INVESTIGATION AND REPORT TO CONGRESS.

SEC. 210. INVESTIGATION AND REPORT TO CONGRESS. (a) Purpose.—The purpose of this section is to make available to the Congress information on the basis of which it may determine what taxes should be imposed by the United States, and in what amounts, in order to assure, insofar as practicable, an equitable distribution of the tax burden among the various classes of persons using the Federal-aid highways or otherwise deriving benefits from such highways. (b) Study and Investigation.—In order to carry out the purpose of this section, the Secretary of Commerce is hereby authorized and directed, in cooperation with other Federal officers and agencies (particularly the Interstate Commerce Commission) and with the State highway departments, to make a study and investigation of— (1) the effects on design, construction, and maintenance of Federal-aid highways of (A) the use of vehicles of different dimensions, weights, and other specifications, and (B) the frequency of occurrences of such vehicles in the traffic stream, (2) the proportionate share of the design, construction, and maintenance costs of the Federal-aid highways attributable to each class of persons using such highways, such proportionate share to be based on the effects referred to in paragraph (1) and the benefits derived from the use of such highways, and (3) any direct and indirect benefits accruing to any class which derives benefits from Federal-aid highways, in addition to benefits from actual use of such highways, which are attributable to public expenditures for such highways. (c) Coordination With Other Studies.—The Secretary of Commerce shall coordinate the study and investigation required by this section with— (1) the research and other activities authorized by section 10 of the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1954, and (2) the tests referred to in section 108 (k) of this Act. (d) Reports on Study and Investigation.—The Secretary of Commerce shall report to the Congress the results of the study and investigation required by this section. The final report shall be made as soon as possible but in no event later than March 1, 1959. On or before March 1, 1957, and on or before March 1, 1958, the Secretary of Commerce shall report to the Congress the progress that has been made in 70 Stat. 402 carrying out the study and investigation required by this section. Each such report shall be printed as a House document of the session of the Congress to which the report is made. (e) Funds for Study and Investigation.—There are hereby authorized to be appropriated out of the Highway Trust Fund such sums as may be necessary to enable the Secretary of Commerce to carry out the provisions of this section.