; and (B) any other activity the Secretary considers necessary to promote safety in air traffic services, including verification of the safety functions of new air traffic control technologies. (c) Statutory construction Nothing in this title, or the amendments made by this title, may be construed to limit the safety regulatory authority of the Department of Transportation, including the research and development functions of the Department. (d) Safety Before the date of transfer (as defined by section 90101(a) of title 49, United States Code, as added by this Act) all operational testing and integration of air traffic control systems conducted by the Administration shall continue. 242. Ensuring progress on NextGen priorities before date of transfer (a) Near-Term NextGen priorities Prior to the date of transfer (as defined by section 90101(a) of title 49, United States Code, as added by this Act), the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, in consultation with the NextGen Advisory Committee, shall prioritize the implementation of the following programs: (1) Multiple runway operations. (2) Performance-based navigation. (3) Surface operations and data sharing. (4) Data communications. (b) Near-Term NextGen performance goals (1) In general The Administrator, in consultation with the NextGen Advisory Committee, shall establish quantifiable near-term NextGen performance goals for each of the programs prioritized under subsection (a). (2) Tracking The Administrator shall track the performance goals in a publicly available and transparent manner. (3) Measuring benefits The Administrator shall establish the performance goals in a manner that allows Congress, stakeholders, and the public to clearly measure the delivery of NextGen benefits between 2018 and 2020, including with respect to— (A) increasing safety; (B) reducing aviation’s impact on the environment; (C) enhancing controller productivity