GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS POSITIONS Mr. CARR. Please update the listing of positions in the Office of Governmental Affairs; as shown on pages 673-674 of last year's hearing record. [The information follows:] NEW POSITIONS FOR CFO ACT IMPLEMENTATION Mr. CARR. Please provide a list of any positions requested in any office of the Office of the Secretary of Transportation for implementation of the Chief Financial Officers Act in fiscal year 1995. Include the position title, grade level, and salary. [The information follows:] We have not requested any additional positions for implementation of the Chief Financial Officers Act in fiscal year 1995. TRANSIT SUBSIDY BENEFIT PROGRAM Mr. CARR. Please provide end-of-year data for fiscal year 1993, by mode, showing the number of employees and dollars budgeted for DOT's Transit Subsidy Benefit Program. [The information follows:] The number of participants and dollars spent from October 1, 1992 until September 30, 1993 are shown below: Mr. CARR. Please update the data on participation in the Transit Subsidy Benefit Program shown on page 707 of last year's hearing record by providing data for fiscal years 1994 and 1995. [The information follows:] The estimated cost of the program shown below is based on actual March 1994 data. Actual charges are verified by each mode, in writing, every month. We anticipate a level participation and no increase in benefits. Mr. CARR. Please list, by mode, the estimated number of employees to be supported by this program in each of fiscal years 1994 and 1995. [The information follows:] The estimated participation for both headquarters and field employees in the program is shown below. These estimates are based on actual data through March 1994. We anticipate a level participation and no increase in benefits. Mr. CARR. As a result of an IG audit, the Department recently lowered its Federal employee random drug testing rate from 50 to 25 percent, which was estimated to produce an annual cost savings of $1.2 million. What modes achieved these savings, and how are they reflected in the fiscal year 1995 budget justifications? [The information follows:] The reduction in the random drug testing rate from 50 to 25 percent was implemented beginning with testing conducted in April 1992. With the partial year implementation in fiscal year 1992, the actual cost savings in the drug testing collection and laboratory contracts recognized was $388,641. For fiscal year 1993, the first full year at the 25 percent testing rate, the actual cost savings was $794,777. The two years combined result in a cost savings of $1,183,418. Because costs are prorated to all modes, all modes achieved their prorated share of these savings. The fiscal year 1995 budget Working Capital Fund justifications reflect amounts needed for testing at the 25 percent rate. Mr. CARR. Could the 50 percent rate for random drug testing be similarly lowered for aviation, interstate motor carrier, rail, pipeline, maritime, and transit workers and still maintain the deterrent effect? [The information follows:] The Department issued an NPRM on February 15, 1994, proposing an adjustable random drug testing rate for the regulated transportation industries. The proposal would base the required random rate on the positive test rate reported for each industry (i.e. aviation, railroad, transit, etc.) As proposed, the random rate would decrease to 25 percent if the industry random positive rate is less than 1 percent for two consecutive years. If the positive rate increases in any given year, the random testing rate would increase back to 50 percent. This approach attempts to allow for a lower testing rate if drug use deterrence is maintained as evidenced by a low (<1 percent) positive rate. The comment period on the NPRM closes April 16, 1994; after review of the comments we will proceed to a final rule by the end of 1994. |