text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Hazardous Materials Cooperative 
  Research Act of 2009''.
  
  SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.
  
      Congress finds the following:
              (1) There are more than 1,000,000 shipments per day in the 
          United States of materials identified as hazardous by the 
          Department of Transportation. These shipments are estimated to 
          total 2,100,000,000 tons of hazardous cargo per year and to 
          comprise more than 18 percent of the total freight tonnage 
          moved in the United States annually.
              (2) Hazardous materials are shipped by all transportation 
          modes, and it is estimated that there are currently 400,000 
          large trucks, 115,000 railroad tank cars, and 3,000 tank barges 
          dedicated to the shipment of hazardous materials.
              (3) More than a dozen Federal agencies have regulatory, 
          enforcement, and operational responsibilities for ensuring the 
          safety and security of hazardous materials shipments. In 
          addition, a variety of State and local agencies have 
          responsibility for developing and enforcing State-level 
          regulations and for responding to incidents involving hazardous 
          materials.
              (4) Decisions regarding the packaging and routing of 
          hazardous materials shipments, the development and 
          implementation of procedures to ensure both the safety and 
          security of such shipments, and the regulation of hazardous 
          materials shipments are made by industry groups and government 
          entities at a variety of levels and in all modal 
          administrations of the Department of Transportation on a daily 
          basis.
              (5) The Federal agencies involved in the regulation and 
          oversight of hazardous materials shipments, as well as State 
          and local governments, carriers, shippers, and other groups, 
          conduct on-going research on the transportation of hazardous 
          materials. However, much of this research is program or mode-
          specific and as such is focused on addressing only the 
          regulatory, inspection, enforcement, or operational needs of 
          the group undertaking the research.
              (6) There is a documented need for the establishment of a 
          cooperative research program that will engage all modes and 
          actors, both public and private, involved in the transportation 
          of hazardous materials in conducting cross-cutting assessments 
          of hazardous materials transportation issues that are national 
          and multi-modal in scope and application.
  
  SEC. 3. HAZARDOUS MATERIALS COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAM.
  
      (a) In General.--The Secretary of Transportation shall establish 
  and carry out a hazardous materials cooperative research program in 
  accordance with the requirements of this section.
      (b) Governing Board.--The Secretary shall establish an independent 
  governing board to select projects and studies to be carried out under 
  the hazardous materials cooperative research program. The governing 
  board shall be comprised of one voting representative from each of the 
  following:
              (1) The Federal Aviation Administration.
              (2) The Federal Motor Carrier Administration.
              (3) The Federal Transit Administration.
              (4) The Federal Railroad Administration.
              (5) The Maritime Administration.
              (6) The Research and Innovative Technology Administration.
              (7) The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety 
          Administration.
              (8) The Department of Homeland Security.
              (9) The Department of Energy.
              (10) The Environmental Protection Agency.
              (11) A State department of transportation.
              (12) A State emergency management agency.
              (13) A nonprofit organization representing emergency 
          responders.
              (14) A hazmat employer.
              (15) A nonprofit organization representing hazmat 
          employees.
              (16) A labor union representing members involved in 
          shipping hazardous materials.
              (17) A hazardous materials manufacturer.
              (18) An organization representing the hazardous materials 
          manufacturing industry.
              (19) A research university or research institution.
              (20) Additional representatives as the Secretary considers 
          appropriate.
      (c) Research Studies.--Under the cooperative research program, the 
  governing board shall select cooperative research studies of hazardous 
  materials transportation that are cross-cutting in nature and that 
  consider issues not adequately addressed by existing Federal or private 
  sector research programs. Priority shall be given to research studies 
  that will yield results immediately applicable to risk analysis and 
  mitigation or that will strengthen the ability of first responders to 
  respond to incidents and accidents involving transportation of 
  hazardous materials.
      (d) Implementation.--The Secretary shall make grants to, and enter 
  a cooperative agreement with, the National Academy of Sciences to carry 
  out projects and studies under the cooperative research program.
      (e) Definitions.--In this section, the terms ``hazmat employer'' 
  and ``hazmat employee'' have the meanings given those terms in section 
  5102 of title 49, United States Code.
      (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
  appropriated to carry out this section $5,000,000 for each of fiscal 
  years 2010 through 2013. Such sums shall remain available until 
  expended.
target: Hazardous Materials Cooperative Research Act of 2009 - Directs the Secretary of Transportation to establish: (1) a hazardous materials cooperative research program; and (2) an independent governing board to select cooperative research projects and studies of hazardous materials transportation to be carried out under the program that will yield results immediately applicable to risk analysis and mitigation or that will strengthen the ability of first responders to respond to accidents involving the transportation of hazardous materials.
feat_title: To direct the Secretary of Transportation to establish and carry out a hazardous materials cooperative research program.