Department of Transportation and Related Agencies Appropriation Act, 1986

(Measure passed Senate, amended, roll call #247 (84-13))

Department of Transportation and Related Agencies Appropriation Act, 1986 - Title I: Department of Transportation - Makes appropriations for FY 1986 for the necessary expenses of: (1) the Office of the Secretary of Transportation for salaries and expenses, transportation planning, research and development, and the Working Capital Fund, and payments payments to air carriers; and (2) the Coast Guard for operating expenses, acquisition, construction and improvements, alteration of bridges, retired pay, reserve training, research, development, test and evaluation, the Offshore Oil Pollution Compensation Fund, the Deepwater Port Liability Fund and recreational boating safety assistance.

Appropriates funds for the necessary expenses of the Federal Aviation Administration for: (1) operations, facilities, engineering, research and development; (2) grants-in-aid for airports; (3) operation, maintenance, and construction at the Metropolitan Washington airports; (4) headquarters administration; (5) the Aviation Insurance Revolving Fund; and (6) the aircraft purchase loan guarantee program.

Appropriates funds to the Federal Highway Administration for: (1) general operating expenses; (2) highway safety research and development; (3) highway-related safety grants; (4) Federal-aid highway; (5) the Right-of-Way Revolving Fund; (6) highway beautification; (7) motor carrier safety; (8) motor carrier safety grants; (9) access highways to public recreation areas on certain lakes; and (10) upgrading certain highways used for nuclear waste transportation.

Appropriates funds to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for operations and research and highway traffic safety grants.

Amends the Motor Vehicle Information and Cost Savings Act to deny the extension of credits to automobile manufacturers for exceeding the fuel economy standard for any model year for which the Secretary of Transportation has reduced such standard to a level below that originally established by Congress for that year.

Designates a certain amount to carry out a national program to encourage the use of automobile safety belts and passive restraints.

Appropriates funds to the Federal Railroad Administration for: (1) the Office of the Administrator; (2) railroad safety; (3) railroad research and development; (4) rail service assistance; (5) Conrail labor protection; (6) the Northeast Corridor improvement program; and (7) grants to the National Railroad Passenger Corporation.

Authorizes the issuance of notes to the Secretary of the Treasury for payment of loan guarantees from railroad rehabilitation and improvement financing funds. Limits the total amount of commitments to guarantee new loans for railroad rehabilitation and improvement during FY 1986. Authorizes expenditures for the redeemable preference shares program.

Appropriates funds to the Urban Mass Transportation Administration for: (1) administrative expenses; (2) research, training, and human resources; (3) discretionary grants; (4) formula grants; (5) liquidation of contract authorization; (6) the Washington Metro; and (7) interstate transfer grants.

Appropriates funds to: (1) the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation for administrative expenses; (2) the Office of the Inspector General for salaries and expenses; and (3) the Research and Special Programs Administration for research and development and for grants to implement a pipeline safety program.

Title II: Related Agencies - Makes appropriations for FY 1986 for the necessary expenses of: (1) the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board; (2) the National Transportation Safety Board; (3) the Interstate Commerce Commission for salaries and expenses and payments for directed rail service; (4) the Panama Canal Commission for operating expenses and capital outlay; (5) the United States Railway Association; (6) the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority for interest payments; and (7) the Office of the Secretary of the Treasury for investment in fund anticipation notes.

Title III: General Provisions - Permits the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to provide for the expenses of primary and secondary schooling for dependents of FAA personnel stationed outside the United States when the Secretary of Transportation determines that adequate schooling is unavailable in the locality and that adequate schools are not accessible by public transportation.

Prohibits the use of appropriated funds for the planning or construction of rail-highway crossings at the School Street crossing in Groton, Connecticut, and the Broadway Extension Crossing in Stonington, Connecticut.

Prohibits the use of appropriated funds: (1) to plan or execute any program to compensate non-Federal parties intervening in regulatory or adjudicatory proceedings under this Act; or (2) to assist any State in imposing mandatory State inspection fees or sticker requirements on vehicles lawfully registered in another State, including certain vehicles engaged in interstate commercial transportation.

Prohibits appropriated funds from being available beyond the current fiscal year unless expressly so provided.

Provides that contract authority for discretionary grants under the Urban Mass Transportation Act of 1964 shall be available for obligation through FY 1989.

Limits the use of appropriated funds for consulting services to those contracts that are a matter of public record and are available for public inspection and those contracts included in a publicly available list. Directs the Secretary of Transportation to distribute the obligation limitation for Federal-aid highways according to a specified formula.

Sets an obligation limitation upon the amounts distributed to the States.

Directs the Secretary to: (1) provide the States with authority to prevent lapses of authorized appropriations apportioned to them for Federal-aid highways and highway safety construction; (2) redistribute funds from States which will not obligate funds to those States which are able to obligate funds; and (3) not distribute amounts authorized for administrative expenses and for the Federal Lands Highway Programs.

Amends the Urban Mass Transportation Act of 1964 to authorize the expenditure of certain funds in an urbanized area of 200,000 or more even though such funds were apportioned for expenditure in an urbanized area with a population of less than 200,000.

Exempts the Zilwaukee Bridge realignment project from FY 1986 limitations on obligations for Federal aid highway and highway safety construction programs.

Conditions the use of appropriated funds for the Woodward light rail line in Detroit, Michigan, upon approval in accordance with Michigan law of a source of operating funds.

Limits the amount of funds appropriated for FY 1986 which may be used for certain projects under the Urban Mass Transportation Act of 1964.

Authorizes the State of Wyoming to conduct a demonstration project regarding the effects of certain vehicles exceeding 80,000 pounds gross weight upon the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways located in Wyoming.

Amends the Urban Mass Transportation Act of 1964 to provide that for specified purposes the term "Federal funds or revenues" does not include funds received under a service agreement with a State or local social service agency or a private social service organization.

Directs the Secretary of Transportation to release all funds made available through the obligation ceiling for FY 1986 and prior years in accordance with certain statements of managers accompanying the conference reports for appropriations Acts for FY 1986 and prior years.

Amends the Federal Aviation Act of 1958 to provide for Federal indemnification of claims against publishers of aeronautical charts and maps if such a claim arises out of the publisher's depiction of any defective flight procedure or airway: (1) promulgated by the Federal Aviation Administration; (2) accurately depicted on the chart or maps; and (3) not obviously defective.

Authorizes the obligation of sums appropriated to the State of New York for certain Interstate construction projects or for Interstate substitute highway projects.

Expresses congressional disapproval of proposed deferral D86-21 relating to new start rail projects in certain cities. Makes the proposed deferral amount available for obligation upon enactment of this Act.

Amends the Regional Rail Reorganization Act to: (1) extend the term of office of the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the United States Rail Association from December 1, 1985, to December 1, 1987; and (2) prohibit the Chairman of the Board of Directors from having any employment or direct financial relationship with any freight railroad (thus allowing the current Chairman to retain his position).

Authorizes the States of Maine and New Hampshire to assume all construction, maintenance and operational authority over approach roads and grade separation structures in their respective areas.

Directs such States to require the Maine-New Hampshire Interstate Bridge Authority to provide funds for capital improvements.

Reduces by 1.6 percent non-defense discretionary program funds contained in this Act. Imposes a ceiling upon transit operations assistance funds for FY 1986, with specified exceptions.