§ 6501. Annual modal research plans

Legislative history

Reconstructed from this section’s Code source credit and amendment notes, resolved against the local Statutes at Large. Editorial notes are evidence, not the law that made the change.

1. 2015

   Transportation for Tomorrow Act of 2015

   Pub. L. 114–94 div. A title VI § 6019(b)(1) · 129 Stat. 1312

   Enacted · 49 U.S.C. § 6501

   Added Pub. L. 114–94, div. A, title VI, § 6019(b)(1), Dec. 4, 2015, 129 Stat. 1578

   Source evidence

   Code source credit
   Added Pub. L. 114–94, div. A, title VI, § 6019(b)(1), Dec. 4, 2015, 129 Stat. 1578

   Enacted provision · exact public law section
   (1) In general.— Subtitle III of title 49, United States Code, 49 USC prec. 6501. is amended by inserting after chapter 63 the following: “CHAPTER 65— RESEARCH PLANNING “Sec. “6501. Annual modal research plans. “6502. Consolidated research database. “6503. Transportation research and development 5-year strategic plan. “SEC. 6501. ANNUAL MODAL RESEARCH PLANS. “(a) Modal Plans Required.— “(1) In general.— Not later than May 1 of each year, the head of each modal administration and joint program office of the Department of Transportation shall submit to the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology of the Department of Transportation (referred to in this chapter as the ‘Assistant Secretary’) a comprehensive annual modal research plan for the upcoming fiscal year and a detailed outlook for the following fiscal year. “(2) Relationship to strategic plan.— Each plan submitted under paragraph (1), after the plan required in 2016, shall be consistent with the strategic plan developed under section 6503. “(b) Review.— “(1) In general.— Not later than September 1 of each year, the Assistant Secretary, for each plan and outlook submitted pursuant to subsection (a), shall— “(A) review the scope of the research; and “(B) (i) approve the plan and outlook; or “(ii) request that the plan and outlook be revised and resubmitted for approval. “(2) Publications.— Not later than January 30 of each year, the Secretary shall publish on a public website each plan and outlook that has been approved under paragraph (1)(B)(i). “(3) Rejection of duplicative research efforts.— The Assistant Secretary may not approve any plan submitted by the head of a modal administration or joint program office pursuant to subsection (a) if any of the projects described in the plan duplicate significant aspects of research efforts of any other modal administration. “(c) Funding Limitations.— No funds may be expended by the Department of Transportation on research that has been determined by the Assistant Secretary under subsection (b)(3) to be duplicative unless— “(1) the research is required by an Act of Congress; “(2) the research was part of a contract that was funded before the date of enactment of this chapter; “(3) the research updates previously commissioned research; or “(4) the Assistant Secretary certifies to Congress that such research is necessary, and provides justification for such certification. “(d) Certification.— “(1) In general.— The Secretary shall annually certify to Congress that— “(A) each modal research plan has been reviewed; and “(B) there is no duplication of study for research directed, commissioned, or conducted by the Department of Transportation. “(2) Corrective action plan.— If the Secretary, after submitting a certification under paragraph (1), identifies duplication of research within the Department of Transportation, the Secretary shall— “(A) notify Congress of the duplicative research; and “(B) submit to Congress a corrective action plan to eliminate the duplicative research. “SEC. 6502. CONSOLIDATED RESEARCH DATABASE. “(a) Research Abstract Database.— “(1) In general.— The Secretary shall annually publish on a public website a comprehensive database of all research projects conducted by the Department of Transportation, including, to the extent practicable, research funded through University Transportation Centers. “(2) Contents.— The database published under paragraph (1) shall, to the extent practicable— “(A) include the consolidated modal research plans approved under section 6501(b)(1)(B)(i); “(B) describe the research objectives, progress, findings, and allocated funds for each research project; “(C) identify research projects with multimodal applications; “(D) specify how relevant modal administrations have assisted, will contribute to, or plan to use the findings from the research projects identified under paragraph (1); “(E) identify areas in which more than 1 modal administration is conducting research on a similar subject or a subject that has a bearing on more than 1 mode; “(F) indicate how the findings of research are being disseminated to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, and safety of transportation systems; and “(G) describe the public and stakeholder input to the research plans submitted under section 6501(a)(1). “(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 committees of Congress a report that describes— “(1) the amount spent in the last full fiscal year on transportation research and development with specific descriptions of projects funded at $5,000,000 or more; and “(2) the amount proposed in the current budget for transportation research and development 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 expectations described in section 6503(c)(1); and “(4) any amendments to the strategic plan developed under section 6503. “SEC. 6503. TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT 5-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN. “(a) In General.— The Secretary shall develop a 5-year transportation research and development strategic plan to guide future Federal transportation research and development activities. “(b) Consistency.— The strategic plan developed 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.— The strategic plan developed under subsection (a) shall— “(1) describe how the plan furthers the primary purposes of the transportation research and development program, which shall include— “(A) improving mobility of people and goods; “(B) reducing congestion; “(C) promoting safety; “(D) improving the durability and extending the life of transportation infrastructure; “(E) preserving the environment; and “(F) preserving the existing transportation system; “(2) for each of the purposes referred to in paragraph (1), list the primary proposed research and development activities that the Department of Transportation intends to pursue to accomplish that purpose, which may include— “(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 activity— “(A) identify the anticipated annual funding levels for the period covered by the strategic plan; and “(B) describe the research findings the Department expects to discover at the end of the period covered by the strategic plan. “(d) Considerations.— The Secretary shall ensure that the strategic plan developed under this section— “(1) reflects input from a wide range of external stakeholders; “(2) includes and integrates the research and development programs of all of the modal administrations of the Department of Transportation, including aviation, transit, rail, and maritime and joint programs; “(3) takes into account research and development by other Federal, State, local, private sector, and nonprofit institutions; “(4) not later than December 31, 2016, is published on a public website; and “(5) takes into account how research and development 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. “(e) Interim Report.— Not later than 2 ½ 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).” .

2. 2021

   Surface Transportation Investment Act of 2021

   Pub. L. 117–58 § 25015(a)(1)(A) · 135 Stat. 429

   1. Added · 49 U.S.C. § 6501(a)(1)

      Pub. L. 117–58, § 25015(a)(1)(A), added par. (1)

   2. Struck · 49 U.S.C. § 6501(a)(1)

      Pub. L. 117–58, § 25015(a)(1)(A), struck out former par. (1). Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “Not later than May 1 of each year, the head of each modal administration and joint program office of the Department of Transportation shall submit to the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology of the Department of Transportation (referred to in this chapter as the ‘Assistant Secretary’) a comprehensive annual modal research plan for the upcoming fiscal year and a detailed outlook for the following fiscal year.”

   Source evidence

   Code amendment note
   Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 117–58, § 25015(a)(1)(A), added par. (1) and struck out former par. (1). Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “Not later than May 1 of each year, the head of each modal administration and joint program office of the Department of Transportation shall submit to the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology of the Department of Transportation (referred to in this chapter as the ‘Assistant Secretary’) a comprehensive annual modal research plan for the upcoming fiscal year and a detailed outlook for the following fiscal year.”

   Enacted provision · exact public law section
   (A) by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following: “(1) In general.— Not later than June 1 of each year, the head of each modal administration and joint program office of the Department of Transportation shall prepare and submit to the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology of the Department of Transportation (referred to in this chapter as the ‘Assistant Secretary’)— “(A) a comprehensive annual modal research plan for the following fiscal year; and “(B) a detailed outlook for the fiscal year thereafter.” ;

3. 2021

   Surface Transportation Investment Act of 2021

   Pub. L. 117–58 § 25015(a)(1)(D) · 135 Stat. 429

   Redesignated · 49 U.S.C. § 6501(a)(2)

   Pub. L. 117–58, § 25015(a)(1)(D), added par. (2). Former par. (2) redesignated (3)

   Source evidence

   Code amendment note
   Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 117–58, § 25015(a)(1)(D), added par. (2). Former par. (2) redesignated (3).

   Enacted provision · exact public law section
   (D) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following: “(2) Requirements.— Each plan under paragraph (1) shall include— “(A) a general description of the strategic goals of the Department that are addressed by the research programs being carried out by the Assistant Secretary or modal administration, as applicable; “(B) a description of each proposed research program, as described in the budget request submitted by the Secretary of Transportation to the President under section 1108 of title 31 for the following fiscal year, including— “(i) the major objectives of the program; and “(ii) the requested amount of funding for each program and area; “(C) a list of activities the Assistant Secretary or modal administration plans to carry out under the research programs described in subparagraph (B); “(D) an assessment of the potential impact of the research programs described in subparagraph (B), including— “(i) potential outputs, outcomes, and impacts on technologies and practices used by entities subject to the jurisdiction of the modal administration; “(ii) potential effects on applicable regulations of the modal administration, including the modification or modernization of those regulations; “(iii) potential economic or societal impacts; and “(iv) progress made toward achieving strategic goals of— “(I) the applicable modal administration; or “(II) the Department of Transportation; “(E) a description of potential partnerships to be established to conduct the research program, including partnerships with— “(i) institutions of higher education; and “(ii) private sector entities; and “(F) such other requirements as the Assistant Secretary considers to be necessary.” ;

4. 2021

   Surface Transportation Investment Act of 2021

   Pub. L. 117–58 § 25015(a)(1)(B) · 135 Stat. 429

   Inserted · 49 U.S.C. § 6501(a)(2)

   Pub. L. 117–58, § 25015(a)(1)(B), inserted “prepared or” before “submitted”

   Target inherited from the preceding amendment note.

   Source evidence

   Code amendment note
   Pub. L. 117–58, § 25015(a)(1)(B), inserted “prepared or” before “submitted”.

   Enacted provision · exact public law section
   (B) in paragraph (2), by inserting “prepared or” before “submitted”;

5. 2021

   Surface Transportation Investment Act of 2021

   Pub. L. 117–58 § 25015(a)(1)(C) · 135 Stat. 429

   Redesignated · 49 U.S.C. § 6501(a)(3)

   Pub. L. 117–58, § 25015(a)(1)(C), redesignated par. (2) as (3)

   Source evidence

   Code amendment note
   Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 117–58, § 25015(a)(1)(C), redesignated par. (2) as (3).

   Enacted provision · exact public law section
   (C) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (3); and

6. 2021

   Surface Transportation Investment Act of 2021

   Pub. L. 117–58 § 25015(a)(2)(A)(i) · 135 Stat. 429

   Inserted · 49 U.S.C. § 6501(b)(1)

   Pub. L. 117–58, § 25015(a)(2)(A)(i), inserted “by the head of a modal administration or joint program office” after “submitted” in introductory provisions

   Source evidence

   Code amendment note
   Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 117–58, § 25015(a)(2)(A)(i), inserted “by the head of a modal administration or joint program office” after “submitted” in introductory provisions.

   Enacted provision · exact public law section
   (i) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by inserting “by the head of a modal administration or joint program office” after “submitted”; and

7. 2021

   Surface Transportation Investment Act of 2021

   Pub. L. 117–58 § 25015(a)(2)(A)(ii) · 135 Stat. 429

   1. Added · 49 U.S.C. § 6501(b)(1)(B)(ii)

      Pub. L. 117–58, § 25015(a)(2)(A)(ii), added cl. (ii)

   2. Struck · 49 U.S.C. § 6501(b)(1)(B)(ii)

      Pub. L. 117–58, § 25015(a)(2)(A)(ii), struck out former cl. (ii) which read as follows: “request that the plan and outlook be revised and resubmitted for approval.”

   Source evidence

   Code amendment note
   Subsec. (b)(1)(B)(ii). Pub. L. 117–58, § 25015(a)(2)(A)(ii), added cl. (ii) and struck out former cl. (ii) which read as follows: “request that the plan and outlook be revised and resubmitted for approval.”

   Enacted provision · exact public law section
   (ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking clause (ii) and inserting the following: “(ii) request that the plan and outlook be— “(I) revised in accordance with such suggestions as the Assistant Secretary shall include to ensure conformity with the criteria described in paragraph (2); and “(II) resubmitted to the Assistant Secretary for approval.” ;

8. 2021

   Surface Transportation Investment Act of 2021

   Pub. L. 117–58 § 25015(a)(2)(B) · 135 Stat. 429

   1. Added · 49 U.S.C. § 6501(b)(2)(4)

      Pub. L. 117–58, § 25015(a)(2)(B), (C), added par. (2)

   2. Redesignated · 49 U.S.C. § 6501(b)(2)(4)

      Pub. L. 117–58, § 25015(a)(2)(B), (C), redesignated former pars. (2) and (3) as (3) and (4), respectively

   Source evidence

   Code amendment note
   Subsec. (b)(2) to (4). Pub. L. 117–58, § 25015(a)(2)(B), (C), added par. (2) and redesignated former pars. (2) and (3) as (3) and (4), respectively.

   Enacted provision · exact public law section
   (B) by redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as paragraphs (3) and (4), respectively; and

9. 2021

   Surface Transportation Investment Act of 2021

   Pub. L. 117–58 § 25015(a)(2)(D) · 135 Stat. 429

   Added · 49 U.S.C. § 6501(b)(5)

   Pub. L. 117–58, § 25015(a)(2)(D), added par. (5)

   Source evidence

   Code amendment note
   Subsec. (b)(5). Pub. L. 117–58, § 25015(a)(2)(D), added par. (5).

   Enacted provision · exact public law section
   (D) by adding at the end the following: “(5) Savings clause.— Nothing in this subsection limits the ability of the head of a modal administration to comply with applicable law.” ; and

10. 2021

    Surface Transportation Investment Act of 2021

    Pub. L. 117–58 § 25015(a)(3) · 135 Stat. 429

    Substituted · 49 U.S.C. § 6501(c)

    Pub. L. 117–58, § 25015(a)(3), which directed amendment without providing closing quotation marks designating the provisions to be inserted, was executed by substituting “subsection (b)(4)” for “subsection (b)(3)” in introductory provisions, to reflect the probable intent of Congress

    Source evidence

    Code amendment note
    Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 117–58, § 25015(a)(3), which directed amendment without providing closing quotation marks designating the provisions to be inserted, was executed by substituting “subsection (b)(4)” for “subsection (b)(3)” in introductory provisions, to reflect the probable intent of Congress.

    Enacted provision · exact public law section
    (3) in subsection (c), in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking “subsection (b)(3)” and inserting “subsection (b)(4).

13 of 13 references resolved to an enrolled provision