CONSTRUCTION OF FERRY BOATS AND FERRY TERMINAL FACILITIES.

SEC. 1801. CONSTRUCTION OF FERRY BOATS AND FERRY TERMINAL FACILITIES. * * * * * * * (d) [23 U.S.C. 147 note] Authorization of Appropriations.—In addition to amounts made available to carry out section 147 of title 23, United States Code, by section 1101 of this Act, there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out such section 147 for fiscal year 2006 and each fiscal year thereafter. Such funds shall remain available until expended. (e) [23 U.S.C. 129 note] National Ferry Database.— (1) Establishment.—The Secretary, acting through the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, shall establish and maintain a national ferry database. (2) Contents.—The database shall contain current information regarding ferry systems, including information regarding routes, vessels, passengers and vehicles carried, funding sources, including any Federal, State, and local government funding sources, and such other information as the Secretary considers useful. (3) Update report.—Using information collected through the database, the Secretary shall periodically modify as appropriate the report submitted under section 1207(c) of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (23 U.S.C. 129 note; 112 Stat. 185–186). (4) Requirements.—The Secretary shall— (A) compile the database not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act and update the database every 2 years thereafter; (B) ensure that the database is easily accessible to the public; (C) ensure that the database is consistent with the national transit database maintained by the Federal Transit Administration; and (D) make available, from the amounts made available for each fiscal year to carry out chapter 63 of title 49, not more than $500,000 to maintain the database. (f) Territory Ferries.—Section 129(c)(5) of title 23, United States Code, is amended by striking “the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico” each place it appears and inserting “any territory of the United States”. * * * * * * *