National Transportation Safety Board Amendments Act of 2000
Became Public Law No: 106-424.
Congressional Research Service
Official summary
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Apr 12, 2000
National Transportation Safety Board Amendments Act of 2000 - Amends Federal transportation law to authorize the National Transportation Safety Board to: (1) negotiate and enter into agreements with individuals and private entities and departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the Government, State and local governments, and governments of foreign countries for the provision of facilities, accident-related services, or training in accident investigation techniques; and (2) require (as under current law) that such entities provide appropriate consideration for the reasonable costs of any facilities, services, or (new law) training provided by the Board. Requires any amounts received as such consideration to be credited to the Board's appropriations as offsetting collections.(Sec. 4) Authorizes the Board, for an employee whose basic pay equals or exceeds the minimum rate for GS-10 of the General Schedule, to establish an overtime hourly rate of time-and-a-half (which shall be considered premium pay), up to a specified annual limit, with respect to work performed at the scene of an accident (including travel to or from the scene) and other work critical to an accident investigation.(Sec. 5) Extends to cockpit video recordings or written depictions of visual information the same disclosure limitations and requirements (including those applicable to discovery and use of such recordings or written depictions in judicial proceedings) that apply to cockpit voice recordings or transcripts of them. Extends such disclosure limitations and requirements to surface vehicle voice or video recorder recordings or transcripts of oral communications by or among drivers, train employees, or other operating employees responsible for the movement and direction of the vehicle or vessel, or between such operating employees and company communication centers, related to an accident investigated by the Board.(Sec. 6) Revises the Board's current investigative priority over other Federal agencies to require the Board to relinquish such priority to the Federal Bureau of Investigation if the Attorney General determines that circumstances reasonably indicate that the accident may have been caused by an intentional criminal act. Requires the Board to take necessary actions to ensure that evidence is preserved if a Federal law enforcement agency suspects and notifies the Board that an accident the Board is investigating may have been caused by an intentional criminal act.(Sec. 7) Revises the duties and powers of the Board with respect to accidents involving public aircraft.(Sec. 8) Requires the Board and the U.S. Coast Guard to revise their Memorandum of Understanding governing major marine accidents to: (1) to redefine or clarify the standards used to determine when the Board will lead an investigation; and (2) develop new standards to determine when a major marine accident involves significant safety issues relating to Coast Guard safety functions.(Sec. 9) Directs the Chairman of the Board to establish annual fiscal year budgets for non-accident-related travel expenditures for Board members, and report annually to specified congressional committees on the non-accident-related travel of each Board member, with separate accounting for foreign and domestic travel.(Sec. 10) Requires the Board Chairman to designate an officer or employee of the Board as the Chief Financial Officer, who shall perform specified duties.(Sec. 11) Directs the Board to develop and implement comprehensive internal audit controls for its financial programs based on the findings and recommendations of the private sector audit firm contract entered into by the Board in March, 2000. Requires the improved internal audit controls, at a minimum, to address Board asset management systems, including systems for accounting management, debt collection, travel, and property and inventory management and control.(Sec. 12) Grants the Inspector General of the Department of Transportation authority to review only the Board's financial management and business operations.(Sec. 13) Authorizes appropriations for the Board through FY 2003. Increases from $1 million to $2 million the Board's emergency fund for accident investigations.
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H9993-9995)
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H9993-9995)
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 2412.
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H9993-9997)
Mr. Shuster moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
Held at the desk.
Received in the House.
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S9768-9769)
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 762.
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator McCain under authority of the order of the Senate of 07/26/2000 without amendment. With written report No. 106-386.
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator McCain under authority of the order of the Senate of 07/26/2000 without amendment. With written report No. 106-386.
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2628-2629)
Introduced in Senate
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Bill text & related measures
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Source last updated: Sep 8, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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