Norman Y. Mineta Research and Special Programs Reorganization Act
Public Law 108-426 · H.R. 5163 · 108th Congress · began in the House
Signed by George W. Bush (R) on Nov 30, 2004 · Transportation and Public Works
Sponsor: Rep. Don Young (R-AK)
Cosponsors (1): Rep. James Oberstar
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateUnanimous consent
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.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Norman Y. Mineta Research and Special Programs Reorganization Act - (Sec. 2) Amends Federal transportation law to establish the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) in the Department of Transportation (DOT), headed by an Administrator with professional experience in pipeline safety, hazardous materials safety, or other transportation safety, appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. Provides for a Deputy Administrator, appointed by the Secretary of Transportation, and an Assistant Administrator for Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety (who shall also be the Chief Safety Officer), appointed in the competitive service by the Secretary.
(Sec. 3) Transfers the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) to the Research and Innovative Technology Administration (established by this Act). Requires the BTS Director to be appointed in the competitive service by the Secretary, instead (as currently) by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.
(Sec. 4) Replaces the Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA) with the Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA), which shall be headed by an Administrator appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. Transfers the powers and duties of the RSPA Administrator to the RITA Administrator.
Directs the Administrator to carry out the responsibilities of the Secretary for: (1) coordination, facilitation, and review of DOT research and development programs and activities; (2) advancement of innovative technologies, including intelligent transportation systems projects and products; (3) comprehensive transportation statistics research, analysis, and reporting; (4) education and training in transportation and transportation-related fields; and (5) activities of the Volpe National Transportation Center.
Declares that nothing in this Act shall grant any authority to RITA over research and other programs, activities, standards, or regulations administered by the Secretary through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, except those provided for in highway and traffic safety programs administered under specified Federal law pertaining to highways and the National Driver Register, as in effect on the date of enactment of this Act.
Establishes in RITA an Office of Intermodalism.
Directs the Administrator of RITA to report to Congress on DOT research activities. Requires the Administrator, in developing the report, to: (1) solicit input from a wide range of stakeholders; (2) take into account how the research and development activities of other Federal, State, private sector, and not-for-profit institutions contribute to reducing traffic congestion, improving mobility, and promoting safety; and (3) address methods to avoid unnecessary duplication of efforts in achieving such purposes.
(Sec. 6) Directs the DOT Inspector General to report to the Secretary and the PHMSA Administrator a list of: (1) each statutory mandate regarding pipeline safety or hazardous materials safety that has not been implemented; and (2) each open safety recommendation made by the National Transportation Safety Board or the Inspector General regarding pipeline safety or hazardous materials safety. Directs the Secretary to report to Congress on the specific actions taken to implement such mandates.
Requires the Secretary to report annually to Congress on each open safety recommendation and the DOT response.
(Sec. 7) Directs the Secretary to provide for the orderly transfer of duties and powers under this Act by 90 days after its enactment.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Energy and Commerce Committee · House · discharged from, referred toSubcommittee: Innovation, Data, and Commerce Subcommittee
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Related bills
1 bill the Library of Congress relates to this one.
S. 2952Related bill
Norman Y. Mineta Research and Special Programs Improvement Act
Data notes
Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 22 actions.
- Nov 30, 2004Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 108-426.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Nov 19, 2004FloorFloor · Presented to President.
- Nov 16, 2004FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- Oct 7, 2004FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 5163.
- FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
- FloorFloor · Mr. LaTourette moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- CommitteeCommittee · Received in the Senate, read twice.
- Oct 6, 2004CalendarCalendar · Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 466.
- CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Science discharged.
- CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Energy and Commerce discharged.
- CommitteeCommittee · House Committee on Science Granted an extension for further consideration ending not later than Oct. 6, 2004.
- CommitteeCommittee · House Committee on Energy and Commerce Granted an extension for further consideration ending not later than Oct. 6, 2004.
- CommitteeCommittee · Reported by the Committee on Transportation. H. Rept. 108-749, Part I.
- Sep 30, 2004CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Chairman.
- Sep 29, 2004CommitteeCommittee · Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.
- CommitteeCommittee · Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, and Science, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of …
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in House
Data notes
Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.
Amendments
No amendments to this bill are on record.
Data notes
Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.
Official record
The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.