HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY GRANTS

(LIQUIDATION OF CONTRACT AUTHORIZATION)

(LIMITATION ON OBLIGATIONS)

(HIGHWAY TRUST FUND)

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                                 Liquidation of contract authorization Limitation on obligations 

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Appropriation, fiscal year 2006                           $578,176,000            ($572,394,240) 

Budget request, fiscal year 2007                           583,750,000             (583,750,000) 

Recommended in the bill                                    587,750,000             (587,750,000) 

Bill compared to:                                                                                

Appropriation, fiscal year 2006                             +9,574,000             (+15,355,760) 

Budget request, fiscal year 2007                            +4,000,000              (+4,000,000) 

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SAFETEA-LU reauthorizes three state grant programs: highway safety programs, occupant protection incentive grants, and alcohol-impaired driving countermeasures incentive grants; and authorizes for the first time an additional five state grant programs: safety belt performance grants, state traffic safety information systems improvement grants, high visibility enforcement program, child safety and child booster seat safety incentive grants, and motorcyclist safety grants.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends $587,750,000 in liquidating cash from the highway trust fund to pay the outstanding obligations of the various highway safety grant programs at the levels provided in this Act and prior appropriations Acts. The Committee's recommendation is consistent with the amount of contract authority provided for highway traffic safety grant programs under SAFETEA-LU.

The Committee continues language limiting the obligations to be incurred under the various highway traffic safety grants programs. For fiscal year 2007, the Committee has provided limitations on obligations at the level prescribed in SAFETEA-LU, with separate obligation limitations for the following funding allocations:

Bill language- The bill maintains language that prohibits the use of funds for construction, rehabilitation, and remodeling costs or for office furnishings or fixtures for state, local, or private buildings or structures. Language is also continued that limits the amount available for technical assistance to $500,000 under section 410 of title 23, U.S.C. The Committee continues bill language limiting the amount that can be used to conduct the evaluation of the high visibility enforcement program to $750,000 in fiscal year 2007.

Highway safety grants- SAFETEA-LU reauthorized the state and community highway safety formula grant program under section 402 of title 23, U.S.C., to support state highway safety programs designed to reduce traffic crashes and resulting deaths, injuries, and property damage. A state may use these grants only for highway safety purposes and at least 40 percent of these funds are to be expended by political subdivisions of the state.

Occupant protection incentive grants- SAFETEA-LU amended section 405(a) of chapter 4 of title 23, U.S.C., to encourage states to adopt and implement effective programs to reduce deaths and injuries from riding unrestrained or improperly restrained in motor vehicles. A state may use these grant funds only to implement and enforce occupant protection programs.

Safety belt performance grants- SAFETEA-LU established a new program of incentive grants under section 406 of title 23, U.S.C., to encourage the enactment and enforcement of laws requiring the use of safety belts in passenger motor vehicles. A state may use these grant funds for any safety purpose under title 23, U.S.C., or for any project that corrects or improves a hazardous roadway location or feature or proactively addresses highway safety problems. However, at least $1,000,000 of amounts received by states must be obligated for behavioral highway safety activities.

State traffic safety information systems improvements- SAFETEA-LU established a new program of incentive grants under section 408 of title 23, U.S.C., to encourage states to adopt and implement effective programs to improve the timeliness, accuracy, completeness, uniformity, integration, and accessibility of state data that is needed to identify priorities for national, state, and local highway and traffic safety programs; to evaluate the effectiveness of efforts to make such improvements; to link these state data systems, including traffic records, with other data systems within the state; and to improve the compatibility of the state data system with national data systems and data systems of other states to enhance the ability to observe and analyze national trends in crash occurrences, rates, outcomes, and circumstances. A state may use these grant funds only to implement such data improvement programs.

Alcohol-impaired driving countermeasures incentive grants- SAFETEA-LU amended the alcohol-impaired driving countermeasures incentive grant program authorized by section 410 of title 23, U.S.C., to encourage states to adopt and implement effective programs to reduce traffic safety problems resulting from individuals driving while under the influence of alcohol. A state may use these grant funds to implement the impaired driving activities described in the programmatic criteria, as well as costs for high visibility enforcement; the costs of training and equipment for law enforcement; the costs of advertising and educational campaigns that publicize checkpoints, increase law enforcement efforts and target impaired drivers under 34 years of age; the costs of a state impaired operator information system, and the costs of vehicle or license plate impoundment.

High visibility enforcement program.--Section 2009 of SAFETEA-LU establishes a new program to administer at least two high-visibility traffic safety law enforcement campaigns each year to achieve one or both of the following objectives: (1) reduce alcohol-impaired or drug-impaired operation of motor vehicles; and/or (2) increase the use of safety belts by occupants of motor vehicles. These funds may be used to pay for the development, production, and use of broadcast and print media in carrying out traffic safety law enforcement campaigns.

Motorcyclist safety.--Section 2010 of SAFETEA-LU established a new program of incentive grants to encourage states to adopt and implement effective programs to reduce the number of single and multi-vehicle crashes involving motorcyclists. A state may use these grants funds only for motorcyclist safety training and motorcyclist awareness programs, including improvement of training curricula, delivery of training, recruitment or retention of motorcyclist safety instructors, and public awareness and outreach programs.

Child safety and child booster seat safety incentive grants.--Section 2011 of SAFETEA-LU established a new incentive grant program to make grants available to states that are enforcing a law requiring any child riding in a passenger vehicle who is too large to be secured in a child safety seat to be secured in a child restraint that meets the requirements prescribed under section 3 of Anton's Law (49 U.S.C. 30127 note; 116 Stat. 2772). These grants may be used only for child safety seat and child restraint programs.

Safe transport of Head Start children.--The Committee understands that NHTSA provided input into the regulations developed by the Department of Health and Human Services regarding the safe transportation of Head Start children. Since the issuance of the final regulations, some Head Start grantees have reported that their transportation costs have consumed as much as 20 percent of the Head Start budget. The Committee believes that the safe transport of these children is paramount. The Committee directs the Secretary of Transportation to work with the Secretary of Health and Human Services to identify strategies to ensure the safe transport of children participating in a Head Start program. In addition, the Committee encourages NHTSA to explore the use of the child safety and child booster seat safety incentive grants as a means of assistance for the transportation of Head Start children.

Grant administrative expenses.--Section 2001(a)(11) of SAFETEA-LU provides funding for salaries and operating expenses related to the administration of the grants programs and supports the national occupant protection user survey and highway safety research programs.

The Committee includes bill language that rescinds unobligated contract authority authorized from the highway trust fund for NHTSA's highway safety grant programs that will not be available for obligation because of limitations on obligations imposed on those funds in previous acts.