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

B Miscellaneous

C Reorganization and Consolidation of Chapter 53

IV Highway Safety

Sec. 4007. Coordination of Federal highway and traffic safety programs

(a) Improved alignment of program requirements and timelines. The Secretary shall, in coordination with State departments of transportation and State highway safety offices, take such actions, consistent with statute, to enhance roadway safety through improving coordination and data sharing between—

(1) the Highway Safety Improvement Program under section 148 of title 23, United States Code;

(2) the highway safety grant programs administered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration under section 402 of title 23, United States Code; and

(3) the Highway Performance Monitoring System.

(b) Requirements. In carrying out subsection (a), the Secretary shall—

(1) promote a unified, data-driven approach to the reduction and elimination of traffic fatalities and serious injuries;

(2) better align Federal program requirements, planning cycles, and reporting timelines to reduce administrative burden on States;

(3) increase flexibility for States to achieve approved State Strategic Highway Safety Plans and Highway Safety Plans performance targets; and

(4) ensure that data collection, analysis, and reporting requirements meaningfully contribute to safety outcomes.

(c) Actions to reduce administrative burden. In carrying out this section, the Secretary shall—

(1) evaluate and revise administrative and reporting requirements under the programs described in subsection (a) to ensure that such requirements—

(A) meaningfully contribute to safety outcomes; and

(B) appropriately use Federal funds.

(2) conduct an objective analysis, in consultation with State departments of transportation and State highway safety offices, of the cost estimates and burden impacts of planning, coordination, and public engagement requirements, including such requirements related to data collection, Federal interagency coordination, and target setting, and update such cost estimates based on actual State experiences;

(3) review and revise, as appropriate, performance target-setting and compliance procedures consistent with the statutory requirement for States to establish safety performance targets; and

(4) ensure the protection of data, analyses, reports, and related materials submitted by States pursuant to section 148(h) of title 23, United States Code, from legal discovery or use in liability proceedings, to the maximum extent permitted under Federal law.

(d) Report to Congress. Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives, the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate, and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a summary report of the findings under subsection (c).

(e) Savings clause. Nothing in this section shall be construed to direct the Secretary to alter or amend the content of the performance targets associated with any of the programs described in subsection (a).

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