23 U.S.C. § 504 Training and Education

LibraryUnited States Statutes
Edition2023
CurrencyCurrent through P.L. 118-21 (published on www.congress.gov on 11/13/2023)

(a) NATIONAL HIGHWAY INSTITUTE.-

(1) IN GENERAL.-The Secretary shall operate in the Federal Highway Administration a National Highway Institute (in this subsection referred to as the "Institute"). The Secretary shall administer, through the Institute, the authority vested in the Secretary by this title or by any other law for the development and conduct of education and training programs relating to highways.

(2) DUTIES OF THE INSTITUTE.-In cooperation with State transportation departments, United States industry, and any national or international entity, the Institute shall develop and administer education and training programs of instruction for-

(A) Federal Highway Administration, State, and local transportation agency employees and the employees of any other applicable Federal agency;

(B) regional, State, and metropolitan planning organizations;

(C) State and local police, public safety, and motor vehicle employees; and

(D) United States citizens and foreign nationals engaged or to be engaged in surface transportation work of interest to the United States.

(3) COURSES.-

(A) IN GENERAL.-The Institute shall-

(i) develop or update existing courses in asset management, including courses that include such components as-

(I) the determination of life-cycle costs;

(II) the valuation of assets;

(III) benefit-to-cost ratio calculations; and

(IV) objective decisionmaking processes for project selection; and

(ii) continually develop courses relating to the application of emerging technologies for-

(I) transportation infrastructure applications and asset management;

(II) intelligent transportation systems;

(III) operations (including security operations);

(IV) the collection and archiving of data;

(V) reducing the amount of time required for the planning and development of transportation projects; and

(VI) the intermodal movement of individuals and freight.

(B) ADDITIONAL COURSES.-In addition to the courses developed under subparagraph (A), the Institute, in consultation with State transportation departments, metropolitan planning organizations, and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, may develop courses relating to technology, methods, techniques, engineering, construction, safety, maintenance, environmental mitigation and compliance, regulations, management, inspection, and finance.

(C) REVISION OF COURSES OFFERED.-The Institute shall periodically-

(i) review the course inventory of the Institute; and

(ii) revise or cease to offer courses based on course content, applicability, and need.

(4) SET-ASIDE; FEDERAL SHARE.-Not to exceed ½ of 1 percent of the funds apportioned to a State under section 104(b)(2) for the surface transportation block grant program shall be available for expenditure by the State transportation department for the payment of not to exceed 80 percent of the cost of tuition and direct educational expenses (excluding salaries) in connection with the education and training of employees of State and local transportation agencies in accordance with this subsection.

(5) FEDERAL RESPONSIBILITY.-

(A) IN GENERAL.-Except as provided in subparagraph (B), education and training of employees of Federal, State, and local transportation (including highway) agencies authorized under this subsection may be provided-

(i) by the Secretary at no cost to the States and local governments if the Secretary determines that provision at no cost is in the public interest; or

(ii) by the State through grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts with public and private agencies, institutions, individuals, and the Institute.

(B) PAYMENT OF FULL COST BY PRIVATE PERSONS.-Private agencies, international or foreign entities, and individuals shall pay the full cost of any education and training received by them unless the Secretary determines that a lower cost is of critical importance to the public interest.

(6) TRAINING FELLOWSHIPS; COOPERATION.-The Institute may-

(A) engage in training activities authorized under this subsection, including the granting of training fellowships; and

(B) carry out its authority independently or in cooperation with any other branch of the Federal Government or any State agency, authority, association, institution, for-profit or nonprofit corporation, other national or international entity, or other person.

(7) COLLECTION OF FEES.-

(A) GENERAL RULE.-In accordance with this subsection, the Institute may assess and collect fees solely to defray the costs of the Institute in developing or administering education and training programs under this subsection.

(B) LIMITATION.-Fees may be assessed and collected under this subsection only in a manner that may reasonably be expected to result in the collection of fees during any fiscal year in an aggregate amount that does not exceed the aggregate amount of the costs referred to in subparagraph (A) for the fiscal year.

(C) PERSONS SUBJECT TO FEES.-Fees may be assessed and collected under this subsection only with respect to-

(i) persons and entities for whom education or training programs are developed or administered under this subsection; and

(ii) persons and entities to whom education or training is provided under this subsection.

(D) AMOUNT OF FEES.-The fees assessed and collected under this subsection shall be established in a manner that ensures that the liability of any person or entity for a fee is reasonably based on the proportion of the costs referred to in subparagraph (A) that relate to the person or entity.

(E) USE.-All fees collected under this subsection shall be used to defray costs associated with the development or administration of education and training programs authorized under this subsection.

(8) RELATION TO FEES.-The funds made available to carry out this subsection may be combined with or held separate from the fees collected under paragraph (7).

(b) LOCAL TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.-

(1) AUTHORITY.-The Secretary shall carry out a local technical assistance program that will provide access to surface transportation technology to-

(A) highway and transportation agencies in urbanized and rural areas;

(B) contractors that perform work for the agencies; and

(C) infrastructure security staff.

(2) GRANTS, COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS, AND CONTRACTS.-The Secretary may make grants and enter into cooperative agreements and contracts to provide education and training, technical assistance, and related support services to-

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