HR 749 RFS 
‘‘(A) The Secretary of Transportation shall 
not obligate any funding unless the applicant 
demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Sec-
retary that it has committed and will be able to 
fulfill the non-Federal share required for the 
grant within the applicant’s proposed project 
completion timetable. 
‘‘(B) The Secretary shall not obligate any 
funding for work activities that occur after the 
completion of final design unless— 
‘‘(i) the applicant transmits to the 
Secretary a financial plan that generally 
identifies the sources of the non-Federal 
funding required for any subsequent seg-
ments or phases of the corridor service de-
velopment program covering the project for 
which the grant is made; 
‘‘(ii) the grant will result in a useable 
segment, a transportation facility, or 
equipment, that has operational independ-
ence; and 
‘‘(iii) the intercity passenger rail bene-
fits anticipated to result from the grant, 
such as increased speed, improved on-time 
performance, reduced trip time, increased 
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HR 749 RFS 
frequencies, new service, safety improve-
ments, improved accessibility, or other sig-
nificant enhancements are detailed by the 
grantee and approved by the Secretary. 
‘‘(C) The Secretary shall ensure that the 
project is maintained to the level of utility that 
is necessary to support the benefits approved 
under subparagraph (B)(iii) for a period of 20 
years from the date the useable segment, trans-
portation facility, or equipment described in 
subparagraph (B)(ii) is placed in service. If the 
project property is not maintained as required 
by this subparagraph for a period of time in ex-
cess of 12 months, then a pro-rata share of the 
Federal contribution, based upon the percent-
age remaining of the 20-year period that com-
menced when the project property was placed in 
service, shall be refunded. 
‘‘(2) EARLY WORK.—The Secretary may allow a 
grantee subject to this subsection to engage in at- 
risk work activities subsequent to the conclusion of 
final design where the Secretary determines that 
such work activities are reasonable and necessary.’’. 
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SEC. 305. SMALL BUSINESS PARTICIPATION STUDY. 
(a) STUDY.—The Secretary of Transportation shall 
conduct a nationwide disparity and availability study on 
the availability and use of small business concerns owned 
and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged 
individuals and veteran-owned small businesses in pub-
lically funded intercity rail passenger transportation (as 
defined in section 24102 of title 49, United States Code) 
projects administered by the Federal Railroad Administra-
tion. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 2 years after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall transmit to 
the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of 
the House of Representatives and the Committee on Com-
merce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report 
containing the results of the study conducted under sub-
section (a). 
(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘‘small busi-
ness concern’’ means a small business concern 
as the term is used in section 3 of the Small 
Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632). 
(B) EXCLUSIONS.—The term ‘‘small busi-
ness concern’’ does not include any concern or 
group of concerns controlled by the same so-
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cially and economically disadvantaged individual 
or individuals that have average annual gross 
receipts during the preceding 3 fiscal years in 
excess of $22,410,000, as adjusted annually by 
the Secretary for inflation. 
(2) SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY DISADVAN-
TAGED INDIVIDUAL.—The term ‘‘socially and eco-
nomically disadvantaged individual’’ has the mean-
ing given the term in section 8(d) of the Small Busi-
ness Act (15 U.S.C. 637(d)) and relevant subcon-
tracting regulations issued pursuant to that Act, ex-
cept that women shall be presumed to be socially 
and economically disadvantaged individuals for pur-
poses of this section. 
(3) VETERAN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—The term ‘‘veteran- 
owned small business’’ has the meaning given 
the term ‘‘small business concern owned and 
controlled by veterans’’ in section 3(q)(3) of the 
Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632(q)(3)). 
(B) EXCLUSIONS.—The term ‘‘veteran- 
owned small business’’ does not include any 
concern or group of concerns controlled by the 
same veterans that have average annual gross 
receipts during the preceding 3 fiscal years in 
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excess of $22,410,000 as adjusted annually by 
the Secretary for inflation. 
(d) FUNDING.—Of the total amount made available 
to the Office of the Secretary of the Department of Trans-
portation and the Federal Railroad Administration, for 
each of fiscal years 2016 and 2017, $3,000,000 shall be 
used to implement the requirements of this section. 
SEC. 306. GULF COAST RAIL SERVICE WORKING GROUP. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Federal Railroad Ad-
ministration shall convene a working group to evaluate the 
restoration of intercity rail passenger service in the Gulf 
Coast region between New Orleans, Louisiana, and Or-
lando, Florida. 
(b) MEMBERSHIP.—The working group shall consist 
of representatives of— 
(1) Amtrak; 
(2) the States along the proposed route or 
routes; 
(3) regional transportation planning organiza-
tions and metropolitan planning organizations, mu-
nicipalities, and communities along the proposed 
route or routes, selected by the Administrator of the 
Federal Railroad Administration; 
(4) the Southern Rail Commission; 
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