Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
Amends 49 U.S.C. 5323 to allow transit recipients to use Federal transit assistance to make advance payments on bus rolling stock without requiring the transit vehicle manufacturer to obtain a performance bond or similar financial arrangement. Recipients may make advance payments only if they have a signed purchase order and executed contract with advance payment provisions, preaward authority, and have met subsection (m) and section 5318(e) requirements.
Progressives highlight removal of performance bond as taxpayer risk
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill is a narrowly targeted administrative amendment that clearly defines limited operational conditions for advance payments on bus rolling stock and ties those conditions to existing statutory provisions.
Amends 49 U.S.C. 5323 to allow transit recipients to use Federal transit assistance to make advance payments on bus rolling stock without requiring the transit vehicle manufacturer to obtain a performance bond or similar financial arrangement.
Recipients may make advance payments only if they have a signed purchase order and executed contract with advance payment provisions, preaward authority, and have met subsection (m) and section 5318(e) requirements.
Advanced payments are capped at 20 percent of the total purchase order value.
Low-controversy, technical change with modest fiscal impact; most likely enacted if included in larger transportation reauthorization or package.
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill is a narrowly targeted administrative amendment that clearly defines limited operational conditions for advance payments on bus rolling stock and ties those conditions to existing statutory provisions. It specifies a concrete cap and preconditions but leaves procedural, definitional, fiscal, and enforcement details largely to existing authorities or left unspecified in the text.
Progressives highlight removal of performance bond as taxpayer risk
These are examples from the analysis, not a ranked list of the most-affected groups.
Progressives highlight removal of performance bond as taxpayer risk
Views the proposal as a modest procurement flexibility that could help agencies acquire buses faster, but is cautious because it removes the manufacturer performance bond requirement.
Concerned about reduced financial safeguards for public funds unless strong alternative protections are enforced.
Sees potential environmental benefits from faster fleet turnover, but wants accountability guarantees.
Sees the bill as a pragmatic balance between flexibility and risk management because it permits advance payments but conditions them and caps them at 20 percent.
Wants clear FTA guidance and oversight to limit taxpayer risk and ensure consistent implementation.
Views it as reasonable if accompanied by reporting and monitoring.
Favors reduced regulatory barriers and increased local procurement discretion; views removal of bond requirement as a sensible deregulatory step that lowers transaction costs.
Appreciates the 20 percent cap as a guardrail but expects recipients to manage risk locally.
Prefers limited federal micromanagement.
Reached or meaningfully advanced
Reached or meaningfully advanced
Still ahead
Still ahead
Still ahead
Low-controversy, technical change with modest fiscal impact; most likely enacted if included in larger transportation reauthorization or package.
The bill has not accumulated any surfaced votes yet.
Progressives highlight removal of performance bond as taxpayer risk
Low-controversy, technical change with modest fiscal impact; most likely enacted if included in larger transportation reauthorization or pa…
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill is a narrowly targeted administrative amendment that clearly defines limited operational conditions for advance payments on bus rolling stock and ties those condition…
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