gram. The Committee directs that this report be submitted no later than 1 month after enactment of this bill.

The Committee allowance includes an increase of $55,000 for the Aviation Information Management Program to restore one FTE related to essential air services program, which was proposed for elimination in the administration's budget.

It also transfers $2,814,000 and 22 FTE's for this program from RSPA to FAA, thereby focusing RSPA responsibilities on emergency transportation and hazardous materials, and pipeline safety.

The Committee allowance also includes a reduction of $67,000 for additional personnel requested for OHMT, from four FTE to two FTE, on the basis that the four provided for in 1989 have yet to be filled. The Committee will add additional funding and positions when RSPA shows it can hire them.

In 1989, the Committee provided $160,000 for the initiation of a limited registration program for hazardous materials shippers. (Page 305 of Senate hearings.) The funds were used instead for providing additional copies of the Emergency Response Guidebook [ERG] to emergency response agencies. This situation should not have occurred without reprogramming and the Committee directs that it not happen again.

Research and development.-This activity provides for research to support hazardous materials regulation and to complement research programs of other operating administrations.

The Committee recommends that $1,645,000 be appropriated for research and development. This is the same as the budget request and the House allowance.

The recommendation compared to the House allowance and budget request is summarized below:

1 Committee recommendation restores one FTE and adds $55,000 for AIM (EAS), and transfers total to FAA.

The Research and Special programs Administration is also responsible for the Department's Pipeline Safety Program. This activity was funded as a separate account for the first time in fiscal year 1988 and is entirely financed by user fees assessed to the pipeline operators.

Included under this account is the operations activity providing for the salaries and expenses and the supervisory and management functions for pipeline safety regulatory and enforcement programs. Also included is research and development to support the Pipeline Safety Program and grants-in-aid to State agencies that conduct a Pipeline Safety Program.

The Committee's recommendation for the Pipeline Safety Program is $9,277,000. It is $571,000 less than the budget request and $1,048,000 less than the House allowance. The amount recommended is to be allocated as follows:

The Committee directs that RSPA report to the Committee on the results of initiating a 21⁄2 year pipeline inspection cycle (to be completed by December, 1989), with the submission of the 1991 Budget (due in February 1990).

The Committee allowance includes a reduction of $123,000 from rental payments to GSA. Otherwise, the allowance represents essentially a freeze at 1989 funding levels.

The Office of Inspector General [OIG] was created by the Inspector General Act of 1978 (Public Law 95-452). It is intended to be an independent and objective organization with the explicit mission of: (1) Promoting organizational efficiency and effectiveness; (2) preventing and detecting fraud and abuse; and (3) providing a means of keeping the Secretary of Transportation and Congress fully and currently informed of problems and deficiencies in the administration of departmental programs and operations.

The headquarters audit operation is composed of program offices which correspond to the transportation modes and the ADP and Technical Support Office. Field offices are located in Baltimore and 7 of 10 standard Federal regions. There are also five regional investigative offices which are responsible for all investigations within their designated areas. Necessary audits of the Essential Air Service [EAS] Program are also conducted.

The Committee recognizes the value and importance of the Office of the Inspector General having the ability and resources necessary to contract with the Defense Contract Audit Agency [DCAA] for contract audit support. The Committee, therefore, directs the Secretary to reimburse the Inspector General from the operating budgets of those modal operating administrations for which the Inspector General contracted with DCAA for audit support.

The Committee directs that the inspector general make a thorough review of the essential air service program, including the management and negotiation of contracts under this program. The Committee believes that it is essential to pursue low-cost options where available in the management of the program. Given the budget constraints that this and other transportation programs face, it is necessary that programs are managed as effectively as possible.

The Committee recommends $32,100,000 which is the same as the House allowance, $3,100,000 less than the House amount, and $375,000 less than the budget request.

The Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board was established by section 502 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to ensure compliance with the Architectural Barriers Act of 1968. Its primary role is to implement a Compliance Program to ensure accessibility and usability of most Federal and federally funded buildings by all persons. The Board's functions include: (1) ensure that public conveyances, including rolling stock, are readily accessible to, and usable by, physically handicapped persons; (2) investigate and examine alternative approaches to eliminate architectural, transportation, communication, and attitudinal barriers; (3) make recommendations and prepare policy reports to the President and Congress on measures to eliminate such barriers; (4) provide technical assistance to all programs affected by title V of the Rehabilitation Act with respect to overcoming architectural, transportation, and communication barriers; (5) establish minimum guidelines and requirements for the standards issued under the Architectural Barriers Act, as amended. The 22-member Board is composed of 11 public members appointed by the President and 11 Federal agency heads.

The bill includes $1,950,000 for the Board, which is the same as the House allowance and $50,000 less than the budget. The Committee allowance provides for a continuation of the fiscal year 1989 funding level for the Board, adjusted for inflation.

NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD

The Independent Safety Board Act of 1974 established the National Transportation Safety Board as an independent Federal agency to promote transportation safety by conducting independent accident investigations. In addition, the Act authorizes the Board to make safety recommendations, conduct safety studies, and over

see safety activities of other Government agencies involved in transportation. The Board also reviews appeals of adverse actions by the Department of Transportation with respect to airmen and seamen certificates and licenses.

The Board has no regulatory authority over the transportation industry. Thus, its effectiveness depends on its reputation for impartial and accurate accident reports, realistic and feasible safety recommendations, and on public confidence in its commitment to improving transportation safety.

The Committee has provided funding above that requested by the administration in recognition of the valuable recommendations an independent safety board can make, which help make the various modes of transportation safer. The Committee is concerned, however, that at the staffing levels proposed by the administration, the ability of the NTSB to conduct necessary investigations will be greatly compromised.

Staffing in a number of disciplines appears inadequate for the task at hand, and the Committee directs that with the additional funds the NTSB fill aviation technical positions covering airworthiness, avionics, cockpit voice recorder, powerplants, and structures. Also, the Committee directs that the NTSB provide the additional staff necessary for field office investigations in the aviation and human performance areas.

The Committee recommends $28,000,000 for the National Transportation Safety Board, which is $2,033,000 more than the budget request and $1,400,000 above the House allowance. The increase over the budget rejects the administration proposal to reduce staffing by 11 work-years from current levels, and provides funding for 347 personnel which is 23 above that authorized for fiscal year 1989.

The Interstate Commerce Commission [ICC] is an independent agency created by Congress to regulate interstate transportation in order to ensure that the public has an adequate, efficient transportation system. In the motor carrier area, the ICC regulates rates, grants operating authority, regulates mergers and acquisitions, and develops policy associated with the Interstate Commerce Act, as amended by the Motor Carrier Act of 1980, the Household Goods Transportation Act of 1980, the Bus Regulatory Reform Act of 1982, and the Surface Freight Forwarder Deregulation Act of 1986. In the rail area, the ICC's authority encompasses the regulation of rates, mergers, acquisitions, construction, and abandonment of railway lines, and policy development associated with the Interstate Commerce Act, as amended by the Staggers Rail Act of 1980.

The bill includes an appropriation of $42,863,000 for the salaries and expenses of the Interstate Commerce Commission, which is