I 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 5152 

To establish a grant program under which the Secretary of Transportation 

will reimburse public transportation agencies that offer free unlimited 

transportation passes to eligible individuals. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

NOVEMBER 18, 2019 

Ms. VELA ́ZQUEZ (for herself and Mr. ESPAILLAT) introduced the following 

bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 

A BILL 

To establish a grant program under which the Secretary 

of Transportation will reimburse public transportation 

agencies that offer free unlimited transportation passes 

to eligible individuals. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 

4 (a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 

5 ‘‘Transportation Equity Act’’. 

6 (b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 

7 this Act is as follows: 

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 


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Sec. 2. Establishment of grant program. 

Sec. 3. Eligible agencies. 

Sec. 4. Eligible individuals. 

Sec. 5. Eligible services and requirements. 

Sec. 6. Features of T–U Pass. 

Sec. 7. Proof of eligibility. 

Sec. 8. Application and selection. 

Sec. 9. Amount of reimbursement to transit agencies. 

Sec. 10. Reports from agencies. 

Sec. 11. Termination of benefits under certain circumstances. 

Sec. 12. Rule of construction. 

Sec. 13. Authorization of appropriations. 

Sec. 14. Definitions. 

1 SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF GRANT PROGRAM. 

2 The Secretary of Transportation shall establish a 

3 program to reimburse eligible public transportation agen4 cies that provide eligible individuals a free unlimited trans5 portation pass (to be known as a ‘‘T–U Pass’’). 

6 SEC. 3. ELIGIBLE AGENCIES. 

7 A public transportation agency is eligible to partici8 pate in the program if the agency— 

9 (1) provides a monthly, flat-rate, unlimited 

10 transportation pass for purchase by any individual; 

11 and 

12 (2) agrees to establish a separate T–U Pass for 

13 eligible individuals. 

14 SEC. 4. ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS. 

15 The following individuals are eligible to receive a free 

16 T–U Pass: 

17 (1) An individual aged 60 and older. 


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1 (2) An individual with a disability (as defined 

2 in section 3 of the Americans with Disabilities Act 

3 of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12102)). 

4 (3) An individual who receives a means-tested 

5 benefit, as determined by the Secretary. 

6 (4) A low-income individual (as defined in this 

7 Act). 

8 (5) The spouse of an individual described in 

9 paragraphs (1) through (4) who lives with such indi10 vidual. 

11 (6) The unmarried dependent of an individual 

12 described in paragraphs (1) through (4) who lives 

13 with such individual. 

14 SEC. 5. ELIGIBLE SERVICES AND REQUIREMENTS. 

15 (a) IN GENERAL.—Subject to subsection (b), a T– 

16 U Pass shall only provide general transportation services 

17 and not premium transportation services. 

18 (b) EXCEPTION FOR CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS.—A pub19 lic transportation agency may seek a waiver from the Sec20 retary to provide a T–U Pass that provides premium 

21 transportation services to an eligible individual who the 

22 transit agency determines— 

23 (1) has no access to reasonably accessible trans24 portation access points and is not eligible for para25 transit transportation services; or 


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1 (2) is disabled and whose principal place of res2 idence, primary or specialist medical facilities, edu3 cational facilities, or place of employment is not 

4 within one-half mile of a transportation access point 

5 that contains the necessary infrastructure for the in6 dividual to use public transportation. 

7 (c) T–U PASS REQUIREMENTS.—A T–U Pass shall 

8 provide unlimited access to public transportation and shall 

9 be valid for all schedules, times, and periods the transpor10 tation agency offers service. 

11 (d) AUTOMATIC MONTHLY LOADING CAPABILITY OF

12 TRANSPORTATION BENEFITS.—A T–U Pass shall— 

13 (1) be able to receive funds remotely or be load14 ed with funds automatically on the first day of each 

15 calendar month; and 

16 (2) make such funds available upon entrance or 

17 boarding at the first transportation access point on 

18 the first day the T–U Pass is used in such month. 

19 (e) WAIVER FOR CERTAIN PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

20 AGENCIES.—The Secretary may waive a requirement 

21 under subsection (d) if the Secretary determines that— 

22 (1) a public transportation agency cannot meet 

23 such requirement because of infrastructure limita24 tions, cost inefficiencies, inability to finance, or un25 available technology; and 


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1 (2) the transportation agency provides a T–U 

2 Pass that— 

3 (A) only functions at entry and exit points 

4 of the transit system; or 

5 (B) only permits transactions of transpor6 tation-related expenses at facilities operated by 

7 the transportation agency, including— 

8 (i) booths or automated vending ma9 chines at transportation access points oper10 ated by the transit agency; 

11 (ii) telephone or online interfaces op12 erated by the transit agencies; and 

13 (iii) additional facilities as determined 

14 by the Secretary. 

15 (f) ROLLOVER PROHIBITED.—Any funds that are 

16 disbursed to a T–U Pass shall be surrendered if not used 

17 in the course of the month for which such benefits were 

18 provided. 

19 (g) PROHIBITION OF DUPLICATIVE TRANSPOR20 TATION BENEFITS.—Grants made pursuant to the pro21 gram shall not be used to reimburse more than one T– 

22 U Pass per individual. 

23 SEC. 6. FEATURES OF T–U PASS. 

24 (a) EXPIRATION.—Subject to section 11, a T–U Pass 

25 expires one year after issuance, and a public transporVerDate Sep 11 2014 03:33 Nov 27, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H5152.IH H5152

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1 tation agency may not terminate the validity of the T– 

2 U Pass until the date of expiration regardless of whether 

3 the individual continues to be eligible under section 4 of 

4 this Act. 

5 (b) DESIGN.—A public transportation agency receiv6 ing a grant pursuant to the program shall select a design 

7 that distinguishes the T–U Pass from other passes. The 

8 T–U Pass shall— 

9 (1) be a card, ticket, or voucher; 

10 (2) include the words ‘‘Photo ID T–U Pass’’ on 

11 the front and back; 

12 (3) include the words ‘‘If found, please return 

13 to’’ immediately followed by the address of the 

14 issuing office of the transportation agency; 

15 (4) include a photo of the person to whom the 

16 T–U Pass was provided; 

17 (5) include a seal with the logo of the transpor18 tation agency; 

19 (6) include the full name of such eligible per20 son; 

21 (7) include the expiration date of the T–U 

22 Pass; and 

23 (8) include any additional features the Sec24 retary determines is necessary. 


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1 SEC. 7. PROOF OF ELIGIBILITY. 

2 An individual seeking a T–U Pass must provide to 

3 the public transportation agency— 

4 (1) proof of the basis of at least one ground of 

5 eligibility described section 4; and 

6 (2) documentation the Secretary determines is 

7 necessary to support the basis of eligibility. 

8 SEC. 8. APPLICATION AND SELECTION. 

9 The Secretary shall award grants on a competitive 

10 basis and may require that an application from a public 

11 transportation agency be submitted in a prescribed form 

12 and manner and that it contains specified agreements, as13 surances, and information. 

14 SEC. 9. AMOUNT OF REIMBURSEMENT TO TRANSIT AGEN15 CIES. 

16 (a) IN GENERAL.—Grants made pursuant to the pro17 gram shall be used only to reimburse a public transpor18 tation agency for the cost of providing a T–U Pass. 

19 (b) AMOUNT OF REIMBURSEMENT.—A public trans20 portation agency shall be eligible to receive reimbursement 

21 for each T–U Pass at the cost charged for a monthly, flat22 rate, unlimited transportation pass. 

23 (c) EXCEPTION FOR DISCOUNTED MONTHLY

24 PASSES.—If an eligible individual is eligible for a reduced25 cost monthly, flat-rate, unlimited transportation pass for 

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1 tation agency shall be eligible to receive compensation 

2 equaling the cost of such reduced-cost pass. 

3 SEC. 10. REPORTS FROM AGENCIES. 

4 A public transportation agency receiving a grant 

5 under this Act shall provide to the Secretary an annual 

6 report explaining— 

7 (1) the agency’s plan to annually verify the eli8 gibility of holders of a T–U Pass; and 

9 (2) the number of T–U Passes that have been 

10 terminated pursuant to section 11. 

11 SEC. 11. TERMINATION OF BENEFITS UNDER CERTAIN CIR12 CUMSTANCES. 

13 (a) FRAUD AND SALE.—The Secretary shall establish 

14 procedures for termination of a T–U Pass if— 

15 (1) an individual obtains or uses the T–U Pass 

16 fraudulently; or 

17 (2) an individual sells, distributes, or provisions 

18 the T–U Pass to an individual other than the indi19 vidual to whom the T–U Pass was provided. 

20 (b) PROCEDURES.—The procedures required by sub21 section (a) shall include notice, opportunity for hearing, 

22 and civil monetary penalties. 

23 SEC. 12. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION. 

24 Nothing in this Act shall be construed to limit any 

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1 tation agencies to provide free transportation to eligible 

2 individuals. 

3 SEC. 13. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

4 There are authorized to be appropriated 

5 $1,000,000,000, to be available under expended, for fiscal 

6 year 2021 and each fiscal year thereafter. 

7 SEC. 14. DEFINITIONS. 

8 In this Act: 

9 (1) DEPENDENT.—The term ‘‘dependent’’ has 

10 the meaning given such term in section 152 of the 

11 Internal Revenue Code of 1986, except that the term 

12 also includes an individual who is not a citizen or 

13 national of the United States if such individual 

14 would otherwise be considered a dependent pursuant 

15 to such section if such individual were a citizen or 

16 national of the United States. 

17 (2) ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUAL.—The term ‘‘eligible 

18 individual’’ means an individual described in section 

19 4. 

20 (3) GENERAL TRANSPORTATION SERVICE.—The 

21 term ‘‘general transportation service’’ means a 

22 transportation service that is subject to the same 

23 base fare established by the transportation agency 

24 for local or general service. 


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1 (4) LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUAL.—The term ‘‘low2 income individual’’ means, with respect to any cal3 endar year, any individual who lives in a household 

4 that has a gross income that does not exceed 300 

5 percent of the poverty line, as defined in section 

6 673(2) of the Community Services Block Grant Act 

7 (42 U.S.C. 9902(2)). 

8 (5) MEANS-TESTED BENEFIT.—The term 

9 ‘‘means-tested benefit’’ means a mandatory spending 

10 program of the Federal Government for which, as 

11 determined by the Secretary, eligibility for the pro12 gram’s benefits, or the amount of such benefits, is 

13 determined on the basis of income or resources of 

14 the individual or family seeking the benefit. 

15 (6) PARATRANSIT SERVICES.—The term ‘‘para16 transit services’’ means service to individuals with 

17 disabilities that is comparable to the level of service 

18 provided to individuals without disabilities who use 

19 routes operated by the public transportation agency. 

20 (7) PREMIUM TRANSPORTATION SERVICE.—The 

21 term ‘‘premium transportation service’’ means a 

22 transportation service that is not a general transpor23 tation service. 

24 (8) PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘program’’ means 

25 the grant program established pursuant to section 2. 


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1 (9) REASONABLY ACCESSIBLE.—The term ‘‘rea2 sonably accessible’’ means, with respect to a trans3 portation access point, a transportation access point 

4 within one-half mile of the eligible individual’s prin5 cipal place of residence. 

6 (10) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ 

7 means the Secretary of Transportation. 

8 (11) T–U PASS.—The term ‘‘T–U Pass’’ means 

9 the unlimited transportation pass established pursu10 ant to the program. 

11 (12) TRANSPORTATION ACCESS POINT.—The 

12 term ‘‘transportation access point’’ means a bus 

13 stop, a train, subway, or rail station, or any similar 

14 fixed infrastructure used by passengers to embark 

15 and disembark mass-transit service. 

Æ 


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