§ 6502. Consolidated research database

• (a)
  • (1) Not later than September 1 of each year, the head of each modal administration and joint program office of the Department of Transportation shall submit to the Assistant Secretary, for review and public posting, a description of each proposed research project to be carried out during the following fiscal year, including—
    • (A) proposed funding for any new projects; and
    • (B) proposed additional funding for any existing projects.
  • (2) Not less frequently than annually, after receiving the descriptions under paragraph (1), the Assistant Secretary shall publish on a public website a comprehensive database including a description of all research projects conducted by the Department of Transportation, including research funded through university transportation centers under section 5505.
  • (3) The database published under paragraph (2) shall—
    • (A) be delimited by research project; and
    • (B) include a description of, with respect to each research project—
      • (i) research objectives;
      • (ii) the progress made with respect to the project, including whether the project is ongoing or complete;
      • (iii) any outcomes of the project, including potential implications for policy, regulations, or guidance issued by a modal administration or the Department of Transportation;
      • (iv) any findings of the project;
      • (v) the amount of funds allocated for the project; and
      • (vi) such other information as the Assistant Secretary determines to be necessary to address Departmental priorities and statutory mandates;
    • (C) identify research projects with multimodal applications;
    • (D) specify how relevant modal administrations have assisted, will contribute to, or plan to use the findings from the research projects identified under paragraph (1);
    • (E) identify areas in which more than 1 modal administration is conducting research on a similar subject or a subject that has a bearing on more than 1 mode;
    • (F) indicate how the findings of research are being disseminated to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, and safety of transportation systems; and
    • (G) describe the public and stakeholder input to the research plans submitted under section 6501(a)(1).
• (b) In conjunction with each of the annual budget requests submitted by the President under section 1105 of title 31 , the Secretary shall annually publish on a public website and submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report that describes—
  • (1) the amount spent in the last full fiscal year on transportation research and development with specific descriptions of projects funded at $5,000,000 or more; and
  • (2) the amount proposed in the current budget for transportation research and development with specific descriptions of projects funded at $5,000,000 or more.
• (c) In the plans and reports submitted under sections 1115 and 1116 of title 31, the Secretary shall include—
  • (1) a summary of the Federal transportation research and development activities for the previous fiscal year in each topic area;
  • (2) the amount spent in each topic area;
  • (3) a description of the extent to which the research and development is meeting the expectations described in section 6503(c)(1); and
  • (4) any amendments to the strategic plan developed under section 6503.