H.R. 8870

BUILD America 250 Act

Sponsor: Sam Graves

5 cosponsors
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Official summary

Written by the Congressional Research Service.

Building Unrivaled Infrastructure and Long-term Development for America's 250th Act or the BUILD America 250 Act

This bill authorizes federal surface transportation (highway, public transportation, and rail) programs and activities through FY2031. The bill also establishes or modifies Department of Transportation (DOT) programs and policies that are a part of the federal-aid highway, transit, highway safety, motor carrier, research, hazardous materials, and rail programs. 

For example, the bill authorizes appropriations through FY2031 out of the Highway Trust Fund for the federal-aid highway program, the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) program, highway safety programs, and bridge programs. The bill also authorizes funding through FY2031 for Amtrak. Current authorization for these programs expires on September 30, 2026.

Among other provisions, the bill

  • establishes a Surface Transportation Accelerator Grant (STAG) discretionary program to fund surface transportation projects in rural, urban, local, and regional communities;
  • requires the Federal Highway Administration to impose a new annual electric vehicle (EV) registration fee, starting at $130 for a covered EV and $35 for a covered plug-in hybrid vehicle;
  • exempts automated driving system technology and equipment from vehicle width requirements;
  • establishes a consolidated state block grant program that allows DOT to allocate a lump sum to participating states to fund public transportation services in rural and urbanized areas;
  • allows state rail safety inspectors to conduct railroad bridge inspections; and
  • establishes a system for state, local, and tribal governments to report safety concerns about the condition of railroad bridges.

Text of the bill

Expand all

I Federal-Aid Highways

A Authorizations and Programs

B Improved Project Delivery and Environmental Streamlining

C Miscellaneous

II Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation

III Public Transportation

A Reforms

Sec. 3004. Planning programs

(a) In general. Section 5305 of title 49, United States Code, is amended—

(1) in subsection (d)(1)(A) by striking subsection (g)(1) and inserting subsection (f)(1);

(2) in subsection (d)(3)(A) by striking subsection (g)(1) and inserting subsection (f)(1);

(3) in subsection (e)(1)(A) by striking subsection (g)(2) and inserting subsection (f)(2);

(4) in subsection (e)(2) by striking subsection (d) and inserting subsection (c);

(5) in subsection (g)—

(A) by striking fiscal year and inserting fiscal year, less the amount set aside for such fiscal year for the program under subsection (i);

(B) in paragraph (1) by striking subsection (d) and inserting subsection (c); and

(C) in paragraph (2) by striking subsection (e) and inserting subsection (d);

(6) by striking subsection (a);

(7) by redesignating subsections (b) through (h) as subsections (a) through (g), respectively; and

(8) by adding at the end the following new subsection:

Text this section adds to the law

(h) Exemptions to covered territories

(1) In general. Beginning on the date of enactment of this subsection, the Secretary may award a grant to a covered territory as if the covered territory is a State, except if the Secretary determines that a requirement of section 5303, 5304, or this section is inconsistent with the needs of the covered territory, the Secretary may exempt the territory from such requirement.

(2) Covered territory defined. In this subsection, the term covered territory means American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the Virgin Islands.

(b) Amendments to Pilot Program for Transit-Oriented Development Planning. Subsection (b) of section 20005 of MAP–21 (49 U.S.C. 5303 note) is amended—

(1) in the subsection heading by striking Pilot;

(2) by striking paragraph (1);

(3) by redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as paragraphs (1) and (2), respectively; and

(4) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

Text this section adds to the law

(3) Eligible project defined. In this subsection, the term eligible project means a new fixed guideway capital project or a core capacity improvement project, as those terms are defined in section 5309.

(c) Transfer of Program for Transit-Oriented Development Planning. Subsection (b) of section 20005 of MAP–21 (49 U.S.C. 5303 note), as amended, is transferred to appear as subsection (i) of section 5305 of title 49, United States Code.

B Miscellaneous

C Reorganization and Consolidation of Chapter 53

IV Highway Safety

V Motor Carriers

A General Provisions

B Commercial Motor Vehicle Operators

C Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety

D Household Goods Shipping Consumer Protection Reform

E Safe Integration of Autonomous Commercial Motor Vehicles

VI Innovation

VII Freight and Multimodal Transportation Programs

A Freight Policy

B Multimodal Policy and Programs

VIII Miscellaneous

IX Sport Fishing and Recreational Boating Safety

X Railroads and Hazardous Materials

A Authorization of Appropriations and Grant Reforms

B Amtrak Reforms

C Passenger Rail Policy

D Rail Safety and Innovation

E Project Delivery

F Hazardous Materials Transportation