Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
This bill amends 23 U.S.C. §173 (rural surface transportation grant program) to adjust population definitions for eligible rural areas, add a new "small community" definition (outside urbanized areas, population 5,000 or less), and expand authorized purposes to include projects that generate economic growth or improve quality of life. It explicitly allows highway, road, bridge, or tunnel projects that benefit local economic development or quality of life.
Liberals worry about climate and environmental priorities versus road focus.
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill implements focused substantive changes to the rural surface transportation grant program by revising eligibility thresholds, defining 'small community', expanding eligible project types, capping the federal share for small-community projects, and establishing a 5% annual set-aside for small communities.
This bill amends 23 U.S.C. §173 (rural surface transportation grant program) to adjust population definitions for eligible rural areas, add a new "small community" definition (outside urbanized areas, population 5,000 or less), and expand authorized purposes to include projects that generate economic growth or improve quality of life.
It explicitly allows highway, road, bridge, or tunnel projects that benefit local economic development or quality of life.
The bill requires at least 5 percent of program funds be used for projects in small communities and sets the Federal share for small community projects to no more than 90 percent.
Content is narrow and non-controversial and would likely clear committee with bipartisan support, but standalone advancement and lack of funding offsets introduce procedural uncertainty.
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill implements focused substantive changes to the rural surface transportation grant program by revising eligibility thresholds, defining 'small community', expanding eligible project types, capping the federal share for small-community projects, and establishing a 5% annual set-aside for small communities. The statutory amendments are generally specific and integrate into the existing section, but the bill provides limited implementation detail beyond those statutory directives.
Liberals worry about climate and environmental priorities versus road focus.
These are examples from the analysis, not a ranked list of the most-affected groups.
Liberals worry about climate and environmental priorities versus road focus.
Generally supportive of directing federal resources to underserved rural communities, but cautious about road-focused investments and cost-sharing limits.
Supports the small-community set-aside, but worries about environmental impacts and whether the 90% federal cap burdens poor localities.
Likely favorable since the bill improves access for rural communities and clarifies eligible uses, while imposing modest local cost sharing.
Wants clarity on budget implications and program administration before full endorsement.
Generally supportive: advances rural infrastructure, supports traditional road and bridge projects, and preserves local cost-sharing by capping federal share at 90 percent.
Views set-aside as targeted help, while preferring limited federal expansion.
Reached or meaningfully advanced
Reached or meaningfully advanced
Still ahead
Still ahead
Still ahead
Content is narrow and non-controversial and would likely clear committee with bipartisan support, but standalone advancement and lack of funding offsets introduce procedural uncertainty.
The bill has not accumulated any surfaced votes yet.
Liberals worry about climate and environmental priorities versus road focus.
Content is narrow and non-controversial and would likely clear committee with bipartisan support, but standalone advancement and lack of fu…
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill implements focused substantive changes to the rural surface transportation grant program by revising eligibility thresholds, defining 'small community', expanding eli…
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