MISCELLANEOUS STUDIES.

SEC. 359. MISCELLANEOUS STUDIES. (a) Pan American Highway.— (1) Study.—The Secretary shall conduct a study on the adequacy of and the need for improvements to the Pan American Highway. (2) Elements.—The study shall include, at a minimum, the following elements: (A) Findings on the benefits of constructing a highway at Darien Gap, Panama and Colombia. (B) Recommendations for a self-financing arrangement for completion and maintenance of the Pan American Highway. (C) Recommendations for establishing a Pan American highway authority to monitor financing, construction, maintenance, and operations of the Pan American Highway. (D) Findings on the benefits to trade and prosperity of a more efficient Pan American Highway. (E) Findings on the benefits to United States industry resulting from the use of United States technology and equipment in construction of improvements to the Pan American Highway. (F) Findings on environmental considerations, including environmental considerations relating to Darien Gap. (3) Report.—Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall transmit to Congress a report on the results of the study. (b) Highway Signs for National Highway System.— (1) Study.—The Secretary shall conduct a study to determine the cost, need, and efficacy of establishing a highway sign for identifying routes on the National Highway System. In conducting the study, the Secretary shall make a determination concerning whether to identify National Highway System route numbers. (2) Report.—Not later than March 1, 1997, the Secretary shall transmit to Congress a report on the results of the study. (c) Compliance With Buy American Act.— (1) Study.—The Secretary shall conduct a study on compliance with the Buy American Act (41 U.S.C. 10a–10c) with respect to contracts entered into using amounts made available from the Highway Trust Fund. (2) Report.—Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall transmit to Congress a report on the results of the study. (d) Magnetic Levitation.— (1) Study.—The Secretary shall conduct a study evaluating the near-term applications of magnetic levitation ground transportation technology in the United States, with particular emphasis in identifying projects which would warrant immediate application of such technology. The study shall also evaluate the use of innovative financial techniques for the construction and operation of such projects. (2) Elements.—The study shall be undertaken in consultation with a committee of 8 persons chosen by the Secretary with appropriate backgrounds in magnetic levitation transportation, design and construction, public and private finance, and infrastructure policy disciplines. The chairperson of the committee shall be elected by the members. (3) Report.—Not later than September 30, 1996, the Secretary shall transmit to the President and Congress a report on the results of the study.