BUILD America 250 Act - Detailed breakdown

Amends the emergency relief program by extending application and construction deadlines and requiring the Federal Highway Administration to update its emergency relief manual.

Requires new roadside safety hardware to meet the latest crash test standards and establishes a rulemaking committee to develop recommendations for improving the safety, performance, and oversight of these devices.

Establishes a working group to recommend ways to support emergency relief efforts, assess transportation vulnerabilities, and mitigate risks from natural disasters.

Defines eligible expenses for crime prevention and security projects, including increased lighting, camera surveillance, cybersecurity, and the hiring of transit officers and support specialists.

Withholds 10% of federal assistance from transit agencies in jurisdictions where fare evasion is not a criminal or civil offense, beginning in fiscal year 2028.

Updates agency safety plans to improve passenger and workplace safety by reducing assaults and mitigating fare evasion. Also requires safety plan updates at least every five years.

Establishes a working group to review bus operator workstation barriers and mandates their installation on newly manufactured fixed-route buses purchased with federal funds.

Prohibits highway safety funds from being used for construction purposes by state or local governments and restricts their use to the specified programs.

Amends highway safety law to consolidate programs and establish requirements for states to address national priority safety initiatives like occupant protection, impaired driving, and speeding.

Requires states with high fatality rates to spend a percentage of funds on specific safety areas: occupant protection, impaired driving, distracted driving, motorcyclist safety, nonmotorist safety, and speeding.

Establishes a national system to collect standardized toxicology data from states for fatal and serious injury crashes, linking crash data with medical records.

Directs the Secretary of Transportation to establish a public safety messaging campaign to highlight the dangers of illegally passing school buses and educate on safe loading/unloading procedures.

Requires the Secretary of Transportation to carry out an education campaign on the dangers of noncompliant or counterfeit child restraint systems and how to identify them.

Prohibits the use of federal funds for motorcycle safety programs that profile and stop motorcycle operators or passengers solely based on their mode of transportation.

Requires the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to update regulations to incorporate the latest certification and training standards for roadside inspectors and instructors.

Extends federal commercial motor vehicle safety regulations to the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, providing a 5-year grace period for compliance before penalties are imposed.

Strengthens the certification process for electronic logging devices by requiring the Secretary to verify applicant information and maintain public lists of certified and revoked devices.

Requires employers to maintain post-accident drug and alcohol test records for 5 years and ensures failure to test is a violation reflected in safety scores.

Requires the Secretary of Transportation to establish a performance-based safety standard for ADS-equipped commercial motor vehicles within two years to regulate their operation in interstate commerce.

Permits the use of cab-mounted warning beacons as warning devices for commercial motor vehicles stopped on a highway, in lieu of other required devices.

Directs the Secretary of Transportation to establish an advisory committee to provide recommendations on regulations and policies to deter cargo theft and freight fraud.

Directs the Secretary of Transportation to publish best practices for assault response and requires passenger rail operators to submit prevention and response plans.

Increases the aggregate liability cap for a single rail accident or incident from $200,000,000 to $323,000,000 and establishes a working group to recommend adjustments every five years.

Authorizes the Secretary of Transportation to provide grants to nonprofit organizations for safety culture assessments, training, and technical assistance for smaller railroads and emergency responders.

Requires the Secretary of Transportation to issue regulations mandating Class I railroads to install inward- and outward-facing image recording devices in all controlling locomotive cabs.

Directs the Federal Railroad Administration to assess security vulnerabilities affecting freight rail cargo, focusing on protecting the supply chain and reducing theft and sabotage.

Convenes a working group within the Railroad Safety Advisory Committee to develop recommendations on the safe operation, assembly, and inspection of trains of varying lengths.

Doubles the civil penalties for various railroad safety violations, including those related to transporting hazardous materials and general safety regulations.

Requires the Federal Railroad Administration to report to Congress on the causes of pressure relief device failures on rail tank cars during derailments and provide recommendations for prevention.

Requires the Secretary of Transportation to establish a confidential close call reporting system for Class I freight railroads, allowing employees to report safety issues to a third party with protections from discipline.

Directs the Secretary of Transportation to issue regulations requiring railroads to provide warning equipment, such as whistles, air horns, and lanterns, to roadway workers like watchmen and lookouts.

Requires states to include plans for working with stakeholders to reduce pedestrian fatalities and suicides along railroad rights-of-way in their highway-rail safety reports.

Requires updating regulations to mandate training for locomotive engineers on manual train operation and protect them from discipline for using manual mode for safety reasons.

Requires railroads to submit annual assessments of their safety risk reduction plans and directs the Secretary to analyze safety trends and require plan updates to address identified risks.

Broadens the scope of hazardous materials safety training grants to include community outreach and specific training and gear for fire departments to address lithium-ion battery fires.

Directs the Secretary to issue regulations requiring lithium-ion batteries to be shipped at a state of charge not exceeding 30% and to develop guidance for damaged or recalled batteries.

Sets a national goal that at least 10% of funds under various transportation programs be spent through small businesses owned by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals.

Prohibits charging fees to commercial motor vehicle drivers for access to parking facilities that are constructed, opened, or improved using grants from the new parking program.

Requires a study on the feasibility of requiring yellow paint for road markings to be manufactured domestically and authorizes a recommendation to update Buy America guidance.

Authorizes the Secretary of Transportation to provide emergency relief to TIFIA loan recipients affected by a major disaster, including resetting interest rates to a lower rate.

Expands the ban on using federal funds for rolling stock from entities linked to certain foreign nations to include electric power trains and related charging infrastructure.

Allows transit agencies to make advance payments of up to 20% of the contract value for bus purchases without requiring a performance bond from the manufacturer.

Requires the Secretary to host an industry roundtable within 180 days to discuss innovations in in-vehicle technology to prevent alcohol-impaired driving.

Requires motor carriers to provide drivers with a detailed disclosure form for lease-purchase agreements and directs the Secretary to issue regulations prohibiting predatory programs.

Exempts vehicles hauling livestock from hours-of-service requirements within a 150 air-mile radius of their final destination and from all electronic logging device requirements.

Allows states to use federal grant funds to enforce federal and compatible state regulations for the interstate and intrastate transportation of household goods by movers and brokers.

Establishes a working group to develop recommendations on modernizing federal consumer protection regulations for the interstate transportation of household goods.

Establishes a voluntary public-private data sharing program to improve freight system efficiency, enhance supply chain visibility, and identify bottlenecks.

Revises Amtrak's goals to emphasize competitiveness with other transportation modes, connecting urban and rural communities, and achieving long-term financial performance.

Expands eligibility for direct loans to include freight shippers and transportation-oriented development projects, and increases the overall lending authority.

Amends the Railroad Rehabilitation & Improvement Financing (RRIF) program to allow the Secretary to structure direct loans as interest-only loans for up to 10 years.

Requires the Secretary to issue rules to align with international hazardous materials standards and allows declining standards influenced by foreign countries of concern.

Establishes a task force to recommend strategies for evaluating, attracting, and retaining individuals in the surface transportation workforce, including pathways for students and apprenticeships.

Establishes a national center to support the workforce needs of public transportation authorities, including skills training, professional development, and recruitment strategies.

Directs the Secretary to conduct collaborative research on the effects of marijuana and polysubstance impairment on driving and to propose evidence-based impairment standards.

Directs the Secretary to revise safety guidelines to encourage nonmotorist safety education for students, including on-bicycle training, traffic rules, and helmet use.

Sets aside at least 50% of grant funds for training providers that meet minimum behind-the-wheel training hour requirements for Class A and B commercial driver's licenses.

Extends the apprenticeship pilot program for commercial drivers until September 30, 2031, and expands its scope to include the transportation of goods to and from ports.

Establishes a grant program to support the commercial motor vehicle workforce, including training for current drivers on operating and maintaining ADS-equipped vehicles.

Directs the Transportation Research Board and GAO to conduct several studies on new technologies, including autonomous vehicle accessibility, cybersecurity, and safety assurance for automated driving systems.

Requires the Secretary of Transportation to make publications and supporting data from federally funded rail research publicly accessible and freely available.

Expands research to include innovative technologies and methods for suppressing thermal runaway in lithium-ion batteries during commercial transport.

Increases the federal cost share for the wildlife crossings pilot program to 75% and expands eligibility to include non-construction activities like planning and research.

Amends the definition of nonmotorized trails to generally allow electric bicycles, while granting state and local governments the authority to restrict or prohibit their use on such trails.

Increases funding thresholds for projects to qualify for categorical exclusions from environmental review, allows for more flexible programmatic agreements, and mandates checklists to speed up smaller projects.

Extends the authorization of appropriations for the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act, which funds state fishery projects and boating safety, through fiscal year 2031.

Updates priorities for boating infrastructure grants to include the construction and maintenance of strategic maritime fuel stations that dispense alternative marine fuels.

Directs the Secretary to designate certain rail projects located entirely within existing operational rights-of-way as a categorical exclusion for environmental review purposes.

Requires the Secretary to solicit recommendations for new categorical exclusions for transportation and infrastructure projects and to issue a final rule establishing them.

Designates the first Federal agency to take major action as the lead for environmental reviews and requires a determination on the type of review needed within 90 days.

Establishes the short title of the Act as the 'Building Unrivaled Infrastructure and Long-term Development for America’s 250th Act' or the 'BUILD America 250 Act'.

Establishes that the Act and its amendments will take effect on October 1, 2026, unless otherwise provided.

Amends U.S. Code to automatically update tables of contents in highway and transportation laws when those laws are amended, streamlining legislative record-keeping.

Prohibits the Secretary of Transportation from terminating, withholding, or delaying grants based on the grant no longer aligning with non-statutory program goals or agency priorities.

Establishes annual limits on the total obligations for Federal-aid highway and highway safety construction programs for fiscal years 2027 through 2031.

Provides states with a 90-day period to cure deficiencies in their asset management plans before penalties, such as a reduced Federal funding share, are applied.

Increases the Federal share payable for metropolitan planning activities to 90 percent, reducing the cost burden on local and state governments.

Establishes a process for metropolitan planning organizations to become direct recipients of federal funds and creates exceptions to public comment requirements for certain plan amendments.

Sets the Federal share for projects under the accelerator grant program at a maximum of 80%, with exceptions allowing up to 100% for Appalachian and Denali highway systems and over 80% in poverty areas.

Repeals Section 175 of title 23, United States Code, and makes a corresponding technical amendment.

Authorizes recipients of federal transportation assistance to transfer real property no longer needed for its original purpose to local governments or nonprofits, with no further obligation to the federal government.

Increases the estimated total cost threshold for a project to be considered a "major project" requiring a financial plan from $500 million to $1 billion.

Implements several changes to expedite environmental reviews, including setting agency average completion goals of 2 years for impact statements and 1 year for assessments, and setting page limits on documents.

Allows federal lead agencies to eliminate alternatives from detailed consideration in an environmental impact statement if they were already considered and rejected in a state or local planning process.

Allows eligible entities, including large urban transit recipients, not just states, to assume federal responsibility for determining categorical exclusions for environmental reviews.

Requires the Secretary to develop and distribute best practices for transportation contracting to states, focusing on reducing cost overruns and increasing competition. States must then submit plans to adopt them.

Exempts designated transportation rulemaking committees from the Federal Advisory Committee Act to streamline the regulatory process, while requiring public availability of their reports and recommendations.

Requires the Comptroller General to study the effectiveness of the Department of Transportation's highway-related discretionary grant programs, including project selection criteria and funding allocation.

Requires the Comptroller General to study the effectiveness of highway formula grant programs, focusing on project selection criteria and alignment with national goals.

Grants the Secretary of Transportation authority to establish a personnel management program to recruit and retain up to 20 finance and investment experts for the Build America Bureau.

Revises the federal review process for transit grant recipients, allowing the Secretary to waive the triennial review for compliant agencies, though a review must occur at least once every 10 years.

Requires the Secretary of Transportation to publish an annual schedule of maximum federal payment amounts per bus unit to control procurement costs, starting in fiscal year 2029.

Limits the availability of public transportation emergency relief funds to five years after being made available, with unobligated funds being recouped by the Secretary.

Requires transit providers to develop asset management plans, establish performance targets for state of good repair, and submit annual data and narrative reports to the Secretary of Transportation.

Requires the national transit database to collect data on assaults on transit workers and passengers, fatalities from bus impacts, and revenue loss from fare evasion.

Changes the frequency of certain project management oversight reports from quarterly to annually and modifies the cost threshold for projects requiring federal oversight.

Prohibits the Secretary of Transportation from setting a transit vehicle spare ratio, allowing transit agencies to determine a reasonable number of spare vehicles based on operational needs.

Exempts drivers for transportation network companies and taxicab services from certain federal drug and alcohol testing requirements under specific conditions.

Requires designated recipients in large urbanized areas to provide a rationale for how they suballocate federal transit funds if they do not use the standard federal formula.

Directs the Government Accountability Office to conduct multiple studies on transit issues, including project contingency amounts, universal design, National Transit Database quality, and rider safety.

Directs the Comptroller General to study data collection requirements for the capital investment grants program and recommend ways to reduce the reporting burden on project sponsors.

Reorganizes and consolidates various sections of Chapter 53 of Title 49, United States Code, which governs federal public transportation programs, to improve its structure.

Allows the Secretary to use a percentage of grant funds (up to 0.7% for most programs, 1% for capital investment grants) for oversight activities.

Defines grants from the Highway Trust Fund as contractual obligations of the government, while grants from the General Fund require specific appropriation by Congress.

Updates numerous cross-references in titles 10, 23, and 49 of the U.S. Code to conform with renumbered sections related to transportation and public transit law.

Directs the Secretary of Transportation to create a public dashboard displaying state-by-state highway safety project funding, performance targets, and achieved safety levels for the last 10 years.

Requires the Comptroller General to study the efficacy and safety impact of consolidating the Highway Safety and National Priority Safety grant programs and report to Congress within four years.

Extends the termination date for the Motorcycle Advisory Council to October 1, 2031.

Requires that exemptions from safety regulations include conditions for regular data submission, immediate notification of fatal crashes, and carrying official documentation of the exemption.

Allows states to waive the engine compartment pre-trip inspection skills test for commercial driver's license applicants seeking to operate school buses or public transportation vehicles.

Requires that contested safety violations are marked as such in federal databases and establishes an appeals process for DataQs reviews to be decided by a neutral party.

Requires motor carriers, freight forwarders, and brokers to designate a principal place of business and disclose relationships with other entities when applying for registration.

Amends federal law to add and update definitions for Automated Driving Systems (ADS), ADS-equipped commercial motor vehicles, and related technical terms, referencing SAE International standards.

Establishes that remote drivers, assistants, and fallback users for ADS-equipped commercial vehicles must be qualified, licensed, and physically located in the United States.

Creates a transportation rulemaking committee with up to 18 members from various sectors to provide recommendations on implementing regulations for automated commercial vehicles.

Encourages recipients of federal transportation funds to use digital platforms, like 3D models, for environmental reviews and requires the DOT to publish guidance on their adoption.

Extends the Nontraditional and Emerging Transportation Technology Council's reporting requirement to 2031 and expands its duties to include broader stakeholder consultation.

Requires the Department of Transportation to protect personally identifiable information when using predictive analytics and telematics, and to issue guidance on data anonymization and security.

Reorganizes and increases the number of Assistant Secretaries of Transportation from 8 to 9, establishing a new Assistant Secretary for Tribal Government Affairs.

Makes numerous technical corrections to Title 23 (Highways) and Title 49 (Transportation) of the U.S. Code, including updating cross-references, correcting grammar, and fixing formatting errors.

Applies public disclosure laws, including the Freedom of Information Act and Government in the Sunshine Act, to the Amtrak Board of Directors, with specific exceptions for sensitive business information.

Requires Amtrak to report executive base pay and bonus compensation to congressional committees and make it publicly available on its website.

Requires Amtrak to submit a report on the anticipated costs of maintaining, rehabilitating, and replacing its existing long-distance equipment.

Directs the Department of Transportation Inspector General to review Amtrak's accounting and financial systems for accuracy, compliance, and internal controls.

Allows states to hire an independent third party to review disputes over invoices and cost methods for state-supported Amtrak routes.

Requires the Comptroller General to evaluate the customer experience provided by Amtrak, including ticketing, on-board services, reliability, and accessibility.

Requires Amtrak to publish any corporate restructuring plan in the Federal Register and provide a 60-day public comment period before a Board of Directors vote.

Requires the Comptroller General to examine Amtrak's food and beverage services and establishes an advisory committee to review Amtrak's implementation of recommendations.

Requires the Department of Transportation to publish supporting data for proposed rail rules and to consider performance-based regulations instead of prescriptive compliance methods.

Directs the Secretary to finalize a rulemaking to repeal the special approval requirement for freight cars more than 50 years old, without imposing additional requirements.

Requires the Federal Railroad Administration to maintain a workforce of not less than 713 rail safety employees, including inspectors, across various safety disciplines.

Directs the Federal Railroad Administration to review the position descriptions and pay grades of its safety inspection personnel to ensure they are accurate and competitive, and to address recruitment challenges.

Mandates the Department of Transportation's Inspector General to conduct a review of the Federal Railroad Administration's safety culture and provide recommendations for improvement.

Requires the Secretary of Transportation to publish a quarterly summary of all railroad safety enforcement actions in a publicly searchable online database, including details of violations and penalties.

Requires the Department of Transportation's Inspector General to study whether current laws and FRA practices are sufficient for investigators to complete thorough railroad safety accident investigations.

Establishes the Railroad Safety Advisory Committee to provide advice and recommendations to the Federal Railroad Administration on safety, security, and regulatory programs.

Establishes a working group to develop recommendations to improve, streamline, and standardize processes for infrastructure projects involving railroad rights-of-way.

Establishes stricter approval and inspection requirements for foreign manufacturers of cylinders used to transport hazardous materials, including public comment on applications.

Convenes a transportation rulemaking committee to develop recommendations on equipping public transportation vehicles and stations with first aid and emergency medical kits.

Requires the Secretary of Transportation to recognize hair as an approved specimen for drug and alcohol testing within one year of HHS issuing scientific and technical guidelines.

Amends federal law to add a definition for "digital infrastructure" and expands the definition of "intelligent transportation system" to include backup power systems for traffic control devices.

Modifies the Nationally Significant Multimodal Freight and Highway Projects program, including lowering population thresholds for eligibility and increasing minimum grant awards for rural projects.

Establishes a grant program for states to construct and improve bridges and culverts, with specific funding set-asides for off-system and locally-owned bridges.

Creates a competitive grant program for projects on the National Highway System to improve bridge safety, efficiency, and reliability, with grants of at least $50 million.

Authorizes Presidio County, Texas, to collect tolls on the Presidio-Ojinaga International Bridge to fund maintenance of local roadways.

Expands the Surface Transportation Block Grant Program to include projects for infrastructure resilience, rail planning, digital infrastructure, and passenger rail stations.

Modifies the national bridge and tunnel inspection program by changing certain reporting requirements from annual to biennial.

Expands eligible projects to include suicide barriers, safety data systems, and digital infrastructure, and increases focus on roadway worker safety.

Makes projects deploying advanced transportation technologies and digital infrastructure eligible for Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement program funds.

Increases the federal share for grants to 90%, sets aside at least 30% of funds for rural areas, and extends the program through fiscal year 2031.

Extends the authority for states to allow certain low-emission and energy-efficient vehicles to use high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes until 2031.

Expands the program to include high-priority corridors and adds eligibility for projects improving agricultural product movement and modernizing locks and dams.

Establishes a competitive grant program to provide financial assistance for rural, urban, local, and regional surface transportation projects to improve infrastructure and connectivity.

Creates a grant program for surface transportation in rural areas with populations under 50,000, with set-asides for small projects, the Appalachian Highway System, and agricultural transport.

Creates a grant program for surface transportation in urban areas with populations of 50,000 or more, with set-asides for small projects and projects in areas of persistent poverty.

Establishes a grant program for capital investments in surface transportation projects with significant local or regional impact, with funds split between rural and urban areas.

Establishes a competitive grant program, codifying Jason's Law, for states and local governments to construct and improve parking facilities for commercial motor vehicles to enhance driver safety.

Establishes a pilot program starting in FY2028 for up to 10 states to receive their base highway apportionment as a lump sum block grant. The program sunsets on October 1, 2031.

Imposes annual federal registration fees of $130 for electric vehicles and $35 for plug-in hybrid vehicles, collected by states. Fees will increase biennially and terminate on October 1, 2036.

Allows Indian Tribes to request that competitive grant funds from the Federal Highway Administration be administered as if they were part of the Tribal Transportation Program, simplifying delivery.

Extends the authorization for the Tribal High Priority Projects program from fiscal years 2022-2026 to fiscal years 2027-2031.

Amends the program to include projects crossing state boundaries, requires state concurrence for such projects, and mandates that audits be made publicly available on the Department of Transportation's website.

Allows transit project sponsors to acquire real property with their own funds before federal environmental reviews are complete, with the costs being eligible for later federal reimbursement.

Updates federal vehicle weight limits, providing specific exemptions for heavy-duty tow trucks, emergency vehicles, hydrogen-powered trucks, and certain agricultural and logging vehicles in Arkansas and Louisiana.

Designates portions of U.S. Route 74 and U.S. Route 421 in North Carolina as high-priority corridors on the National Highway System and as future segments of the Interstate System.

Establishes two working groups: one to address risks of bridge collapse from vessel collisions, and another to develop best practices for preventing commercial vehicles from striking low-clearance bridges.

Directs the Secretary of Transportation to issue guidance and establish a rulemaking committee to prevent anticompetitive bidding on Federal-aid highway projects.

Directs the Secretary of Transportation to arrange for the National Academies to conduct a comprehensive study of various federal highway networks to review their necessity and coordination.

Repeals section 177 of title 23, United States Code, thereby terminating the Neighborhood Access and Equity Grant Program.

Amends the TIFIA program to accept alternative credit assessments, adjust project cost thresholds, and exempt certain transit-oriented development projects from extensive environmental reviews.

Mandates a study by the National Academies on the feasibility and best practices for establishing a Federal Infrastructure Bank to finance U.S. infrastructure projects.

Amends federal law to update the purpose and policy for public transportation, emphasizing safety, efficiency, state of good repair, workforce development, and innovative technology.

Amends key definitions related to public transportation, including 'capital asset', 'state of good repair', and 'transit asset management plan', and expands 'capital project' to include software.

Streamlines transportation planning by creating an exception for public review of certain projects and expands the eligible uses of metropolitan planning funds.

Provides planning flexibility for U.S. territories and makes the Transit-Oriented Development Planning program permanent to support projects near new fixed guideway capital projects.

Mandates that recipients of urbanized area formula grants spend at least 1% of their funds on crime prevention and security, and at least 1% on projects that meet or exceed ADA requirements.

Establishes the 'All stations accessibility program,' a competitive grant program to help upgrade older rail transit stations to meet or exceed Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards.

Repeals the Electric or Low-Emitting Ferry Pilot Program and the Ferry Service for Rural Communities program previously established under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

Creates a new program allowing states to consolidate several federal transit formula grants into a single block grant, providing greater flexibility in funding local transit projects.

Renames "small start" transit projects to "streamlined start" and raises the maximum project cost to less than $1,000,000,000, with federal assistance at 50% or less of that amount.

Redefines core capacity improvement projects to include those increasing capacity by at least 10% or reducing passenger travel time, and lists eligible activities like double tracking and electrification.

Permits applicants for Capital Investment Grants to use alternative project delivery methods, such as design-build and construction manager-at-risk, for project design and construction.

Makes the expedited project delivery for capital investment grants program permanent, removing its 'pilot' status, and modifies its requirements, including increasing the maximum federal share to 40%.

Establishes a program that apportions 1% of rural formula grant funds equally among the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands.

Requires testing for automated driving systems on new buses and establishes a 'pass/fail' standard that bus models must meet to be eligible for federal funding.

Requires transit agencies, to the maximum extent practicable, to use performance-based specifications focusing on function and reliability when procuring new buses.

Amends the grants program for buses and bus facilities to include ferries and establishes a new competitive grant program for passenger ferry projects.

Extends the authorization for capital and preventive maintenance grants for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority through fiscal year 2031.

Requires the Comptroller General to assess Americans with Disabilities Act compliant paratransit software to improve service efficiency, access, and cybersecurity for riders.

Requires new motorcoaches to have a minimally obstructed forward-facing view from the driver's seat, potentially using cameras or other technology to achieve this.

Amends and extends the state-level and national motor vehicle per-mile user fee pilot programs through fiscal year 2031 to test alternative revenue mechanisms for the Highway Trust Fund.

Requires the Secretary to prioritize projects that address bottlenecks on the National Multimodal Freight Network and mandates a triennial redesignation of the network.

Establishes a grant program to provide funding and technical assistance for transportation projects and planning related to hosting major international sporting events like the Olympics and World Cup.

Extends the authorization for the National Infrastructure Project Assistance grant program through 2031 and amends project eligibility and selection criteria.

Expands eligibility for local transportation project grants to include qualified opportunity zones and requires construction to begin within 18 months of grant selection.

Extends the Rural and Tribal Infrastructure Advancement Pilot Program, which provides technical assistance for infrastructure projects, from 2026 to 2031.

Authorizes appropriations for fiscal years 2027 through 2031 for Amtrak, the Federal Railroad Administration, and various competitive rail grant programs.

Expands eligibility for Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements grants to include lessees of federally-owned transportation hubs, institutions of higher education, and law enforcement agencies.

Allows nonprofit organizations specializing in rail safety advocacy and education to be eligible for grants under the Railroad Crossing Safety Improvements and Elimination Program.

Establishes operating assistance grants to restore, enhance, or initiate intercity passenger rail service, with federal cost-sharing declining over a five-year period.

Updates the rail corridor development program with new planning requirements and financial review processes, and prohibits new corridor selections after October 1, 2031.

Creates a new program to provide grants for repairing or replacing rail infrastructure and equipment damaged by natural disasters or other emergencies, with a federal cost share of up to 80%.

Requires Amtrak to implement recommendations from a 2026 Inspector General report on asset management to address its state of good repair backlog within two years.

Requires new passenger rail trains owned and operated by Amtrak to have a baby changing table in at least one restroom in each car.

Authorizes the Secretary of Transportation to enter into agreements with interstate rail compacts to establish, manage, and finance multistate equipment pools.

Establishes a working group to assess the California High-Speed Rail project and prohibits new federal grants to the project until the group submits its report.

Requires the Secretary of Transportation to examine and evaluate the feasibility of establishing or expanding intercity passenger rail services, considering specific routes across the United States.

Directs the Comptroller General to study the benefits and obstacles of providing commuter rail passenger transportation without transfers, including a specific analysis of the New Jersey Transit Raritan Valley line.

Requires updated rail bridge inspection reports to ensure they meet safety standards and establishes a public system for governmental entities to report safety concerns about railroad bridges.

Establishes a competitive grant pilot program for eligible entities to acquire rail technology systems and assets to improve safety, efficiency, reduce cargo theft, and monitor network fluidity.

Allows the Secretary of Transportation to use data from the blocked crossing portal to evaluate and prioritize grant projects aimed at reducing such incidents, especially where emergency services are delayed.

Directs the Comptroller General to assess the safety standards for 'excepted track,' which has lower safety requirements, including its impact on supply chains and the movement of hazardous materials.

Mandates the Secretary of Transportation to review the safety and effectiveness of various computerized train-dispatching systems used by railroads and report the findings to Congress.

Amends the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to extend a safety reporting requirement through December 31, 2032.

Allows the Secretary of Transportation to grant pre-award authority for certain rail grants, enabling reimbursement for costs incurred before an award is finalized.

Authorizes reimbursement for the acquisition of real property interests for rail projects before the completion of environmental reviews.

Authorizes the Secretary to provide technical assistance to eligible applicants for various rail grant programs to improve project development and grant applications.

Allows certain federal grant funds to pay for the credit risk premiums of Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing (RRIF) direct loans and coordinates the application process.

Establishes an alternative pathway for assessing the creditworthiness of RRIF loan applicants, allowing consideration of project capital structure and analyses from qualified financial institutions.

Mandates that by December 31, 2028, all railroad tank cars used for certain flammable liquids must meet or exceed DOT–117 specifications.

Prohibits the Department of Transportation from procuring or funding projects that use LiDAR technology produced by certain foreign companies or in covered foreign countries, with waiver provisions.

Allows the Secretary to increase a project's economic development rating if the applicant shows enacted local policies that promote housing development near transit facilities.

Guarantees that any Indian tribe receiving a formula grant for rural areas will receive no less than 0.05% of the total amount apportioned for the tribal transit program.

Beginning in 2028, requires transit agencies with inaccessible rail stations to spend 3-5% of their urbanized area formula grant funding on projects to improve accessibility for persons with disabilities.

Requires covered establishments like shippers, receivers, and warehouses to grant commercial motor vehicle drivers access to their restroom facilities while delivering or waiting for cargo.

Makes projects that improve access to Department of Veterans Affairs facilities and other veteran service locations eligible for grants for seniors and individuals with disabilities.

Requires the development of an action plan to identify and address barriers for veterans seeking employment in the supply chain industry.

Redesignates the portion of United States Highway 75 between President George Bush Turnpike and United States Highway 380 as the 'U.S. Congressman and Prisoner of War Sam Johnson Memorial Highway'.

Designates Newark Penn Station in Newark, New Jersey, as the 'Donald M. Payne, Jr. Transit Center at Newark Penn Station'.