((a)) ** .—** The construction of any Federal-aid highway or a portion of a Federal-aid highway shall be undertaken by the respective State transportation departments or under their direct supervision. The Secretary shall have the right to conduct such inspections and take such corrective action as the Secretary determines to be appropriate. The construction work and labor in each State shall be performed under the direct supervision of the State transportation department and in accordance with the laws of that State and applicable Federal laws. Construction may be begun as soon as funds are available for expenditure pursuant to subsection (a) of . After , the State transportation department shall not erect on any project where actual construction is in progress and visible to highway users any informational signs other than official traffic control devices conforming with standards developed by the Secretary of Transportation.
((b))
((1)) ** .—** Convict labor shall not be used in construction of Federal-aid highways or portions of Federal-aid highways unless the labor is performed by convicts who are on parole, supervised release, or probation.
((2)) ** .—** Materials produced after , by convict labor may only be used in such construction—
((A)) if such materials are produced by convicts who are on parole, supervised release, or probation from a prison; or
((B)) if such materials are produced by convicts in a qualified prison facility and the amount of such materials produced in such facility for use in such construction during any 12-month period does not exceed the amount of such materials produced in such facility for use in such construction during the 12-month period ending .
((3)) ** .—** As used in this subsection, “qualified prison facility” means any prison facility in which convicts, during the 12-month period ending , produced materials for use in construction of highways or portions of highways located on a Federal-aid system in existence during that period.
((c))
((1)) ** .—** The Secretary shall ensure that a worker who is employed on a remote project for the construction of a highway or portion of a highway located on a Federal-aid system in the State of Alaska and who is not a domiciled resident of the locality shall receive meals and lodging.
((2)) ** .—** The lodging under paragraph (1) shall be in accordance with section 1910.142 of title 29, Code of Federal Regulations (relating to temporary labor camp requirements).
((3))
((A)) ** .—** Contractors are encouraged to use commercial facilities and lodges on remote projects, however, when such facilities are not available, per diem in lieu of room and lodging may be paid on remote Federal highway projects at a basic rate of $75.00 per day or part of a day the worker is employed on the project. Where the contractor provides or furnishes room and lodging or pays a per diem, the cost of the amount shall not be considered a part of wages and shall be excluded from the calculation of wages.
((B)) ** .—** Such per diem rate shall be adopted by the Secretary of Labor for all applicable remote Federal highway projects in Alaska.
((C)) ** .—** Per diem shall not be allowed on any of the following remote projects for the construction of a highway or portion of a highway located on a Federal-aid system:
((i)) West of Livengood on the Elliot Highway.
((ii)) Mile 0 on the Dalton Highway to the North Slope of Alaska; north of Mile 20 on the Taylor Highway.
((iii)) East of Chicken on the Top of the World Highway and south of Tetlin Junction to the Alaska Canadian border.
((4)) ** .—** In this subsection, the following definitions apply:
((A)) ** .—** The term “remote”, as used with respect to a project, means that the project is 65 road miles or more from the international airport in Fairbanks, Anchorage, or Juneau, Alaska, as the case may be, or is inaccessible by road in a 2-wheel drive vehicle.
((B)) ** .—** The term “resident”, as used with respect to a project, means a person living within 65 road miles of the midpoint of the project for at least 12 consecutive months prior to the award of the project.
((d))
((1)) ** .—** Subject to paragraph (2), a recipient of Federal financial assistance under this chapter shall, to the extent practicable, encourage contractors working on a highway project funded using the assistance to make a best faith effort in the hiring or referral of laborers on any project for the construction of a highway to veterans (as defined in ) who have the requisite skills and abilities to perform the construction work required under the contract.
((2)) ** .—** This subsection shall not—
((A)) apply to projects subject to section 140(d); or
((B)) be administered or enforced in any manner that would require an employer to give a preference to any veteran over any equally qualified applicant who is a member of any racial or ethnic minority, a female, or any equally qualified former employee.