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

Sec. 2004. Study on establishment of Federal Infrastructure Bank

(a) Study. Not later than 120 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall seek to enter into an agreement with the National Academies to conduct a study on the establishment of a Federal Infrastructure Bank to facilitate investment in, and the long-term financing of, economically viable United States infrastructure projects that provide a public benefit, including best practices for implementing such bank.

(b) Elements. The study conducted pursuant to subsection (a) shall—

(1) identify potential forms of credit assistance a Federal Infrastructure Bank could provide, including loans, loan guarantees, lines of credit, and equity investments;

(2) examine how a Federal Infrastructure Bank could—

(A) increase State, local, and Tribal government investment in infrastructure projects, including transportation, water, and energy projects;

(B) reduce average financing timelines relative to other Federal credit assistance programs; and

(C) increase the lending capacity of existing State infrastructure banks;

(3) analyze the opportunities a Federal Infrastructure Bank presents in—

(A) reducing barriers to the financing of multimodal or multijurisdictional projects;

(B) attracting foreign investment from a country other than a covered foreign country;

(C) financing nonrevenue infrastructure projects and projects located in rural and economically disadvantaged areas; and

(D) complementing but not duplicating existing Federal credit assistance programs for infrastructure projects;

(4) examine how a national infrastructure bank that is substantially owned or controlled by the Federal Government would be subject to Federal budget laws and accounting rules and procedures; and

(5) identify best practices of other infrastructure banks, including—

(A) national infrastructure banks or other specialized development banks located in a country other than a covered foreign country; and

(B) the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank.

(c) Consultation. In preparing the study required under subsection (a), the National Academies shall consult with—

(1) the Secretary and other heads of relevant Federal agencies;

(2) State infrastructure banks; and

(3) stakeholders with expertise in financial markets and infrastructure financing.

(d) Report. An agreement entered into under subsection (a) shall require that, not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the National Academies submit a report detailing the findings of the study required under subsection (a) to—

(1) the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives;

(2) the Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representatives;

(3) the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate;

(4) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate; and

(5) the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Development of the Senate.

(e) Definitions. In this section:

(1) Covered entity. The term covered entity means—

(A) a State;

(B) any other governmental entity, including a political subdivision or any other instrumentality of a State;

(C) a State infrastructure bank;

(D) a partnership, including a public-private partnership;

(E) a corporation, limited liability company, or any other legally established corporate form;

(F) a joint venture;

(G) a trust; or

(H) a revolving fund.

(2) Covered foreign country. The term covered foreign country has the meaning given that term in section 164(e) of the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 (10 U.S.C. note prec. 4651).

(3) Federal infrastructure bank. The term Federal Infrastructure Bank means a federally-chartered and privately-funded bank established to provide to a covered entity credit assistance, including equity investments, direct loans, indirect loans, and loan guarantees, for the planning, predevelopment, design, construction, operations, or maintenance of infrastructure projects in the United States.

(4) State. The term State means a State of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and any other territory or possession of the United States.

(5) State infrastructure bank. The term State infrastructure bank means a State infrastructure bank or multistate infrastructure bank established pursuant to—

(A) section 350 of the National Highway System Designation Act of 1995 (23 U.S.C. 101 note);

(B) section 1511 of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (23 U.S.C. 181 note);

(C) section 610 of title 23, United States Code; or

(D) any State law that establishes such bank as an agency, component unit, or other governmental entity of the State.

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