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
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
(a) Amendments to RRIF with respect to direct loans. Section 22402 of title 49, United States Code, is further amended—
(1) in subsection (f)—
(A) in paragraph (1)—
(i) by striking may accept on behalf of an applicant for assistance under this section and all that follows and inserting may—; and
(ii) by striking In lieu of or in combination with and inserting the following:
(A) In general. Subject to subparagraph (B), in lieu of or in combination with
; and
(iii) by adding at the end the following:
(i) with respect to applicants for loan guarantees or a modification thereof under this section, accept on behalf of the applicant a commitment from a non-Federal source, including a State or local government or agency or public benefit corporation or public authority thereof, to fund in whole or in part credit risk premiums and modification costs with respect to the loan guarantee that is the subject of the application or modification; and
(ii) with respect to applicants for direct loans or a modification thereof under this section, accept on behalf of the applicant, to fund in whole or in part credit risk premiums and modification costs with respect to the loan that is the subject of the application or modification—
(I) a commitment described in clause (i);
(II) grant funds issued under sections 22907 or 24911 or chapter 243 of this title; or
(III) a combination of the funding sources described in subclauses (I) and (II).
(B) Limitations
(i) In general. In no event shall the aggregate of appropriations of budget authority and credit risk premiums described in subparagraph (A) with respect to a direct loan or loan guarantee be less than the cost of that direct loan or loan guarantee.
(ii) Applicability. Subparagraph (A) shall only apply to projects on a railroad or railroad property.
; and
(B) in paragraph (7) by striking The Secretary shall return credit risk premiums paid, and interest accrued on such premiums, and inserting With respect to each credit risk premium paid with funds other than Federal grant funds issued under section 22907 or 24911, the Secretary shall return each such premium, and interest accrued on each such premium,;
(2) in subsection (i)(4) by adding at the end the following:
(D) Coordinated application process with respect to grant programs. The Secretary shall coordinate, to the maximum extent practicable, the application process developed pursuant to this subsection with the application processes for grants under sections 22907 and 24911 to ensure that an entity applying for a direct loan under this section—
(i) may apply sequentially or simultaneously for any such grant; and
(ii) may indicate on the application for the direct loan that the credit risk premium of the loan, if approved, is to be paid for using any such grant, if the applicant is selected to receive such grant.
; and
(3) in subsection (n)—
(A) by striking The proceeds and inserting Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the proceeds; and
(B) by striking if such loan is repayable from non-Federal funds. and inserting
if—
(1) the credit risk premium of such loan was not paid for using Federal grant funds issued under section 22907 or 24911; and
(2) such loan is repayable from non-Federal funds.
(b) Amendments to CRISI grant program. Section 22907(c) of title 49, United States Code, is further amended—
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (1) through (15) as subparagraphs (A) through (O), respectively;
(2) by striking The following and inserting the following:
(1) In general. The following
; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
(2) Allowable use for payment of RRIF loan credit risk premiums. A project described in paragraph (1) is eligible to receive grant funds under this section for use paying a credit risk premium of a loan under section 22402 of this title if the loan is approved to finance such project.
(c) Amendments to NIPRPP grant program. Section 24911(c) of title 49, United States Code, is amended—
(1) in paragraph (4) by striking paragraphs (1) through (3) and inserting subparagraphs (A) through (C);
(2) in paragraph (5) by striking paragraphs (1) through (4) and inserting subparagraphs (A) through (D);
(3) by redesignating paragraphs (1) through (7) (as amended) as subparagraphs (A) through (G), respectively;
(4) by striking The following and inserting the following:
(1) In general. The following
; and
(5) by adding at the end the following:
(2) Allowable use for payment of RRIF loan credit risk premiums. A capital project described in paragraph (1) is eligible to receive grants under this section for use paying a credit risk premium of a loan under section 22402 of this title if the loan is approved to finance such capital project.
(d) Amendment to Amtrak grant programs. Section 24305 of title 49, United States Code is amended by adding at the end the following:
(g) Allowable use for payment of RRIF loan credit risk premiums. Amtrak is eligible to receive grants for use paying a credit risk premium of a loan under section 22402 of this title if the loan is approved to finance such capital project.
F Hazardous Materials Transportation