During national Infrastructure Week this May, the National League of Cities (NLC) was glad to see local transportation priorities advance in the House with the introduction of the BUILD America 250 Act (H.R. 8870). The BUILD America 250 Act is a bipartisan, five-year $580 billion renewal proposal in roads, bridges, transit, rail and safety programs during America’s 250th anniversary. This bill significantly maintains the gains for local governments from the five-year programs started in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).
Most notably, the House bill makes a historic investment in local bridges with 25 percent of all bridge funds going to local bridges. The bill renews the Safe Streets program for local safety projects that are saving lives, and it maintains access for local governments to competitive grants with multiple programs. The bill incorporates key provisions from the Railway Safety Act to respond to the long-standing call for action after the Norfolk Southern derailment in Ohio. It also increases flexible transportation formula funding through the Surface Transportation Block Grant program to $74.7 billion as well as the $2.8 billion Metropolitan Planning program that supports regional transportation goals.
However, as with all legislation, there are areas of the bill that raise concerns, such as the inclusion of a pilot to increase the size and weight of large trucks that can damage infrastructure that is not built to withstand it. Additionally, some programs are not quite up to IIJA levels, including Safe Streets, transit and rail programs, among others. A state-consolidated pilot is proposed that would eliminate the transportation alternatives funding in up to ten states. Both the Carbon Reduction Program and Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation (PROTECT) formula programs were eliminated, yet PROTECT discretionary funding was spared.
Selected Funding Levels for BUILD America 250 Act
- Surface Transportation Block Grant Program (STBG), $74.7 billion
- Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ), $15 billion
- Transportation Alternatives Program, $8.3 billion
- Safe Streets and Roads for All Program, $3.75 billion
- Surface Transportation Accelerator Grant Program (STAG), $12 billion (proxy for BUILD/RAISE grants) with 50 percent for local and regional, 25 percent for rural and 25 percent for urban grants (population of not less than 50,000)
- Metropolitan Planning, $2.8 billion
- Highway Safety Improvement Program, $17.49 billion
- National Highway Performance Program, $166 billion
- Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) program, $6 billion*
- PROTECT Grant Program, $500 million annually
- Mega Grant Program (freight/multimodal), $10 billion*
- Capital Investment Grants (CIG) program, $15 billion*
- Rail programs under the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), $64.7 billion*
How the Bill Moves Forward
Due to the election year schedule that often puts Congress in District during August and October, the House will be racing the Congressional clock with no more than 40 in-session workdays left this year. The BUILD America 250 Act will need input from several Committees, as well as House leadership and Rules action, to move to the floor for a final House vote. The Senate still does not have a bill in play by any of the three key Committees — Environment and Public Works, Commerce or Banking. However, the BUILD America 250 Act markup is a substantial step toward a long-term authorization as a bipartisan bill that could create momentum for Congress clearing their Sept. 30 deadline.
What Congress Needs to Hear from Local Governments
Now is a good time to reach out to your Member of Congress and their transportation staff to ensure that your communities’ transportation priorities are known. If you want to send a infrastructure support letter to Congress quickly, you can use NLC’s letter template.
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