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

F Hazardous Materials Transportation

Sec. 10607. Safety placards

(a) Rulemaking. Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall initiate a rulemaking for the ability of placards required by part 172 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, to withstand temperatures common in the uncontrolled burning of hazardous materials transported by rail or by other modes of surface transportation frequently used to transport freight.

(b) Contents. In carrying out subsection (a), the Secretary shall—

(1) determine the fire exposure conditions common in the burning of hazardous materials that placards shall be able to withstand, including—

(A) temperature thresholds; and

(B) length of time; and

(2) consider the availability and reliability of testing equipment that can be used to simulate the fire exposure conditions in subparagraph (A).

(c) Considerations for adjustment of placard materials. In developing the rulemaking under this section, the Secretary shall—

(1) consider—

(A) safety benefits;

(B) scientific data;

(C) costs, including up front capital costs and ongoing maintenance costs;

(D) operational benefits and challenges, including installation time and component availability; and

(E) international, first responder, and other commercial enterprises’ experiences utilizing such materials; and

(2) gather, consider, and, as appropriate, incorporate input from relevant stakeholders, including—

(A) manufacturers of placards;

(B) entities conducting fireproof hazmat testing;

(C) entities representing first responders; and

(D) entities representing operators engaged in the transport of hazardous materials.