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
(a) Covered heavy-duty tow and recovery vehicles. Section 127(m) of title 23, United States Code, is amended—
(1) by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following:
(1) In general. The vehicle weight limitations set forth in this section do not apply to a covered heavy-duty tow and recovery vehicle operating in a State under a permit—
(A) issued by such State in accordance with State law; and
(B) that includes routing or similar information to ensure safe operation of such vehicle on highway bridges and tunnels.
; and
(2) in paragraph (2)(B)—
(A) by striking a gross vehicle weight and inserting a gross combined weight rating; and
(B) by inserting rating after the gross vehicle weight.
(b) Operation of certain specialized vehicles on certain highways in the State of Arkansas. Section 127(p) of title 23, United States Code, is amended by inserting and United States Highway 67 between the exits for county road 315 and highway 224 before in the State of Arkansas.
(c) Emergency vehicles. Section 127(r) of title 23, United States Code, is amended—
(1) in paragraph (1), in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking a State and all that follows through less than and inserting a State shall issue a permit for the operation of an emergency vehicle with a vehicle weight up to 86,000 pounds and a maximum of;
(2) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (3); and
(3) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following:
(2) Permitting requirement. Any permit issued pursuant to this subsection shall be issued in accordance with State law and shall include routing or similar information to ensure safe operation of an emergency vehicle on highway bridges.
(d) Hydrogen vehicles. Section 127(s) of title 23, United States Code, is amended—
(1) in the subsection heading by striking gas and electric battery vehicles and inserting gas, electric battery, and hydrogen vehicles;
(2) by striking gas or and inserting gas,; and
(3) by inserting fueled primarily by hydrogen, or fueled or powered by a combination thereof, before may exceed.
(e) Dry bulk axle weight variance. Section 127 of title 23, United States Code, is further amended by adding at the end the following:
(z) Dry bulk axle weight variance
(1) Weight variance. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, except for the maximum gross vehicle weight limitation, a commercial motor vehicle transporting dry bulk goods may not exceed 110 percent of the maximum weight on any axle or axle group described in subsection (a), including any enforcement tolerance.
(2) Dry bulk goods defined. In this subsection, the term dry bulk goods means any homogeneous unmarked, unpackaged, non-liquid cargo being transported in a trailer specifically designed for that purpose.
(f) Operation of certain agricultural vehicles in the State of Louisiana. Section 127 of title 23, United States Code, is further amended by adding at the end the following:
(aa) Operation of certain agricultural vehicles in the State of Louisiana
(1) In general. The State of Louisiana may allow, by special permit, the operation of a covered agricultural vehicle on the Interstate System in the State of Louisiana if such vehicle—
(A) does not exceed a gross vehicle weight of 88,000 pounds;
(B) does not exceed 110 percent of the maximum weight on any axle or axle group described in subsection (a)(2), including any enforcement tolerance; and
(C) has no fewer than 5 axles.
(2) Covered agricultural vehicle defined. In this subsection, the term covered agricultural vehicle means a vehicle that is transporting unprocessed agricultural crops used for food, feed or fiber, or raw or unfinished forest products, including logs, pulpwood, biomass, or woodchips.
(g) Operation of certain logging vehicles in the State of Arkansas. Section 127 of title 23, United States Code, is further amended by adding at the end the following:
(bb) Operation of certain logging vehicles in the State of Arkansas
(1) In general. The State of Arkansas may allow, by special permit, the operation of a covered logging vehicle on the Interstate System in the State of Arkansas if such vehicle—
(A) does not exceed a gross vehicle weight of 85,000 pounds;
(B) has no fewer than 5 axles; and
(C) travels a maximum distance of 20 miles on the Interstate System from origin to a storage or processing facility.
(2) Covered logging vehicle defined. In this subsection, the term covered logging vehicle means a vehicle that is transporting raw or unfinished forest products, including logs, pulpwood, biomass, or wood chips.
(h) Operation of certain vehicles in the State of Iowa. Section 127 of title 23, United States Code, is further amended by adding at the end the following:
(cc) Operation of certain vehicles in the State of Iowa
(1) Interstate designation. If any segment of Iowa State Route 5 in Iowa from the interchange with Interstate Route 35 to the interchange with United States Route 65, or United States Route 65 in Iowa from the interchange with Iowa State Route 5 and United States Route 69 to the interchange with Interstate Route 80, is designated as a route on the Interstate System, a vehicle that could operate legally on such segment before the date of such designation may continue to operate on such segment, without regard to any requirement under this section.
(2) Special permits. The State of Iowa may allow, by special permit, the operation of vehicles with a gross vehicle weight of up to 108,000 pounds for the hauling of divisible loads on a segment of Interstate Route 380 in the State of Iowa from the west interchange with United States Route 20 and United States Route 218 to the east interchange with United States Route 20.
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