Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 119.djvu/1979

 PUBLIC LAW 109–59—AUG. 10, 2005

119 STAT. 1961

(f) OBTAINING DATA.—The Commission may secure directly from any department or agency of the United States, information (other than information required by any law to be kept confidential by such department or agency) necessary for the Commission to carry out its duties under this section. Upon request of the Commission, the head of that department or agency shall furnish such nonconfidential information to the Commission. The Commission shall also gather evidence through such means as it may deem appropriate, including through holding hearings and soliciting comments by means of Federal Register notices. (g) TERMINATION.—The Commission shall terminate as of the close of September 30, 2009. SEC. 11142. NATIONAL SURFACE TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE FINANCING COMMISSION.

(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established a National Surface Transportation Infrastructure Financing Commission (in this section referred to as the ‘‘Commission’’). The Commission shall hold its first meeting within 90 days of the appointment of the eighth individual to be named to the Commission. (b) FUNCTION.— (1) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall, with respect to the period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act and ending before 2016— (A) make a thorough investigation and study of revenues flowing into the Highway Trust Fund under current law, including the individual components of the overall flow of such revenues; (B) consider whether the amount of such revenues is likely to increase, decline, or remain unchanged, absent changes in the law, particularly by taking into account the impact of possible changes in public vehicular choice, fuel use, or travel alternatives that could be expected to reduce or increase revenues into the Highway Trust Fund; (C) consider alternative approaches to generating revenues for the Highway Trust Fund, and the level of revenues that such alternatives would yield; (D) consider highway and transit needs and whether additional revenues into the Highway Trust Fund, or other Federal revenues dedicated to highway and transit infrastructure, would be required in order to meet such needs; (E) consider a program that would exempt all or a portion of gasoline or other motor fuels used in a State from the Federal excise tax on such gasoline or other motor fuels if such State elects not to receive all or a portion of Federal transportation funding, including— (i) whether such State should be required to increase State gasoline or other motor fuels taxes by the amount of the decrease in the Federal excise tax on such gasoline or other motor fuels; (ii) whether any Federal transportation funding should not be reduced or eliminated for States participating in such program; and (iii) whether there are any compliance problems related to enforcement of Federal transportationrelated excise taxes under such program; and

VerDate 14-DEC-2004

13:51 Oct 26, 2006

Jkt 039194

PO 00002

Frm 00818

Fmt 6580

Sfmt 6581

E:\PUBLAW\PUBL002.119

APPS06

PsN: PUBL002

�