Title 49, TransportationRelease 119-110

§6504 Incorporation of Department of Transportation Research

Title 49 › SUBTITLE III — GENERAL AND INTERMODAL PROGRAMS › CHAPTER 65 — RESEARCH PLANNING › § 6504

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary of Transportation must, no later than December 31, 2021, and at least once every 5 years after that, review research done by the Department of Transportation and, as much as possible, find ways to fold useful new ideas into laws, rules, guidance, or other policies to make the U.S. transportation system safer or more efficient. During each review the Secretary must point out new practices, materials, or technologies that clearly help transportation; decide if changing laws or regulations is needed to use them; if changes are needed, write a proposal and say how those changes will be placed in the Unified Regulatory Agenda or adopted into regulations quickly; if no changes are needed, explain how the ideas will be added to DOT or modal policies or guidance, including through the Technology Transfer Program of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology. After each review, the Secretary must send Congress a report listing the new items found and any legal or regulatory changes required or made.

Full Legal Text

Title 49, §6504

Transportation, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Review.—

Not later than December 31, 2021, and not less frequently than once every 5 years thereafter, in concurrence with the applicable strategic plan under section 6503, the Secretary of Transportation shall—

(1)conduct a review of research conducted by the Department of Transportation; and

(2)to the maximum extent practicable and appropriate, identify modifications to laws, regulations, guidance, and other policy documents to incorporate any innovations resulting from the research described in paragraph (1) that have the potential to improve the safety or efficiency of the United States transportation system.

(b)Requirements.—

In conducting a review under subsection (a), the Secretary of Transportation shall—

(1)identify any innovative practices, materials, or technologies that have demonstrable benefits to the transportation system;

(2)determine whether the practices, materials, or technologies described in paragraph (1) require any statutory or regulatory modifications for adoption; and

(3)(A)if modifications are determined to be required under paragraph (2), develop—

(i)a proposal for those modifications; and

(ii)a description of the manner in which any such regulatory modifications would be—

(I)incorporated into the Unified Regulatory Agenda; or

(II)adopted into existing regulations as soon as practicable; or

(B)if modifications are determined not to be required under paragraph (2), develop a description of the means by which the practices, materials, or technologies described in paragraph (1) will otherwise be incorporated into Department of Transportation or modal administration policy or guidance, including as part of the Technology Transfer Program of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology.

(c)Report.—

On completion of each review under subsection (a), the Secretary of Transportation shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report describing, with respect to the period covered by the report—

(1)each new practice, material, or technology identified under subsection (b)(1); and

(2)any statutory or regulatory modification for the adoption of such a practice, material, or technology that—

(A)is determined to be required under subsection (b)(2); or

(B)was otherwise made during that period.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

49 U.S.C. § 6504

Title 49, Transportation

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110