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[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6451 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 6451
To direct the Secretary of Transportation to establish a pilot program
for grants to improve access to public transportation services for
veterans, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 4, 2025
Mr. Larsen of Washington introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Transportation to establish a pilot program
for grants to improve access to public transportation services for
veterans, 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 ``Veterans Access to Transit Act'' or
the ``VA Transit Act''.
SEC. 2. PILOT PROGRAM FOR GRANTS TO IMPROVE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
SERVICES FOR VETERANS.
(a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation, in consultation
with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, shall establish a pilot program
to award grants for the improvement of public transportation services
for veterans.
(b) Award of Grants.--
(1) In general.--In carrying out the pilot program, the
Secretary of Transportation may award grants to eligible
recipients for eligible public transportation projects.
(2) Equitable distribution.--The Secretary of
Transportation shall ensure that, to the extent practicable,
grants awarded under this section are equitably distributed
across geographic regions, including rural and Tribal
communities.
(3) Grant recipient requirements.--A grant under this
section shall be subject to the requirements of--
(A) section 5307 of title 49, United States Code,
for eligible recipients of grants made in urbanized
areas; and
(B) section 5311 of such title for eligible
recipients of grants made in rural areas.
(4) Allocation to subrecipients.--A recipient of a grant
under this section may allocate amounts provided under the
grant to a subrecipient.
(5) Locations.--The Secretary shall award grants under the
pilot program to eligible recipients at not fewer than 5
eligible locations.
(c) Grant Application.--An eligible recipient seeking the award of
a grant under this section shall submit to the Secretary of
Transportation an application in such form, in such manner, and
containing such commitments and information as the Secretary considers
necessary to carry out this section, including the following:
(1) A description of the public transportation services
that the eligible recipient intends to provide with such grant.
(2) A list of all sites to be served by such services,
including any sites that are facilities and organizations that
serve veterans.
(3) The frequency and hours of operation of such services.
(4) An estimate of the number of veterans that would use
such services.
(5) Evidence that the eligible recipient has the legal,
technical, and financial capacity to carry out the project
proposed to be carried out with such grant.
(d) Notification to Veterans.--Each recipient awarded a grant under
this section shall publicize and conduct outreach targeted to veterans
regarding the transportation services funded under this section.
(e) Termination.--The pilot program established under this section
shall terminate on the date that is 5 years after the date on which the
pilot program commences.
(f) Data Collection.--Not later than 90 days after the termination
date described in subsection (e), each recipient of a grant under this
section shall submit to the Secretary of Transportation a report
containing information on the projects carried out with such grant,
including--
(1) a description of the effects of expanded geographic
coverage, improved service quality, increased frequency, or
other activities funded with such grant on public
transportation services for veterans;
(2) a description of any accessibility improvements made as
a result of such projects;
(3) a description of changes in ridership due to such
projects, including estimates or data regarding both general
ridership and the number of veterans served;
(4) a description of the size and type of public
transportation vehicles used in services funded with a grant
awarded under this section;
(5) information on whether the use of facilities or
organizations that serve veterans has increased due to such
projects; and
(6) any other information the Secretary requires.
(g) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date on which the
reports required under subsection (f) are submitted, the Secretary of
Transportation shall submit to the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on
Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate, a report on the
results of the pilot program carried out under this section based on
the information provided in the reports required under subsection (f).
(h) Definitions.--In this section, the following definitions shall
apply:
(1) Eligible recipient.--The term ``eligible recipient''
means--
(A) a State or local governmental entity; and
(B) a Tribe or Tribal governmental entity.
(2) Eligible location.--The term ``eligible location''
means--
(A) a rural area, as defined in section 5302 of
title 49, United States Code; or
(B) an urbanized area, as defined in section 5302
of title 49, United States Code, that has a population
of fewer than 200,000 individuals.
(3) Eligible transportation project.--The term ``eligible
transportation project'' means--
(A) a project planned, designed, and carried out to
expand, modify, retain, or establish public
transportation services that provide veterans access to
locations of facilities or organizations that serve
veterans that is--
(i) a capital project; or
(ii) a project to acquire such public
transportation services, including entering
into service agreements with private providers
of public transportation; or
(B) operating costs associated with such project.
(4) Facility or organization that serves veterans.--The
term ``facility or organization that serves veterans'' means--
(A) a facility of the Department of Veterans
Affairs;
(B) an organization or facility that provides
services to veterans using funds provided by the
Department of Veterans Affairs; and
(C) and organization or facility proven to serve a
significant number or percentage of the local
population of veterans.
(5) Net project cost.--The term ``net project cost'' has
the meaning given such term in section 5302 of title 49, United
States Code.
(6) Subrecipient.--The term ``subrecipient'' means a State
or local governmental authority, a private nonprofit
organization, or an operator of public transportation services.
<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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