I 
112TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1795 
To promote increased public transportation use, to promote increased use 
of alternative fuels in providing public transportation, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 6, 2011 
Mr. DEFAZIO (for himself, Ms. HIRONO, Mr. FILNER, Mr. LARSEN of Wash-
ington, Mr. NADLER, Mr. BISHOP of New York, Mr. BOSWELL, Mr. 
CUMMINGS, Ms. RICHARDSON, Mr. QUIGLEY, and Mr. LIPINSKI) intro-
duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Trans-
portation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Over-
sight and Government Reform, 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 promote increased public transportation use, to promote 
increased use of alternative fuels in providing public 
transportation, 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 ‘‘Providing Gas Price 
Relief Through Public Transportation Act of 2011’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
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(1) In 2008, during a year of record-high gas 
prices, people in the United States took more than 
10,500,000,000 trips using public transportation, 
the highest level in 50 years. 
(2) Public transportation use in the United 
States is up 31 percent since 1995, a figure that is 
more than double the growth rate of the Nation’s 
population and is substantially greater than the 
growth rate for vehicle miles traveled on the Na-
tion’s highways for that same period. 
(3) High gas prices in 2011 are expected to 
drive the demand for transit services even higher, 
with some estimates showing that $5-per-gallon gas 
could result in a nearly 15 percent jump in transit 
ridership. 
(4) Based on the price of gas in March 2011, 
riding public transportation saves households an av-
erage of $825 per month, or nearly $10,000 per 
year. 
(5) Despite increasing demand for transit serv-
ices, widespread cuts in State and local funding have 
caused 59 percent of public transit systems in the 
United States to raise fares or cut service since Jan-
uary 2009. 
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(6) Although under existing laws Federal em-
ployees in the National Capital Region receive tran-
sit benefits, transit benefits should be available to all 
Federal employees in the United States so that the 
Federal Government sets a leading example of great-
er public transportation use. 
(7) Public transportation stakeholders should 
engage and involve local communities in the edu-
cation and promotion of the importance of utilizing 
public transportation. 
(8) Increasing public transportation use is a na-
tional priority. 
SEC. 3. GRANTS TO IMPROVE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION 
SERVICES. 
(a) AUTHORIZATIONS OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 
(1) URBANIZED AREA FORMULA GRANTS.—In 
addition 
to 
amounts 
allocated 
under 
section 
5338(b)(2)(B) of title 49, United States Code, to 
carry out section 5307 of such title, there is author-
ized to be appropriated $750,000,000 for each of fis-
cal years 2011 and 2012 to carry out such section. 
Such funds shall be apportioned not later than 7 
days after the date on which the funds are appro-
priated, in accordance with section 5336 (other than 
subsections (i)(1) and (j)) of such section but may 
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not be combined or commingled with any other 
funds apportioned under such section 5336. 
(2) FORMULA GRANTS FOR OTHER THAN UR-
BANIZED AREAS.—In addition to amounts allocated 
under section 5338(b)(2)(G) of title 49, United 
States Code, to carry out section 5311 of such title, 
there is authorized to be appropriated $100,000,000 
for each of fiscal years 2011 and 2012 to carry out 
such section 5311. Such funds shall be apportioned 
not later than 7 days after the date on which the 
funds are appropriated, in accordance with such sec-
tion 5311 but may not be combined or commingled 
with any other funds apportioned under such section 
5311. 
(b) USE OF FUNDS.—Notwithstanding sections 5307 
and 5311 of title 49, United States Code, the Secretary 
of Transportation may make grants under such sections 
from amounts appropriated under subsection (a) only for 
one or more of the following: 
(1) If the recipient of the grant is reducing, or 
certifies to the Secretary within the time the Sec-
retary prescribes that, during the term of the grant, 
the recipient will reduce one or more fares the re-
cipient charges for public transportation, or in the 
case of subsection (f) of such section 5311, intercity 
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bus service, those operating costs of equipment and 
facilities being used to provide the public transpor-
tation, or in the case of subsection (f) of such sec-
tion 5311, intercity bus service, that the recipient is 
no longer able to pay from the revenues derived 
from such fare or fares as a result of such reduction. 
(2) To avoid increases in fares for public trans-
portation, or in the case of subsection (f) of such 
section 5311, intercity bus service, or decreases in 
current public transportation service, or in the case 
of subsection (f) of such section 5311, intercity bus 
service, that would otherwise result from an increase 
in costs to the public transportation or intercity bus 
agency for transportation-related fuel or meeting ad-
ditional transportation-related equipment or facility 
maintenance needs, if the recipient of the grant cer-
tifies to the Secretary within the time the Secretary 
prescribes that, during the term of the grant, the re-
cipient will not increase the fares that the recipient 
charges for public transportation, or in the case of 
subsection (f) of such section 5311, intercity bus 
service, or, will not decrease the public transpor-
tation service, or in the case of subsection (f) of 
such section 5311, intercity bus service, that the re-
cipient provides. 
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(3) If the recipient of the grant is expanding, 
or certifies to the Secretary within the time the Sec-
retary prescribes that, during the term of the grant, 
the recipient will expand public transportation serv-
ice, or in the case of subsection (f) of such section 
5311, intercity bus service, those operating and cap-
ital costs of equipment and facilities being used to 
provide the public transportation service, or in the 
case of subsection (f) of such section 5311, intercity 
bus service, that the recipient incurs as a result of 
the expansion of such service. 
(4) If the recipient of the grant is acquiring, or 
certifies to the Secretary within the time the Sec-
retary prescribes that, during the term of the grant, 
the recipient will acquire, clean fuel or alternative 
fuel vehicle-related equipment or facilities for the 
purpose of improving fuel efficiency, the costs of ac-
quiring the equipment or facilities. 
(5) If the recipient of the grant is establishing 
or expanding, or certifies to the Secretary within the 
time the Secretary prescribes that, during the term 
of the grant, the recipient will establish or expand 
commuter matching services to provide commuters 
with information and assistance about alternatives 
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to single occupancy vehicle use, those administrative 
costs in establishing or expanding such services. 
(c) FEDERAL SHARE.—Notwithstanding any other 
provision of law, the Federal share of the costs for which 
a grant is made under this section shall be 100 percent. 
(d) PERIOD OF AVAILABILITY.—Funds appropriated 
under this section shall remain available for a period of 
2 fiscal years. 
SEC. 4. INCREASED FEDERAL SHARE FOR CLEAN AIR ACT 
COMPLIANCE. 
Notwithstanding section 5323(i)(1) of title 49, 
United States Code, a grant for a project to be assisted 
under chapter 53 of such title during fiscal years 2011 
and 2012 that involves acquiring clean fuel or alternative 
fuel vehicle-related equipment or facilities for the purposes 
of complying with or maintaining compliance with the 
Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.) shall be for 100 
percent of the net project cost of the equipment or facility 
attributable to compliance with that Act unless the grant 
recipient requests a lower grant percentage. 
SEC. 5. TRANSPORTATION FRINGE BENEFITS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Requirement that agencies offer 
transit pass transportation fringe benefits to their employ-
ees nationwide.— 
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(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 3049(a)(1) of the 
Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation 
Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (5 U.S.C. 7905 
note; 119 Stat. 1711) is amended— 
(A) by striking ‘‘Effective’’ and all that 
follows through ‘‘each covered agency’’ and in-
serting ‘‘Each agency’’; and 
(B) by inserting ‘‘at a location in an ur-
banized area of the United States that is served 
by fixed route public transportation’’ before 
‘‘shall be offered’’. 
(2) 
CONFORMING
AMENDMENTS.—Section 
3049(a) of such Act (5 U.S.C. 7905 note; 119 Stat. 
1711) is amended— 
(A) in paragraph (3)— 
(i) by striking subparagraph (A); and 
(ii) by redesignating subparagraphs 
(B) through (F) as subparagraphs (A) 
through (E), respectively; and 
(B) in paragraph (4) by striking ‘‘a cov-
ered agency’’ and inserting ‘‘an agency’’. 
(b) BENEFITS DESCRIBED.—Section 3049(a)(2) of 
such Act (5 U.S.C. 7905 note; 119 Stat. 1711) is amended 
by striking the period at the end and inserting the fol-
lowing: ‘‘, except that the maximum level of such benefits 
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shall be the maximum amount which may be excluded 
from gross income for qualified parking as in effect for 
a month under section 132(f)(2)(B) of the Internal Rev-
enue Code of 1986.’’. 
(c) GUIDANCE.—Section 3049(a) of such Act (5 
U.S.C. 7905 note; 119 Stat. 1711) is amended by adding 
at the end the following: 
‘‘(5) GUIDANCE.— 
‘‘(A) ISSUANCE.—Not later than 60 days 
after the date of enactment of this paragraph, 
the Secretary of Transportation shall issue 
guidance on nationwide implementation of the 
transit pass transportation fringe benefits pro-
gram under this subsection. 
‘‘(B) UNIFORM APPLICATION.— 
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—The guidance to 
be issued under subparagraph (A) shall 
contain a uniform application for use by all 
Federal employees applying for benefits 
from an agency under the program. 
‘‘(ii) REQUIRED
INFORMATION.—As 
part of such an application, an employee 
shall provide, at a minimum, the employ-
ee’s home and work addresses, a break-
down of the employee’s commuting costs, 
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and a certification of the employee’s eligi-
bility for benefits under the program. 
‘‘(iii) 
WARNING
AGAINST
FALSE 
STATEMENTS.—Such an application shall 
contain a warning against making false 
statements in the application. 
‘‘(C) INDEPENDENT
VERIFICATION
RE-
QUIREMENTS.—The guidance to be issued 
under subparagraph (A) shall contain inde-
pendent verification requirements to ensure 
that, with respect to an employee of an agen-
cy— 
‘‘(i) the eligibility of the employee for 
benefits under the program is verified by 
an official of the agency; 
‘‘(ii) employee commuting costs are 
verified by an official of the agency; and 
‘‘(iii) records of the agency are 
checked to ensure that the employee is not 
receiving parking benefits from the agency. 
‘‘(D) PROGRAM
IMPLEMENTATION
RE-
QUIREMENTS.—The guidance to be issued 
under subparagraph (A) shall contain program 
implementation requirements applicable to each 
agency to ensure that— 
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‘‘(i) benefits provided by the agency 
under the program are adjusted in cases of 
employee travel, leave, or change of ad-
dress; 
‘‘(ii) removal from the program is in-
cluded in the procedures of the agency re-
lating to an employee separating from em-
ployment with the agency; and 
‘‘(iii) benefits provided by the agency 
under the program are made available 
using an electronic format (rather than 
using paper fare media) where such a for-
mat is available for use. 
‘‘(E) ENFORCEMENT
AND
PENALTIES.— 
The guidance to be issued under subparagraph 
(A) shall contain a uniform administrative pol-
icy on enforcement and penalties. Such policy 
shall be implemented by each agency to ensure 
compliance with program requirements, to pre-
vent fraud and abuse, and, as appropriate, to 
penalize employees who have abused or misused 
the benefits provided under the program. 
‘‘(F) PERIODIC
REVIEWS.—The guidance 
to be issued under subparagraph (A) shall re-
quire each agency, not later than September 1 
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of the first fiscal year beginning after the date 
of enactment of this paragraph, and every 3 
years thereafter, to develop and submit to the 
Secretary a review of the agency’s implementa-
tion of the program. Each such review shall 
contain, at a minimum, the following: 
‘‘(i) An assessment of the agency’s 
implementation of the guidance, including 
a summary of the audits and investiga-
tions, if any, of the program conducted by 
the Inspector General of the agency. 
‘‘(ii) Information on the total number 
of employees of the agency that are partici-
pating in the program. 
‘‘(iii) Information on the total number 
of single occupancy vehicles removed from 
the roadway network as a result of partici-
pation by employees of the agency in the 
program. 
‘‘(iv) Information on energy savings 
and emissions reductions, including reduc-
tions in greenhouse gas emissions, result-
ing from reductions in single occupancy ve-
hicle use by employees of the agency that 
are participating in the program. 
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‘‘(v) Information on reduced conges-
tion and improved air quality resulting 
from reductions in single occupancy vehicle 
use by employees of the agency that are 
participating in the program. 
‘‘(vi) Recommendations to increase 
program participation and thereby reduce 
single occupancy vehicle use by Federal 
employees nationwide. 
‘‘(6) REPORTING
REQUIREMENTS.—Not later 
than September 30 of the first fiscal year beginning 
after the date of enactment of this paragraph, and 
every 3 years thereafter, the Secretary shall submit 
to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastruc-
ture and the Committee on Oversight and Govern-
ment Reform of the House of Representatives and 
the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Af-
fairs of the Senate a report on nationwide implemen-
tation of the transit pass transportation fringe bene-
fits program under this subsection, including a sum-
mary of the information submitted by agencies pur-
suant to paragraph (5)(F).’’. 
(d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—Except as otherwise specifi-
cally provided, the amendments made by this section shall 
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