I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4728 
To amend title 49, United States Code, to provide for free public 
transportation for individuals who are recently released from incarceration. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 19, 2023 
Mr. CLEAVER (for himself, Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia, Mr. CARTER of Lou-
isiana, Mr. CA´RDENAS, Ms. LEE of California, Ms. WILSON of Florida, 
Ms. CROCKETT, Mr. CARSON, Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE, Mr. FROST, Mr. 
IVEY, and Mrs. FOUSHEE) introduced the following bill; which was re-
ferred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
A BILL 
To amend title 49, United States Code, to provide for free 
public transportation for individuals who are recently 
released from incarceration. 
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 ‘‘Transportation for Re-
entry Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:42 Aug 07, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4728.IH
H4728
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
(1) Access to free public transportation services 
increases the access that an individual recently re-
leased from prison has to a reliable mode of trans-
portation. 
(2) Access to a reliable mode of transpor-
tation— 
(A) promotes the successful reintegration 
of a returning individual into the community; 
(B) reduces the likelihood of recidivism; 
(C) increases the ability of a returning in-
dividual to access community services; and 
(D) helps a returning individual to follow 
up on referrals from their release plans and to 
meet initial parole requirements (if applicable). 
SEC. 3. PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION REENTRY SERVICE. 
(a) PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION REENTRY SERVICE.— 
Chapter 53 of title 49, United States Code, is amended 
by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘§ 5341. Public transportation reentry service 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.— 
‘‘(1) REENTRY SERVICE.—To be eligible for fi-
nancial assistance under section 5307 or 5311, a 
covered recipient shall carry out a reentry service 
program to provide free public transportation to re-
turning individuals. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:42 Aug 07, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4728.IH
H4728
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
‘‘(2) DURATION.—A covered recipient shall pro-
vide the reentry service described in paragraph (1) 
to a returning individual for a 1-year period begin-
ning on the release date of the returning individual. 
‘‘(b) REQUIREMENTS.—In carrying out this section, 
a covered recipient shall— 
‘‘(1) create a system for returning individuals 
to enroll in the reentry service under this section; 
‘‘(2) instruct transportation staff on the oper-
ation of the reentry service; 
‘‘(3) collect data on the number of returning in-
dividuals who use the reentry service and the fre-
quency of use; and 
‘‘(4) develop a system to ensure compliance 
with the 1-year period described in section (a)(2). 
‘‘(c) REIMBURSEMENT.— 
‘‘(1) DIRECT COSTS.—The Secretary may reim-
burse a covered recipient for the cost of providing to 
returning individuals the reentry service under this 
section. 
‘‘(2) INDIRECT
COSTS.—The reimbursement 
that a covered recipient receives may include the 
costs incurred from the following: 
‘‘(A) Development of the reentry service. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:42 Aug 07, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4728.IH
H4728
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
‘‘(B) Implementation of the reentry serv-
ice. 
‘‘(C) Operational costs of the reentry serv-
ice. 
‘‘(D) Engagement with technical assistance 
providers. 
‘‘(E) Training on the implementation of 
the reentry service. 
‘‘(F) Outreach to prisons and to the re-
turning individual populations. 
‘‘(G) Other uses integral to the successful 
implementation of the reentry service. 
‘‘(d) REGULATIONS.—Not later than 1 year after the 
date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall issue 
regulations necessary to carry out this section, including 
regulations that— 
‘‘(1) promote the coordination of providing 
technical assistance to a covered recipient; 
‘‘(2) promote the marketing of the reentry serv-
ice to ensure that incarcerated and returning indi-
vidual populations are aware of the reentry service; 
and 
‘‘(3) clarify the treatment of a returning indi-
vidual who resides in different locations, including in 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:42 Aug 07, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4728.IH
H4728
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
different States, during the 1-year period described 
in subsection (a)(2). 
‘‘(e) REPORTING.— 
‘‘(1) COVERED RECIPIENT.—For each year in 
which a covered recipient receives funds under this 
section, such recipient shall submit to the National 
Transit Database an annual report that details the 
following: 
‘‘(A) The number of returning individuals 
who used the reentry service. 
‘‘(B) The number of trips taken. 
‘‘(C) An estimate of revenue forgone. 
‘‘(D) Any other information that the Sec-
retary determines appropriate. 
‘‘(2) FEDERAL
TRANSIT
ADMINISTRATION.— 
For each such year, the Administrator of the Fed-
eral Transit Administration shall summarize the 
data reported under paragraph (1) and submit to 
Congress a report on such data. 
‘‘(f) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) RETURNING INDIVIDUAL.—The term ‘re-
turning individual’ means an individual who has 
been incarcerated for a period of not less than 1 
year in Federal or State prison. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:42 Aug 07, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4728.IH
H4728
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
‘‘(2) COVERED RECIPIENT.—The term ‘covered 
recipient’ means a recipient of financial assistance 
under section 5307 or 5311.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The analysis for chap-
ter 53 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by add-
ing at the end the following: 
‘‘5341. Public transportation reentry service.’’. 
(c) AUTHORIZATIONS.—Section 5338(a) of title 49, 
United States Code, is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1)— 
(A) in subparagraph (C) by striking 
‘‘$13,990,000,000’’ 
and 
inserting 
‘‘$14,030,000,000’’; 
(B) in subparagraph (D) by striking 
‘‘$14,279,000,000’’ 
and 
inserting 
‘‘$14,319,000,000’’; and 
(C) in subparagraph (E) by striking 
‘‘$14,642,000,000’’ 
and 
inserting 
‘‘$14,682,000,000’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (2)— 
(A) in subparagraph (C) by striking 
‘‘$6,712,987,840 
for 
fiscal 
year 
2024, 
$6,851,662,142 for fiscal year 2025, and 
$7,025,844,743 for fiscal year 2026’’ and in-
serting ‘‘$6,742,987,840 for fiscal year 2024, 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:42 Aug 07, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4728.IH
H4728
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
$6,881,662,142 for fiscal year 2025, and 
$7,055,844,743 for fiscal year 2026’’; and 
(B) in subparagraph (F) by striking 
‘‘$916,907,591 
for 
fiscal 
year 
2024, 
$935,848,712 
for 
fiscal 
year 
2025, 
and 
$959,639,810 for fiscal year 2026’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘$926,907,591 for fiscal year 2024, 
$945,848,712 
for 
fiscal 
year 
2025, 
and 
$969,639,810 for fiscal year 2026’’. 
(d) ELIGIBILITY
AS CAPITAL PROJECT.—Section 
5302(4) of title 49, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (M) by striking ‘‘or’’ at the 
end; 
(2) in subparagraph (N) by striking the period 
and inserting ‘‘; or’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(O) operating, planning, and outreach 
costs described in section 5341.’’. 
(e) REPORT.—Not later than 5 years after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the 
United States shall submit to Congress a report on imple-
mentation of section 5341 of title 49, United States Code, 
(as added by this section) that includes— 
(1) details of the implementation and outcome 
of the program under such section; and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:42 Aug 07, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4728.IH
H4728
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
(2) the impact that providing returning individ-
uals with access to the reentry service under such 
section has had on recidivism rates of participating 
returning individuals and on the reentry of such in-
dividuals into the community. 
(f) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) URBANIZED AREA FORMULA GRANT.—Sec-
tion 5307(c)(1) of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(A) in subparagraph (K), by striking 
‘‘and’’ at the end; and 
(B) by adding at the end the following new 
subparagraph: 
‘‘(M) will comply with section 5341; and’’. 
(2) FORMULA
GRANTS
FOR
RURAL
AREAS.— 
Section 5311 of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new 
subsection: 
‘‘(k) GRANT RECIPIENT REQUIREMENT.—A recipient 
may receive a grant in a fiscal year only if the recipient 
certifies to the Secretary that such recipient will comply 
with section 5341.’’. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:42 Aug 07, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H4728.IH
H4728
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS