Transportation Act 2023.pdf

Key Provisions:

1. Congressional Directives: The joint explanatory statement accompanying this division is approved, indicating congressional intent. Agencies must notify the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations seven days prior to announcing new programs or initiatives.
2. Transparency Requirement: The Secretary of Transportation must issue a department-wide directive to promote transparency and fairness in reviewing and selecting discretionary grants.
3. Audit Standards: Agencies must require accounting firms providing financial auditing services to disclose disciplinary proceedings related to noncompliance with rules or laws.
4. Data Act Compliance: Agencies must prioritize submitting timely, accurate, and complete financial and award information under existing U.S. Treasury reporting obligations.
5. Federally Funded Research: Agencies must make available on a publicly accessible website a justification that federally funded research grants promote the progress of science in the United States or advance national security or economic interests.
6. Human Trafficking: The Department of Transportation (DOT) is encouraged to continue efforts to combat human trafficking through various initiatives.

Department of Transportation

1. Office of the Secretary: The bill provides $171,014,000 for salaries and expenses.
2. Local Hiring: The Department is encouraged to update its guidance on local hiring flexibility to allow local hiring preferences on projects funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
3. Freight: The Department must provide a report on potential options for modifying existing transportation programs to allow improvements to inland waterways.
4. Permit Streamlining: The Secretary is directed to brief the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations on efforts to implement the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and metrics to make the permitting process more effective and efficient.
5. Consumer Protections: The agreement includes an increase of $1,000,000 for the Department's Office of Aviation Consumer Protection to protect aviation consumers from deceptive practices.