Surface Transportation and Transit Empowerment Act

[AI summary unavailable — showing source text] Surface Transportation and Transit Empowerment Act - Empowers States with authority for most taxing and spending for highway programs and mass transit programs. Makes each electing State eligible for a core highway programs payment and a non-core highway programs block grant in lieu of any other payment from the Highway Account and the Future Highway Investment Sub Account of the Future Investment Account (established by this Act). Designates as core highway programs: (1) the interstate maintenance program; (2) highway bridge replacement and rehabilitation (excluding off-System bridges); (3) Indian reservation roads; (4) public lands highways; (5) parkways and park roads; (6) highway safety programs; (7) highway safety research and development; (8) motor carrier safety grants; (9) metropolitan planning; (10) national defense highways; and (11) emergency relief. (Sec. 3) Sets forth requirements for determination and use of core highway programs payments, and non-core highway programs block grants, during FY 1998 through 2003. Allows a core program State (tier I, eligible for a core highway programs payment and a non-core highway programs block grant) to notify the Secretary of Trans…