A Bill

       To authorize appropriations for hazardous material

         transportation safety, and for other purposes.

                                

     Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of

     Representatives of the United States of America

     in Congress assembled,

  

  SEC. 1.  SHORT TITLE.  This act may be cited as the

  "Hazardous Material Transportation Safety

  Reauthorization Act of 1999".

  

  SEC. 2.  PURPOSES.

      (a) PURPOSES.--Section 5101 of title 49, United

  States Code, is amended to read as follows:

  "Sec. 5101.  Purposes

     " PURPOSES.--The purposes of this chapter are to-

      "(1) ensure the safe and efficient

  transportation of hazardous material in intrastate,

  interstate, and foreign commerce, including the

  loading, unloading, and incidental storage of

  hazardous material;

      "(2) provide the Secretary of Transportation

  with preemption authority to achieve uniform

  regulation of hazardous material transportation,

  eliminate inconsistent rules that apply differently

  than rules issued by the Secretary, ensure efficient

  movement of hazardous material in commerce, and

  promote the national health, welfare, and safety;

  and

      "(3) provide adequate training for public sector

  emergency response teams and hazmat employees to

  ensure safe responses to hazardous material

  transportation accidents and incidents.".

      (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.--The chapter analysis of

  chapter 51, title 49, United States Code, is amended

  by striking the item relating to section 5101 and

  inserting the following:

  "5101. Purposes.".

  

  SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

       Section 5102 of title 49, United States Code,

       is amended--

       (1) in paragraph (1), by--

       (a) striking "or" at the end of subparagraph

       (A);

       (b) striking the period at the end of

       subparagraph (B) and inserting

       "; or"; and

      (c) adding a new subparagraphas follows: "(C) on

  a United States-registered aircraft.";

      (2) in paragraph (3) by-

      (a) in subparagraph (A)(i), inserting "or self-

  employed" after "employer";

      (b) in subparagraph (B), striking "vehicle" and

  inserting "vehicle, vessel or aircraft" after

  "vehicle"; and

       (c) in subparagraph (C)(ii)--

           (i) inserting "designs, inspects," after

  "manufactures,"; and

           (ii) deleting "and packagings" and

  inserting "or other packagings, or a component

  thereof,"; and

      (d) in subparagraph (C)(iii), inserting "or

  rejects" after "prepares".

      (3) by striking paragraph (4) and inserting the

  following:

      "(4) 'hazmat employer' means a person who--

           "(A) either--

                "(i) is self-employed,

                          "(ii) is an owner-operator

                 of a motor vehicle, vessel, or

                 aircraft,  or

                "(iii) has at least one employee; and

            "(B) performs, or uses at least one

            employee to perform, a function in

            connection with--

                          "(i) transporting hazardous

                 material in commerce;

                          "(ii) causing hazardous

  material to be transported in

                commerce;

                 "(iii) rejecting hazardous material

                 for transportation in    commerce, or

                 "(iv) designing, manufacturing,

                 reconditioning, inspecting, or

                 testing containers, drums, other

                 packagings, or a component thereof,

                 represented as qualified for use in

                 transporting hazardous material.";

                (4) in paragraph (7), by striking

  "title " and inserting "title, except that a freight

  forwarder is included only if performing a function

  related to highway transportation";

                (5) by redesignating paragraphs (9)

  through (13) as paragraphs (12) through (16);

       (6) by inserting after paragraph (8) the

       following:

      "(9) 'out-of-service order' means a mandate that

  an aircraft, vessel, motor vehicle, train, railcar,

  other vehicle, transport unit, transport vehicle,

  freight container, portable tank, or other package

  not be moved until specified conditions have been

  met.

      "(10) 'package' or 'outside package' means a

  packaging and its contents.

      "(11) 'packaging' means a receptacle and any

  other components or materials necessary for the

  receptacle to perform its containment function in

  conformance with the minimum packaging requirements

  established by the Secretary of Transportation.";

  and

      (7) in paragraph (12)(A), as redesignated by

  paragraph (4) of this section, by striking "commerce

  or transporting hazardous material to further a

  commercial enterprise", and inserting  "commerce,

  transporting hazardous material to further a

  commercial enterprise, or manufacturing,

  reconditioning, or testing containers, drums, or

  other packagings, or a component thereof,

  represented as qualified for use in transporting

  hazardous material".

  

  SEC. 4.  HAZMAT EMPLOYEE TRAINING REQUIREMENTS.

      Section 5107 of title 49, United States Code, is

  amended by--

      (1) striking "or duplicate" in subsection (d);

  and

      (2) striking "Agency" and inserting

  "Administrator of the Environmental Protection

  Agency" in subsection (d)(2); and

      (3) striking section "5127(c)(3)" in subsection

  (e)  and inserting "section 5129(b)(1)".

  

  SEC. 5.  REGISTRATION.

      Section 5108 of title 49, United States Code, is

  amended-

      (1) by striking subsection (b)(1)(C) and

  inserting --

            "(C) each State in which the person

  carries out any of the activities.";

       (2) by striking subsection (c) and inserting --

      "(c) FILING SCHEDULE.--Each person required to

  file a registration statement under subsection (a)

  of this section shall file that statement in

  accordance with regulations issued by the

  Secretary.";

      (3) in subsection (g)(1), by striking "may" and

  inserting "shall";

      (4) in subsection (g)(2)(A), by striking "$250

  but not more than $5,000" and inserting "$500";

      (5) in subsection (g)(2)(A), by striking

  "subparagraph (B)" and inserting "subparagraph (E)";

      (6) in subsection (g)(2)(A)(viii), by striking

  "sections 5108(g)(2), 5115, and 5116" and inserting

  "chapter 51 (except sections 5109, 5112, and 5119)";

      (7) by striking subsections (g)(2)(B) and

  (g)(2)(C) and inserting:

      "(B) At the beginning of each fiscal year, the

  Secretary shall publish a fee schedule for the fee

  established under this paragraph.  The fee schedule

  shall be designed to collect the following amounts:

            "(i) amounts authorized for that fiscal

            year under subsections 5129(b), 5129(d),

            5129(e), and 5129(f);

            "(ii) amounts appropriated to the Research

            and Special Programs Administration (RSPA)

            for that fiscal year under subsection

            5129(a)(2); and

            "(iii) amounts appropriated to RSPA for

            that fiscal year under subsections 5129(c)

            and 5129(g).

      "(C) The Secretary shall transfer to the

  Secretary of the Treasury all funds received by the

  Secretary under this paragraph, except the amounts

  appropriated to RSPA pursuant to subsection

  5129(a)(2), for deposit in the account the Secretary

  of the Treasury established under section 5116(i) of

  this title.

      "(D) Fees authorized under subsection

  (g)(2)(B)(ii) shall be collected and available for

  obligation only to the extent and in the amount

  provided in advance in appropriations acts.  Such

  fees are authorized to remain available until

  expended.

      "(E) The Secretary shall adjust the amount being

  collected under subsection (g)(2)(B) to reflect any

  unexpended balance in the account established under

  section 5116(i) of this title.  However, the

  Secretary is not required to refund any fee

  collected under this paragraph."; and

      (8) in subsection (i)(2)(B), by striking

  "State," and inserting "State, Indian tribe,".

  

  SEC. 6.  MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY.

      (a) Section 5109(h) of title 49, United States

  Code, is amended by striking "not later than

  November 16, 1991" and inserting "based upon the

  findings of the study required by section 5128(a) of

  this title".

      (b) The text of section 5113 of title 49, United

  States Code, is amended to read as follows:

       "A violation of section 31144(c)(3) of this

       title shall be considered a violation of this

       chapter and shall be subject to the penalties

       in sections 5123 and 5124 of this chapter."

      (c) Section 31144(c) of title 49, United States

  Code, is amended -

      (1) in paragraph (1) by striking "sections

  521(b)(5)(A) and 5113" and inserting "section

  521(b)(5)(A)"; and

      (2) in paragraph (3) by adding at the end the

  following: "A violation of this paragraph shall be

  considered a violation of chapter 51, and shall be

  subject to the penalties in sections 5123 and 5124

  of this title.".

  

  SEC. 7.  SHIPPING PAPER RETENTION.

      Section 5110(e) of title 49, United States Code,

  is amended by striking the first sentence and

  inserting "The person who provided the shipping

  paper and the carrier required to maintain it under

  subsection (a) of this section shall retain the

  paper, or an electronic image of it, for a period of

  1 year after the shipping paper was provided to the

  carrier, to be accessible through their respective

  principal places of business.".

  

  SEC. 8.  PUBLIC SECTOR TRAINING CURRICULUM.

       Section 5115 of title 49, United States Code,

       is amended --

      (1) in subsection (a) by--

       (A) striking "DEVELOPMENT AND UPDATING.-- Not

       later than November 16, 1992, in" and inserting

       "UPDATING.--In";

       (B) striking "national response team" and

       inserting "National Response Team for Oil and

       Hazardous Substances" in the first sentence;

      (C) striking "develop and" in the first

  sentence; and

      (D) striking the second sentence;

      (2) in subsection (b) by--

      (A) striking "developed" and inserting

  "maintained" in the first sentence;

       (B) inserting "or involving an alternative fuel

       vehicle" after "material" in subparagraphs (A)

       and (B) of subsection (b)(1); and

      (C) striking "under other United States

  Government grant programs, including those developed

  with grants made under section 126(g) of the

  Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986

  (42 U.S.C. 9660a)" and inserting "with Federal

  financial assistance" in subparagraph (C) of

  subsection (b)(1);

      (3) in subsection (c)(3) by striking "the

  National Fire Protection Association" and inserting

  "such voluntary consensus standard-setting

  organizations as the Secretary deems appropriate";

  and

      (4) by striking subsection (d) and inserting the

  following:

      "(d) DISTRIBUTION AND PUBLICATION.-With the

  National Response Team for Oil and Hazardous

  Substances, the Secretary of Transportation may

  publish a list of programs that use a course

  developed under this section for training public-

  sector employees to respond to accidents or

  incidents involving hazardous material.".

  

  SEC. 9.  PLANNING AND TRAINING GRANTS; EMERGENCY

  PREPAREDNESS FUND.

      Section 5116 of title 49, United States Code, is

  amended by--

      (1) in its caption, striking ", monitoring, and

  review" and inserting "; emergency preparedness

  fund";

      (2) striking "of the State or tribe under

  subsections (a)(2)(A) and (b)(2)(A)" in the second

  sentence of subsection (e) and inserting "received

  by the State or tribe under subsections (a)(1) and

  (b)(1) ";

      (3) striking subsection (f) and inserting the

  following:

      "(f) MONITORING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.--The

  Secretary of Transportation shall monitor public

  sector emergency response planning and training for

  an accident or incident involving hazardous

  material.  Considering the results of the

  monitoring, the Secretary shall provide technical

  assistance to a State, political subdivision of a

  State, or Indian tribe for carrying out emergency

  response training and planning for an accident or

  incident involving hazardous material and shall

  coordinate the assistance using the existing

  coordinating mechanisms of the National Response

  Team for Oil and Hazardous Substances and, for

  radioactive material, the Federal Radiological

  Preparedness Coordinating Committee.";

      (4) striking "Government grant" and inserting

  "Federal financial assistance" in subsection (g);

      (5) striking subsection (i) and inserting the

  following:

      "(i) EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS FUND.-The Secretary

  of the Treasury shall establish an Emergency

  Preparedness Fund account in the Treasury into which

  the Secretary of the Treasury shall deposit amounts

  the Secretary of Transportation transfers to the

  Secretary of the Treasury under section

  5108(g)(2)(C) of this title.  Without further

  appropriation, amounts in the account are available-

      "(1) to make grants under this section;

      "(2) to monitor and provide technical assistance

  under subsection (f) of this section;

      "(3) to publish and distribute the North

  American Emergency Response Guidebook; and

      "(4) to pay administrative costs of carrying out

  this section and sections 5108(g)(2) and 5115 of

  this title, except that not more than 10 percent of

  the amounts made available from the account in a

  fiscal year to carry out these sections may be used

  to pay these costs."; and

      (6) by deleting subsection (k) and inserting the

  following:

      "(k) SMALL BUSINESSES.--The Secretary may

  authorize a State or Indian tribe receiving a grant

  under this section to use up to 25 percent of the

  amount of the grant to assist small businesses in

  complying with regulations issued under this

  chapter.".

  

  SEC. 10.  SPECIAL PERMITS AND EXCLUSIONS.

      (a) Section 5117 of title 49, United States

  Code, is amended by-

      (1) striking the section heading and inserting

  the following:

  "Sec. 5117.  Special permits and exclusions";

      (2) striking "exemption" and "an exemption" each

  place they appear and inserting, respectively,

  "special permit" or "a special permit";

      (3) inserting "authorizing variances" after

  "special permit" the first place it is inserted by

  this section; and

      (4) striking "2" and inserting "4" in subsection

  (a)(2).

      (b) The chapter analysis for chapter 51 of title

  49, United States Code, is amended by striking the

  item related to section 5117 and inserting the

  following:

  "5117. Special permits and exclusions.".

  

  SEC. 11.  UNIFORM FORMS AND PROCEDURES.

      Section 5119 of title 49, United States Code, is

  amended by-

      (1) inserting "and issue permits to" after

  "register" in subsection (a)(1)(A); and

      (2) adding at the end of subsection (c) the

  following:

      "(4) Pending promulgation of regulations under

  this subsection, States may participate in a program

  of uniform forms and procedures recommended by the

  working group under subsection (b).".

  

  

  SEC. 12.  ADMINISTRATION.

      Section 5121 of title 49, United States Code, is

  amended by --

      (1) striking subsections (a), (b), and (c),

  redesignating subsections (d) and (e) as subsections

  (a) and (b), and adding at the end thereof:

      "(c) AUTHORITY FOR GRANTS, COOPERATIVE

  AGREEMENTS, AND OTHER TRANSACTIONS.--To carry out

  this chapter, the Secretary may enter into grants,

  cooperative agreements, and other transactions with

  a person, agency or instrumentality of the United

  States, a unit of State or local government, an

  Indian tribe, a foreign government (in coordination

  with the Department of State), an educational

  institution, or other entity to further the

  objectives of this chapter.  The objectives of this

  chapter include the conduct of research,

  development, demonstration, risk assessment,

  emergency response planning and training

  activities."; and

      (2) striking "The report shall include-" in the

  second sentence of subsection (b) and inserting "The

  report shall include or make appropriate reference

  to--".

  

  SEC. 13. ENFORCEMENT.

      The text of Section 5122 of title 49, United

  States Code, is amended to read as follows:

      "(a) GENERAL AUTHORITY.-- To carry out this

  chapter, the Secretary of Transportation may

  investigate, make reports, issue subpoenas, conduct

  hearings, require the production of records and

  property, take depositions, and conduct research,

  development, demonstration, and training activities.

  Except as provided in subsection (d) of this

  section, the Secretary shall provide notice and an

  opportunity for a hearing prior to issuing an order

  directing compliance with this chapter or a

  regulation, order, special permit, or approval

  issued under this chapter.

      "(b) RECORDS, REPORTS, PROPERTY, AND

  INFORMATION.--A person subject to this chapter

  shall-

           "(1) maintain records, make reports, and

       provide information that the Secretary by

       regulation or order requires, and

           "(2) make the records, reports, property,

       and information available for inspection when

       the Secretary requests.

      "(c) INSPECTIONS AND INVESTIGATIONS.--

       "(1) A designated officer or employee of the

       Secretary may--

               "(A) inspect and investigate, at a

            reasonable time and in a reasonable way,

            records and property related to-

                     "(i) designing, manufacturing,

                 fabricating, marking, maintaining,

                 reconditioning, repairing,

                 inspecting, testing, or distributing

                 a packaging, or a component thereof,

                 for use by a person in transporting

                 hazardous materials in commerce, or

                         "(ii) the transportation of

                 hazardous material in commerce;

               "(B) except for the packaging

            immediately adjacent to its hazardous

            material contents, open and examine a

            package offered for, or in, transportation

            when the officer or employee has an

            objectively reasonable and articulable

            belief that the package may contain a

            hazardous material;

               "(C) remove from transportation a

            package or related packages in a shipment

            offered for or in transportation, and for

            which such officer or employee has an

            objectively reasonable and articulable

            belief that the package or packages may

            pose an imminent hazard, and for which the

            officer or employee contemporaneously

            documents that belief in accordance with

            procedures adopted under subsection (e) of

            this section;

               "(D) gather information from the

            offeror, packaging manufacturer or

            retester, or other person responsible for

            the package to ascertain the nature and

            hazards of the contents of the package;

               "(E) as necessary, under terms and

            conditions specified by the Secretary,

            order the offeror, packaging manufacturer

            or retester, or other person responsible

            for the package to have the package

            transported to, opened and the contents

            examined and analyzed at a facility

            appropriate for the conduct of this

            activity; and

               "(F) when safety might otherwise be

            compromised, authorize properly qualified

            personnel to assist in the activities

            conducted under subsection (c)(1)(B) of

            this section.

      "(2) An officer or employee acting under this

  subsection shall display proper credentials when

  requested.

      "(3) For instances when, as a result of the

  inspection or investigation, an imminent hazard is

  not found to exist, the Secretary shall develop

  procedures to assist in the safe resumption of

  transportation of the package and transport unit.

      "(d) EMERGENCY ORDERS.--(1) If, upon inspection

  or investigation, the Secretary determines that

  either a violation of a provision of this chapter or

  a regulation issued under this chapter, or an unsafe

  condition or practice, is causing an imminent

  hazard, the Secretary may issue or impose emergency

  restrictions, prohibitions, recalls, or out-of-

  service orders, without notice or the opportunity

  for a hearing, but only to the extent necessary to

  abate the imminent hazard.

       "(2) The Secretary's action under subsection

  (d)(1) must be in a written order describing the

  violation, condition or practice that is causing the

  imminent hazard, and stating the restrictions,

  prohibitions, recalls, or out-of-service orders

  issued or imposed.  The order also shall describe

  the standards and procedures for obtaining relief

  from the emergency order.

      "(3) After taking action under subsection

  (d)(1), the Secretary shall provide an opportunity

  for review of that action under section 554 of title

  5, and such review shall occur no later than 20 days

  after issuance of such order.

      "(e) REGULATIONS.--The Secretary shall issue

  regulations with notice and comment, including an

  opportunity for informal hearing, to implement the

  authority in subsections (c) and (d) of this

  section.

      "(f) ENFORCEMENT BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL.-At the

  request of the Secretary, the Attorney General may

  bring a civil action in an appropriate district

  court of the United States to enforce this chapter

  or a regulation prescribed or order issued under

  this chapter.  The court may award appropriate

  relief, including punitive damages.

      "(g) IMMINENT HAZARD.- If the Secretary has

  reason to believe that an imminent hazard exists,

  the Secretary may request the Attorney General to

  bring a civil action in an appropriate district

  court of the United States-

      "(1) to suspend or restrict the transportation

  of the hazardous material responsible for the

  hazard; or

      "(2) to eliminate or mitigate the hazard.

      "(h) WITHHOLDING OF CLEARANCE.-(1) If an owner,

  operator, or individual in charge of a vessel is

  liable for a civil penalty under section 5123 of

  this title or for a fine under section 5124 of this

  title, or if reasonable cause exists to believe that

  the owner, operator, or individual in charge may be

  subject to penalty or fine, the Secretary of the

  Treasury, upon request of the Secretary of

  Transportation, shall with respect to such vessel

  refuse or revoke any clearance required by section

  4197 of the revised Statutes of the United States

  (46 App. U.S.C. 91).

      "(2) Clearance refused or revoked under this

  subsection may be granted upon the filing of a bond

  or other surety satisfactory to the Secretary of the

  Treasury."

  

  SEC. 14.  PENALTIES.

      (a) Section 5123 of title 49, United States

  Code, is amended-

           (1) in subsection (a)(1),  by striking the

       first sentence and inserting the following: "A

       person that knowingly violates this chapter or

       a regulation, order, special permit, or

       approval issued under this chapter is liable to

       the United States Government for a civil

       penalty of at least $250 but not more than

       $27,500 for each violation."; and

      (2) by revising subsection (c)(2) to read as

  follows:

               "(2) with respect to the violator, the

            degree of culpability, any good-faith

            efforts to comply with the applicable

            requirements, any history of prior

            violations, any economic benefit resulting

            from the violation, the ability to pay,

            and any effect on the ability to continue

            to do business; and".

      (b) Section 5124 of title 49, United States

  Code, is amended to read as follows:

  "Sec. 5124.  Criminal penalty

      "(a) GENERAL.-- A person knowingly violating

  section 5104(b) of this title or willfully violating

  this chapter or a regulation, order, special permit,

  or approval issued under this chapter, shall be

  fined under title 18, imprisoned for not more than 5

  years, or both.  Knowledge by the person of the

  existence of a regulation or requirement prescribed

  by the Secretary is not an element of an offense

  under this section.

      "(b) AGGRAVATED VIOLATIONS.-- A person knowingly

  violating section 5104(b) of this title or willfully

  violating this chapter or a regulation, order,

  special permit, or approval issued under this

  chapter, and thereby causing the release of a

  hazardous material, shall be fined under title 18,

  imprisoned for not more than 20 years, or both.".

  

  SEC. 15.  PREEMPTION.

       Section 5125 of title 49, United States Code,

       is amended-

      (1) in subsection (a)(2), by striking "chapter"

  the first place it appears and inserting "chapter,

  the purposes of this chapter,",

      (2) in subsection (b)(2), by striking "after

  November 16, 1990"; and

      (3) by adding at the end the following:

      "(h) INDEPENDENT APPLICATION OF EACH STANDARD.-

  -Each preemption standard in subsections (a),

  (b)(1), (c), and (g) of this section and section

  5119(c)(2) of this title is independent in its

  application to a requirement of any State, political

  subdivision of a State, or Indian tribe.".

  

  SEC. 16.  JUDICIAL REVIEW.

      (a) Chapter 51 of title 49, United States Code,

  is amended by redesignating section 5127 as section

  5129, and by inserting after section 5126 the

  following new section:

  "Sec. 5127.  Judicial review

      "(a) FILING AND VENUE.--Except as provided in

  section 20114(c) of this title, a person disclosing

  a substantial interest in a final order issued,

  under the authority of section 5122 or 5123 of this

  title, by the Secretary of Transportation, with

  respect to the duties and powers designated to be

  carried out by the Secretary under this chapter, may

  apply for review of the order in the United States

  Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia or in

  the court of appeals for the United States for the

  circuit in which the person resides or has its

  principal place of business.  The petition must be

  filed not more than 60 days after the order is

  issued.  The court may allow the petition to be

  filed after the 60th day only if there are

  reasonable grounds for not filing by the 60th day.

      "(b) JUDICIAL PROCEDURES.--When a petition is

  filed under subsection (a) of this section, the

  clerk of the court immediately shall send a copy of

  the petition to the Secretary.  The Secretary shall

  file with the court a record of any proceeding in

  which the order was issued, as provided in section

  2112 of title 28, United States Code.

      "(c) AUTHORITY OF COURT.--When the petition is

  sent to the Secretary, the court has exclusive

  jurisdiction to affirm, amend, modify, or set aside

  any part of the order and may order the Secretary to

  conduct further proceedings.  Findings of fact by

  the Secretary, if supported by substantial evidence,

  are conclusive.

      "(d) REQUIREMENT FOR PRIOR OBJECTION.--In

  reviewing a final order under this section, the

  court may consider an objection to a final order of

  the Secretary only if the objection was made in the

  course of a proceeding or review conducted by the

  Secretary or if there was a reasonable ground for

  not making the objection in the proceeding.

      "(e) SUPREME COURT REVIEW.--A decision by a

  court under this section may be reviewed only by the

  Supreme Court under section 1254 of title 28, United

  States Code.".

      (b) The chapter analysis for chapter 51 of title

  49, United States Code, is amended by striking the

  item related to section 5127 and inserting the

  following:

  

  "5127.  Judicial review."

  

  SEC. 17.  SAFETY STUDY.

      (a) Chapter 51 of title 49, United States Code,

  as amended by section 16 of this Act, is further

  amended by inserting after section 5127 the

  following:

  "Sec. 5128.  High-risk hazardous material; motor

  carrier safety study

       "(a) STUDY.--The Secretary of Transportation

       shall conduct a study to-

           "(1) determine the safety benefits and

       administrative efficiency of implementing a

       federal permit program for high-risk hazardous

       material carriers;

               "(2) identify and evaluate alternative

            regulatory methods and procedures that may

            improve the safety of high-risk hazardous

            material carriers;

           "(3) examine the safety benefits of

       increased monitoring of high-risk hazardous

       material carriers, and the costs, benefits, and

       procedures of existing State permit programs;

               "(4) make such recommendations as may

            be appropriate for the improvement of

            uniformity among existing State permit

            programs; and

           "(5) assess the potential of advanced

       technologies for improving the assessment of

       high-risk hazardous material carriers'

       compliance with motor carrier safety

       regulations.

      "(b) TIME FRAME.--The Secretary shall begin the

  study required by subsection (a) within 6 months

  after the date of enactment of this section and

  complete it within 30 months.

      "(c) REPORT.-The Secretary shall report the

  findings of the study required by subsection (a),

  together with such recommendations as may be

  appropriate, within 36 months after the date of

  enactment of this section.".

      (b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.--The chapter analysis

  for chapter 51 of title 49, United States Code, is

  amended by adding the following:

  "5128. High-risk hazardous material; motor carrier

  safety study.

  "5129. Authorization of appropriations.".

  

  SEC. 18.  AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

      (a) Section 5129 of title 49, United States

  Code, as redesignated by section 16 of this Act, is

  amended to read as follows:

  "Sec. 5129.  Authorization of appropriations

      "(a) GENERAL.-To carry out this chapter (except

  sections 5107(e), 5108(g), 5109, 5112, 5113, 5115,

  5116, 5119, and 5128), (1) not more than $13,638,000

  is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of

  Transportation for fiscal year 2000, and (2) from

  amounts collected under section 5108(g)(2)(B)(ii) of

  this title, not more than $18,213,000 is authorized

  to be appropriated to the Secretary for fiscal year

  2000, and such sums as may be necessary are

  authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for

  fiscal years 2001 through 2005.

      "(b) SUPPLEMENTAL TRAINING GRANTS.--Not more

  than $250,000 is available to the Secretary for

  fiscal year 2000 and such amounts as are necessary

  for fiscal years 2001 through 2005, from amounts in

  the account established under section 5116(i) of

  this title, to carry out section 5116(j) of this

  title.

      "(c) TRAINING CURRICULUM.--Not more than

  $200,000 is available to the Secretary for fiscal

  year 2000 and such amounts as are necessary for

  fiscal years 2001 through 2005, from amounts in the

  account established under section 5116(i) of this

  title,  to carry out section 5115 of this title.

      "(d) PLANNING AND TRAINING.--(1) Not more than

  $5,000,000 is available to the Secretary for fiscal

  year 2000 and such amounts as are necessary for

  fiscal years 2001 through 2005, from amounts in the

  account established under section 5116(i) of this

  title, to carry out section 5116(a) of this title.

      "(2) Not more than $7,800,000 is available to

  the Secretary for fiscal year 2000 and such amounts

  as are necessary for fiscal years 2001 through 2005,

  from amounts in the account established under

  section 5116(i) of this title, to carry out section

  5116(b) of this title.

      "(3) Not more than $150,000 is available to the

  Secretary for fiscal year 2000 and such amounts as

  are necessary for fiscal years 2001 through 2005,

  from amounts in the account established under

  section 5116(i) of this title, to carry out section

  5116(f) of this title.

      "(e) EMERGENCY RESPONSE GUIDEBOOK.-Not more than

  $600,000 is available to the Secretary for fiscal

  year 2000 and such amounts as are necessary for

  fiscal years 2001 through 2005, from amounts in the

  account established under section 5116(i) of this

  title, to publish and distribute the North American

  Emergency Response Guidebook.

      "(f) ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.-Not more than

  $300,000 is available to the Secretary for fiscal

  year 2000 and such amounts as are necessary for

  fiscal years 2001 through 2005, from amounts in the

  account established under section 5116(i) of this

  title, to carry out section 5116(i)(4) of this

  title.

      "(g) TRAINING OF HAZMAT EMPLOYEE

  INSTRUCTORS.-Such amounts as necessary are

  authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary, from

  amounts in the account established under section

  5116(i) of this title, for each of fiscal years 2001

  through 2005, to carry out section 5107(e) of this

  title.

      "(h) CREDITS TO APPROPRIATIONS.-The Secretary of

  Transportation may credit to any appropriation to

  carry out this chapter an amount received from a

  State, Indian tribe, or other public authority or

  private entity for expenses the Secretary incurs in

  providing training to the State, authority, or

  entity.

      "(i) AVAILABILITY OF AMOUNTS.-Amounts available

  under this section remain available until

  expended.".

      (b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.--Section 5107(e) of

  title 49, United States Code, is amended by striking

  "section 5127(c)(3)" and inserting "section 5129".

  

  SEC. 19. INTERMODAL CONTAINER PILOT PROGRAM.

      The Secretary of Transportation, through the

  Commandant of the Coast Guard, shall conduct a two-

  year pilot program to randomly inspect intermodal

  containers in coastal port areas in order to

  determine the extent to which undeclared hazardous

  material is being offered for transportation in

  commerce.  Under this program, Coast Guard

  inspection personnel may open and inspect any

  intermodal container on a vessel or marine terminal

  or elsewhere in a port area on the Atlantic, Pacific

  or Gulf of Mexico coasts if that container has been

  randomly selected for inspection by a supervisor who

  is not on site.  The Secretary shall initiate such

  program within 1 year after the date of enactment of

  this Act.  Within 6 months after completion of this

  program, the Secretary shall report to Congress on

  the results of this program.  That report shall

  contain the number of containers inspected, the

  number of containers containing undeclared hazardous

  material, a description of the safety hazards posed

  by the undeclared hazardous material, and a

  recommendation for any legislation necessary to

  address those safety hazards.

  

  SEC. 20.  MODES AND ROUTES STUDY.

      Section 5105 of title 49, United States Code, is

  amended by deleting subsection 5105(d) and

  redesignating subsection 5105(e) as subsection

  5105(d).