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Department of Transportation and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1991

Public Law 101-516 · H.R. 5229 · 101st Congress · began in the House

Signed by George H. W. Bush (R) on Nov 5, 1990 · Economics and Public Finance

Sponsor: Rep. William Lehman (D-FL-17)

Cosponsors: None

Passage votes

  • HouseUnanimous consent
  • SenateVoice vote
Data notes

The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

Department of Transportation and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1991 - Title I: Department of Transportation - Makes appropriations for FY 1991 for necessary expenses of: (1) the Office of the Secretary of Transportation; (2) the Coast Guard; (3) the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA); (4) the Federal Highway Administration, including specified demonstration projects; (5) the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration; (6) the Federal Railroad Administration; (7) the Urban Mass Transportation Administration; (8) the St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation; (9) research and special programs; and (10) the Office of the Inspector General.

Title II: Related Agencies - Makes appropriations for FY 1991 for the necessary expenses of: (1) the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board; (2) the National Transportation Safety Board; (3) the Interstate Commerce Commission; (4) the Panama Canal Commission; (5) the Department of the Treasury for Saint Lawrence Seaway toll rebates; and (6) the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority for certain interest payments.

Title III: General Provisions - Sets forth specified prohibitions, limitations, permissions, and mandates with respect to the use of appropriations under this Act.

Makes funds available to the Coast Guard for expenses incurred in FY 1991 in responding to oil spills.

Requires the transfer of certain discretionary funds earmarked for New York State to the Federal Railroad Administration for Amtrak and the Westside Connector Rail Line Project, New York City.

Requires specified lands in New York to be conveyed to the Fish and Wildlife Service of the Department of the Interior to ensure the continued protection of the sandplain gerardia, a federally listed endangered plant species.

Directs the Secretary of Transportation (Secretary), with regard to the Discretionary Grants program of the Urban Mass Transportation Administration, to issue, by September 30, 1991, a letter of intent and to enter into an agreement for the Westside Light Rail extension in the Portland, Oregon, area.

Directs the Administrator of the FAA to develop a system of manned auxiliary flight service stations which will be located in areas of unique weather or operational conditions critical to flight safety. Requires a report to the Congress on system implementation.

Requires the Secretary to publish a proposed rule to prohibit the use of radar detectors by drivers operating commercial motor vehicles.

Prohibits the use of funds to reduce or reserve a State's apportionment of Federal-aid highway funds for reasons of noncompliance with the national 55 mph speed limit requirements.

Prohibits the use of funds, unless specifically provided in this Act, to initiate multiyear contracts for a major systems acquisition program if the total value of procurement end items in the contract, including options, exceeds $100,000,000. Prohibits the use of funds to initiate a major systems acquisition contract which includes procurement options whose funding is scheduled to be provided before delivery to the Federal Government of at least fifty percent of all units previously ordered under that contract.

Requires the Secretary to withhold specified percentages of Federal highway funds to be apportioned to any State if such State does not provide for the revocation or suspension of the license of drivers who have committed drug offenses. Allows apportionment to such State if the Governor certifies the Governor's and legislature's opposition to such a law.

Allows funds previously appropriated for an intersection project in Louisiana to be used for a different intersection in Louisiana.

Allows Wyoming to permit trucks in excess of 80,000 pounds in gross weight to use the interstate located within that State.

Makes technical changes to the drunk driving prevention program to bring program requirements into uniformity with congressional intent.

Increases the pay grade for certain controllers and includes three specified New York City area airports in the FAA's pay demonstration program.

Directs the release of previously allocated transit funds to the city of Phoenix, Arizona.

Allows Alaska to participate in the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program.

Directs the Secretary of Transportation to issue a final rule for drug testing in mass transportation operations.

Prohibits the use of funds to enter into construction contracts with contractors of a foreign country if the United States Trade Representative determines such country denies market opportunities for U.S. products and services in procurement or bidding for construction projects costing over $500,000 which are funded by such country.

Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

Data notes

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 133 actions.

  1. Nov 5, 1990Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 101-516.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
  4. Oct 28, 1990Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  5. Resolving differencesResolving differences · On motion that the House agree to the Senate amendment to the House amendment to the Senate amendment No. 4 Agreed to without objection.
  6. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mr. Lehman (FL) moved that the House agree to the Senate amendment to the House amendment to the Senate amendment No. 4.
  7. Oct 27, 1990Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate concurred in the House amendment to Senate amendment no. 4 with an amendment (SP 3218) by Voice Vote.
  8. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed in the House amendment to Senate amendment no. 7 by Voice Vote.
  9. FloorFloor · Amendment SP 3218 agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.
  10. FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
  11. Oct 26, 1990Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to the House amendment to Senate amendment nos. 10, 13, 14, 18, 19, 22, 29, 32, 33, 67, 68, 70, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 80, 81, 84, 98, 104, 110, 118, 129, 130, 132, 137, 139, 140, 141, and 143 by Voice Vote.
  12. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to conference report by Voice Vote.
  13. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in Senate: Senate agreed to conference report by Voice Vote.
  14. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report considered in Senate.
  15. FloorFloor · Motion by Senator Heinz to reconsider the vote to table SP 3182 tabled in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 52-44. Record Vote No: 322.Senate roll call 322
  16. FloorFloor · Motion to table SP 3182 agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 54-42. Record Vote No: 321.Senate roll call 321
  17. Oct 24, 1990Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference papers: Senate report and managers' statement held at the desk in Senate.
  18. Oct 19, 1990Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference papers: message on House action held at the desk in Senate.
  19. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motions to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  20. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mr. Lehman (FL) moved that the House recede and concur with an amendment in the Senate amendment No. 143.
  21. Resolving differencesResolving differences · On motion that the House recede and concur with amendment in the Senate amendment No. 143 Agreed to without objection.
  22. Resolving differencesResolving differences · On motion that the House recede and concur with amendment in the Senate amendment No. 141 Agreed to without objection.
  23. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mr. Lehman (FL) moved that the House recede and concur with an amendment in the Senate amendment No. 141.
  24. Resolving differencesResolving differences · On motion that the House recede and concur with amendment in the Senate amendment No. 140 Agreed to without objection.
  25. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mr. Lehman (FL) moved that the House recede and concur with an amendment in the Senate amendment No. 140.
  26. Resolving differencesResolving differences · On motion that the House recede and concur with amendment in the Senate amendment No. 139 Agreed to without objection.
  27. Resolving differencesResolving differences · On motion that the House recede and concur with amendment in the Senate amendment No. 137 Agreed to without objection.
  28. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mr. Lehman (FL) moved that the House recede and concur with an amendment in the Senate amendment No. 139.
  29. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mr. Lehman (FL) moved that the House recede and concur with an amendment in the Senate amendment No. 137.
  30. Resolving differencesResolving differences · On motion that the House recede and concur with amendment in the Senate amendment No. 132 Agreed to without objection.
Data notes

Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.

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Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.