NATIONAL COMMISSION ON INTERMODAL TRANSPORTATION.

SEC. 5005. NATIONAL COMMISSION ON INTERMODAL TRANSPORTATION. (a) Establishment.— There is established a National Commission on Intermodal Transportation. (b) Function.— The Commission shall make a complete investigation and study of intermodal transportation in the United States and internationally. The Commission shall determine the status of intermodal transportation, the problems that exist with respect to intermodal transportation, and the resources needed to enhance intermodal transportation. Based on such investigation and study, the Commission shall recommend those policies which need to be adopted to achieve the national goal of an efficient intermodal transportation system. (c) Specific Matters To Be Addressed.— The Commission shall specifically investigate and study the following: (1) Intermodal standardization.— The Commission, in coordination with the National Academy of Sciences, shall examine current and potential impediments to international standardization in specific elements of intermodal transportation. The Commission shall evaluate the potential benefits and relative priority of standardization in each such element and the time period and investment necessary to adopt such standards. (2) Intermodal impacts on public works infrastructure.— The Commission shall examine current and projected intermodal traffic flows, including the current and projected market for intermodal transportation, and how such traffic flows affect infrastructure needs. The Commission shall make recommendations as to capital needs for infrastructure development that will be required to accommodate intermodal transportation, particularly with respect to surface transportation access to airports and ports. (3) Legal impediments to efficient intermodal transportation.— The Commission shall identify legal impediments to efficient intermodal transportation. Specifically, the Commission shall study the relationship between current regulatory schemes for individual modes of transportation and intermodal transportation efficiency. (4) Financial issues.— The Commission shall examine existing impediments to the efficient financing of intermodal transportation improvements. In carrying out such examination, the Commission shall examine (A) the most efficient use of existing sources of funds for connecting individual modes of transportation and for accommodating transfers between such 105 STAT. 2161modes, and (B) the use of innovative methods of financing for making such improvements. The Commission shall examine current methods of public funding, the desirability of increased flexibility in the use of amounts in Federal transportation trust funds, and increased use of private sources of funding. (5) New technologies.— The Commission shall study new technologies for improving intermodal transportation and problems associated with incorporating these new technologies in intermodal transportation. (6) Documentation.— The Commission shall study problems in documentation resulting from intermodal transfers of freight and make recommendations for achieving uniform, efficient, and simplified documentation. (7) Research and development.— The Commission shall identify the areas relating to intermodal transportation for which continued research and development is needed after the report required by this section is completed, and propose an agenda for carrying out such research and development. (8) Productivity.— The Commission shall examine the relationship of intermodal transportation to transportation rates, transportation costs, and economic productivity. (d) Membership.— (1) Appointment.— The Commission shall be composed of 11 members as follows: (A) 3 members appointed by the President. (B) 2 members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives. (C) 2 members appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives. (D) 2 members appointed by the majority leader of the Senate. (E) 2 members appointed by the minority leader of the Senate. (2) Qualifications.— Members appointed pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be appointed from among individuals interested in intermodal transportation policy, including representatives of Federal, State, and local governments, other public transportation authorities or agencies, and organizations representing transportation providers, shippers, labor, the financial community, and consumers. (3) Terms.— Members shall be appointed for the life of the Commission. (4) Vacancies.— A vacancy in the Commission shall be filled in the manner in which the original appointment was made. (5) Travel expenses.— Members shall serve without pay but shall receive travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with sections 5702 and 5703 of title 5, United States Code. (6) Chairman.— The Chairman of the Commission shall be elected by the members. (e) Staff.— The Commission may appoint and fix the pay of such personnel as it considers appropriate. (f) Staff of Federal Agencies.— Upon request of the Commission, the head of any department or agency of the United States may detail, on a reimbursable basis, any of the personnel of that department or agency to the Commission to assist it in carrying out its duties under this section. 105 STAT. 2162 (g) Administrative Support Services.— Upon the request of the Commission, the Administrator of General Services shall provide to the Commission, on a reimbursable basis, the administrative support services necessary for the Commission to carry out its responsibilities under this section. (h) Obtaining Official Data.— The Commission may secure directly from any department or agency of the United States information (other than information required by any statute of the United States to be kept confidential by such department or agency) necessary for the Commission to carry out its duties under this section. Upon request of the Commission, the head of that department or agency shall furnish such nonconfidential information to the Commission. (i) Report and Proposed National Intermodal Transportation Plan.— Not later than September 30, 1993, the Commission shall transmit to Congress a final report on the results of the investigation and study conducted under this section. The report shall include recommendations of the Commission for implementing the policy set forth in section 302(e) of title 49, United States Code, including a proposed national intermodal transportation plan and a proposed agenda for implementing the plan. (j) Termination.— The Commission shall terminate on the 180th day following the date of transmittal of the report under subsection (i). All records and papers of the Commission shall thereupon be delivered to the Administrator of General Services for deposit in the National Archives.