(1), by striking `those subsections,' and inserting `those paragraphs,'.

(c) Submission and Approval of Plans and Projects- Section 6(d) of the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. 777e(d)) is amended by striking `for appropriations' and inserting `from appropriations'.

(d) Unexpended or Unobligated Funds- Section 8(b)(2) of the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. 777g(b)(2)) is amended by striking `57 percent' and inserting `58.012 percent'.

(e) Cooperation- Section 12 of the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. 777k) is amended--

(1) by striking `57 percent' and inserting `58.012 percent'; and

(2) by striking `under section 4(b)' and inserting `under section 4(c)'.

(f) Other Activities- Section 14 of the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. 777m) is amended--

(1) in subsection (a)(1), by striking `of each annual appropriation made in accordance with the provisions of section 3'; and

(2) in subsection (e)--

(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1) by striking `Of amounts made available under section 4(b) for each fiscal year--' and inserting `Not more than $1,200,000 of each annual appropriation made in accordance with the provisions of section 3 shall be distributed to the Secretary of the Interior for use as follows:'; and

(B) in paragraph (1)(D) by striking `; and' and inserting a period.

(g) Repeal- The Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. 777 et seq.) is amended--

(1) by striking section 15; and

(2) by redesignating section 16 as section 15.

SEC. 10002. RECREATIONAL BOATING SAFETY.

Section 13107 of title 46, United States Code, is amended--

(1) in subsection (a)--

(A) by striking `(1) Subject to paragraph (2) and subsection (c),' and inserting `Subject to subsection (c),';

(B) by striking `the sum of (A) the amount made available from the Boat Safety Account for that fiscal year under section 15 of the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act and (B)'; and

(C) by striking paragraph (2); and

(2) in subsection (c)--

(A) by striking the subsection designation and paragraph (1) and inserting the following:

`(c)(1)(A) The Secretary may use amounts made available each fiscal year under section 4(b)(2) of the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. 777c(b)(2)) for payment of expenses of the Coast Guard for investigations, personnel, and activities directly related to--

`(i) administering State recreational boating safety programs under this chapter; or

`(ii) coordinating or carrying out the national recreational boating safety program under this title.

`(B) Of the amounts used by the Secretary each fiscal year under subparagraph (A)--

`(i) not less than $2,000,000 is available to ensure compliance with chapter 43 of this title; and

`(ii) not more than $1,500,000 is available to conduct a survey of levels of recreational boating participation and related matters in the United States.'; and

(B) in paragraph (2)--

(i) by striking `No funds' and inserting `On and after October 1, 2016, no funds'; and

(ii) by striking `traditionally'.

DIVISION B--COMPREHENSIVE TRANSPORTATION AND CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT OF 2015

TITLE XXIV--HIGHWAY AND MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY

Subtitle A--Vehicle Safety

SEC. 24101. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

(a) In General- Subject to subsection (b), there is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out chapter 301 of title 49, and part C of subtitle VI of title 49, United States Code, amounts as follows:

(1) $132,730,000 for fiscal year 2016.

(2) $135,517,330 for fiscal year 2017.

(3) $138,363,194 for fiscal year 2018.

(4) $141,268,821 for fiscal year 2019.

(5) $144,235,466 for fiscal year 2020.

(6) $147,264,411 for fiscal year 2021.

(b) Additional Authorization of Appropriations if a Certification Is Made-

(1) IN GENERAL- In addition to the amounts authorized to be appropriated under subsection (a) to carry out chapter 301 of title 49, and part C of subtitle VI of title 49, United States Code, if the certification described in paragraph (2) is made during a fiscal year there is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for that purpose for that fiscal year and subsequent fiscal years an additional amount as follows:

(A) $31,270,000 for fiscal year 2016.

(B) $36,537,670 for fiscal year 2017.

(C) $42,296,336 for fiscal year 2018.

(D) $47,999,728 for fiscal year 2019.

(E) $54,837,974 for fiscal year 2020.

(F) $61,656,407 for fiscal year 2021.

(2) CERTIFICATION DESCRIBED- The certification described in this paragraph is a certification made by the Secretary and submitted to Congress that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has implemented all of the recommendations in the Office of Inspector General Audit Report issued June 18, 2015 (ST-2015-063). As part of the certification, the Secretary shall review the actions the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has taken to implement the recommendations and issue a report to Congress detailing how the recommendations were implemented. The Secretary shall not delegate or assign the responsibility under this paragraph.

SEC. 24102. INSPECTOR GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS.

(a) In General- Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, and periodically thereafter until the completion date, the Department of Transportation Inspector General shall report to the appropriate committees of Congress on whether and what progress has been made to implement the recommendations in the Office of Inspector General Audit Report issued June 18, 2015 (ST-2015-063).

(b) Implementation Progress- The Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shall--

(1) not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, and periodically thereafter until the completion date, provide a briefing to the appropriate committees of Congress on the actions the Administrator has taken to implement the recommendations in the audit report described in subsection (a), including a plan for implementing any remaining recommendations; and

(2) not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, issue a final report to the appropriate committees of Congress on the implementation of all of the recommendations in the audit report described in subsection (a).

(c) Definitions- In this section:

(1) APPROPRIATE COMMITTEES OF CONGRESS- The term `appropriate committees of Congress' means the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives.

(2) COMPLETION DATE- The term `completion date' means the date that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has implemented all of the recommendations in the Office of Inspector General Audit Report issued June 18, 2015 (ST-2015-063).

SEC. 24103. IMPROVEMENTS IN AVAILABILITY OF RECALL INFORMATION.

(a) Vehicle Recall Information- Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall implement current information technology, web design trends, and best practices that will help ensure that motor vehicle safety recall information available to the public on the Federal website is readily accessible and easy to use, including--

(1) by improving the organization, availability, readability, and functionality of the website;

(2) by accommodating high-traffic volume; and

(3) by establishing best practices for scheduling routine website maintenance.

(b) Government Accountability Office Public Awareness Report-

(1) IN GENERAL- The Comptroller General shall study the current use by consumers, dealers, and manufacturers of the safety recall information made available to the public, including the usability and content of the Federal and manufacturers' websites and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's efforts to publicize and educate consumers about safety recall information.

(2) REPORT- Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall issue a report with the findings of the study under paragraph (1), including recommending any actions the Secretary can take to improve public awareness and use of the websites for safety recall information.

(c) Promotion of Public Awareness- Section 31301(c) of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (49 U.S.C. 30166 note) is amended to read as follows:

`(c) Promotion of Public Awareness- The Secretary shall improve public awareness of safety recall information made publicly available by periodically updating the method of conveying that information to consumers, dealers, and manufacturers, such as through public service announcements.'.

(d) Consumer Guidance- Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall make available to the public on the Internet detailed guidance for consumers submitting safety complaints, including--

(1) a detailed explanation of what information a consumer should include in a complaint; and

(2) a detailed explanation of the possible actions the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration can take to address a complaint and respond to the consumer, including information on--

(A) the consumer records, such as photographs and police reports, that could assist with an investigation; and

(B) the length of time a consumer should retain the records described in subparagraph (A).

(e) VIN Search-

(1) IN GENERAL- The Secretary, in coordination with industry, including manufacturers and dealers, shall study--

(A) the feasibility of searching multiple vehicle identification numbers at a time to retrieve motor vehicle safety recall information; and

(B) the feasibility of making the search mechanism described under subparagraph (A) publicly available.

(2) CONSIDERATIONS- In conducting the study under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall consider the potential costs, and potential risks to privacy and security in implementing such a search mechanism.

SEC. 24104. RECALL PROCESS.

(a) Notification Improvement-

(1) IN GENERAL- Not later than 270 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall prescribe a final rule revising the regulations under section 577.7 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, to include notification by electronic means in addition to notification by first class mail.

(2) DEFINITION OF ELECTRONIC MEANS- In this subsection, the term `electronic means' includes electronic mail and may include such other means of electronic notification, such as social media or targeted online campaigns, as determined by the Secretary.

(b) Notification by Manufacturer- Section 30118(c) is amended by inserting `or electronic mail' after `certified mail'.

(c) Recall Completion Rates Report-

(1) IN GENERAL- Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, and biennially thereafter for 4 years, the Secretary shall--

(A) conduct an analysis of vehicle safety recall completion rates to assess potential actions by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to improve vehicle safety recall completion rates; and

(B) submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives a report on the results of the analysis.

(2) CONTENTS- Each report shall include--

(A) the annual recall completion rate by manufacturer, model year, component (such as brakes, fuel systems, and air bags), and vehicle type (passenger car, sport utility vehicle, passenger van, and pick-up truck) for each of the 5 years before the year the report is submitted;

(B) the methods by which the Secretary has conducted analyses of these recall completion rates to determine trends and identify risk factors associated with lower recall rates; and

(C) the actions the Secretary has planned to improve recall completion rates based on the results of this data analysis.

(d) Inspector General Audit of Vehicle Recalls-

(1) IN GENERAL- The Department of Transportation Inspector General shall conduct an audit of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's management of vehicle safety recalls.

(2) CONTENTS- The audit shall include a determination of whether the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration--

(A) appropriately monitors recalls to ensure the appropriateness of scope and adequacy of recall completion rates and remedies;

(B) ensures manufacturers provide safe remedies, at no cost to consumers;

(C) is capable of coordinating recall remedies and processes; and

(D) can improve its policy on consumer notice to combat effects of recall fatigue.

SEC. 24105. PILOT GRANT PROGRAM FOR STATE NOTIFICATION TO CONSUMERS OF MOTOR VEHICLE RECALL STATUS.

(a) In General- Not later than October 1, 2016, the Secretary shall implement a 2-year pilot program to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of a State process for informing consumers of open motor vehicle recalls at the time of motor vehicle registration in the State.

(b) Grants- To carry out this program, the Secretary may make a grant to each eligible State, but not more than 6 eligible States in total, that agrees to comply with the requirements under subsection (c). Funds made available to a State under this section shall be used by the State for the pilot program described in subsection (a).

(c) Eligibility- To be eligible for a grant, a State shall--

(1) submit an application in such form and manner as the Secretary prescribes;

(2) agree to notify, at the time of registration, each owner or lessee of a motor vehicle presented for registration in the State of any open recall on that vehicle;

(3) provide the open motor vehicle recall information at no cost to each owner or lessee of a motor vehicle presented for registration in the State; and

(4) provide such other information as the Secretary may require.

(d) Awards- In selecting an applicant for an award under this section, the Secretary shall consider the State's methodology for determining open recalls on a motor vehicle, for informing consumers of the open recalls, and for determining performance.

(e) Performance Period- Each grant awarded under this section shall require a 2-year performance period.

(f) Report- Not later than 90 days after the completion of the performance period under subsection (e), a grantee shall provide to the Secretary a report of performance containing such information as the Secretary considers necessary to evaluate the extent to which open recalls have been remedied.

(g) Evaluation- Not later than 180 days after the completion of the pilot program, the Secretary shall evaluate the extent to which open recalls identified have been remedied.

(h) Definitions- In this section:

(1) CONSUMER- The term `consumer' includes owner and lessee.

(2) MOTOR VEHICLE- The term `motor vehicle' has the meaning given the term under section 30102(a) of title 49, United States Code.

(3) OPEN RECALL- The term `open recall' means a recall for which a notification by a manufacturer has been provided under section 30119 of title 49, United States Code, and that has not been remedied under section 30120 of that title.

(4) REGISTRATION- The term `registration' means the process for registering motor vehicles in the State.

(5) STATE- The term `State' has the meaning given the term under section 101(a) of title 23, United States Code.

SEC. 24106. RECALL OBLIGATIONS UNDER BANKRUPTCY.

Section 30120A is amended by striking `chapter 11 of title 11,' and inserting `chapter 7 or chapter 11 of title 11'.

Read part XIX of  Surface Transportation Reauthorization and Reform Act of 2015

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