Highway and Transit Programs Extension bill

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The expanded summary of the House passed version is repeated here.)

Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2005 - Extends federal highway, highway safety, motor carrier safety, and transit programs, and authorizes appropriations, through June 30, 2005.

(Sec. 2) Amends the Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2004, Part V to extend the off-system bridge set-aside through June 30, 2005.

Amends the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) to extend to June 30, 2005, certain advanced authorizations from the Highway Trust Fund.

Revises the amount of obligation limitation that is to be distributed by the Secretary of Transportation for federal-aid highways and highway safety construction programs.

Sets a cap upon the total amount of obligation authority distributed through June 30, 2005.

Prohibits the obligation of funds for any federal-aid highway program project until the date of enactment of a law reauthorizing the federal-aid highway program.

Considers any obligation of certain obligation authority distributed under this Act to be an obligation for federal-aid highways and highway safety construction programs for FY2005 under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2005.

(Sec. 3) Makes specified funds available from the Highway Trust Fund (HTF) for administrative expenses of the federal-aid highway program for FY2005.

(Sec. 4) Extends through June 30, 2005, the authorization of appropriations under TEA-21 for: (1) federal lands highways (Indian reservation roads, public lands highways, park roads and parkways, and refuge roads); (2) national corridor planning and development and coordinated border infrastructure programs; (3) construction of ferry boats and ferry terminal facilities (including set-asides for such projects that are a part of the National Highway System in Alaska, New Jersey, and Washington State); (4) the national scenic byways program; (5) the value pricing pilot program; (6) highway use tax evasion projects; (7) the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico Highway Program; (8) safety grants; (9) the transportation and community and system preservation pilot program; (10) transportation infrastructure finance and innovation; (11) the national scenic byways clearinghouse; (12) surface transportation research; (13) the technology deployment program; (14) training and education; (15) the Bureau of Transportation Statistics; (16) intermodal transportation system standards, research, operational tests, development, and deployment; (17) university transportation research; (18) metropolitan planning; (19) the Territories of Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands; (20) the Alaska highway program; (21) Operation Lifesaver; (22) the bridge discretionary program; (23) interstate maintenance; (24) recreational trails administrative costs; and (25) railway-highway crossing hazard elimination in high speed rail corridors.

Extends through June 30, 2005, the authorization of appropriations for skills training and on-the-job training to implement a specified non-discrimination program.

(Sec. 5) Extends through June 30, 2005, the authorization of appropriations for highway safety programs, including: (1) seat belt safety incentive grants; (2) prevention of intoxicated driver incentive grants; (3) certain highway safety programs; (4) highway safety research and development (R&D); (5) occupant protection incentive grants; (6) alcohol-impaired driving countermeasures incentive grants; and (6) the National Driver Register.

(Sec. 6) Amends the Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2004, Part V to extend through June 30, 2005, the authorization of appropriations for: (1) administrative expenses of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration; (2) the motor carrier safety assistance program; (3) information systems and commercial driver's license grants; and (4) continuation of a crash causation study.

(Sec. 7) Extends through June 30, 2005, the authorization of allocations and apportionments for federal transit programs, including: (1) specified capital projects; (2) formula grants; (3) capital programs; (4) planning; (5) research, including university transportation research; (6) the job access and reverse commute program; (7) the rural transportation accessibility incentive program; (8) urbanized area formula grants; (9) the fuel cell bus and bus facilities program; (10) the advanced technology pilot project; (11) projects for new fixed guideway systems and extensions to existing systems; and (12) the New Jersey urban core project.

(Sec. 8) Amends the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act to extend funding for the National Outreach and Communications Program through June 30, 2005. Extends through the same date the authorization of apportionments for qualified projects under the Clean Vessel Act of 1972.

Amends federal maritime law to increase the authorization of appropriations for personnel and activities expenses of the Coast Guard directly related to the national recreational boating safety program.

(Sec. 9) Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend until July 1, 2005, the authorization of expenditures from the HTF (including the Mass Transit Account) and the Aquatic Resources Trust Fund, including the sport fish restoration account and the boat safety account.

Extends until October 1, 2006, the imposition of tax on the use of certain heavy vehicles (including an exemption from such tax). Sets forth special rules for imposition of such tax in the case where the taxable period ends on September 30, 2006.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov