§301. Leadership, consultation, and cooperation

The Secretary of Transportation shall-

(1) under the direction of the President, exercise leadership in transportation matters, including those matters affecting national defense and those matters involving national or regional emergencies;

(2) provide leadership in the development of transportation policies and programs, and make recommendations to the President and Congress for their consideration and implementation;

(3) coordinate Federal policy on intermodal transportation and initiate policies to promote efficient intermodal transportation in the United States;

(4) promote and undertake the development, collection, and dissemination of technological, statistical, economic, and other information relevant to domestic and international transportation;

(5) consult and cooperate with the Secretary of Labor in compiling information regarding the status of labor-management contracts and other labor-management problems and in promoting industrial harmony and stable employment conditions in all modes of transportation;

(6) promote and undertake research and development related to transportation, including noise abatement, with particular attention to aircraft noise, and including basic highway vehicle science;

(7) consult with the heads of other departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the United States Government on the transportation requirements of the Government, including encouraging them to establish and observe policies consistent with maintaining a coordinated transportation system in procuring transportation or in operating their own transport services;

(8) consult and cooperate with State and local governments, carriers, labor, and other interested persons, including, when appropriate, holding informal public hearings; and

(9) develop and coordinate Federal policy on financing transportation infrastructure, including the provision of direct Federal credit assistance and other techniques used to leverage Federal transportation funds.

( Pub. L. 97–449, Jan. 12, 1983, 96 Stat. 2418 ; Pub. L. 102–240, title V, §5002(a), title VI, §6017, Dec. 18, 1991, 105 Stat. 2158 , 2183; Pub. L. 105–178, title I, §1504, June 9, 1998, 112 Stat. 251 .)

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised Section	Source (U.S. Code)	Source (Statutes at Large)
301	49:1653(a).	Oct. 15, 1966, Pub. L. 89–670, §4(a), 80 Stat. 933 .

In the introductory clause before "shall", the words "in carrying out the purposes of this chapter . . . among his responsibilities" are omitted as surplus.

In clause (4), the word "compiling" is substituted for "gathering" for consistency.

Amendments

1998-Par. (9). Pub. L. 105–178 added par. (9).

1991-Pars. (3) to (5). Pub. L. 102–240, §5002(a), added par. (3) and redesignated former pars. (3) and (4) as (4) and (5), respectively. Former par. (5) redesignated (6).

Par. (6). Pub. L. 102–240, §§5002(a), 6017, redesignated par. (5) as (6) and inserted ", and including basic highway vehicle science". Former par. (6) redesignated (7).

Pars. (7), (8). Pub. L. 102–240, §5002(a), redesignated pars. (6) and (7) as (7) and (8), respectively.

Coordinated Transportation Services

Pub. L. 105–178, title III, §3034, June 9, 1998, 112 Stat. 386 , provided that:

"(a) Study.-The Comptroller General shall conduct a study of Federal departments and agencies (other than the Department of Transportation) that receive Federal financial assistance for non-emergency transportation services.

"(b) Contents.-In conducting the study, the Comptroller General shall-

"(1) identify each Federal department and agency (other than the Department of Transportation) that has received Federal financial assistance for non-emergency transportation services in any of the 3 fiscal years preceding the date of enactment of this Act [June 9, 1998];

"(2) identify the amount of such assistance received by each Federal department and agency in such fiscal years; and

"(3) identify the projects and activities funded using such financial assistance.

"(c) Report.-Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall transmit to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate a report containing the results of the study and any recommendations for enhanced coordination between the Department of Transportation and other Federal departments and agencies that provide funding for non-emergency transportation."

Establishment of Nationwide Differential Global Positioning System

Pub. L. 105–66, title III, §346, Oct. 27, 1997, 111 Stat. 1449 , provided that:

"(a) As soon as practicable after the date of enactment of this Act [Oct. 27, 1997], the Secretary of Transportation, acting for the Department of Transportation, may take receipt of such equipment and sites of the Ground Wave Emergency Network (referred to in this section as 'GWEN') as the Secretary of Transportation determines to be necessary for the establishment of a nationwide system to be known as the 'Nationwide Differential Global Positioning System' (referred to in this section as 'NDGPS').

"(b) As soon as practicable after the date of enactment of this Act [Oct. 27, 1997], the Secretary of Transportation may establish the NDGPS. In establishing the NDGPS, the Secretary of Transportation may-

"(1) if feasible, reuse GWEN equipment and sites transferred to the Department of Transportation under subsection (a);

"(2) to the maximum extent practicable, use contractor services to install the NDGPS;

"(3) modify the positioning system operated by the Coast Guard at the time of the establishment of the NDGPS to integrate the reference stations made available pursuant to subsection (a);

"(4) in cooperation with the Secretary of Commerce, ensure that the reference stations referred to in paragraph (3) are compatible with, and integrated into, the Continuously Operating Reference Station (commonly referred to as 'CORS') system of the National Geodetic Survey of the Department of Commerce; and

"(5) in cooperation with the Secretary of Commerce, investigate the use of the NDGPS reference stations for the Global Positioning System Integrated Precipitable Water Vapor System of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

"(c) The Secretary of Transportation may-

"(1) manage and operate the NDGPS;

"(2) ensure that the service of the NDGPS is provided without the assessment of any user fee; and

"(3) in cooperation with the Secretary of Defense, ensure that the use of the NDGPS is denied to any enemy of the United States.

"(d) In any case in which the Secretary of Transportation determines that contracting for the maintenance of 1 or more NDGPS reference stations is cost-effective, the Secretary of Transportation may enter into a contract to provide for that maintenance.

"(e) The Secretary of Transportation may-

"(1) in cooperation with appropriate representatives of private industries and universities and officials of State governments-

"(A) investigate improvements (including potential improvements) to the NDGPS;

"(B) develop standards for the NDGPS; and

"(C) sponsor the development of new applications for the NDGPS; and

"(2) provide for the continual upgrading of the NDGPS to improve performance and address the needs of-

"(A) the Federal Government;

"(B) State and local governments; and

"(C) the general public."

Intermodal Transportation Advisory Board and Office of Intermodalism

Section 5002(b), (c) of Pub. L. 102–240, which provided for establishment within the Office of the Secretary of Transportation of an Intermodal Transportation Advisory Board to make recommendations for carrying out responsibilities of the Secretary concerning the coordination of Federal policy on intermodal transportation, and for establishment within the Office of the Secretary of an Office of Intermodalism to develop intermodal transportation data, to coordinate Federal research on intermodal transportation, to provide technical assistance to States and metropolitan planning organizations, and to provide administrative and clerical support to the Intermodal Transportation Advisory Board, was repealed and reenacted as sections 5502 and 5503 of this title by Pub. L. 103–272, §§1(d), 7(b), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 849 , 850, 1379.

Model Intermodal Transportation Plans

Section 5003 of Pub. L. 102–240, which directed Secretary of Transportation to make grants to States, representing a variety of geographic regions and transportation needs, patterns, and modes, for purpose of developing model State intermodal transportation plans consistent with policy of United States to encourage and promote development of national intermodal transportation system, was repealed and reenacted as section 5504 of this title by Pub. L. 103–272, §§1(d), 7(b), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 850 , 1379.

National Commission on Intermodal Transportation

Section 5005 of Pub. L. 102–240 provided for establishment of a National Commission on Intermodal Transportation, consisting of 11 appointed members, to make a complete investigation and study of intermodal transportation in the United States and internationally and to send a report to Congress not later than Sept. 30, 1993, containing recommendations for implementing the policy set out in section 302(e) of this title, with the Commission to terminate on the 180th day following transmittal of the report, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 104–287, §7(3), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3400 .

Border Crossings

Section 6015 of Pub. L. 102–240 directed Secretary of Transportation to identify existing and emerging trade corridors and transportation subsystems that facilitate trade between United States, Canada, and Mexico and to recommend changes to improve and integrate corridor subsystems in order to achieve increased productivity and use of innovative marketing techniques, and directed Secretary to report to Congress not later than 18 months after Dec. 18, 1991, on transportation infrastructure needs and associated costs and to propose an agenda to develop systemwide integration of services for national benefits.

Underground Pipelines

Section 6020 of Pub. L. 102–240 directed Secretary of Transportation to conduct a study to evaluate feasibility, costs, and benefits of constructing and operating pneumatic capsule pipelines for underground movement of commodities other than hazardous liquids and gas, and to submit, not later than 2 years after Dec. 18, 1991, a report to Congress on the results of the study, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 104–287, §7(3), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3400 .

Long-Range National Transportation Strategic Planning Study

Pub. L. 100–457, title III, §317(b), Sept. 30, 1988, 102 Stat. 2149 , directed Department of Transportation to undertake a long-range, multi-modal national transportation strategic planning study, such study to forecast long-term needs and costs for developing and maintaining facilities and services to achieve a desired national transportation program for moving people and goods in the year 2015 and to include detailed analyses of transportation needs within six to nine metropolitan areas that have diverse population, development, and demographic patterns, including at least one interstate metropolitan area, with study to be submitted to Congress on or before Oct. 1, 1989. Similar provisions were contained in the following prior appropriation act: Pub. L. 100–202, §101(l) [title III, §317(b)], Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1329–358 , 1329-381.

Commercial Expendable Launch Vehicle Activities

Designation of Department of Transportation as lead agency and duties of the Secretary for encouraging, facilitating, and developing commercial expendable launch vehicle operations by private enterprise, see Ex. Ord. No. 12465, Feb. 24, 1984, 49 F.R. 7211, set out under section 70101 of this title.

Section Referred to in Other Sections

This section is referred to in section 305 of this title.