COMMERCIAL REMOTE SENSING PRODUCTS AND SPATIAL INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES.

SEC. 5113. COMMERCIAL REMOTE SENSING PRODUCTS AND SPATIAL INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES. (a) In General.—The Secretary shall establish and carry out a program to validate commercial remote sensing products and spatial information technologies for application to national transportation infrastructure development and construction. (b) Program Stages.— (1) First stage.—Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish a national policy for the use of commercial remote sensing products and spatial information technologies in national transportation infrastructure development and construction. (2) Second stage.—After establishment of the national policy under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall develop new applications of commercial remote sensing products and spatial information technologies for the implementation of the national policy. (c) Cooperation.—The Secretary shall carry out this section in cooperation with the Commercial Remote Sensing Program of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and a consortium of university research centers. (d) Authorization of Appropriations.—There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 1999 through 2004.