Summary#
This bill, titled the BUILD America 250 Act, updates many federal programs that pay for roads, bridges, public transit, railroads, safety, and related projects. It sets funding levels for many programs for fiscal years 2027–2031, creates new and revised grant programs, and changes how some projects are planned and approved. The bill adds rules or studies on topics such as vehicle registration fees for some electric vehicles, disadvantaged business enterprise procedures, environmental review streamlining, project delivery pilot programs, and new rules for automated driving systems on commercial trucks and for rail safety. It also includes many technical and organizational changes across transportation law and creates or continues many working groups and studies.
What it means for you#
- More money could be available in 2027–2031 for bridges, highways, transit, and rail projects that affect local construction, travel, and transit service in many places.
- The bill authorizes new competitive grant programs and changes how some funds may be awarded; local, State, Tribal, and nonprofit organizations can apply for many of those grants.
- New rules and studies may change project timelines and permitting processes (for example, steps intended to speed environmental reviews and allow some pre-award work).
- The bill includes a registration fee requirement for certain electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles and the text sets amounts to be collected by State motor vehicle departments.
- Rail and transit riders and workers may see safety-related actions: more safety reporting, inspections, and new equipment or training grants.
Expenses#
This Act specifies many annual authorizations and pilot funding amounts for fiscal years 2027 through 2031. Examples taken from the bill text include:
- Federal-aid highway and related programs (selected programs) authorized at roughly $56.9 billion for FY2027, increasing in later years (detailed program-by-program amounts are listed in the bill).
- Bridge program (state apportionment) authorized at $9,200,000,000 for each of FY2027 through FY2031.
- Select highway safety, research, and pilot program authorizations (multiple line items across the bill) for FY2027–FY2031.
- Transit authorizations from the Mass Transit Account: $16,868,000,000 for FY2027, rising to $18,157,000,000 for FY2031 (multiple transit programs are itemized in the bill).
- Capital Investment Grants (fixed-guideway) authorized at $3,000,000,000 per year for FY2027–FY2031.
- Amtrak grants: amounts for the Northeast Corridor and National Network are authorized each year (e.g., $1,950,000,000 for NEC and $3,900,000,000 for National Network in FY2027; the bill lists annual amounts through FY2031).
- Several targeted program authorizations and set-asides (wildlife crossings, truck parking pilots, safe streets grants, surface transportation accelerator grants, railway safety grants, hazardous materials program funds, and others) are set out for FY2027–FY2031.
- The bill establishes a vehicle registration fee for owner of a “covered electric vehicle” of $130 per year and $35 per year for certain plug-in hybrids (the bill text sets these amounts and specifies collection and remittance rules).
For full budget detail, the bill text lists many program-by-program dollar amounts and multi-year schedules.
Proponents' View#
- The bill text frames these actions as renewing and expanding long-term investments for the nation’s 250th anniversary, aiming to fund bridges, highways, transit, and rail, and to improve safety, resilience, and project delivery.
- The text includes findings and directives to support disadvantaged business enterprises, workforce development, and updates to construction and contracting practices.
- The bill promotes modernization and technology deployment (for example, intelligent transportation systems, digital project tools, and pilots for automated driving and freight data sharing) and directs studies and pilot programs to guide future decisions.
Opponents' View#
No publicly available information.