49 U.S.C. § 5314 : US Code - Section 5314: National research programs

Search 49 U.S.C. § 5314 : US Code - Section 5314: National research programs

(a) Program. - (1) The amounts made available under section
5338(d) are available to the Secretary of Transportation for
grants, contracts, cooperative agreements, or other agreements for
the purposes of sections 5312, 5315, and 5322 of this title, as the
Secretary considers appropriate.
(2) The Secretary shall provide public transportation-related
technical assistance, demonstration programs, research, public
education, and other activities the Secretary considers appropriate
to help public transportation providers comply with the Americans
with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.). To the
extent practicable, the Secretary shall carry out this paragraph
through a contract with a national nonprofit organization serving
individuals with disabilities that has a demonstrated capacity to
carry out the activities.
(3) Not more than 25 percent of the amounts available under
paragraph (1) of this subsection is available to the Secretary for
special demonstration initiatives, subject to terms the Secretary
considers consistent with this chapter, except that section
5323(a)(1)(D) (!1) of this title applies to an operational grant
financed in carrying out section 5312(a) of this title. For a
nonrenewable grant of not more than $100,000, the Secretary shall
provide expedited procedures on complying with the requirements of
this chapter.
(4)(A) The Secretary may undertake a program of public
transportation technology development in coordination with affected
entities.
(B) The Secretary shall develop guidelines for cost sharing in
technology development projects financed under this paragraph. The
guidelines shall be flexible and reflect the extent of technical
risk, market risk, and anticipated supplier benefits and payback
periods.
(5) The Secretary may use amounts appropriated under this
subsection to supplement amounts available under section 5313(a) of
this title, as the Secretary considers appropriate.
(6) Medical transportation demonstration grants. -
(A) Grants authorized. - The Secretary may award demonstration
grants, from funds made available under paragraph (1), to
eligible entities to provide transportation services to
individuals to access dialysis treatments and other medical
treatments for renal disease.
(B) Eligible entities. - An entity shall be eligible to receive
a grant under this paragraph if the entity -
(i) meets the conditions described in section 501(c)(3) of
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986; or
(ii) is an agency of a State or unit of local government.
(C) Use of funds. - Grant funds received under this paragraph
may be used to provide transportation services to individuals to
access dialysis treatments and other medical treatments for renal
disease.
(D) Application. -
(i) In general. - Each eligible entity desiring a grant under
this paragraph shall submit an application to the Secretary at
such time, at such place, and containing such information as
the Secretary may reasonably require.
(ii) Selection of grantees. - In awarding grants under this
paragraph, the Secretary shall give preference to eligible
entities from communities with -
(I) high incidence of renal disease; and
(II) limited access to dialysis facilities.
(E) Rulemaking. - The Secretary shall issue regulations to
implement and administer the grant program established under this
paragraph.
(F) Report. - The Secretary shall submit a report on the
results of the demonstration projects funded under this paragraph
to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the
Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of
the House of Representatives.
(b) Government's Share. - When there would be a clear and direct
financial benefit to an entity under a grant, contract, cooperative
agreement, or other agreement under subsection (a) or section 5312,
the Secretary shall establish a United States Government share
consistent with the benefit.
(c) National Technical Assistance Center for Senior
Transportation. -
(1) Establishment. - The Secretary shall award grants to a
national not-for-profit organization for the establishment and
maintenance of a national technical assistance center.
(2) Eligibility. - An organization shall be eligible to receive
a grant under paragraph (1) if the organization -
(A) focuses significantly on serving the needs of the
elderly;
(B) has demonstrated knowledge and expertise in senior
transportation policy and planning issues;
(C) has affiliates in a majority of the States;
(D) has the capacity to convene local groups to consult on
operation and development of senior transportation programs;
and
(E) has established close working relationships with the
Federal Transit Administration and the Administration on Aging.
(3) Use of funds. - The national technical assistance center
established under this section shall -
(A) gather best practices from throughout the Nation and
provide such practices to local communities that are
implementing senior transportation programs;
(B) work with teams from local communities to identify how
the communities are successfully meeting the transportation
needs of senior citizens and any gaps in services in order to
create a plan for an integrated senior transportation program;
(C) provide resources on ways to pay for senior
transportation services;
(D) create a web site to publicize and circulate information
on senior transportation programs;
(E) establish a clearinghouse for print, video, and audio
resources on senior mobility; and
(F) administer the demonstration grant program established
under paragraph (4).
(4) Grants authorized. -
(A) In general. - The national technical assistance center
established under this section, in consultation with the
Federal Transit Administration, shall award senior
transportation demonstration grants to -
(i) local transportation organizations;
(ii) State agencies;
(iii) units of local government; and
(iv) nonprofit organizations.
(B) Use of funds. - Grant funds received under this paragraph
may be used to -
(i) evaluate the state of transportation services for
senior citizens;
(ii) recognize barriers to mobility that senior citizens
encounter in their communities;
(iii) establish partnerships and promote coordination among
community stakeholders, including public, not-for-profit, and
for-profit providers of transportation services for senior
citizens;
(iv) identify future transportation needs of senior
citizens within local communities; and
(v) establish strategies to meet the unique needs of
healthy and frail senior citizens.
(C) Selection of grantees. - The Secretary shall select
grantees under this paragraph based on a fair representation of
various geographical locations throughout the United States.