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

Sec. 1104. Apportionment

Section 104 of title 23, United States Code, is amended—

(1) in subsection (a)(1) by striking subparagraphs (A) through (E) and inserting the following:

Text this section adds to the law

(A) $478,000,000 for fiscal year 2027;

(B) $487,500,000 for fiscal year 2028;

(C) $497,500,000 for fiscal year 2029;

(D) $508,000,000 for fiscal year 2030; and

(E) $519,000,000 for fiscal year 2031.

(2) in subsection (b)—

(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1)—

(i) by inserting and high priority corridor after national highway freight; and

(ii) by striking the carbon reduction program under section 175, to carry out subsection (c) of the PROTECT program under section 176,;

(B) in paragraph (1) by striking 59.0771195921461 percent and inserting 62 percent;

(C) in paragraph (2) by striking 28.7402203421251 percent and inserting 31 percent;

(D) in paragraph (3) by striking 6.70605141316253 percent and inserting 7 percent;

(E) in paragraph (4)—

(i) in subparagraph (B) by striking shall be and all that follows through for fiscal year 2026. and inserting

Text this section adds to the law

shall be—

(i) $2,890,000,000 for fiscal year 2027;

(ii) $2,920,000,000 for fiscal year 2028;

(iii) $3,010,000,000 for fiscal year 2029;

(iv) $3,070,000,000 for fiscal year 2030; and

(v) $3,130,000,000 for fiscal year 2031.

; and

(ii) in subparagraph (C) by striking fiscal year 2020 and inserting fiscal year 2026 each place it appears;

(F) in paragraph (5)—

(i) in the paragraph heading by inserting and high priority corridor after national highway freight;

(ii) by inserting and high priority corridor after national highway freight each place it appears; and

(iii) in subparagraph (B) by striking clauses (i) through (v) and inserting the following:

Text this section adds to the law

(i) $1,550,000,000 for fiscal year 2027;

(ii) $1,600,000,000 for fiscal year 2028;

(iii) $1,650,000,000 for fiscal year 2029;

(iv) $1,700,000,000 for fiscal year 2030; and

(v) $1,750,000,000 for fiscal year 2031.

(G) in paragraph (6)—

(i) in subparagraph (B) by striking clauses (i) through (v) and inserting the following:

Text this section adds to the law

(i) $520,000,000 for fiscal year 2027;

(ii) $540,000,000 for fiscal year 2028;

(iii) $560,000,000 for fiscal year 2029;

(iv) $580,000,000 for fiscal year 2030; and

(v) $600,000,000 for fiscal year 2031.

; and

(ii) in subparagraph (C) by striking fiscal year 2020 and inserting fiscal year 2026 each place it appears; and

(H) by striking paragraphs (7) and (8);

(3) in subsection (c)—

(A) in paragraph (1)—

(i) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A) by striking fiscal year 2022 and inserting fiscal year 2027;

(ii) in subparagraph (A)(ii)(I) by striking fiscal year 2021 and inserting fiscal year 2026; and

(iii) in subparagraph (B) by striking that is and all that follows through the previous fiscal year. and inserting that is equal to at least 95 percent of the estimated tax payments attributable to highway users in the State paid into the Highway Trust Fund (other than the Mass Transit Account) in the most recent fiscal year for which data is available.; and

(B) in paragraph (2)—

(i) by striking fiscal year 2022 and inserting fiscal year 2027;

(ii) by inserting and high priority corridor after national highway freight; and

(iii) by striking the carbon reduction program under section 175, to carry out subsection (c) of the PROTECT program under section 176,; and

(4) in subsection (h)—

(A) by inserting and high priority corridor after national highway freight; and

(B) by striking the carbon reduction program under section 175, to carry out subsection (c) of the PROTECT program under section 176,.

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