More Opportunities for Rural Economies from DOT Grants Act or the MORE DOT Grants Act
This bill revises the process for awarding grants under certain programs of the Department of Transportation (DOT) to high-density public land counties and any units of tribal and local governments within such counties. A high-density public land county is a county that has a population of not more than 100,000 people and in which more than 50% of the land is owned or managed by the federal government.
Any requirement for local matching funds under a qualifying grant program must be reduced by 50% with respect to such jurisdictions.
On request, DOT must provide additional technical assistance to such jurisdictions during the annual application period for each qualifying grant program.
DOT must also prioritize grant applications from such jurisdictions that have not received support under the qualifying grant program during the 10-year period preceding the date of the application.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1778 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1778
To improve the process for awarding grants under certain programs of
the Department of Transportation to certain counties in which the
majority of land is owned or managed by the Federal Government and to
other units of local government and Tribal governments in those
counties, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 10, 2021
Mr. Stewart (for himself, Mr. Rosendale, Mr. Owens, Mr. Newhouse, Mr.
Gosar, and Ms. Herrell) introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To improve the process for awarding grants under certain programs of
the Department of Transportation to certain counties in which the
majority of land is owned or managed by the Federal Government and to
other units of local government and Tribal governments in those
counties, 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 ``More Opportunities for Rural
Economies from DOT Grants Act'' or the ``MORE DOT Grants Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) High-density public land county.--The term ``High-
Density Public Land County'' means a county (or equivalent
jurisdiction) of a State or territory of the United States--
(A) that has a population of not more than 100,000
people, according to the most recent annual estimates
of population by the Bureau of the Census; and
(B) in which more than 50 percent of the land is
owned or managed by the Federal Government.
(2) Qualifying grant program.--The term ``qualifying grant
program'' means--
(A) the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage
Development (BUILD) Transportation discretionary grant
program of the Department of Transportation;
(B) the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America
(INFRA) grant program of the Department of
Transportation;
(C) the public transportation innovation grant
program established under section 5312 of title 49,
United States Code;
(D) the public transportation safety program
established under section 5329 of title 49, United
States Code;
(E) the Federal lands access program under section
204 of title 23, United States Code;
(F) the airport improvement program established
under subchapter I of chapter 471 of title 49, United
States Code;
(G) the consolidated rail infrastructure and safety
improvements program under section 22907 of title 49,
United States Code; and
(H) any other discretionary grant program of the
Department of Transportation under which grants are
awarded to--
(i) counties;
(ii) other units of local government; or
(iii) Tribal governments.
(3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Transportation.
(4) Tribal government.--The term ``Tribal government''
means the recognized governing body of any Indian or Alaska
Native tribe, band, nation, pueblo, village, community,
component band, or component reservation, individually
identified (including parenthetically) in the list published
most recently as of the date of enactment of this Act pursuant
to section 104 of the Federally Recognized Indian Tribe List
Act of 1994 (25 U.S.C. 5131).
SEC. 3. GRANTS.
(a) Reduction in Local Matching Requirements.--Notwithstanding any
other provision of law, with respect to a High-Density Public Land
County and any unit of local government or Tribal government within a
High-Density Public Land County, any requirement for local matching
funds under a qualifying grant program shall be reduced by 50 percent.
(b) Technical Assistance.--On request of a High-Density Public Land
County or any unit of local government or Tribal government within a
High-Density Public Land County, the Secretary shall provide additional
technical assistance to the High-Density Public Land County, unit of
local government, or Tribal government before and during the annual
application period for each qualifying grant program.
(c) Priority.--
(1) Application approval.--In approving applications for a
qualifying grant program, the Secretary shall give priority to
an application from a High-Density Public Land County, unit of
local government within a High-Density Public Land County, or
Tribal government within a High-Density Public Land County that
has not received support under the qualifying grant program
during the 10-year period preceding the date of the
application.
(2) Technical assistance and other support.--In carrying
out subsections (b) and (e), the Secretary may give priority to
a Tribal government within a High-Density Public Land County.
(d) Special Consideration.--In approving applications for a
qualifying grant program, the Secretary--
(1) shall give special consideration to an application from
a High-Density Public Land County or unit of local government
within a High-Density Public Land County with respect to any
rural set-aside designated for the applicable qualifying grant
program by an Act of Congress; and
(2) may give special consideration to an application from a
Tribal government within a High-Density Public Land County with
respect to a rural set-aside described in paragraph (1).
(e) Other Support.--The Secretary may provide additional support,
as the Secretary determines to be appropriate, for a High-Density
Public Land County or a unit of local government or Tribal government
within a High-Density Public Land County, including by considering and,
if appropriate, offering flexibility with respect to any requirement
of, or barrier to applying for or receiving assistance under, a
qualifying grant program if the requirement or barrier relates to--
(1) scoring criteria relating to numerical size and impact,
such as the number of jobs created or the number of people
served, which disadvantage small and isolated communities;
(2) any requirement that an applicant for a qualifying
grant program partner with other institutions, such as
community colleges or foundations, which may not operate in the
jurisdiction of the High-Density Public Land County, unit of
local government, or Tribal government seeking assistance under
the qualifying grant program;
(3) any financial or cash-on-hand requirement that a High-
Density Public Land County or a unit of local government or
Tribal government within a High-Density Public Land County
cannot meet for reasons other than any financial constraints to
which the High-Density Public Land County, unit of local
government, or Tribal government is subject; or
(4) an overly complicated or overly technical application
for a qualifying grant program that deters High-Density Public
Land Counties or units of local government or Tribal
governments within High-Density Public Land Counties from
applying for the qualifying grant program.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials.
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