CERTIFICATION OF SAFETY AUDITORS.

SEC. 211. CERTIFICATION OF SAFETY AUDITORS. (a) In General.— Chapter 311 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: “§ 31148. Certified motor carrier safety auditors “(a) In General.— Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary of Transportation shall complete a rulemaking to improve training and provide for the certification of motor carrier safety auditors, including private contractors, to conduct safety inspection audits and reviews described in subsection (b). “(b) Certified Inspection Audit Requirement.— Not later than 1 year after completion of the rulemaking required by subsection (a), any safety inspection audit or review required by, or based on the authority of, this chapter or chapter 5, 313, or 315of this title and performed after December 31, 2002, shall be conducted by— “(1) a motor carrier safety auditor certified under subsection (a); or “(2) a Federal or State employee who, on the date of the enactment of this section, was qualified to perform such an audit or review. “(c) Extension.— If the Secretary determines that subsection(b) cannot be implemented within the 1-year period established by that subsection and notifies the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives of the determination and the reasons therefor, the Secretary may extend the deadline for compliance with subsection (b) by not more than 12 months. 113 STAT. 1766 “(d) Application With Other Authority.— The Secretary may not delegate the Secretary’s authority to private contractors to issue ratings or operating authority, and nothing in this section authorizes any private contractor to issue ratings or operating authority. “(e) Oversight Responsibility.— The Secretary shall have authority over any motor carrier safety auditor certified under subsection (a), including the authority to decertify a motor carrier safety auditor.”. (b) Conforming Amendment.— The analysis for such chapter 311 is amended by adding at the end the following: “31148. Certified motor carrier safety auditors.”.