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

V Motor Carriers

A General Provisions

B Commercial Motor Vehicle Operators

C Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety

Sec. 5210. New entrant registration standards transportation rulemaking committee

(a) Establishment. Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish a transportation rulemaking committee to develop findings and recommendations on the necessity of establishing minimum requirements for entities seeking to obtain registration from the Department as a motor carrier of property or passengers under chapter 315 of title 49, United States Code.

(b) Membership. The Secretary shall appoint the members of the transportation rulemaking committee, which shall be comprised of—

(1) State motor carrier safety enforcement agencies;

(2) representatives of the motor carrier industry;

(3) commercial motor vehicle law enforcement associations;

(4) labor organizations representing commercial motor vehicle operators;

(5) truck safety organizations; and

(6) other stakeholders determined appropriate by the Secretary.

(c) Considerations. In developing findings and recommendations under subsection (a), the transportation rulemaking committee shall consider—

(1) the existing requirements for registration as a motor carrier of property and passengers under parts 365 and 390 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations; and

(2) the appropriateness of additional minimum motor carrier registration requirements, including requirements associated with the following:

(A) Knowledge of applicable safety regulations, standards, and requirements under Federal law and regulations.

(B) Familiarity with the duties of employers and motor carriers under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, including requirements relating to—

(i) driver qualifications;

(ii) vehicle maintenance;

(iii) hours of service;

(iv) drug and alcohol testing; and

(v) safety management controls.

(C) An understanding of the importance of establishing and maintaining a safety management program appropriate for the size and scope of the intended operations of the applicant.

(D) Completion of a training program approved by the Secretary, or demonstration of equivalent knowledge, as determined by the Secretary.

(d) Report

(1) In general. Not later than 18 months after the date on which the transportation rulemaking committee is established, the committee shall submit to the Secretary a report detailing the findings and recommendations developed under subsection (a).

(2) Contents. In the report submitted under paragraph (1), the transportation rulemaking committee shall include recommendations—

(A) on how to revise the regulations under parts 365 and 390 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, if additional minimum motor carrier registration requirements are determined appropriate; and

(B) for any other necessary updates to regulations or requirements determined appropriate by the transportation rulemaking committee.

(e) Recommendations. Not later than 6 months after the date on which the transportation rulemaking committee submits the report under subsection (d), the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate—

(1) a summary of the findings and recommendations of the report; and

(2) for each recommendation—

(A) the Secretary intends to implement, a description of the implementation plan of the Secretary and timeline for implementation; and

(B) the Secretary does not intend to implement, an explanation as to why the Secretary does not intend to implement such recommendation.

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