National Bridge Replacement and Improvement Act
Bill: H.R.201 | Sponsor: Rep. Emmer, Tom (R-MN)
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
National Bridge Replacement and Improvement Act
This bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to establish a national bridge replacement and improvement grant program.
Under the program, DOT may provide competitive grants to governmental entities and planning organizations to assist a bridge project that is eligible for federal-aid highway funding and will (1) restore or increase the structural capacity of the bridge; (2) correct a major safety defect of the bridge; or (3) replace an existing bridge with a new bridge that meets specific requirements, including being located in the same general traffic corridor as the bridge being replaced.

To direct the Secretary of Transportation to establish a national 
  bridge replacement and improvement program, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``National Bridge Replacement and 
Improvement Act''.

SEC. 2. NATIONAL BRIDGE REPLACEMENT AND IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.

    (a) Establishment.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall establish 
a national bridge replacement and improvement program (in this section 
referred to as the ``Program'') to assist safety improvements for high-
risk intersections and interchanges.
    (b) Grant Authority.--In carrying out the Program, the Secretary 
may make grants on a competitive basis to covered entities.
    (c) Project Requirements.--The Secretary may only make a grant 
under the Program to assist a project that--
            (1) is a bridge on a Federal-aid highway that is eligible 
        for funding under title 23, United States Code; and
            (2) will--
                    (A) restore or increase the structural capacity of 
                the bridge;
                    (B) correct a major safety defect of the bridge; or
                    (C) replace an existing bridge with a new bridge 
                that--
                            (i) is in the same general traffic corridor 
                        as the bridge being replaced, as determined by 
                        the Secretary; and
                            (ii) meets the requirements of subparagraph 
                        (A) or (B).
    (d) Applications.--To be eligible for a grant under the Program, a 
covered entity shall submit to the Secretary an application in such 
form, at such time, and containing such information as the Secretary 
determines is appropriate.
    (e) Limitation.--The aggregate amount provided to a covered entity 
in a fiscal year through grants under the Program may not exceed 5 
percent of the amount made available for all grants under the Program 
in that fiscal year.
    (f) Congressional Review.--At least 90 days before establishing the 
Program under subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit to Congress a 
report detailing the selection process the Secretary shall use in 
making grants under the Program.
    (g) Covered Entity Defined.--In this section, the term ``covered 
entity'' means any of the following:
            (1) A State government entity.
            (2) A local government entity.
            (3) A territory of the United States.
            (4) A Tribal government.
            (5) A metropolitan planning organization.
            (6) Any entity composed of 2 or more entities described in 
        paragraphs (1) through (5).
    (h) Authorization of Appropriations.--
            (1) In general.--There is authorized to be appropriated out 
        of the Highway Trust Fund (other than the Mass Transit Account) 
        to carry out the Program $1,000,000,000 for each fiscal year.
            (2) Applicability of title 23, united states code.--Funds 
        authorized to be appropriated by paragraph (1) shall--
                    (A) be available for obligation in the same manner 
                as if those funds were apportioned under chapter 1 of 
                title 23, United States Code, except that the Federal 
                share of the cost of a project or activity carried out 
                using such funds shall be 80 percent; and
                    (B) remain available until expended and not be 
                transferable.
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