I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5797 
To amend title 23, United States Code, with respect to funding the rec-
reational trails program, to require a study to determine the best avail-
able estimate of the total amount of nonhighway recreational fuel taxes 
received by the Secretary of the Treasury, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 6, 2020 
Mr. WELCH (for himself, Ms. CRAIG, Mr. CURTIS, Mr. SIMPSON, Ms. KUSTER 
of New Hampshire, and Mr. STEWART) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastruc-
ture, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period 
to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consider-
ation of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
concerned 
A BILL 
To amend title 23, United States Code, with respect to 
funding the recreational trails program, to require a 
study to determine the best available estimate of the 
total amount of nonhighway recreational fuel taxes re-
ceived by the Secretary of the Treasury, and for other 
purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘RTP Full Funding 
Act of 2020’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds that— 
(1) the recreational trails program under sec-
tion 206 of title 23, United States Code— 
(A) helps develop and maintain valuable 
trail infrastructure across the United States; 
(B) benefits millions of diverse trail users, 
including users who participate in hiking, bicy-
cling, in-line skating, equestrian use, cross- 
country skiing, snowmobiling, off-road motorcy-
cling, all-terrain vehicle riding, 4-wheel driving, 
and other off-road motorized vehicle use; and 
(C)(i) embraces the user-pay-user-benefit 
model of the Highway Trust Fund; and 
(ii) is funded by a Federal tax on fuel used 
for nonhighway recreation; 
(2) to ensure that Federal taxes collected from 
nonhighway recreation are appropriately returned to 
the States for the recreational trails program, an ac-
curate estimate of the total amount of nonhighway 
fuel taxes collected is necessary; and 
(3) an accurate study to produce a best avail-
able estimate of the total amount of nonhighway rec-
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reational fuel taxes received by the Secretary of the 
Treasury will help inform Congress in continuing to 
authorize the recreational trails program. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis-
trator’’ means the Administrator of the Federal 
Highway Administration. 
(2) HIGHWAY TRUST FUND.—The term ‘‘High-
way Trust Fund’’ means the Highway Trust Fund 
established by section 9503(a) of the Internal Rev-
enue Code of 1986. 
(3) 
NONHIGHWAY
RECREATIONAL
FUEL 
TAXES.—The term ‘‘nonhighway recreational fuel 
taxes’’ means taxes under section 4041 and 4081 of 
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 with respect to 
fuel used in vehicles on recreational trails or back 
country terrain (including vehicles registered for 
highway use when used on recreational trails, trail 
access roads not eligible for funding under title 23, 
United States Code, or back country terrain). 
(4) RECREATIONAL
TRAILS
PROGRAM.—The 
term ‘‘recreational trails program’’ means the rec-
reational trails program under section 206 of title 
23, United States Code. 
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(5) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Transportation. 
SEC. 4. NONHIGHWAY RECREATIONAL FUEL STUDY. 
(a) ASSESSMENT; REPORT.— 
(1) ASSESSMENT.—Not later than 1 year after 
the date of enactment of this Act and not less fre-
quently than once every 5 years thereafter, as deter-
mined by the Secretary, the Secretary shall carry 
out an assessment of the best available estimate of 
the total amount of nonhighway recreational fuel 
taxes received by the Secretary of the Treasury and 
transferred to the Highway Trust Fund for the pe-
riod covered by the assessment. 
(2) REPORT.—After carrying out each assess-
ment under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall sub-
mit to the Committees on Finance and Environment 
and Public Works of the Senate and the Committees 
on Ways and Means and Transportation and Infra-
structure of the House of Representatives a report 
that includes— 
(A) a description of the results of the as-
sessment; 
(B) an evaluation of whether the current 
recreational trails program funding level of each 
participating State accurately reflects the ap-
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