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Amends 49 U.S.C. 5338(a) by replacing specified dollar amounts in paragraph (1)(E) and paragraph (2)(L), and by inserting additional text after paragraph (2)(L) (insertion text not included in excerpt).
Adds a new subsection (g) titled 'Public transportation resilience improvement grants' authorizing grants, definitions, eligible activities, apportionment rules, and reporting requirements; and makes a conforming amendment replacing each place 'section 5337' appears with 'section 5338(a)(2)(L)'.
Redesignates paragraphs (17) through (25) as paragraphs (18) through (26), and inserts a new paragraph (17) defining the term 'Resilience improvement' by reference to section 176(a) of title 23.
Creates a new Federal grant program to help public transit systems pay for climate and disaster resilience projects. It defines key terms (including "resilience improvement," "environmental justice community," and "underserved community"), lists eligible resilience activities (flood mitigation, backup power, detection systems, equipment replacement, vulnerability assessments, planning, etc.), sets an apportionment formula for distributing funds, and requires annual reporting to Congress about projects and funding. The bill also updates related statutory funding figures in a separate provision.
Redesignate existing paragraphs (17) through (25) of Section 5302 of title 49, United States Code, as paragraphs (18) through (26), respectively.
Insert a new paragraph (17) after paragraph (16) in Section 5302 of title 49, U.S.C., defining the term “resilience improvement” to have the meaning given in section 176(a) of title 23.
Adds a new subsection (g), titled "Public transportation resilience improvement grants," to section 5337 of title 49, United States Code. This creates the statutory basis for the grant program.
Defines "environmental justice community" as a community with significant representation of communities of color, low-income communities, or Tribal and indigenous communities that experiences or is at risk of higher or more adverse human health or environmental effects.
Defines "EJSCREEN" as the Environmental Protection Agency's environmental justice mapping and screening tool, and "EJ Index" as the Environmental Justice Indexes in EJSCREEN.
Primary affected parties are public transit agencies and authorities that operate and maintain rail, bus, ferry, and other public transportation assets. Those agencies can apply for grants to finance capital improvements (e.g., floodproofing, equipment elevation, backup power), purchase detection or monitoring systems, and conduct vulnerability assessments and resilience planning. Environmental justice and underserved communities are explicitly considered, so projects that protect transit-dependent populations and disadvantaged neighborhoods are prioritized or tracked, potentially improving service reliability and safety for riders who have fewer travel alternatives. Local and State governments that partner with transit agencies will be involved in project selection, implementation, and matching/administrative requirements. The Department of Transportation will incur administrative responsibilities for program setup, grant evaluation, award oversight, and annual reporting to Congress. The law updates related statutory funding language but does not itself appropriate funds; actual funding levels and timelines will depend on future appropriations or existing program balances. Administrative burden includes application processes, grant compliance, reporting on EJ/underserved community impacts, and delivering capital projects that meet resilience standards.
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
Introduced July 16, 2025 by Kirsten Gillibrand · Last progress July 16, 2025
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
Introduced in Senate