Sponsors (11)
The bill provides substantial, multi‑year federal support and permanent grants to expand ferry service and speed adoption of low‑emission vessels—benefiting urban and rural transit—while increasing federal spending, reducing some targeted low‑emission funding and program flexibility, and introducing a drafting ambiguity that could delay implementation.
Rural communities and state ferry operators gain predictable, expanded federal support — $160M–$168M (FY2027–FY2031) plus a $300M/year rural ferry pool — and access to competitive grants for essential ferry service to build, operate, and maintain vessels and terminals.
Urban communities and transit agencies receive a dedicated $200M/year (FY2027–FY2031) for passenger ferry grants, expanding transit choices and offering congestion‑relief alternatives.
Ferry operators and the public benefit from converting the electric/low‑emitting ferry pilot into a permanent grant program, promoting longer‑term adoption of low‑emission vessels and cleaner transit fleets.
Taxpayers face new multi‑year federal spending commitments (hundreds of millions annually), which could increase deficits or crowd out other federal priorities.
Lowering the dedicated electric/low‑emitting grant proviso from $50M to $40M per year reduces available funding for decarbonization projects, potentially slowing adoption of low‑emission vessels.
A requirement that at least 80% of funds go to certain eligible services limits flexibility, restricting funding for other worthy ferry projects that fall outside that narrow eligibility.
Based on analysis of 6 sections of legislative text.
Makes an IIJA ferry pilot permanent, creates a rural ferry program, and authorizes multi‑year funding for ferry construction and urban passenger ferry grants (FY2027–FY2031).
Official title: To amend titles 23 and 49, United States Code, to codify and amend certain grant programs under which the Secretary of Transportation may issue grants for use in the provision of passenger ferry services, and for other purposes.
Introduced March 3, 2026 by Emily Randall · Last progress March 3, 2026
Authorizes and consolidates federal grant programs to support ferry construction, terminals, and passenger ferry service and turns a temporary electric/low‑emission ferry pilot into a permanent grant program with expanded eligibility. It sets multi‑year authorized funding levels for ferry construction and creates a new rural communities ferry grant program while updating existing urban transit ferry authorities. Changes include specific annual authorization amounts for fiscal years 2027–2031 for construction and an annual urban passenger ferry grant authorization, revisions to eligibility and allocation rules, and an appropriations title clause establishing that sums are authorized and may be made available under later provisions.