Revitalize Rural America Act of 2018
This bill requires the Department of Transportation to establish a Revitalize Rural America Grant Program to facilitate infrastructure projects in rural areas. Priority must be given to projects for which nonfederal contributions exceed 25% of the costs of the project and projects in an area with an unemployment rate that exceeds the national average.
The bill requires that the set-aside of funds for states under the surface transportation block grant program be used for the Revitalize Rural America Grant Program.
[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5016 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
115th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5016
To direct the Secretary of Transportation to establish a Revitalize
Rural America Grant Program, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 14, 2018
Mr. Abraham introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the
Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Transportation to establish a Revitalize
Rural America Grant Program, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Revitalize Rural America Act of
2018''.
SEC. 2. REVITALIZE RURAL AMERICA GRANT PROGRAM.
(a) Establishment.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 120 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall
establish a Revitalize Rural America Grant Program (in this
section referred to as the ``Program'') to facilitate
infrastructure projects in rural areas.
(2) Goals.--The goals of the Program shall be to--
(A) generate regional and national economic
benefits;
(B) improve the safety, efficiency, and reliability
of the movement of people, commodities, and goods;
(C) reduce highway congestion and bottlenecks;
(D) improve connectivity between modes of
transportation;
(E) enhance the resiliency of critical
infrastructure;
(F) improve infrastructure vital to national energy
and food security;
(G) increase access to reliable high-speed
internet; and
(H) improve the health and vitality of rural
communities.
(b) Grant Authority.--
(1) In general.--In carrying out the Program, the Secretary
may make grants, on a competitive basis, to public and private
entities in accordance with this section.
(2) Limitations.--
(A) Location.--The Secretary may only make a grant
under the Program for a project carried out in a rural
area (as such term is defined in section 117(i)(3) of
title 23, United States Code).
(B) Amount.--The aggregate amount of grant funding
that the Secretary may provide under the Program for an
individual project may not exceed $40,000,000.
(c) Applications.--To be eligible for a grant under the Program an
entity shall submit to the Secretary an application in such form, at
such time, and containing such information as the Secretary determines
is appropriate.
(d) Eligible Projects.--The Secretary may make a grant under the
Program for a project that is--
(1) a highway or bridge project carried out on the National
Highway System;
(2) a highway freight project carried out on the National
Highway Freight Network established under section 167 of title
23, United States Code;
(3) a drinking water or wastewater project;
(4) a telecommunications project;
(5) a project for flood control or waterborne navigation;
or
(6) a project related to the electric grid.
(e) Eligible Project Costs.--Grant amounts received for a project
under the Program may be used for--
(1) development phase activities, including planning,
feasibility analysis, revenue forecasting, environmental
review, preliminary engineering and design work, and other
preconstruction activities; and
(2) construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation,
acquisition of real property (including land related to the
project and improvements to the land), environmental
mitigation, construction contingencies, acquisition of
equipment, and operational improvements directly related to
improving system performance.
(f) Project Requirements.--The Secretary may select a project for
funding under the Program only if the Secretary determines that--
(1) the project will generate national and regional
economic, mobility, or safety benefits;
(2) the project will be cost effective and have a
measurable return on investment;
(3) the project will contribute to the accomplishment of
one or more of the goals described under subsection (a)(2);
(4) the project is based on the results of preliminary
engineering;
(5) with respect to related non-Federal financial
commitments--
(A) one or more stable and dependable sources of
funding and financing are available to construct,
maintain, and operate the project; and
(B) contingency amounts are available to cover
unanticipated cost increases;
(6) the project cannot be easily and efficiently completed
without Federal funding or financial assistance available to
the project sponsor; and
(7) the project is reasonably expected to begin
construction not later than 18 months after the date of
obligation of funds for the project.
(g) Priority Consideration.--In making a grant under the Program,
the Secretary shall give priority to--
(1) a project for which non-Federal contributions exceed 25
percent of the costs of the project; and
(2) a project in an area with an unemployment rate that
exceeds the national average.
(h) Federal Share.--
(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), the
Federal share of the cost of a project assisted with a grant
under the Program may not exceed 75 percent.
(2) Maximum federal involvement.--Federal assistance other
than a grant under the Program may be used to satisfy the non-
Federal share of the cost of a project for which such a grant
is made, except that the total Federal assistance provided for
a project receiving a grant under the Program may not exceed 80
percent of the total project cost.
(i) Consultation.--In carrying out the Program, the Secretary shall
consult with the heads of other Federal departments and agencies as
appropriate.
(j) Congressional Notification.--
(1) Notification.--
(A) Requirement.--At least 60 days before making a
grant for a project under the Program, the Secretary
shall notify, in writing, the Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure, the Committee on
Agriculture, and the Committee on Energy and Commerce
of the House of Representatives and the Committee on
Environment and Public Works, the Committee on
Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, and the Committee
on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate
of the proposed grant.
(B) Contents.--A notification under subparagraph
(A) shall include an evaluation and justification for
the relevant project and the amount of the proposed
grant award.
(2) Congressional disapproval.--The Secretary may not make
a grant or any other obligation or commitment to fund a project
under the Program if a joint resolution is enacted disapproving
funding for the project before the last day of the 60-day
period described in paragraph (1).
(k) Reports.--
(1) Annual report.--The Secretary shall make available on
the website of the Department of Transportation at the end of
each fiscal year an annual report that lists each project for
which a grant has been provided under the Program during that
fiscal year.
(2) Comptroller general.--
(A) Assessment.--The Comptroller General of the
United States shall conduct an assessment of the
administrative establishment, solicitation, selection,
and justification process with respect to grants under
the Program.
(B) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the
initial awarding of grants under the Program, the
Comptroller General shall submit to the Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure, the Committee on
Agriculture, and the Committee on Energy and Commerce
of the House of Representatives and the Committee on
Environment and Public Works, the Committee on
Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, and the Committee
on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate
a report that describes--
(i) the adequacy and fairness of the
process by which each project selected for a
grant under the Program was selected; and
(ii) the justification and criteria used
for the selection of each such project.
SEC. 3. SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM.
(a) STP Set-Aside.--Section 133(h) of title 23, United States Code,
is amended--
(1) by striking paragraphs (2) through (7); and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(2) Use of funds.--Funds reserved under paragraph (1)
shall be used by the Secretary to carry out and make grants
under the Revitalize Rural America Grant Program.''.
(b) Treatment of Projects.--Section 133(i) of title 23, United
States Code, is amended by striking ``(excluding those carried out
under subsection (h)(5))''.
SEC. 4. ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR REVITALIZE RURAL AMERICA GRANT PROGRAM.
(a) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out the Revitalize Rural America Grant Program
(established under section 2 of this Act) $1,301,785,760 for each of
fiscal years 2019 and 2020.
(b) Capital Investment Grants.--Section 5338(d) of title 49, United
States Code, is amended by striking ``through 2020'' and inserting
``through 2018 and $1,000,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 and
2020''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Environment.
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