Sponsors (2)
The bill preserves and modernizes federal transportation program authority, data governance, and research/technical standards through 2031—supporting continuity, data quality, research, and environmental gains—at the cost of increased long‑term federal commitments, implementation and compliance costs, greater centralization of data authority, and some risks to data access and infrastructure quality.
State and local transportation agencies, contractors, university research centers, and rail operators keep statutory authority and program continuity for highways, university transportation centers, open research, and rail research through FY2027–FY2031, reducing risk of project interruptions.
State, local, Tribal governments and private respondents face fewer duplicative data requests while DOT adopts centralized governance, standardized statistical practices, and confidentiality protections, improving data quality, consistency, and provider trust.
Universities, students, and transportation researchers gain greater flexibility and potential funding (including a sustained open research initiative), supporting transportation research, education, and workforce development.
Taxpayers face increased long-term federal spending obligations and budgetary risk because the bill extends multiple program authorizations and removes funding caps, potentially committing future funding without new appropriations.
DOT, state/local agencies, contractors, rail operators, and manufacturers will likely incur new administrative and compliance costs to meet expanded confidentiality, centralized data systems, updated testing/standards, and any research-driven regulatory changes.
Centralizing statistical authority and data governance within BTS/DOT risks reducing stakeholder input, shifting staff and resources away from operating administrations, and disrupting program-specific data collection.
Based on analysis of 9 sections of legislative text.
Modernizes and extends DOT research authorities to 2027–2031, centralizes and standardizes transportation statistics, mandates headlamp and reclaimed-asphalt studies/strategies, and updates rail research purposes.
Official title: To direct the Secretary of Transportation to carry out certain activities related to surface transportation research, development, and deployment, and for other purposes.
Introduced May 12, 2026 by Vince Fong · Last progress May 12, 2026
Directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to extend and modernize multiple surface-transportation research and data programs, strengthen central coordination of transportation statistics, and require studies and strategies to support safer vehicle lighting and wider use of reclaimed asphalt pavement. It updates program date ranges for university, rail, and other DOT research authorities and imposes new requirements for data protection, consolidation, and reporting. Creates a Transportation Statistics Coordination Council to inventory and reduce duplicative statistical collections, moves the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) Director into the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology’s office, and requires DOT to follow federal confidentiality and statistical standards. The bill also directs DOT to contract for a headlamp safety study and produce a national strategy to increase reclaimed asphalt pavement use while preserving pavement quality.