PUBLIC LAW 94-280—MAY 5, 1976
90 STAT. 455
standards, to Congress on or before July 1, 1977. Until such report is submitted, the Secretary shall not, pursuant to subsection (c) of section 402 of title 23, United States Code, withhold any apportionment or any funds apportioned to any State because such State is failing to implement a highway safety program approved by the Secretary in accordance with such section 402. XATIONAL H I G H W A Y SAFETY ADVISORY COMMITTEE
SEC. 209. Section 404(a)(1) of title 23, United States Code, is amended by deleting "who shall be Chairman," from the first sentence thereof, and by adding immediately after such first sentence the following: "The Secretary shall select the Chairman of the Committee from among the Committee members.". STEERING AXLE STUDY
SEC. 210. The Secretary of Transportation is directed to conduct 23 USC 127 note, an investigation into the relationship between the gross load on front steering axles of truck tractors and the safety of operation of vehicle combinations of which such truck tractors are a part. Such investigation shall be conducted in cooperation with representatives of (A) manufacturers of truck tractors and related equipment, (B) labor, and (C) users of such equipment. The Secretary shall report the results Report to of such study to the Congress not later than July 1, 1977. Congress. SAFETY
PROGRAM
APPORTIONMENT
SEC. 211. The sixth sentence of section 402(c) of title 23, United States Code, is amended by deleting the period at the end and adding the following: ", except that the apportionments to the Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa shall not be less than one-third of 1 per centum of the total apportionment.". PENALTY
SEC. 212. Section 402(c) of title 23, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end thereof the following: "Funds apportioned under this section to any State, that does not have a highway safety program approved by the Secretary or that is not implementing an approved program, shall be reduced by amounts equal to not less than 50 per centum of the amounts that would otherwise be apportioned to the State under this section, until such time as the Secretary approves such program or determines that the State is implementing an approved program, as appropriate. The Secretary shall consider the gravity of the State's failure to have or implement an approved program in determining the amount of the reduction. The Secretary shall promptly apportion to the State the funds withheld from its apportionment if he approves the State's hig'hway safety program or determines that the S^ate has begun implementing an approved program, as appropriate, < lor to the end of the fiscal year for which the funds were witLueld. If the Secretary determines that the State did not correct its failure within such period, the Secretary shall reapportion the withheki f imds to the other States in accordance with the formula specified in this subsection not later than 30 days after such determination.".
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