A bill to amend title 49, United States Code, to allow for additional transportation assistance grants.

Summary: Expands the urbanized area formula grants program to include public transit projects in urbanized areas with specified population ranges if the state or regional authority that provides public transportation for the area operates less than 100 buses in fixed-route service in the area during peak service hours. Separates population categories by graduated increases of 200,000, starting with between 200,000 and 400,000, and capping at a minimum of 1 million.

Establishes certain grant use limits for the operating costs of public transportation equipment and facilities in such projects, beginning with 50% of grant funds for certain activities and declining gradually to 30% for certain other activities.

Revises grant eligibility requirements for FY2010-FY2015 for such projects in urbanized areas with a population of at least 200,000.

Authorizes the Secretary of Transportation, during FY2010-FY2015, to award an additional grant to a designated recipient for the operating cost of public transportation equipment and facilities under this Act if the recipient: (1) was awarded a grant under the Transit Investments for Greenhouse Gas and Energy Reduction (TIGGER) program; and (2) demonstrates that it has achieved specified energy savings and total greenhouse gas emission reduction as a result of a TIGGER grant project.

SECTION 1. EXPANSION OF TRANSIT OPERATING ASSISTANCE GRANT PROGRAM.

    Section 5307(b) of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (D), by striking ``of less than 
                200,000'' and inserting ``of--
                            ``(i) less than 200,000;
                            ``(ii) not less than 200,000, and less than 
                        400,000, if the State or regional authority 
                        providing public transportation for the area 
                        operates at least 100 buses in fixed-route 
                        service in the area during peak service hours;
                            ``(iii) not less than 400,000, and less 
                        than 600,000, if the State or regional 
                        authority providing public transportation for 
                        the area operates at least 100 buses in fixed-
                        route service in the area during peak service 
                        hours;
                            ``(iv) not less than 600,000, and less than 
                        800,000, if the State or regional authority 
                        providing public transportation for the area 
                        operates at least 100 buses in fixed-route 
                        service in the area during peak service hours;
                            ``(v) not less than 800,000, and less than 
                        1,000,000, if the State or regional authority 
                        providing public transportation for the area 
                        operates at least 100 buses in fixed-route 
                        service in the area during peak service hours; 
                        and
                            ``(vi) not less than 1,000,000, if the 
                        State or regional authority providing public 
                        transportation for the area operates at least 
                        100 buses in fixed-route service in the area 
                        during peak service hours;''.
            (2) in paragraph (2)--
                    (A) by striking subparagraphs (B) through (D); and
                    (B) by redesignating subparagraph (E) as 
                subparagraph (B);
            (3) by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (6); and
            (4) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following:
            ``(3) Limitations on use of funds.--A designated recipient 
        may use--
                    ``(A) not more than 50 percent of the funds made 
                available to the designated recipient under this 
                section for activities described in paragraph 
                (2)(D)(iii);
                    ``(B) not more than 45 percent of the funds made 
                available to the designated recipient under this 
                section for activities described in paragraph 
                (2)(D)(iv);
                    ``(C) not more than 40 percent of the funds made 
                available to the designated recipient under this 
                section for activities described in paragraph 
                (2)(D)(v);
                    ``(D) not more than 35 percent of the funds made 
                available to the designated recipient under this 
                section for activities described in paragraph 
                (2)(D)(vi); and
                    ``(E) not more than 30 percent of the funds made 
                available to the designated recipient under this 
                section for activities described in paragraph 
                (2)(D)(vii).
            ``(4) Conditional use of funds in an urbanized area with a 
        population of at least 200,000.--
                    ``(A) In general.--For each of fiscal years 2010 
                through 2015 and subject to subparagraph (B), a 
                designated recipient may use a percentage of the funds 
                made available to the designated recipient under this 
                section, in addition to the percentage described in 
                paragraph (3), to finance the operating costs of 
                equipment and facilities for use in public 
                transportation in an urbanized area with a population 
                of not less than 200,000.
                    ``(B) Operating cost.--To be eligible under 
                subparagraph (A), the designated recipient's percentage 
                of revenue for the operating cost of equipment and 
                facilities for use in public transportation from non-
                Federal sources (excluding farebox revenue) must be 
                greater than such revenue from the previous fiscal 
                year.
                    ``(C) Limitation.--The amount available for a grant 
                under this paragraph shall not exceed the percentage of 
                such increase.
            ``(5) TIGGER grant.--
                    ``(A) In general.--In addition to any other grant 
                under this section, the Secretary may award a grant, 
                from any funds that may be made available to carry out 
                this section for each of fiscal years 2010 through 
                2015, to a designated recipient for the operating cost 
                of equipment and facilities for use in public 
                transportation in an urbanized area with a population 
                of 200,000 or more, if the designated recipient--
                            ``(i) was awarded a grant under the Transit 
                        Investments for Greenhouse Gas and Energy 
                        Reduction program, established under the ninth 
                        proviso under the heading `transit capital 
                        assistance' under the heading `Federal Transit 
                        Administration' under the heading `DEPARTMENT 
                        OF TRANSPORTATION' of title XII of division A 
                        of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act 
                        of 2009 (Public Law 111-105; 123 Stat. 210); 
                        and
                            ``(ii) demonstrates that the designated 
                        recipient has achieved--
                                    ``(I) total energy savings of not 
                                less than 10 percent, as a result of a 
                                project funded using a grant under the 
                                Transit Investments for Greenhouse Gas 
                                and Energy Reduction program;
                                    ``(II) energy savings of not less 
                                than 10 percent, as a percentage of the 
                                total energy usage of the public 
                                transit agency, as a result of a 
                                project funded using a grant under the 
                                Transit Investments for Greenhouse Gas 
                                and Energy Reduction program; or
                                    ``(III) total greenhouse gas 
                                emission reduction of not less than 10 
                                percent as a result of a project funded 
                                using a grant under the Transit 
                                Investments for Greenhouse Gas and 
                                Energy Reduction program.
                    ``(B) Funds.--The Secretary shall use not less than 
                10 percent of the funds made available to carry out 
                this section for grants under this paragraph.''.