[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3773 Introduced in House (IH)]
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114th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3773
To amend title 49, United States Code, relating to the authority of the
Secretary of Transportation under the public transportation safety
program.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
October 20, 2015
Ms. Norton (for herself, Ms. Edwards, and Mrs. Comstock) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation
and Infrastructure
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 49, United States Code, relating to the authority of the
Secretary of Transportation under the public transportation safety
program.
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 ``Protect Riders of Metrorail Public
Transportation Act of 2015''.
SEC. 2. FEDERAL SAFETY MANAGEMENT.
Section 5329(f) of title 49, United States Code, is amended to read
as follows:
``(f) Authority of Secretary.--
``(1) In general.--In carrying out this section, the
Secretary may--
``(A) conduct inspections, investigations, audits,
examinations, and testing of the equipment, facilities,
rolling stock, and operations of the public
transportation system of a recipient;
``(B) make reports and issue directives with
respect to the safety of the public transportation
system of a recipient;
``(C) in conjunction with an accident investigation
or an investigation into a pattern or practice of
conduct that negatively affects public safety, issue a
subpoena to, and take the deposition of, any employee
of a recipient or a State safety oversight agency, if--
``(i) before the issuance of the subpoena,
the Secretary requests a determination by the
Attorney General of the United States as to
whether the subpoena will interfere with an
ongoing criminal investigation; and
``(ii) the Attorney General--
``(I) determines that the subpoena
will not interfere with an ongoing
criminal investigation; or
``(II) fails to make a
determination under clause (i) before
the date that is 30 days after the date
on which the Secretary makes a request
under subparagraph (A);
``(D) require the production of documents by, and
prescribe recordkeeping and reporting requirements for,
a recipient or a State safety oversight agency;
``(E) investigate public transportation accidents
and incidents and provide guidance to recipients
regarding prevention of accidents and incidents;
``(F) at reasonable times and in a reasonable
manner, enter and inspect equipment, facilities,
rolling stock, operations, and relevant records of the
public transportation system of a recipient; and
``(G) issue rules to carry out this section.
``(2) Additional authority.--
``(A) If the Secretary finds that a State safety
oversight agency that oversees a rail fixed guideway
system operating in more than 2 States has become
incapable of providing adequate safety oversight of
such system, the Secretary may administer State safety
oversight activities for such rail fixed guideway
system until the States develop a State safety
oversight program certified by the Secretary in
accordance with subsection (e) of this section.
``(B) To carry out administrative and oversight
activities authorized by this paragraph, the Secretary
may use--
``(i) grant funds apportioned to an
eligible State under subsection (e)(6) to
develop or carry out a State safety oversight
program; and
``(ii) grant funds apportioned to an
eligible State under subsection (e)(6) that
have not been obligated within the
administrative period of availability.''.
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