I 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2164 
To amend title 49, United States Code, to modify the authority of the 
Secretary of Transportation to make grants for new fixed guideway 
capital projects, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 29, 2009 
Mr. BLUMENAUER (for himself, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mr. LARSON of Con-
necticut, and Mr. KLEIN of Florida) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
A BILL 
To amend title 49, United States Code, to modify the author-
ity of the Secretary of Transportation to make grants 
for new fixed guideway capital projects, and for other 
purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Federal Streetcar Revi-
talization Act of 2009’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
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(1) Communities throughout the United States 
are exploring the reintroduction of streetcars. 
(2) Existing streetcar systems provide con-
vincing evidence that, for a modest cost, streetcars 
can provide transportation choice, attract economic 
development, link jobs and housing, and create dens-
er, pedestrian-oriented neighborhoods. 
(3) Streetcars provide transportation circulation 
within urbanized areas to catalyze economic develop-
ment and housing in urban centers. 
(4) The new starts program under section 5309 
of title 49, United States Code, supported streetcar 
projects in the past, but the existing small starts 
program under section 5309(e) of such title has 
failed to continue this legacy. 
(5) Appropriate assessment of the value pro-
vided by streetcar systems must encompass a cal-
culation of the number of automobile trips not 
taken, the decrease in passenger vehicle miles trav-
eled, and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions 
that result from the streetcar system. 
SEC. 3. STREETCAR CAPITAL INVESTMENT GRANTS. 
(a) AMENDMENTS TO SMALL STARTS PROGRAM.— 
Section 5309(e) of title 49, United States Code, is amend-
ed— 
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(1) in the subsection heading by striking 
‘‘$75,000,000’’ and inserting ‘‘$100,000,000’’; 
(2) in paragraph (1)(A)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘$75,000,000’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘$100,000,000’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘$250,000,000’’ and in-
serting ‘‘$300,000,000’’; 
(3) in paragraph (1)(B)— 
(A) in the subparagraph heading by strik-
ing ‘‘$25,000,000’’ and inserting ‘‘$50,000,000’’; 
(B) by striking ‘‘$25,000,000’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘$50,000,000’’; and 
(C) by striking ‘‘until such date as the 
final regulation to be issued under paragraph 
(9) takes effect’’; 
(4) by striking paragraph (2)(B) and inserting 
the following: 
‘‘(B) justified based on a review of its ef-
fect on local economic development, land use, 
travel patterns, and greenhouse gas reduction 
potential; and’’; 
(5) in paragraph (3) by adding at the end the 
following: ‘‘For purposes of this paragraph, the Sec-
retary shall compare the proposed project to a no 
build analysis to consider project outcomes.’’; 
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(6) in paragraph (4) by striking subparagraphs 
(A) through (E) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(A) determine the degree to which the 
project will have a positive effect on local eco-
nomic development; 
‘‘(B) determine the reduction in per capita 
auto travel demand that will result from the 
completed project, including related develop-
ment, travel pattern, and land use changes; and 
‘‘(C) determine the reduction in per capita 
greenhouse gas emissions that will result from 
the completed project, including related develop-
ment, travel pattern, and land use changes.’’; 
(7) by striking paragraph (6) and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(6) ADVANCEMENT OF PROJECT TO DEVELOP-
MENT
AND
CONSTRUCTION.—A proposed project 
under this subsection may advance from planning 
and alternatives analysis to project development and 
construction only if the Secretary finds that the 
project meets the requirements of this subsection 
and there is a reasonable likelihood that the project 
will continue to meet such requirements.’’; and 
(8) by striking paragraphs (8), (9), (10), and 
(11). 
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