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

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

Sec. 10507. Veteran to supply chain employee action plan

(a) In general. Not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and Secretary of Labor, shall develop and make public an action plan to be known as the Veteran to Supply Chain Employee Action Plan.

(b) Contents. In developing the Veteran to Supply Chain Action Plan, the Secretary shall—

(1) identify—

(A) barriers members of the armed forces eligible for preseparation counseling under section 1142 of title 10, United States Code, and veterans face when searching for employment, during the hiring process, or in training to become supply chain employees;

(B) challenges supply chain employers face when recruiting, hiring, or retaining members of the armed forces eligible for preseparation counseling under section 1142 of title 10, United States Code, and veterans;

(C) regulatory burdens employers face in the hiring of supply chain employees, especially for employees that are members of the armed forces eligible for preseparation counseling under section 1142 of title 10, United States Code, or veterans;

(D) regions of the United States which have the greatest workforce need for supply chain employees; and

(E) barriers and industry trends that directly or indirectly discourage members of the armed forces eligible for preseparation counseling under section 1142 of title 10, United States Code, and veterans from pursuing, attaining, and remaining in supply chain careers;

(2) highlight—

(A) the specific knowledge, skills, and abilities members of the armed forces eligible for preseparation counseling under section 1142 of title 10, United States Code, and veterans possess that are critical for supply chain careers and any competency gaps that should be addressed;

(B) opportunities to expand or enhance existing initiatives for members of the armed forces eligible for preseparation counseling under section 1142 of title 10, United States Code, or veterans to become supply chain employees; and

(C) ways to improve supply chain employer outreach programs and enhance existing training, mentorship, education, and advancement programs that would increase the participation and engagement of members of the armed forces eligible for preseparation counseling under section 1142 of title 10, United States Code, and veterans in the supply chain workforce;

(3) recommend specific short- and long-term actions the Department of Transportation, the Department of Defense, the Department of Veterans Affairs, or the Department of Labor can take to help members of the armed forces eligible for preseparation counseling under section 1142 of title 10, United States Code, and veterans become supply chain employees; and

(4) consult with the transportation supply chain industry, modal transportation supply chain employers, and organizations representing modal transportation supply chain employees.

(c) Supply chain employee defined. In this section, the term supply chain employee means an individual directly employed in the facilitation of the movement of goods.

F Hazardous Materials Transportation