Sponsor
Hillary Scholten
Representative · D-MI
Representative · D-MI
The bill speeds and simplifies access to and administration of federal transit funds for state and local recipients, trading off stronger environmental/historic reviews and some federal oversight and fiscal safeguards.
State and local transit agencies (including rural and small urban areas) receive FTA formula apportionments earlier (by December 1), speeding access to transit funds within the fiscal year.
Local and state transit agencies (especially bus operators) have more time to obligate funds because bus formula fund availability is extended from 3 to 5 fiscal years, reducing pressure on project timing and allowing better-planned capital investments.
Recipients can retain small residual proceeds from asset sales for use on capital projects under §§5307/5310/5311, reducing administrative disposal burdens and enabling use of minor funds for local needs.
Local communities and tribal residents face increased risk that environmental or cultural impacts will be missed or inadequately assessed because the bill reduces environmental documentation for categorical exclusions.
Historic properties and tribal cultural resources may receive weaker protection because earlier but voluntary SHPO consultation and reduced documentation could lower scrutiny of impacts.
Narrowing triennial reviews and capping random sampling could reduce federal oversight coverage, increasing the chance that compliance problems go undetected (affecting fiscal stewardship and service reliability).
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Speeds formula apportionments, extends bus fund availability, allows limited reuse of small asset-sale proceeds, reduces some environmental review paperwork, and narrows FTA review scope.
Official title: To amend chapter 53 of title 49, United States Code, to maximize value of taxpayer dollars by providing regulatory relief for transit agencies, and for other purposes.
Introduced May 14, 2026 by Hillary Scholten · Last progress May 14, 2026
Makes changes to federal transit law to speed and simplify how transit formula funds are allocated and managed. It requires faster apportionments for certain formula programs, extends the time recipients have to spend some bus grant funds, permits limited reuse of small proceeds from asset sales for capital projects, reduces certain environmental and cultural-resource paperwork, and narrows and limits parts of FTA's triennial review process. Also directs the Secretary of Transportation to review and consolidate FTA discretionary grant reporting requirements and to implement changes within one year to reduce duplicative reporting and streamline oversight.