(a) Establishment. - There is established in the Department of Transportation a Research and Special Programs Administration. (b) Administrator. - (1) Appointment. - The Administration shall be headed by an Administrator who shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. (2) Reporting. - The Administrator shall report directly to the Secretary. (c) Deputy Administrator. - The Administration shall have a Deputy Administrator who shall be appointed by the Secretary of Transportation.

The Deputy Administrator shall carry out duties and powers prescribed by the Administrator. (d) Responsibilities of Administrator. - The Administrator of the Administration shall be responsible for carrying out the following: (1) Hazmat transportation safety. - Duties and powers vested in the Secretary of Transportation with respect to hazardous materials transportation safety, except as otherwise delegated by the Secretary. (2) Pipeline safety. - Duties and powers vested in the Secretary with respect to pipeline safety. (3) Activities of volpe national transportation systems center. - Duties and powers vested in the Secretary with respect to activities of the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center. (4) Other. - Such other duties and powers as the Secretary shall prescribe, including such multimodal and intermodal duties as are appropriate. (e) Limitation on Statutory Construction. - Nothing in this section shall affect any delegation of authority, regulation, order, approval, exemption, waiver, contract, or other administrative act of the Secretary with respect to laws administered through the Research and Special Programs Administration of the Department of Transportation on October 24, 1992.