S. 3367Senate115th Congress (2017-2019)Enacted

Department of Transportation Reports Harmonization Act

Sponsored by John ThuneSen. John Thune (R-SD)
Introduced August 22, 2018

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 15, 2026 at 11:37 PM UTC

The Department of Transportation Reports Harmonization Act updates a number of DOT reporting rules to make information more publicly available, reduce paperwork, and improve congressional oversight. It affects the Merchant Marine Academy, federal environmental reviews, the Northeast Corridor rail safety committee, state highway‑safety reporting, and the structure of rail‑improvement grant statutes.

Key Provisions

  • Charges and fees for attending the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy must be posted on a public website instead of just notifying Congress.
  • Information about how federal environmental reviews are aligned must be posted on the DOT website.
  • The Northeast Corridor safety committee’s reporting requirements are changed, and the committee will be dissolved once positive train control is fully implemented.
  • DOT must post each state’s highway‑safety performance on its website within 45 days of plan approval, and the GAO must deliver a report on state progress within two years.
  • The National Rail Cooperative Research Program oversight board is set to end on Jan. 1, 2019.
  • Rail‑Improvement Grant statutes are renumbered from chapter 244 to chapter 229, with accompanying technical and conforming amendments to keep references consistent.

Legislative Activity

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21 earlier actions
Became Law Latest Action

Became Public Law No: 115-420.

January 3, 2019

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

August 22, 2018

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

August 22, 2018

SenateCommittee

Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.

September 5, 2018

SenateCommittee

Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Thune with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 115-390.

November 27, 2018

SenateCalendars

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 677.

November 27, 2018

SenateFloor

Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S7817-7820; text of measure as reported in Senate: CR S7817-7819)

December 18, 2018

SenateFloor

The committee substitute withdrawn by Unanimous Consent.

December 18, 2018

SenateFloor

Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.

December 18, 2018

SenateFloor

Message on Senate action sent to the House.

December 19, 2018

HouseFloor

Received in the House.

December 19, 2018 • 2:13 PM

HouseFloor

Held at the desk.

December 19, 2018 • 4:41 PM

HouseFloor

Mr. Mast moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.

December 21, 2018 • 9:16 AM

HouseFloor

Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H10516-10517)

December 21, 2018 • 9:17 AM

HouseFloor

DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 3367.

December 21, 2018 • 9:17 AM

HouseFloor

At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.

December 21, 2018 • 9:19 AM

HouseFloor

Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H10534-10535)

December 21, 2018 • 10:25 AM

SenateFloor

Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 381 - 2 (Roll no. 478).(text: CR H10516-10517)

December 21, 2018 • 10:28 AM

HouseFloor

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 381 - 2 (Roll no. 478). (text: CR H10516-10517)

December 21, 2018 • 10:28 AM

HouseFloor

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

December 21, 2018 • 10:28 AM

President

Presented to President.

December 27, 2018

Became Law

Signed by President.

January 3, 2019

Became Law

Became Public Law No: 115-420.

January 3, 2019

Amendments

1 amendment

Offered to this bill

Floor Debate

7 members

What members said about S. 3367 on the floor

5 Republicans2 Democrats
Dina Titus
Rep. Dina TitusD-NV-1 · Dec 21, 2018

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, this bill makes changes to reporting requirements for the Department of Transportation, requiring various agencies to be more…

F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr.
Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr.R-WI-5 · Dec 21, 2018

Mr. Speaker, due to unavoidable circumstances, I was physically absent from the House of Representatives on December 21, 2018. On that day, I missed 9 recorded votes. I submit for the Record how I…

Brian J. Mast
Rep. Brian J. MastR-FL-18 · Dec 21, 2018

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 3367) to amend certain transportation-related reporting requirements to improve congressional oversight, reduce reporting burdens, and…

John Boozman
Sen. John BoozmanR-AR · Dec 18, 2018

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 677, S. 3367. I ask unanimous consent that the committee-reported substitute amendment be…

Bob Goodlatte
Rep. Bob GoodlatteR-VA-6 · Dec 21, 2018

Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 475, ``yea'' on rollcall No. 476, ``yea'' on rollcall No. 477, ``yea'' on rollcall No. 478,…

Show 2 more
Joseph D. Morelle
Rep. Joseph D. MorelleD-NY-25 · Dec 21, 2018

Mr. Speaker, I regrettably missed the vote on S. 3191, the Civil Rights Cold Case Records Collection Act, on Friday, December 21, 2018. I had intended to vote ``yes'' on rollcall vote No. 482.

Thomas Massie
Rep. Thomas MassieR-KY-4 · Dec 21, 2018

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Bill Text

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One Hundred Fifteenth Congress of the United States of America

2d Session

Begun and held at the City of Washington on Wednesday, the third day of January, two thousand and eighteen

S. 3367

AN ACT

To amend certain transportation-related reporting requirements to improve congressional oversight, reduce reporting burdens, and promote transparency, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Department of Transportation Reports Harmonization Act.

2.

Public availability of charges and fees for attendance at United States Merchant Marine Academy

Section 51314(b) of title 46, United States Code, is amended by striking shall notify Congress of and inserting shall present at the next meeting of the Board of Visitors, and post on a publicly available website,.

3.

Public availability of information on aligning Federal environmental reviews

Section 310(f)(1) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by inserting , and make publicly available on the Department of Transportation website, after House of Representatives.

4.

Reporting on the Northeast Corridor

(a)

Northeast Corridor Safety Committee report

Section 24905(e) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by striking paragraph (3).

(b)

Contents of grant requests

(1)

In general

Section 24319(c) of title 49, United States Code, is amended—

(A)

in paragraph (2), by striking ; and and inserting a semicolon;

(B)

in paragraph (3), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and; and

(C)

by adding at the end the following:

(4)

describe the status of efforts to improve safety and security on the Northeast Corridor main line, including a description of any efforts to implement recommendations of relevant railroad safety advisory committees.

.

(2)

Rule of construction

Nothing in this subsection or an amendment made by this subsection shall affect a grant request made under section 24319 of title 49, United States Code, before the date of enactment of this Act.

5.

Highway safety programs report to Congress

(a)

DOT reports

Section 402 of title 23, United States Code, is amended by striking subsection (n) and inserting the following:

(n)

Public transparency

The Secretary shall publicly release on its website information that contains each State's performance with respect to the State's highway safety plan under subsection (k) and performance targets set by the States in such plans. Such information shall be posted on the website within 45 calendar days of approval of a State's highway safety plan.

.

(b)

GAO report

(1)

In general

The Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a review of the highway safety programs under section 402 of title 23, United States Code. In carrying out the review, the Comptroller General shall review States' progress in achieving safety performance targets, including how States are utilizing grants and problems encountered in achieving such targets.

(2)

Submission

Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit a report to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives that contains the results of the study conducted under paragraph (1), including any recommendations for improvements to State activities and the Secretary of Transportation’s administration of the highway safety programs.

6.

Cessation of certain advisory councils and advisory committees

(a)

Northeast Corridor Safety Committee

Section 24905(e) of title 49, United States Code, as amended by this Act, is further amended by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the following:

(2)

Sunset

The Committee established under this subsection ceases to exist on the date that the Secretary determines positive train control, as required by section 20157, is fully implemented along the Northeast Corridor.

.

(b)

National Rail Cooperative Research Program Oversight Committee

Section 24910(c) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

(3)

Sunset

The advisory board established under this subsection ceases to exist effective January 1, 2019.

.

7.

Technical amendments to rail improvement grants

(a)

Redesignation

Subtitle V of title 49, United States Code, is amended—

(1)

by redesignating sections 24401 through 24408 as sections 22901 through 22908, respectively;

(2)

by redesignating chapter 244 as chapter 229;

(3)

by moving chapter 229, as redesignated, to appear at the end of part B;

(4)

in the table of chapters—

(A)

by striking the item relating to chapter 244; and

(B)

by inserting after the item relating to chapter 227 the following:

Chapter 229. Rail Improvement Grants22901

;

and
(5)

by amending the table of sections for chapter 229, as redesignated, to read as follows:

229

Rail improvement grants

Sec.

22901. Definitions.

22902. Capital investment grants to support intercity passenger rail services.

22903. Project management oversight.

22904. Use of capital grants to finance first-dollar liability of grant project.

22905. Grant conditions.

22906. Authorization of appropriations.

22907. Consolidated rail infrastructure and safety improvements.

22908. Restoration and enhancement grants.

.

(b)

Technical and conforming amendments

(1)

Technical amendments

Chapter 229 of title 49, United States Code, as redesignated, is amended—

(A)

in section 22902, as redesignated—

(i)

in subsection (c)(3)(A)—

(I)

in the matter preceding clause (i), by inserting of after other modes; and

(II)

in clause (vi) by striking environmentally and inserting environmental; and

(ii)

in subsection (k), by striking state rail plan and inserting State rail plan; and

(B)

in section 22905(e)(1), as redesignated—

(i)

by striking government authority and inserting governmental authority; and

(ii)

by striking section 5302(11) and (6), respectively, of this title and inserting section 5302.

(2)

Conforming amendments

Chapter 229 of title 49, United States Code, as redesignated, is amended—

(A)

in section 22901(2)(D), as redesignated, by striking 24404 and inserting 22904;

(B)

in section 22904, as redesignated, by striking 24402 and inserting 22902;

(C)

in section 22905(e)(1), as redesignated, by striking 24102(4) of this title and inserting 24102;

(D)

in section 22907, as redesignated—

(i)

in subsection (c)(2), by striking 24401(2) and inserting 22901(2); and

(ii)

in subsection (k), by striking of sections 24402, 24403, and 24404 and the definition contained in 24401(1) and inserting under sections 22902, 22903, and 22904, and the definition contained in section 22901(1); and

(E)

in section 22908, as redesignated—

(i)

in subsection (a), in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking 24401(1) and inserting 22901(1); and

(ii)

in subsection (i)(3), by striking 24405 and inserting 22905.

(3)

Additional conforming amendments

(A)

Subtitle V

Subtitle V of title 49, United States Code, is amended—

(i)

in part C—

(I)

in section 24102(7)(D)(ii), by striking chapter 244 and inserting chapter 229;

(II)

in section 24103, by inserting or chapter 229 after this part each place it appears;

(III)

in section 24711(c)(3), by striking 24405 and inserting 22905; and

(IV)

in section 24911(i), by striking 24405 and inserting 22905; and

(ii)

in part D, in section 26106(e)(3), by striking 24405 of this title and inserting 22905.

(B)

Railroad safety enhancement act of 2008

The Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 (division B of Public Law 110–432) is amended—

(i)

in section 301(c) (49 U.S.C. 24405 note), by striking 24405(a) and inserting 22905(a); and

(ii)

in section 502(a)(4)(I) (49 U.S.C. 26106 note), by striking 24405 and inserting 22905.

(C)

FAST Act

The Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act (Public Law 114–94; 129 Stat. 1312) is amended—

(i)

in section 11102, by adding at the end the following:

(c)

Conforming provision for redesignation of applicable section

Any amounts authorized under this section for grants or project management oversight under section 24407 of such title shall be deemed to refer to grants or project management oversight under section 22907 of such title on or after the date of enactment of the Department of Transportation Reports Harmonization Act.

;

(ii)

in section 11104, by adding at the end the following:

(c)

Conforming provision for redesignation of applicable section

Any amounts authorized under this section for grants or project management oversight under section 24408 of such title shall be deemed to refer to grants or project management oversight under section 22908 of such title on or after the date of enactment of the Department of Transportation Reports Harmonization Act.

;

(iii)

in section 11308(a)(4)(I), by striking 24405 and inserting 22905; and

(iv)

in section 11401(b)(5), by striking chapter 244 and inserting chapter 229.

Speaker of the House of Representatives

Vice President of the United States and President of the Senate