[Request for Decision Concerning Secretary of Transportation's Negotiations With Local Governments]

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO addressed questions pertaining to the Secretary of Transportation's compliance with certain provisions of the Department of Transportation and Related Agencies Appropriation Act for fiscal year 1986. GAO noted that: (1) the act requires the Secretary to negotiate in good faith with various local governments for full-funding contracts to support local mass transit projects; (2) the act requires the Secretary to conclude the negotiations within 90 days of its passage; (3) if the Secretary were negotiating in good faith, she would be complying with the act; (4) if the Secretary negotiated in good faith but a local jurisdiction did not, the act would not require the Secretary to take further action; and (5) if both parties were negotiating in good faith but the negotiations were suspended, the act would require them to resume good-faith negotiations.