Promoting Advancement Through Transit Help to College Act or the PATH to College Act
This bill authorizes Department of Transportation (DOT) grants for improving transit connections for students at institutions of higher education.
Specifically, grants must be used for projects such as (1) adding transit stops that serve campuses and connect to surrounding areas or other cities, (2) increasing the frequency of service or adjusting the transit time to allow students to get to and from their classes, or (3) providing for service operating costs. DOT may award the grants to partnerships of public transit providers and one or more community colleges, historically Black colleges and universities, tribal colleges and universities, or other minority-serving institutions.
[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3411 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3411
To increase access to higher education by providing public transit
grants.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 17, 2023
Mr. Fitzpatrick (for himself, Mr. Kilmer, Mr. Kean of New Jersey, and
Ms. Wilson of Florida) introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To increase access to higher education by providing public transit
grants.
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 ``Promoting Advancement Through
Transit Help to College Act'' or the ``PATH to College Act''.
SEC. 2. INCREASING ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION THROUGH PUBLIC TRANSIT
GRANTS.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Eligible institution.--The term ``eligible
institution'' means--
(A) a community college;
(B) a historically Black college or university;
(C) a Tribal College or University (as defined in
section 316 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1059c)); or
(D) a minority-serving institution.
(2) Eligible recipient.--The term ``eligible recipient''
means a public transit provider that is an eligible recipient
under chapter 53 of title 49, United States Code, in
partnership with 1 or more eligible institutions.
(3) Historically black college or university.--The term
``historically Black college or university'' has the meaning
given the term ``part B institution'' in section 322 of the
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061).
(4) Minority-serving institution.--The term ``minority-
serving institution'' means an eligible institution under
section 371 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1067q).
(5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Transportation.
(b) In General.--The Secretary may make grants under this section
to eligible recipients to enable those eligible recipients to carry out
projects described in subsection (c) to better connect students with
transportation to eligible institutions.
(c) Eligible Projects.--An eligible recipient receiving a grant
under this section shall use grant funds to carry out one or more of
the following activities to better connect students with transportation
to one or more of the eligible institutions that are part of the
eligible recipient partnership:
(1) Adding bus or rail stops or routes and complementary
paratransit service that serve campuses and connect to
surrounding areas or other cities.
(2) Increasing the frequency of service or adjusting the
time of bus, rail, or paratransit routes to allow students to
get to and from their classes.
(3) Operating costs for service described in paragraphs (1)
and (2) if such costs are eligible under section 5307 or
section 5311 of title 49, United States Code.
(d) Application.--
(1) In general.--An eligible recipient that desires a grant
under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary
at such time, in such manner, and containing such information
as the Secretary may require, including information on the
extent to which the proposed projects using grant funds will
improve the availability of transit access for students.
(2) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the
Secretary shall give priority to an eligible recipient whose
partnership includes an eligible institution with respect to
which more than 25 percent of students enrolled in that
eligible institution receive a Federal Pell Grant.
(e) Federal Share.--
(1) Capital project.--Except as provided in section 5323(i)
of title 49, United States Code, the Federal share of the net
project cost of a capital project carried out using a grant
under this section shall be not more than 80 percent.
(2) Operating costs.--The Federal share of net operating
costs for a project carried out using a grant under this
section shall be not more than 50 percent.
(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section--
(1) $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2025;
(2) $4,000,000 for fiscal year 2026;
(3) $6,000,000 for fiscal year 2027;
(4) $8,000,000 for fiscal year 2028; and
(5) $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2029 through 2031.
<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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