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. 10511. Technical assistance

Section 20108 of title 49, United States Code, is further amended by adding at the end the following:

Text this section adds to the law

(l) Technical assistance

(1) In general. The Secretary may—

(A) at the request of an eligible applicant for a project under chapters 229, 249, and 251 of this title, provide technical assistance to such entity for such project; and

(B) through a competitive bid process and subject to appropriations, enter into contracts, cooperative agreements, and other agreements with national nonprofit organizations that have the appropriate demonstrated capacity and expertise to provide rail-related technical assistance under this section.

(2) Contracts and Agreements. Contracts, cooperative agreements, and agreements entered into pursuant to paragraph (1)(B) shall be used to develop best practices for project development and grant applications and to—

(A) provide technical assistance to eligible applicants under such chapters to—

(i) improve the safety, efficiency, and reliability of freight and passenger rail transportation;

(ii) reduce congestion and facilitate ridership growth in intercity passenger rail transportation, including through the development of and around intercity passenger rail stations;

(iii) promote employee and passenger safety;

(iv) assist with the compliance of the applicable requirements of—

(I) the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.);

(II) the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.); and

(III) section 22905 of this title;

(v) assist with the development, deployment, and acquisition of rolling stock, including through multi-state equipment leasing pools;

(vi) administer funds received from the Department of Transportation, in compliance with Federal law; and

(vii) assist with eligible grant applications under this section; and

(B) provide training, guidance and educational programs to Federal Railroad Administration eligible grant applicants and recipients in cooperation with the agency, State transportation departments, metropolitan planning organizations, and national and international entities related to freight and intercity passenger rail transportation, including courses in recent developments, techniques, and procedures related to—

(i) planning;

(ii) management;

(iii) environmental factors;

(iv) acquisition and joint use rights-of-way;

(v) engineering and architectural design;

(vi) procurement strategies and turnkey approaches for freight and intercity passenger rail systems;

(vii) new technologies;

(viii) accessibility improvements for individuals with disabilities;

(ix) construction, construction management, insurance, and risk management;

(x) maintenance;

(xi) contract administration;

(xii) inspection;

(xiii) innovative finance;

(xiv) workplace safety;

(xv) rail transportation security; and

(xvi) eligible grant applications under this section.

(3) Treatment. Technical assistance provided under paragraph (1) shall not be considered a guarantee of future selection of the applicable project under any program under chapters 229, 249, and 251 of this title.

(4) Report. Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the BUILD America 250 Act, and every year thereafter, 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 a report that includes—

(A) a description of each project that received technical assistance under this subsection during the preceding fiscal year;

(B) an evaluation of the activities carried out by each organization described in paragraph (1)(B); and

(C) measurable outcomes and impacts of the programs funded under this section.

(5) Availability of amounts. The Secretary shall withhold 5 percent of funds allocated to Project Management Oversight from chapters 229, 243, and 249 to pay for the cost of eligible activities under this section.

F Hazardous Materials Transportation