I 
113TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5101 
To establish a National Freight Network Trust Fund to improve the 
performance of the national freight network, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 14, 2014 
Ms. HAHN (for herself, Mr. POE of Texas, Mr. RICHMOND, Mr. LOWENTHAL, 
Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas, Mr. NOLAN, Mr. RUSH, and Ms. FUDGE) 
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on 
Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within 
the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To establish a National Freight Network Trust Fund to 
improve the performance of the national freight network, 
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 Freight Net-
work Trust Fund Act of 2014’’. 
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SEC. 2. NATIONAL FREIGHT NETWORK TRUST FUND. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter A of chapter 98 of the 
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by adding at 
the end the following new section: 
‘‘SEC. 9512. NATIONAL FREIGHT NETWORK TRUST FUND. 
‘‘(a) CREATION OF TRUST FUND.—There is hereby 
established in the Treasury of the United States a trust 
fund to be known as the ‘National Freight Network Trust 
Fund’, consisting of such amounts as may be appropriated 
or credited to such Trust Fund as provided in this section 
and section 9602(b). 
‘‘(b) TRANSFERS TO TRUST FUND.—There are here-
by appropriated to the National Freight Network Trust 
Fund amounts equivalent to 5 percent of the import duties 
imposed under the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the 
United States. 
‘‘(c) EXPENDITURES.—Amounts in the National 
Freight Network Trust Fund shall be available as pro-
vided in appropriations Acts only for making expenditures 
to fund awards under the National Freight Network Grant 
Program established under section 3(a) of the National 
Freight Network Trust Fund Act of 2014.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
for subchapter A of chapter 98 of such Code is amended 
by adding at the end the following new item: 
‘‘Sec. 9512. National Freight Network Trust Fund.’’. 
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SEC. 3. NATIONAL FREIGHT NETWORK GRANT PROGRAM. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is hereby established in 
the Department of Transportation a National Freight 
Network Grant Program (in this section referred to as the 
‘‘Program’’) to improve the performance of the national 
freight network. 
(b) GRANT AUTHORITY.—Under the Program, the 
Secretary of Transportation, in accordance with the na-
tional freight strategic plan developed under section 167 
of title 23, United States Code, may make a grant to as-
sist any project that improves the performance of a seg-
ment of the national freight network. 
(c) GRANT RECIPIENTS.—Under the Program, the 
Secretary may make a grant to the following: 
(1) A State. 
(2) A regional or local transportation organiza-
tion. 
(3) A port authority. 
(d) APPLICATIONS.—To be eligible for a grant under 
the Program, an entity specified in subsection (c) shall 
submit to the Secretary an application regarding a pro-
posed project at such time, in such form, and containing 
such information as the Secretary determines is appro-
priate. 
(e) SELECTION CRITERIA.—In making grants under 
the Program, the Secretary shall evaluate and select 
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projects on a competitive basis by considering the potential 
of the projects to— 
(1) generate national economic benefits; 
(2) improve the performance of key corridors 
and gateways; 
(3) reduce congestion; 
(4) improve transportation safety; and 
(5) enhance the national freight network. 
(f) FEDERAL SHARE.—The Federal share of the cost 
of a project assisted with a grant under the Program shall 
be 90 percent. 
(g) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated each fiscal year to carry out 
the Program the amounts available in the National 
Freight Network Trust Fund established under section 
9512 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. 
(h) NATIONAL FREIGHT NETWORK DEFINED.—In 
this section, the term ‘‘national freight network’’ means— 
(1) the national freight network established 
under section 167 of title 23, United States Code; 
(2) roads and rail lines that connect such net-
work to a port; 
(3) on-dock rail; 
(4) projects that appear in a State freight plan; 
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(5) projects that appear in a regional transpor-
tation plan; 
(6) high freight volume roadway or rail cor-
ridors that provide connectivity for— 
(A) ports; 
(B) intermodal connectors; 
(C) multimodal freight facilities; 
(D) multistate freight corridors; 
(E) international borders; or 
(F) airports; and 
(7) railway-highway grade separations. 
SEC. 4. NATIONAL FREIGHT POLICY. 
Section 167(c)(1) of title 23, United States Code, is 
amended by inserting ‘‘, and update every 5 years there-
after,’’ after ‘‘shall establish’’. 
Æ 
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