To establish the Delta Region transportation development program.

1. 1

   Change 1: Inserts new text wherever appropriate

   Inserts

   Inserted: SEC. . THE DELTA REGIONAL AUTHORITY.

   Inserted: (1) In General.--Subchapter I of chapter 1 of title 23, United States Code (as amended by section 1814(a), is amended by adding at the end the following:

   Inserted: 178. Delta Region transportation development program

   Inserted: (a) In General.--The Secretary shall carry out a program to--

   Inserted: (1) support and encourage multistate transportation planning and corridor development;

   Inserted: (2) provide for transportation project development;

   Inserted: (3) facilitate transportation decisionmaking; and

   Inserted: (4) support transportation construction.

   Inserted: (b) Eligible Recipients.--A State transportation department or metropolitan planning organization may receive and administer funds provided under the program.

   Inserted: (c) Eligible Activities.--The Secretary shall make allocations under the program for multistate highway and transit planning, development, and construction projects.

   Inserted: (d) Other Provisions Regarding Eligibility.--All activities funded under this program shall be consistent with the continuing, cooperative, and comprehensive planning processes required by section 134 and 135.

   Inserted: (e) Selection Criteria.--The Secretary shall select projects to be carried out under the program based on--

   Show 17 more inserted paragraphsShow less

   Inserted: (1) whether the project is located--

   Inserted: (A) in an area that is part of the Delta Regional Authority; and

   Inserted: (B) on the Federal-aid system;

   Inserted: (2) endorsement of the project by the State department of transportation; and

   Inserted: (3) evidence of the ability to complete the project.

   Inserted: (f) Program Priorities.--In administering the program, the Secretary shall--

   Inserted: (1) encourage State and local officials to work together to develop plans for multimodal and multijurisdictional transportation decisionmaking; and

   Inserted: (2) give priority to projects that emphasize multimodal planning, including planning for operational improvements that--

   Inserted: (A) increase the mobility of people and goods;

   Inserted: (B) improve the safety of the transportation system with respect to catastrophic--

   Inserted: (i) natural disasters; or

   Inserted: (ii) disasters caused by human activity; and

   Inserted: (C) contribute to the economic vitality of the area in which the project is being carried out.

   Inserted: (g) Federal Share.--Amounts provided by the Delta Regional Authority to carry out a project under this section shall be applied to the non-Federal share required by section 120.

   Inserted: (h) Availability of Funds.--Amounts made available to carry out this section shall remain available until expended.

   Inserted: (b) Conforming Amendment.--The analysis for chapter I of title 23, United States Code (as amended by section 1841(b)), is amended by adding at the end the following:

   Inserted: ''178. Delta Region transportation development program."."

   The amendment doesn't say where this goes; the clerk decides.

   Original wording

   At the appropriate place, insert:

2. 2

   Change 2: Inserts new text on page 678, line 5

   InsertsPrinted page

   Inserted: (16) Delta Region Transportation Development Program.--For planning and construction activities authorized under the Delta Regional Authority, $400,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2004 through 2009.

   Original wording

   On page 678, after line 5, insert:

Read automatically from the Congressional Record. Check the original before relying on it.

As printed