I 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 694 

To amend the Passenger Rail Investment Improvement Act of 2008 to prohibit certain funding to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority until certain conditions are met, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 2, 2021 

Mr. CONNOLLY (for himself, Mr. HOYER, Ms. NORTON, Mr. BEYER, Ms. 

WEXTON, Mr. SARBANES, Mr. BROWN, Mr. RASKIN, and Mr. TRONE) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 

Transportation and Infrastructure 

A BILL 

To amend the Passenger Rail Investment Improvement Act 

of 2008 to prohibit certain funding to the Washington 

Metropolitan Area Transit Authority until certain conditions are met, and for other purposes. 

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. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Metro Accountability 

5 and Investment Act’’. 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 694 IH

1 SEC. 2. REAUTHORIZATION FOR CAPITAL AND PREVENTIVE 

2 MAINTENANCE PROJECTS FOR WASHINGTON 

3 METROPOLITAN AREA TRANSIT AUTHORITY. 

4 Section 601 of the Passenger Rail Investment and 

5 Improvement Act of 2008 (Public Law 110–432) is 

6 amended— 

7 (1) in subsection (b) by striking ‘‘The Federal’’ 

8 and inserting ‘‘Except as provided in subsection 

9 (f)(2), the Federal’’; 

10 (2) by striking subsections (d) through (f) and 

11 inserting the following: 

12 ‘‘(d) REQUIRED BOARD APPROVAL.—No amounts 

13 may be provided to the Transit Authority under this sec14 tion until the Transit Authority certifies to the Secretary 

15 of Transportation that— 

16 ‘‘(1) a board resolution has passed on or before 

17 July 1, 2021, and is in effect for the period of July 

18 1, 2022, through June 30, 2031, that— 

19 ‘‘(A) establishes an independent budget au20 thority for the Office of Inspector General of 

21 the Transit Authority; 

22 ‘‘(B) establishes an independent procure23 ment authority for the Office of Inspector Gen24 eral of the Transit Authority; 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 694 IH

1 ‘‘(C) establishes an independent hiring au2 thority for the Office of Inspector General of 

3 the Transit Authority; 

4 ‘‘(D) ensures the Inspector General of the 

5 Transit Authority can obtain legal advice from 

6 a counsel reporting directly to the Inspector 

7 General; 

8 ‘‘(E) requires the Inspector General of the 

9 Transit Authority to submit recommendations 

10 for corrective action to the General Manager 

11 and the Board of Directors of the Transit Au12 thority; 

13 ‘‘(F) requires the Inspector General of the 

14 Transit Authority to publish any recommenda15 tion described in subparagraph (E) on the 

16 website of the Office of Inspector General of the 

17 Transit Authority, except that the Inspector 

18 General may redact personally identifiable in19 formation and information that, in the deter20 mination of the Inspector General, would pose 

21 a security risk to the systems of the Transit 

22 Authority; 

23 ‘‘(G) requires the Board of Directors of 

24 the Transit Authority to provide written notice 

25 to the Committee on Transportation and InfraVerDate Sep 11 2014 20:18 Feb 22, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H694.IH H694

pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 694 IH

1 structure of the House of Representatives and 

2 the Committee on Banking, Housing, and 

3 Urban Affairs of the Senate not less than 30 

4 days before the Board of Directors removes the 

5 Inspector General of the Transit Authority, 

6 which shall include the reasons for removal and 

7 supporting documentation; and 

8 ‘‘(H) prohibits the Board of Directors from 

9 removing the Inspector General of the Transit 

10 Authority unless the Board of Directors has 

11 provided a 30-day written notification as de12 scribed in subparagraph (G) that documents— 

13 ‘‘(i) a permanent incapacity; 

14 ‘‘(ii) a neglect of duty; 

15 ‘‘(iii) malfeasance; 

16 ‘‘(iv) a conviction of a felony or con17 duct involving moral turpitude; 

18 ‘‘(v) a knowing violation of a law or 

19 regulation; 

20 ‘‘(vi) gross mismanagement; 

21 ‘‘(vii) a gross waste of funds; 

22 ‘‘(viii) an abuse of authority; or 

23 ‘‘(ix) inefficiency; and 

24 ‘‘(2) the Code of Ethics for Members of the 

25 WMATA Board of Directors passed on September 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
5 

•HR 694 IH

1 26, 2019, remains in effect, or the Inspector General 

2 of the Transit Authority has been consulted on any 

3 modifications to the Code of Ethics by the Board. 

4 ‘‘(e) AUTHORIZATIONS.— 

5 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be 

6 appropriated to the Secretary of Transportation for 

7 grants under this section— 

8 ‘‘(A) for fiscal year 2022, $150,000,000; 

9 ‘‘(B) for fiscal year 2023, $155,000,000; 

10 ‘‘(C) for fiscal year 2024, $160,000,000; 

11 ‘‘(D) for fiscal year 2025, $165,000,000; 

12 ‘‘(E) for fiscal year 2026, $170,000,000; 

13 ‘‘(F) for fiscal year 2027, $175,000,000; 

14 ‘‘(G) for fiscal year 2028, $180,000,000; 

15 ‘‘(H) for fiscal year 2029, $185,000,000; 

16 ‘‘(I) for fiscal year 2030, $190,000,000; 

17 and 

18 ‘‘(J) for fiscal year 2031, $200,000,000. 

19 ‘‘(2) SET ASIDE FOR OFFICE OF INSPECTOR

20 GENERAL OF TRANSIT AUTHORITY.—From the 

21 amounts in paragraph (1), the Transit Authority 

22 shall provide at least 7 percent for each fiscal year 

23 to the Office of Inspector General of the Transit Au24 thority to carry out independent and objective au25 dits, investigations, and reviews of Transit Authority 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
6 

•HR 694 IH

1 programs and operations to promote economy, effi2 ciency, and effectiveness, and to prevent and detect 

3 fraud, waste, and abuse in such programs and oper4 ations.’’; and 

5 (3) by redesignating subsection (g) as sub6 section (f). 

Æ 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS