S 1462 IS

107th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. 1462

To establish the Federal Emergency Transportation Administration.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

September 25, 2001

Ms. SNOWE introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

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A BILL

To establish the Federal Emergency Transportation Administration.

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 `National Emergency Transportation Coordination Act of 2001'.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF FEDERAL EMERGENCY TRANSPORTATION ADMINISTRATION.

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

`Sec. 114. Federal Emergency Transportation Administration

`(a) IN GENERAL- The Federal Emergency Transportation Administration shall be an administration of the Department of Transportation.

`(b) ADMINISTRATOR- The head of the Administration shall be the Administrator who shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Administrator shall report directly to the Secretary of Transportation.

`(c) RESPONSIBILITIES- Subject to the direction and control of the Secretary of Transportation, the Administration shall have the following responsibilities:

`(1) To coordinate domestic transportation during a national emergency, including aviation, rail and other surface transportation, and maritime transportation (including port security).

`(2) To coordinate and oversee during a national emergency the transportation-related responsibilities of other departments and agencies of the Federal Government other than the Department of Defense and the military departments.

`(3) To establish uniform national standards and practices for transportation during a national emergency.

`(4) To coordinate and provide notice to other departments and agencies of the Federal Government, and appropriate agencies of State and local governments, including departments and agencies for transportation, law enforcement, and border control, about threats to transportation during a national emergency.

`(5) To carry out such other duties, and exercise such other powers, relating to transportation during a national emergency as the Secretary of Transportation shall prescribe.

`(d) RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY- The authority of the Administration under subsection (c) to coordinate and oversee transportation and transportation-related responsibilities during a national emergency shall not supersede the authority of any other department or agency of the Federal Government under law with respect to transportation or transportation-related matters, whether or not during a national emergency.

`(e) ANNUAL REPORT- The Administrator shall submit to Congress on an annual basis a report on the activities of the Administration during the preceding year.

`(f) NATIONAL EMERGENCY- The Secretary of Transportation shall prescribe in regulations the circumstances constituting a national emergency for purposes of this section.'.

(2) The table of sections at the beginning of that chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 113 the following new item:

`114. Federal Emergency Transportation Administration.'.

(b) PAY OF ADMINISTRATOR- Section 5314 of title 5, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new item:

`Administrator of the Federal Emergency Transportation Administration.'.

(c) REGULATIONS- (1) The Secretary of Transportation shall prescribe the regulations for the Federal Emergency Transportation Administration required by section 114 of title 49, United States Code (as added by subsection (a)), not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.

(2) In prescribing the regulations referred to in paragraph (1), the Secretary shall consult with the heads of other departments and agencies of the Federal Government with responsibilities for matters covered by the Federal Emergency Transportation Administration.

(d) COMPTROLLER GENERAL REVIEW- (1) Not later than one year after the effective date of the regulations for Federal Emergency Transportation Administration required by section 114 of title 49, United States Code (as so added), the Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a comprehensive review of the establishment and operations of the Administration.

(2) The Comptroller General shall submit to Congress a report on the review conducted under paragraph (1). The report shall set forth the results of the review, together with any findings and recommendations that the Comptroller General considers appropriate.