S. 2512 — Introduced in Senate

II 113th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 2512 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES June 23, 2014 Mr. McConnell (for himself and Mr. Paul) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions A BILL To establish an emergency transportation safety fund for the reconstruction of bridges along the Interstate Highway System, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Emergency Interstate Bridge Safety Fund Act. 2. Findings Congress makes the following findings: (1) The Davis-Bacon Act requires that workers on all federally funded or federally assisted construction projects be paid what is commonly referred to as a prevailing wage, as calculated by the Wage and Hour Division of the Department of Labor. (2) According to the Congressional Budget Office, if the Davis-Bacon Act were repealed, the Federal Government could save an estimated $12,700,000,000 in discretionary outlays from 2015 through 2023. (3) These savings could be redirected to the reconstruction of closed and functionally obsolete bridges along the Interstate Highway System, which would improve highway safety and interstate commerce. I Establishment and funding 101. Repeal of Davis-Bacon Act of 1931 wage requirements (a) In general Subchapter IV of chapter 31 of title 40, United States Code (40 U.S.C. 3141 et seq.), is repealed. (b) Reference Beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act, any reference in any law to a wage requirement under subchapter IV of chapter 31 of title 40, United States Code, shall be null and void. 102. Emergency Interstate Bridge Safety Fund (a) Establishment There is established in the Treasury of the United States a trust fund to be known as the Emergency Interstate Bridge Safety Fund. (b) Transfers to Emergency Interstate Bridge Safety Fund - (1) In general The Secretary of the Treasury shall regularly transfer amounts equal to the savings achieved through the repeal of the wage requirements under subsection (a) from the capital budgets of each affected Federal agency to the Emergency Interstate Bridge Safety Fund. (2) Emergency relief expenditures Section 125(c) of title 23, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: (3) Emergency interstate bridge safety fund Amounts deposited into the Emergency Interstate Bridge Safety Fund established under section 102(a) of the Emergency Interstate Bridge Safety Fund Act are authorized to be obligated to carry out, in priority order, the projects on the current list compiled by the Secretary under section 201(b)(1) of such Act that meet the eligibility requirements set forth in subsection (a). . II Emergency interstate bridge safety priority list 201. Emergency interstate bridge priorities (a) List The Secretary of Transportation, in consultation with a representative sample of State and local government transportation officials, shall compile a prioritized list of emergency interstate bridge projects, which will guide the allocation of funding to the States from the Emergency Interstate Bridge Safety Fund established under section 102. (b) Criteria In compiling the list under subsection (a), the Secretary of Transportation, in addition to any other criteria established by the Secretary, shall rank the emergency interstate bridge projects in descending order, beginning with projects that— (1) are part of the Federal interstate highway system; (2) involve a bridge that is closed or deemed functionally obsolete by the Federal Highway Administration for safety reasons; (3) have a significant impact on interstate commerce; (4) would affect a significant volume of traffic; and (5) have the greatest overall value to the surrounding community. (c) Report Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall submit a report to Congress that includes— (1) a prioritized list of emergency interstate bridge projects to be funded through the Emergency Interstate Bridge Safety Fund; and (2) a description of the criteria used to establish the list referred to in paragraph (1). (d) Quarterly updates Not less frequently than 4 times per year, the Secretary of Transportation shall— (1) update the report submitted pursuant to subsection (c); (2) send a copy of the report to Congress; and (3) make a copy of the report available to the public through the Department of Transportation’s website.