I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7192 
To amend chapter 53 of title 49, United States Code, to establish a program 
to provide public transportation agencies with grants to be used during 
a disaster declaration. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 11, 2020 
Ms. VELA´ZQUEZ introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
A BILL 
To amend chapter 53 of title 49, United States Code, to 
establish a program to provide public transportation 
agencies with grants to be used during a disaster dec-
laration. 
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 ‘‘Transit Reliability, Ac-
knowledgment, Investment and Need Act of 2020’’ or the 
‘‘TRAIN Act of 2020’’. 
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SEC. 2. GRANT PROGRAM FOR EMERGENCY OPERATIONS 
FUNDING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION DURING 
MAJOR DISASTERS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 53 of title 49, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘§ 5341. Emergency and continuity of operations dur-
ing disaster declarations 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF GRANT PROGRAM.—The 
Secretary of Transportation shall establish a program to 
provide public transportation agencies with grants to be 
used during a State disaster declaration. 
‘‘(b) CRITERIA FOR ELIGIBLE AGENCIES.—A public 
transportation agency is eligible to participate in the pro-
gram if the agency— 
‘‘(1) at the time of application, receives funds 
(or eligible for such funds) under the surface trans-
portation block grant program under section 133 of 
title 23; 
‘‘(2) for each of the 3 years before the date of 
application, has received funding (or eligible for such 
funds) for a public transportation project under this 
chapter; and 
‘‘(3) submits an application as described in sub-
section (c). 
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‘‘(c) APPLICATION.—In accordance with such re-
quirements as the Secretary may by rule establish, each 
application for a grant under this section shall— 
‘‘(1) include a strategy and detailed implemen-
tation plan that reflects consultation with commu-
nity groups and appropriate stakeholders, and shall 
specify how the transit agency will continue oper-
ations during a disaster declaration; 
‘‘(2) assess the public transportation agency’s 
ability to operate during a disaster declaration; 
‘‘(3) identify how the grant will ensure con-
tinuity of public transportation services and meet 
applicable safety and health standards requirements 
under subsection (i) during such disaster declara-
tion; 
‘‘(4) demonstrate the agency’s plan to provide 
no-cost transportation for general transportation 
service, premium transportation service, and para-
transit services during the time period under which 
such disaster declaration; 
‘‘(5) include the total of revenue losses as of the 
date of application caused by the disaster declara-
tion and a projection of such future losses antici-
pated during the course of such disaster declaration 
and shall include an analysis and description of such 
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revenue losses following the 6-month period fol-
lowing the expected termination of such disaster dec-
laration; 
‘‘(6) describe the mechanisms to be employed 
by the public transportation agency to protect em-
ployees from exposure to the conditions generating 
the disaster declaration; 
‘‘(7) provide a list of protocol and supplies that 
will be used to clean and disinfect surfaces impacted 
by the events generating the disaster declaration; 
‘‘(8) include a list of protective gear to be used 
by public transit employees that will reduce em-
ployee exposure to the conditions generating the dis-
aster declaration; 
‘‘(9) identify related governmental and commu-
nity initiatives which compliment or will be coordi-
nated with the proposal; 
‘‘(10) certify that there has been appropriate 
coordination with all appropriate agencies; and 
‘‘(11) additional information as required by the 
Secretary. 
‘‘(d) FORMS OF ASSISTANCE.—Funds provided under 
this section may be expended for— 
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‘‘(1) providing continued services during the 
pandemic or disaster declaration, consistent with the 
requirements under subsection (i); 
‘‘(2) stabilization of fare prices for passengers 
during the period of such disaster declaration; 
‘‘(3) no-cost public transportation services dur-
ing such disaster declaration; 
‘‘(4) provision of new or supplemental public 
transportation service bus routes, or bus rapid sys-
tems; and 
‘‘(5) procurement of personal protective gear 
and equipment needed to protect employees from 
hazards generated or originating from the disaster 
declaration. 
‘‘(e) SPECIAL RULE ON EXPENDITURES AND MIN-
IMUM REQUIREMENT FOR ELIGIBILITY OF FUNDS.—A 
public transportation agency receiving grant funds under 
this section shall provide assistance to the general public 
under subsection (d)(3) and (d)(4) during the disaster 
declaration period and, subsequently, for a period of 6 
months after the termination of such disaster declaration. 
‘‘(f) GRANT REQUIREMENTS.— 
‘‘(1) AMOUNT.—A grant awarded under this 
section may not exceed $5,000,000,000. 
‘‘(2) RENEWALS OF CERTAIN GRANTS.— 
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‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—A grant may be re-
newed during the disaster declaration period, 
provided the public transportation agency— 
‘‘(i) submits to the Secretary an appli-
cation for renewal at such time, in such 
manner, and containing such information 
as the Secretary may require; and 
‘‘(ii) demonstrates in such application 
for renewal that— 
‘‘(I) the initial grant was used in 
a manner required under the most re-
cently approved application; and 
‘‘(II) the public transportation 
agency has made progress in achiev-
ing the objectives of the initial appli-
cation approved for the public trans-
portation agency under this section. 
‘‘(g) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized to be 
appropriated 
to 
carry 
out 
this 
section 
$50,000,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2020 and 
2021. 
‘‘(2) AVAILABILITY.—Funds authorized to be 
appropriated under this section shall remain avail-
able until expended. 
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‘‘(h) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec-
tion shall be construed to limit a project from receiving 
a grant under this section while simultaneously receiving 
funds for associated transit improvement or capital 
projects. 
‘‘(i) REQUIRED CERTIFICATION
OF SAFETY
AND 
HEALTH PROTOCOL.—A public transportation agency 
shall certify with the Secretary every 7 days that any use 
of funds under subsection (d) meet applicable health and 
safety standards and guidance by the Centers for Disease 
Control issued during the disaster declaration for pas-
sengers and employees of the public transportation agency 
that includes a description of the compliance mechanisms 
employed by such agency. 
‘‘(j) ANNUAL REPORTS.—A public transportation 
agency that receives funds under this section during a fis-
cal year shall submit to the Secretary a description and 
an evaluation report on a date specified by the Secretary 
regarding the progress such projects have made to make 
transportation access points accessible to persons with 
limited mobility. 
‘‘(k) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) DISASTER DECLARATION.—The term ‘dis-
aster declaration’ means— 
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‘‘(A) an emergency involving Federal pri-
mary responsibility determined to exist by the 
President under section 501(b) of the Robert T. 
Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assist-
ance Act (42 U.S.C. 5191(b)); 
‘‘(B) a national emergency declared by the 
President under the National Emergencies Act 
(50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.); 
‘‘(C) an emergency declared by a Federal 
official with respect to coronavirus (as defined 
in section 506 of the Coronavirus Preparedness 
and Response Supplemental Appropriations 
Act, 2020 (Public Law 116–123)); or 
‘‘(D) a public health emergency declared 
by the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
pursuant to section 319 of the Public Health 
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247(d)) with respect to 
COVID–19 or any other coronavirus with pan-
demic potential. 
‘‘(2) GENERAL
TRANSPORTATION
SERVICE.— 
The term ‘general transportation service’ means a 
transportation service that is subject to the same 
base fare established by the transportation agency 
for local or general service. 
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‘‘(3) PREMIUM
TRANSPORTATION
SERVICE.— 
The term ‘premium transportation service’ means a 
transportation service that is not a general transpor-
tation service. 
‘‘(4) PARATRANSIT SERVICES.—The term ‘para-
transit services’ means service to individuals with 
disabilities that is comparable to the level of service 
provided to individuals without disabilities who use 
routes operated by the public transportation agen-
cy.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of chapters 
for chapter 53 of subtitle III of title 49, United States 
Code, is amended by adding after the item relating to sec-
tion 5340 the following new item: 
‘‘5341. Emergency and continuity of operations during disaster declarations.’’. 
SEC. 3. RULEMAKING. 
Not later than 30 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary shall publish in the Fed-
eral Register interim final rules implementing this title, 
which shall allow eligible public transportation agencies to 
immediately apply for funds under section 5341 of title 
49, United States Code (as added by section 2). Notwith-
standing section 553 of title 5, United States Code, the 
regulation shall be effective, on an interim basis, imme-
diately upon publication, but may be subject to change and 
revision after public notice and opportunity for a period 
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of public comment. The Secretary shall finalize such rules 
not later than 90 days after the date of publication. 
Æ 
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