ROUTES Act
Bill: S.1985 | Sponsor: Sen. Fischer, Deb (R-NE)
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
Rural Opportunities to Use Transportation for Economic Success Act or the ROUTES Act
This bill provides statutory authority for a Department of Transportation (DOT) initiative by establishing the Rural Opportunities to Use Transportation for Economic Success (ROUTES) Office within DOT.
The purpose of the office is to (1) improve analysis of projects from rural and tribal areas, and underserved communities in such areas that are applying for DOT discretionary grants, including ensuring that project costs, local resources, and the larger benefits to the American people and economy are appropriately considered; and (2) provide rural, tribal, and underserved communities in these areas with technical assistance for meeting transportation infrastructure investment needs in a financially sustainable manner.
To carry out the mission of the office, DOT must establish the ROUTES Council.

To establish a Rural Opportunities to Use Transportation for Economic 
              Success Initiative, 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 ``Rural Opportunities to Use 
Transportation for Economic Success Act'' or the ``ROUTES Act''.

SEC. 2. RURAL OPPORTUNITIES TO USE TRANSPORTATION FOR ECONOMIC SUCCESS 
              INITIATIVE.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) ROUTES council.--The term ``ROUTES Council'' means the 
        Rural Opportunities to Use Transportation for Economic Success 
        Council established by subsection (c)(1).
            (2) ROUTES office.--The term ``ROUTES Office'' means the 
        Rural Opportunities to Use Transportation for Economic Success 
        Office established by subsection (b)(1).
            (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Transportation.
    (b) ROUTES Office.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall establish within the 
        Department of Transportation the Rural Opportunities to Use 
        Transportation for Economic Success Office--
                    (A) to improve analysis of projects from rural 
                areas, Tribal areas, and underserved communities in 
                rural or Tribal areas applying for Department of 
                Transportation discretionary grants, including ensuring 
                that project costs, local resources, and the larger 
                benefits to the people and the economy of the United 
                States are appropriately considered; and
                    (B) to provide rural communities, Tribal 
                communities, and underserved communities in rural or 
                Tribal areas with technical assistance for meeting the 
                transportation infrastructure investment needs of the 
                United States in a financially sustainable manner.
            (2) Objectives.--The ROUTES Office shall--
                    (A) collect input from knowledgeable entities and 
                the public on--
                            (i) the benefits of rural and Tribal 
                        transportation projects;
                            (ii) the technical and financial assistance 
                        required for constructing and operating rural 
                        and Tribal transportation infrastructure and 
                        services;
                            (iii) barriers and opportunities to funding 
                        rural and Tribal transportation projects; and
                            (iv) unique transportation barriers and 
                        challenges facing underserved communities in 
                        rural and Tribal areas and ways to address 
                        those challenges;
                    (B) evaluate data on rural and Tribal 
                transportation challenges and determining methods to 
                align the discretionary funding and financing 
                opportunities of the Department of Transportation with 
                the needs of those communities for meeting national 
                transportation goals; and
                    (C) educate rural communities and Tribal 
                communities about applicable Department of 
                Transportation discretionary grants, develop effective 
                methods to evaluate projects in those communities in 
                discretionary grant programs, and communicate those 
                methods through program guidance.
    (c) ROUTES Council.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall establish a Rural 
        Opportunities to Use Transportation for Economic Success 
        Council--
                    (A) to organize, guide, and lead the ROUTES Office; 
                and
                    (B) to coordinate rural-related and Tribal-related 
                funding programs and assistance among the modal 
                administrations.
            (2) Membership.--
                    (A) In general.--The ROUTES Council shall be 
                composed of the following officers of the Department of 
                Transportation, or their designees:
                            (i) The Under Secretary of Transportation 
                        for Policy.
                            (ii) The General Counsel.
                            (iii) The Chief Financial Officer and 
                        Assistant Secretary for Budget and Programs.
                            (iv) The Assistant Secretary for Research 
                        and Technology.
                            (v) The Administrators of--
                                    (I) the Federal Aviation 
                                Administration;
                                    (II) the Federal Highway 
                                Administration;
                                    (III) the Federal Railroad 
                                Administration; and
                                    (IV) the Federal Transit 
                                Administration.
                            (vi) The Executive Director of the National 
                        Surface Transportation and Innovative Finance 
                        Bureau established under section 116 of title 
                        49, United States Code.
                            (vii) The Assistant Secretary of Government 
                        Affairs.
                            (viii) Such other individuals as the 
                        Secretary may designate.
                    (B) Chair.--The Under Secretary of Transportation 
                for Policy shall be the Chair of the ROUTES Council.
                    (C) Additional members.--The Secretary or the Chair 
                of the ROUTES Council may designate additional members 
                to serve on the ROUTES Council.
            (3) Additional modal input.--To address issues related to 
        safety and transport of rural and Tribal commodities, the 
        ROUTES Council shall consult with the Administrators (or their 
        designees) of--
                    (A) the Maritime Administration;
                    (B) the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development 
                Corporation; and
                    (C) the National Highway Traffic Safety 
                Administration.
            (4) Duties.--Members of the ROUTES Council shall--
                    (A) participate in all meetings and relevant ROUTES 
                Council activities and be prepared to share information 
                relevant to rural and Tribal transportation 
                infrastructure projects and issues;
                    (B) provide guidance and leadership on rural and 
                Tribal transportation infrastructure issues and 
                represent the work of the ROUTES Council and Department 
                of Transportation on those issues to external 
                stakeholders; and
                    (C) recommend initiatives to the Chair of the 
                ROUTES Council to consider, establish, and staff any 
                resulting activities or working groups.
            (5) Meetings.--The ROUTES Council shall meet bimonthly.
            (6) Work products and deliverables.--The ROUTES Council may 
        develop work products or deliverables to meet the goals of the 
        ROUTES Council, including--
                    (A) an annual report to Congress describing ROUTES 
                Council activities for the past year and expected 
                activities for the coming year;
                    (B) any recommendations to enhance the 
                effectiveness of Department of Transportation 
                discretionary grant programs regarding rural and Tribal 
                infrastructure issues; and
                    (C) other guides and reports for relevant groups 
                and the public.
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