I 
119TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7442 
To eliminate the Carbon Reduction Program and PROTECT Program and 
dedicate the funding to a new bridge formula program that distributes 
funding based primarily on overall deck area, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 9, 2026 
Mr. NEHLS (for himself, Mr. WEBER of Texas, Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas, and 
Mr. GILL of Texas) introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
A BILL 
To eliminate the Carbon Reduction Program and PROTECT 
Program and dedicate the funding to a new bridge for-
mula program that distributes funding based primarily 
on overall deck area, 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 ‘‘National Bridge Fund-
ing Reform Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. NATIONAL BRIDGE PROGRAM AND PROGRAM 
ELIMINATION. 
(a) APPORTIONMENT.—Section 104 of title 23, 
United States Code, is amended— 
(1) by striking subsection (b)(7) and subsection 
(b)(8); and 
(2) by inserting in its place the following: 
‘‘(7) NATIONAL
BRIDGE
PROGRAM.—For the 
national 
bridge 
program 
under 
section 
175, 
5.47660865256628 percent of the amount remaining 
after distributing amounts under paragraphs (4), 
(5), and (6).’’. 
(b) CARBON REDUCTION PROGRAM.—Chapter 1 of 
title 23, United States Code, is amended by striking Sec-
tion 175. 
(c) 
PROMOTING
RESILIENT
OPERATIONS
FOR 
TRANSFORMATIVE, 
EFFICIENT, 
AND
COST-SAVING 
TRANSPORTATION (PROTECT) PROGRAM.—Chapter 1 of 
title 23, United States Code, is amended by striking Sec-
tion 176. 
(d) IN GENERAL.—Title 23, United States Code, is 
amended by inserting after section 175 the following: 
‘‘§ 175. National bridge program 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall estab-
lish and implement a national bridge program under this 
section. 
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‘‘(b) PURPOSES.—The purpose of the national bridge 
program shall be to provide support for the replacement, 
rehabilitation, preservation, protection, and construction 
of bridges on Federal-aid highways and for other pur-
poses. 
‘‘(c) ELIGIBLE PROJECTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—Funds apportioned to a 
State to carry out the national bridge program may 
be obligated for the replacement, rehabilitation, 
preservation, protection, and construction of bridges 
on Federal-aid highways. 
‘‘(2) FLEXIBILITY.—At the discretion of each 
State, funds made available for the national bridge 
program may be obligated for the replacement, reha-
bilitation, preservation, protection, and construction 
of bridges not on Federal-aid highways. 
‘‘(d) APPORTIONMENT.—The Secretary shall dis-
tribute the funds apportioned under section 104(b)(7) to 
carry out this section among States as follows— 
‘‘(1) 75 percent by the proportion that the total 
deck area of bridges on Federal-aid highways in 
such State bears to the sum of the total deck area 
of bridges on Federal-aid highways in all States; and 
‘‘(2) 25 percent by the proportion that the total 
deck area of bridges on Federal-aid highways classi-
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