Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2012

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)

Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2012 - Title I: Federal-Aid Highways - (Sec. 101) Continues through January 31, 2012 (Part-Year Funding Date), and authorizes appropriations through that date for, specified federal-aid highway programs under the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), the SAFETEA-LU Technical Corrections Act of 2008, the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991, and the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century. Includes among extended funds those for: (1) the surface transportation research, development, and deployment program; (2) training and education; (3) the Bureau of Transportation Statistics; (4) university transportation research; and (5) intelligent transportation systems (ITS) research.

Subjects funding for such programs generally to the same manner of distribution, administration, limitation, and availability for obligation, and in the same proportional amounts, as funds authorized to be appropriated for such programs and activities out of the Highway Trust Fund for FY2011.

Subjects contract authority, however, between October 1, 2011, and January 31, 2012, to a specified pro rata limitation on obligations included in any Act making appropriations for FY2012 or a portion of that fiscal year. Waives this obligation limitation, though, for emergency relief and for the equity bonus program.

(Sec. 102) Authorizes the appropriation of a pro rata amount of $422.425 million from the Highway Trust Fund (other than the Mass Transit Account) for administrative expenses of the federal-aid highway program for the period from October 1, 2011, through the Part-Year Funding Date.

Title II: Additional Programs - (Sec. 201) Amends the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act to continue for the same period of time the authorized distribution of funds under such Act for coastal wetlands, recreational boating safety, projects under the Clean Vessel Act of 19921, boating infrastructure projects, and the National Outreach and Communications Program.

Title III: Rescission - (Sec. 301) Rescinds permanently on September 1, 2012, $3.13 billion of the unobligated balances of funds apportioned before that date to each state under the federal-aid highway program. Exempts from such rescission certain funds distributed for: (1) the elimination of hazards of railway-highway crossings, (2) the highway safety improvement program, (3) safety incentives to prevent drunk driving, and (4) a specified division of apportionment of funds between urbanized areas of over 200,000 population and other areas.

Requires the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) to allow each state to determine the amount of the required rescission to be drawn from the programs to which the rescission applies.

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