§50401 United States Committee on the Marine Transportation System

Summary

Creates a United States Committee on the Marine Transportation System to coordinate federal work on ports, waterways, channels, and how they connect with other transport. The Committee must include the Secretaries of Transportation, Defense, Homeland Security, Commerce, the Treasury, State, Interior, Agriculture, Labor, and Energy; the Attorney General; the EPA Administrator; the Chair of the Federal Maritime Commission; the Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; and any other agency head a majority votes to add. It can also have nonvoting members. The Committee has a Coordinating Board made up of senior representatives chosen by each member. The Board’s chair rotates yearly among the Secretaries of Transportation, Defense, Homeland Security, and Commerce. The Secretary of Transportation, with the other three secretaries, appoints an Executive Director. Member agencies may provide staff, equipment, services, and funding to support the Committee and may transfer funds between agencies. Within one year after the law is enacted, and every 5 years after that, the Committee must send a report to the Senate Committees on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and on Environment and Public Works, and to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The report must cover progress on the July 2008 National Strategy, system condition and performance, challenges and needed investment, a plan with recommended actions, follow-up on earlier reports, and a list of federal programs involved. The Committee may consult advisory groups, interested parties, and the public.