H.R. 8870
BUILD America 250 Act
Sponsor: Sam Graves
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
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
B Miscellaneous
(a) Rationale required
(1) In general. The Secretary shall require a designated recipient of financial assistance provided under section 5307, 5310, 5337, or 5339 of title 49, United States Code, to provide a letter detailing the rationale for the split allocation amount determined for each direct recipient in an urbanized area with a population of at least 200,000 individuals, as determined by the Bureau of the Census, if—
(A) a formula other than the Federal apportionment formula set forth in section 5336 of such title, including a modified version of the Federal apportionment formula, is used by the designated recipient to suballocate the total apportionment amount for the relevant urbanized area to each direct recipient for purposes of carrying out grants under such section 5307; or
(B) population data other than data published by the Bureau of the Census is used to suballocate the total apportionment amount for the relevant urbanized area to each direct recipient for purposes of carrying out grants under section 5307.
(2) Failure to provide rationale. The Secretary may withhold funds made available to a designated recipient for grants described in section 5307 of title 49, United States Code, if such recipient fails to provide a letter detailing the rationale for the split allocation amounts pursuant to paragraph (1).
(3) Term of applicability. A letter of rationale under this subsection shall be updated not later than 30 days after a change is made to a split allocation process.
(4) Savings clause. Solely for purposes of withholding funds under paragraph (2), the Secretary may not withhold such funds to a designated recipient that submits a letter of rationale under this subsection.
(b) Publication of split letters. The Secretary shall publish on the website of the Federal Transit Administration each split letter received from a designated recipient of financial assistance provided under section 5307, 5310, 5337, or 5339 of title 49, United States Code, for each fiscal year in which Federal assistance is apportioned pursuant to such sections.
(c) Designated recipient. In this section, the term designated recipient has the meaning given that term in section 5302 of title 49, United States Code.
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