I 
115TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5016 
To direct the Secretary of Transportation to establish a Revitalize Rural 
America Grant Program, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 14, 2018 
Mr. ABRAHAM introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Com-
mittee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently deter-
mined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions 
as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Transportation to establish a 
Revitalize Rural America Grant Program, 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 ‘‘Revitalize Rural Amer-
ica Act of 2018’’. 
SEC. 2. REVITALIZE RURAL AMERICA GRANT PROGRAM. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.— 
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(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 120 days 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of Transportation shall establish a Revitalize 
Rural America Grant Program (in this section re-
ferred to as the ‘‘Program’’) to facilitate infrastruc-
ture projects in rural areas. 
(2) GOALS.—The goals of the Program shall be 
to— 
(A) generate regional and national eco-
nomic benefits; 
(B) improve the safety, efficiency, and reli-
ability of the movement of people, commodities, 
and goods; 
(C) reduce highway congestion and bottle-
necks; 
(D) improve connectivity between modes of 
transportation; 
(E) enhance the resiliency of critical infra-
structure; 
(F) improve infrastructure vital to national 
energy and food security; 
(G) increase access to reliable high-speed 
internet; and 
(H) improve the health and vitality of 
rural communities. 
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(b) GRANT AUTHORITY.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—In carrying out the Pro-
gram, the Secretary may make grants, on a competi-
tive basis, to public and private entities in accord-
ance with this section. 
(2) LIMITATIONS.— 
(A) LOCATION.—The Secretary may only 
make a grant under the Program for a project 
carried out in a rural area (as such term is de-
fined in section 117(i)(3) of title 23, United 
States Code). 
(B) AMOUNT.—The aggregate amount of 
grant funding that the Secretary may provide 
under the Program for an individual project 
may not exceed $40,000,000. 
(c) APPLICATIONS.—To be eligible for a grant under 
the Program an entity shall submit to the Secretary an 
application in such form, at such time, and containing 
such information as the Secretary determines is appro-
priate. 
(d) ELIGIBLE PROJECTS.—The Secretary may make 
a grant under the Program for a project that is— 
(1) a highway or bridge project carried out on 
the National Highway System; 
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(2) a highway freight project carried out on the 
National Highway Freight Network established 
under section 167 of title 23, United States Code; 
(3) a drinking water or wastewater project; 
(4) a telecommunications project; 
(5) a project for flood control or waterborne 
navigation; or 
(6) a project related to the electric grid. 
(e) ELIGIBLE PROJECT COSTS.—Grant amounts re-
ceived for a project under the Program may be used for— 
(1) development phase activities, including plan-
ning, feasibility analysis, revenue forecasting, envi-
ronmental review, preliminary engineering and de-
sign work, and other preconstruction activities; and 
(2) construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation, 
acquisition of real property (including land related 
to the project and improvements to the land), envi-
ronmental mitigation, construction contingencies, ac-
quisition of equipment, and operational improve-
ments directly related to improving system perform-
ance. 
(f) PROJECT REQUIREMENTS.—The Secretary may 
select a project for funding under the Program only if the 
Secretary determines that— 
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(1) the project will generate national and re-
gional economic, mobility, or safety benefits; 
(2) the project will be cost effective and have a 
measurable return on investment; 
(3) the project will contribute to the accom-
plishment of one or more of the goals described 
under subsection (a)(2); 
(4) the project is based on the results of pre-
liminary engineering; 
(5) with respect to related non-Federal financial 
commitments— 
(A) one or more stable and dependable 
sources of funding and financing are available 
to construct, maintain, and operate the project; 
and 
(B) contingency amounts are available to 
cover unanticipated cost increases; 
(6) the project cannot be easily and efficiently 
completed without Federal funding or financial as-
sistance available to the project sponsor; and 
(7) the project is reasonably expected to begin 
construction not later than 18 months after the date 
of obligation of funds for the project. 
(g) PRIORITY CONSIDERATION.—In making a grant 
under the Program, the Secretary shall give priority to— 
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(1) a project for which non-Federal contribu-
tions exceed 25 percent of the costs of the project; 
and 
(2) a project in an area with an unemployment 
rate that exceeds the national average. 
(h) FEDERAL SHARE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-
graph (2), the Federal share of the cost of a project 
assisted with a grant under the Program may not 
exceed 75 percent. 
(2) MAXIMUM FEDERAL INVOLVEMENT.—Fed-
eral assistance other than a grant under the Pro-
gram may be used to satisfy the non-Federal share 
of the cost of a project for which such a grant is 
made, except that the total Federal assistance pro-
vided for a project receiving a grant under the Pro-
gram may not exceed 80 percent of the total project 
cost. 
(i) CONSULTATION.—In carrying out the Program, 
the Secretary shall consult with the heads of other Federal 
departments and agencies as appropriate. 
(j) CONGRESSIONAL NOTIFICATION.— 
(1) NOTIFICATION.— 
(A) REQUIREMENT.—At least 60 days be-
fore making a grant for a project under the 
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Program, the Secretary shall notify, in writing, 
the Committee on Transportation and Infra-
structure, the Committee on Agriculture, and 
the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the 
House of Representatives and the Committee 
on Environment and Public Works, the Com-
mittee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, 
and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate of the proposed 
grant. 
(B) CONTENTS.—A notification under sub-
paragraph (A) shall include an evaluation and 
justification for the relevant project and the 
amount of the proposed grant award. 
(2) CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL.—The Sec-
retary may not make a grant or any other obligation 
or commitment to fund a project under the Program 
if a joint resolution is enacted disapproving funding 
for the project before the last day of the 60-day pe-
riod described in paragraph (1). 
(k) REPORTS.— 
(1) ANNUAL
REPORT.—The Secretary shall 
make available on the website of the Department of 
Transportation at the end of each fiscal year an an-
nual report that lists each project for which a grant 
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has been provided under the Program during that 
fiscal year. 
(2) COMPTROLLER GENERAL.— 
(A) ASSESSMENT.—The Comptroller Gen-
eral of the United States shall conduct an as-
sessment of the administrative establishment, 
solicitation, selection, and justification process 
with respect to grants under the Program. 
(B) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after 
the initial awarding of grants under the Pro-
gram, the Comptroller General shall submit to 
the Committee on Transportation and Infra-
structure, the Committee on Agriculture, and 
the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the 
House of Representatives and the Committee 
on Environment and Public Works, the Com-
mittee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, 
and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate a report that de-
scribes— 
(i) the adequacy and fairness of the 
process by which each project selected for 
a grant under the Program was selected; 
and 
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(ii) the justification and criteria used 
for the selection of each such project. 
SEC. 3. SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BLOCK GRANT PRO-
GRAM. 
(a) STP SET-ASIDE.—Section 133(h) of title 23, 
United States Code, is amended— 
(1) by striking paragraphs (2) through (7); and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(2) USE OF FUNDS.—Funds reserved under 
paragraph (1) shall be used by the Secretary to 
carry out and make grants under the Revitalize 
Rural America Grant Program.’’. 
(b) TREATMENT OF PROJECTS.—Section 133(i) of 
title 23, United States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘(ex-
cluding those carried out under subsection (h)(5))’’. 
SEC. 4. ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR REVITALIZE RURAL 
AMERICA GRANT PROGRAM. 
(a) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to carry out the Revitalize 
Rural America Grant Program (established under section 
2 of this Act) $1,301,785,760 for each of fiscal years 2019 
and 2020. 
(b) 
CAPITAL
INVESTMENT
GRANTS.—Section 
5338(d) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by 
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striking ‘‘through 2020’’ and inserting ‘‘through 2018 and 
$1,000,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 and 2020’’. 
Æ 
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