Support for Community Bridges Act
This bill sets aside a portion of Federal-aid highway funding for repairing structurally deficient bridges that are not part of the National Highway System and prescribes a formula to allocate this funding to states based on their share of such bridges.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3908 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3908
To amend title 23, United States Code, to provide for funding for off-
system bridges, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 15, 2021
Mr. Lamb (for himself and Mr. Fitzpatrick) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 23, United States Code, to provide for funding for off-
system bridges, 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 ``Support for Community Bridges Act''.
SEC. 2. OFF-SYSTEM BRIDGE PROGRAM.
(a) Definitions.--Section 101(a) of title 23, United States Code,
is amended--
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (17) through (34) as
paragraphs (18) through (35); and
(2) by inserting after paragraph (16) the following:
``(17) Off-system bridge.--The term `off-system bridge'
means a highway bridge located on a public road, other than a
bridge on a Federal-aid highway.''.
(b) Apportionment.--Section 104 of title 23, United States Code, is
amended--
(1) in subsection (b)--
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by
striking ``and to carry out section 134'' and inserting
``to carry out section 134, and for the off-system
bridge program under section 171'';
(B) in each of paragraphs (1), (2), and (3), by
striking ``and (6)'' and inserting ``(6), and (7)'';
(C) in paragraph (4), in the matter preceding
subparagraph (A), by striking ``set aside in accordance
with paragraph (5)'' and inserting ``set asides in
accordance with paragraphs (5) and (7)'';
(D) in paragraph (5)(A), by inserting ``after
making the set aside in accordance with paragraph
(7),'' after ``section 167,'';
(E) in paragraph (6), in the matter preceding
subparagraph (A), by striking ``set aside in accordance
with paragraph (5)'' and inserting ``set asides in
accordance with paragraphs (5) and (7)''; and
(F) by adding at the end the following:
``(7) Off-system bridge program.--
``(A) In general.--For the off-system bridge
program under section 171, the Secretary shall set
aside from the base apportionment determined for a
State under subsection (c) an amount determined for the
State under subparagraphs (B) and (C).
``(B) Total amount.--The total amount set aside for
the off-system bridge program for all States shall be
2.5 percent of the total amount made available to carry
out the programs described in this subsection for the
fiscal year.
``(C) State share.--
``(i) In general.--For each fiscal year,
the Secretary shall distribute among States the
total amount set aside under subparagraph (B)
so that each State receives an amount equal to
the sum of the amounts calculated for the State
under each of subclauses (I) and (II) of clause
(ii), subject to any adjustment under clause
(iii).
``(ii) Initial amounts.--
``(I) Bridges in poor condition.--
75 percent of the amount reserved under
subparagraph (B) shall be apportioned
so that each State receives an amount
equal to the proportion that--
``(aa) the total deck space
of off-system bridges in the
State that are in poor
condition, as determined by the
Secretary; bears to
``(bb) the total deck space
of off-system bridges in all
States that are in poor
condition, as determined by the
Secretary.
``(II) Bridges in other than poor
condition.--25 percent of the amount
reserved under subparagraph (B) shall
be apportioned so that each State
receives an amount equal to the
proportion that--
``(aa) the total deck space
of off-system bridges in the
State that are not in poor
condition, as determined by the
Secretary; bears to
``(bb) the total deck space
of off-system bridges in all
States that are not in poor
condition, as determined by the
Secretary.
``(iii) Adjustments to amounts.--
``(I) Definitions.--In this clause:
``(aa) Adjustment amount.--
The term `adjustment amount'
means the total amount needed
for all States that do not meet
the requirement under subclause
(II), based on the initial
calculation under clause (ii),
to meet that requirement.
``(bb) Increase in funds.--
The term `increase in funds',
with respect to a State, means
the amount, expressed as a
percentage, that--
``(AA) the State
would receive under
clause (ii); compared
to
``(BB) the amount
required to be
obligated by the State
for fiscal year 2021
for off-system bridges
under section 133(f)(2)
(as in effect on the
day before the date of
enactment of the
Support for Community
Bridges Act).
``(II) Adjustments.--The Secretary
shall adjust the initial amount
calculated for a State under clause
(ii) to ensure that each State receives
an amount that is not less than the
amount required to be obligated by the
State for fiscal year 2021 for off-
system bridges under section 133(f)(2)
(as in effect on the day before the
date of enactment of the Support for
Community Bridges Act).
``(III) Method.--
``(aa) Ranking.--Before
making adjustments under
subclause (II), the Secretary
shall rank each State in
descending order based on the
increase in funds for each
State.
``(bb) Reductions.--The
Secretary shall adjust amounts
under subclause (II) as
follows:
``(AA) By reducing
the adjustment amount
from the highest ranked
State under item (aa),
until the increase in
funds of that State is
equal to the increase
in funds of the next-
highest ranked State.
``(BB) If the
amount reduced under
subitem (AA) is less
than the full
adjustment amount, by
reducing the remainder
of the adjustment
amount from the next-
highest ranked State,
until the increase in
funds of that State is
equal to the increase
in funds of the next-
highest ranked State.
``(CC) By repeating
the process described
in subitem (BB) for
States in descending
order based on the
ranking under item (aa)
until the full
adjustment amount is
achieved.
``(DD) By
reallocating the
adjustment amount to
the States that do not
meet the requirement
under subclause (II),
based on the initial
calculation under
clause (ii), in order
to meet that
requirement.'';
(2) in subsection (c)(2), by striking ``and to carry out
section 134'' and inserting ``to carry out section 134, and for
the off-system bridge program under section 171''; and
(3) in subsection (i)(1), by striking ``and to carry out
section 134'' and inserting ``to carry out section 134, and for
the off-system bridge program under section 171''.
(c) Surface Transportation Block Grant Program.--Section 133(f) of
title 23, United States Code, is amended--
(1) by striking the subsection designation and heading and
all that follows through the period at the end of paragraph
(2)(B);
(2) by redesignating paragraph (3) as subsection (f) and
indenting appropriately; and
(3) by redesignating subparagraphs (A) and (B) as
paragraphs (1) and (2), respectively, and indenting
appropriately.
(d) Off-System Bridge Program.--
(1) In general.--Chapter 1 of title 23, United States Code,
is amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 171. Off-system bridge program
``(a) In General.--Subject to subsection (b), each State shall use
the amount apportioned to the State under section 104(b)(7) for each
fiscal year for the purpose of repairing and maintaining off-system
bridges.
``(b) Waiver.--The Secretary, after consultation with State and
local officials, may waive the requirement under subsection (a) with
respect to a State if the Secretary determines that the State has
inadequate needs to justify the expenditure.
``(c) Treatment of Projects.--Notwithstanding any other provision
of law, a project carried out under this section shall be treated as if
the project were on a Federal-aid highway.''.
(2) Clerical amendment.--The analysis for chapter 1 of
title 23, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end
the following:
``171. Off-system bridge 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.
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