,,ii #aacth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #bifa ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,november #bj1 #bjad ,mr4 ,begich introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,environment and ,public ,works ,a ,,bill ,to establish the ,office of ,planning for ,future ,intercity ,transportation within the ,office of the ,secretary of ,transportation4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,office of ,planning for ,future ,intercity ,transportation ,act4 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,high-speed passenger rail technology1 while not new in ,europe and ,asia1 is a new transportation technology in the ,united ,states4 ,its design1 development1 construction1 financing1 funding1 and operation require specific skills and expertise that are not abundant in the ,united ,states1 and will require years to develop4 7#b7 ,unlike highways1 mass transit1 and aviation1 high-speed rail requires unique and separated rights of way to operate and must be fully integrated with other passenger transportation system elements to be successful4 7#c7 ,in order to ensure the proper development of high-speed intercity passenger rail service in the ,united ,states1 it is critical that a dedicated office be established at the highest levels of the ,federal ,government to coordinate and facilitate the intricate relationships between-- 7,a7 various levels of government2 and 7,b7 the wide range of industrial interests that will be required to work together to make high-speed rail successful4 7#d7 ,resources for transportation infrastructure are in high demand4 ,many people contend that there are not enough resources to maintain the transportation system the ,nation has built1 let alone to build new modes of transportation such as high-speed intercity passenger rail4 7#e7 ,the capacity of the current transportation system threatens the present and future competitiveness of the ,united ,states4 ,unless investments are made in new1 faster1 and more efficient transportation capacity1 such as intercity high-speed passenger rail1 it will be very difficult for the ,united ,states-- 7,a7 to rise out of its current economic condition2 or 7,b7 to regain its leadership role domestically and internationally4 7#f7 ,placing the development of a national system of intercity high-speed rail corridors that are highly integrated with other modes of transportation under the direct supervision of the ,secretary of ,transportation and delegating the day-to-day administration of such system to an ,assistant ,secretary will ensure an effective launch and the efficient operation of a new national transportation modality4 7#g7 ,it is in the interest of the ,united ,states to expeditiously develop and deploy intercity high-speed passenger rail under the singularly focused direction of the ,secretary of ,transportation4 #c4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,assistant secretary ,the term ,assistant ,secretary means the head of the ,office of ,planning for ,future ,intercity ,transportation4 7#b7 ,eligible participant ,the term eligible participant means-- 7,a7 a ,state that has participated in the process to develop and implement a cost allocation methodology under section #bji7;a7 of the ,passenger ,rail ,investment and ,improvement ,act of #bjjh 7#di ,u4,s4,c4 #bdaja note72 7,b7 a group consisting solely of ,states described in subparagraph 7,a72 7,c7 an ,interstate ,compact consisting solely of ,states described in subparagraph 7,a72 7,d7 a public agency established by #a or more of the ,states described in subparagraph 7,a7 that is responsible for providing intercity passenger rail service2 or 7,e7 any entity that seeks to perform services under a contract awarded pursuant to this ,act by providing-- 7i7 a description of how the entity intends to perform the covered services2 and 7ii7 materials demonstrating the entity's capability to perform the proposed services in accordance with the requirements under this ,act4 7#c7 ,office ,the term ,office means the ,office of ,planning for ,future ,intercity ,transportation established within the ,office of the ,secretary of ,transportation pursuant to section #d4 7#d7 ,program participant ,the term program participant means an eligible participant that has entered into an authorized procurement process under this ,act4 7#e7 ,rail carrier ,the term rail carrier has the meaning given such term in section #ajajb7e7 of title #di1 ,united ,states ,code4 7#f7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of ,transportation4 7#g7 ,state ,the term ,state means each of the several ,states and the ,district of ,columbia4 #d4 ,office of ,planning for ,future ,intercity ,transportation 7a7 ,establishment ,not later than #f months after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary shall establish the ,office of ,planning for ,future ,intercity ,transportation within the ,office of the ,secretary of ,transportation4 ,the ,office shall be composed of the ,office of ,high-,speed ,rail ,policy1 the ,office of ,high-,speed ,planning1 and the ,office of ,high-,speed ,rail ,operations and ,safety4 7b7 ,assistant ,secretary 7#a7 ,appointment ,the head of the ,office shall be the ,assistant ,secretary for ,intercity ,transportation ,planning1 who shall be appointed by the ,president1 by and with the advice and consent of the ,senate4 7#b7 ,duties ,the ,assistant ,secretary shall-- 7,a7 serve as the principal policy advisor to the ,secretary and the ,deputy ,secretary on ,high-,speed ,rail2 and 7,b7 assume responsibility for all activities of the ,federal ,government associated with high-speed rail that were previously delegated to the ,administrator of the ,federal ,railroad ,administration or otherwise authorized by ,congress4 7c7 ,functions ,under the direction of the ,assistant ,secretary1 the ,office shall oversee the planning1 development1 construction1 financing1 funding1 and operation of high-speed rail in selected corridors throughout the ,united ,states4 7d7 ,feasibility study ,not later than #b years after the date on which the ,office is established under this section1 the ,secretary shall submit to ,congress the results of a feasibility study that identifies and prioritizes corridors that offer the best opportunity to provide point-to-point transportation service based on-- 7#a7 travel demand2 7#b7 the total cost of construction and operation2 and 7#c7 expected passenger and other business revenue generated from the operation of transportation service4 #e4 ,authorization of appropriations 7a7 ,in general ,there are authorized to be appropriated out of the ,highway ,trust ,fund1 for each of the fiscal years #bjae1 #bjaf1 and #bjag-- 7#a7 #bj1jjj1jjj to carry out the feasibility study required under section #d7;d72 and 7#b7 #e1jjj1jjj for administrative expenses incurred by the ,office4 7b7 ,contract authority 7#a7 ,feasibility study ,amounts appropriated pursuant to subsection 7a77#a7 shall be available for the procurement of contract services to carry out such studies as the ,secretary determines necessary to carry out section #d7;d74 7#b7 ,other requirements ,amounts appropriated pursuant to subsection 7a77#b7 shall be available for the procurement of contract services to carry out any other requirement under this ,act4