[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 411 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
108th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 411
To amend title 49, United States Code, to establish a university
transportation center to be known as the ``Southwest Bridge Research
Center''.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
February 13, 2003
Mr. Bingaman introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 49, United States Code, to establish a university
transportation center to be known as the ``Southwest Bridge Research
Center''.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Southwest Bridge Research Center
Establishment Act of 2003''.
SEC. 2. BRIDGE RESEARCH CENTER.
Section 5505 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding
at the end the following:
``(k) Southwest Bridge Research Center.--
``(1) In general.--In addition to the university
transportation centers receiving grants under subsections (a)
and (b), the Secretary shall provide grants to New Mexico State
University, in collaboration with the Oklahoma Transportation
Center, to establish and operate a university transportation
center to be known as the `Southwest Bridge Research Center'
(referred to in this subsection as the `Center').
``(2) Purpose.--The purpose of the Center shall be to
contribute at a national level to a systems approach to
improving the overall performance of bridges, with an emphasis
on--
``(A) increasing the number of highly skilled
individuals entering the field of transportation;
``(B) improving the monitoring of structural health
over the life of bridges;
``(C) developing innovative technologies for bridge
testing and assessment;
``(D) developing technologies and procedures for
ensuring bridge safety, reliability, and security; and
``(E) providing training in the methods for bridge
inspection and evaluation.
``(3) Objectives.--The Center shall carry out the following
programs and activities:
``(A) Basic and applied research, the products of
which shall be judged by peers or other experts in the
field to advance the body of knowledge in
transportation.
``(B) An education program that includes
multidisciplinary course work and participation in
research.
``(C) An ongoing program of technology transfer
that makes research results available to potential
users in a form that can be implemented.
``(4) Maintenance of effort.--To be eligible to receive a
grant under this subsection, the institution specified in
paragraph (1) shall enter into an agreement with the Secretary
to ensure that, for each fiscal year after establishment of the
Center, the institution will fund research activities relating
to transportation in an amount that is at least equal to the
average annual amount of funds expended for the activities for
the 2 fiscal years preceding the fiscal year in which the grant
is received.
``(5) Cost sharing.--
``(A) Federal share.--The Federal share of the cost
of any activity carried out using funds from a grant
provided under this subsection shall be 50 percent.
``(B) Non-federal share.--The non-Federal share of
the cost of any activity carried out using funds from a
grant provided under this subsection may include funds
provided to the recipient under any of sections 503,
504(b), and 505 of title 23.
``(C) Ongoing programs.--After establishment of the
Center, the institution specified in paragraph (1)
shall obligate for each fiscal year not less than
$200,000 in regularly budgeted institutional funds to
support ongoing transportation research and education
programs.
``(6) Program coordination.--
``(A) Coordination.--The Secretary shall--
``(i) coordinate the research, education,
training, and technology transfer activities
carried out by the Center;
``(ii) disseminate the results of that
research; and
``(iii) establish and operate a
clearinghouse for information derived from that
research.
``(B) Annual review and evaluation.--At least
annually, and in accordance with the plan developed
under section 508 of title 23, the Secretary shall
review and evaluate each program carried out by the
Center using funds from a grant provided under this
subsection.
``(7) Limitation on availability of funds.--Funds made
available to carry out this subsection shall remain available
for obligation for a period of 2 years after the last day of
the fiscal year for which the funds are authorized.
``(8) Amount of grant.--For each of fiscal years 2004
through 2009, the Secretary shall provide a grant in the amount
of $3,000,000 to the institution specified in paragraph (1) to
carry out this subsection.
``(9) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized
to be appropriated from the Highway Trust Fund (other than the
Mass Transit Account) to carry out this subsection $3,000,000
for each of fiscal years 2004 through 2009.''.
<all>