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
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
Section 13002 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (23 U.S.C. 503 note) is amended—
(1) in subsection (b)—
(A) in paragraph (1)—
(i) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A) by striking demonstrate and inserting implement;
(ii) in subparagraph (A) by striking and at the end;
(iii) in subparagraph (B) by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and; and
(iv) by adding at the end the following:
(C) to preserve the user-pays principle of the Highway Trust Fund.
; and
(B) in paragraph (2)—
(i) in subparagraph (B) by striking and at the end;
(ii) in subparagraph (C) by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and; and
(iii) by adding at the end the following:
(D) to collect and report data on—
(i) the differential effects of a national per-mile road usage charge and the Federal motor fuels tax between urban and rural drivers; and
(ii) the interoperability of road usage charge collection between the States.
(2) in subsection (d)(1)—
(A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A) by inserting , testing, and evaluating after selecting;
(B) in subparagraph (E) by inserting and data from the entities that received grants under section 13001 before the period at the end;
(C) in subparagraph (F) by striking stations and inserting and motor vehicle inspection stations;
(D) by redesignating subparagraph (G) as subparagraph (I); and
(E) by inserting after subparagraph (F) the following:
(G) Reporting by volunteer participants, including reporting through State departments of motor vehicles.
(H) Odometer-based systems.
(3) in subsection (f)(2)(A) by inserting and the vehicles of such participants after participants;
(4) in subsection (g)—
(A) in paragraph (1)—
(i) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A) by striking Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act and inserting Not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of the BUILD America 250 Act;
(ii) in subparagraph (B) by striking and at the end;
(iii) in subparagraph (C) by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and; and
(iv) by adding at the end the following:
(D) identifying information gaps to be addressed by the strategic innovation for revenue collection program established under section 13001.
; and
(B) in paragraph (3) by inserting , and the Secretary shall provide such recommendations to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Environment and Public Works and the Committee on Finance of the Senate after pilot program;
(5) in subsection (h)(1)—
(A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A) by striking may and inserting shall; and
(B) in subparagraph (B) by inserting strategic innovation for revenue collection program established under section 13001 and the after from the; and
(6) in subsection (n) by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following:
(1) progress made toward achieving the objectives described in subsection (b)(2);
; and
(7) in subsection (o)(1) by striking 2022 through 2026 and inserting 2027 through 2031.
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