BUILD America 250 Act

Key Points

• The bill authorizes roughly $300 billion in federal transportation spending from fiscal years 2027 through 2031, covering highways, bridges, transit, rail, highway safety, and motor carrier programs. Funding grows each year, with the federal-aid highway program alone rising from about $57 billion in FY2027 to nearly $61 billion in FY2031.
• A major bridge program is created with $9.2 billion per year, plus a separate $2 billion per year bridge completion program for large competitive grants. At least 20% of state bridge funds must go to off-system bridges, and 25% must go to locally owned bridges through a competitive process.
• The bill streamlines environmental reviews and project delivery by expanding categorical exclusions, setting deadlines for environmental review, and allowing states to assume more federal review responsibilities. A "One Federal Decision" approach is codified for complex projects.
• Amtrak receives over $10 billion per year split between the Northeast Corridor and the National Network, with $100 million per year set aside for accessibility upgrades. A new operating assistance program allows grants to restore, enhance, or start new intercity passenger rail routes.
• Transit agencies benefit from a new consolidated state block grant program, expanded formula grants, reformed capital investment grants (including renaming "small starts" to "streamlined starts" with a higher cost threshold of $1 billion), and new crime prevention and fare evasion enforcement requirements.
• New motor carrier safety provisions protect truck drivers by banning predatory lease-purchase agreements, requiring restroom access at delivery locations and port terminals, extending the young driver apprenticeship pilot through 2031, and strengthening electronic logging device certification.

Votes

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