A bill to amend title 49, United States Code, to establish the Helping Obtain Prosperity for Everyone program, and for other purposes.
Bill: S.2323 | Sponsor: Sen. Warnock, Raphael G. (D-GA)
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
This bill establishes the Helping Obtain Prosperity for Everyone grant program to cover planning and related costs of public transportation projects in areas where at least 20% of the population has lived in persistent poverty and in rural areas.

To amend title 49, United States Code, to establish the Helping Obtain 
        Prosperity for Everyone 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. HELPING OBTAIN PROSPERITY FOR EVERYONE PROGRAM.

    (a) Program Establishment.--
            (1) In general.--Chapter 53 of title 49, United States 
        Code, is amended by inserting after section 5307 the following:
``Sec. 5308. Helping Obtain Prosperity for Everyone program
    ``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Area of persistent poverty.--The term `area of 
        persistent poverty' means--
                    ``(A) a county that has consistently had greater 
                than or equal to 20 percent of the population living in 
                poverty during the most recent 30-year period for which 
                data is available, as measured by the 1990 and 2000 
                decennial censuses and the most recent Small Area 
                Income and Poverty Estimates, as estimated by the 
                Bureau of the Census;
                    ``(B) a census tract with a poverty rate of at 
                least 20 percent as measured by the most recent 5-year 
                data series available from the American Community 
                Survey of the Bureau of the Census for all States and 
                Puerto Rico; or
                    ``(C) any other territory or possession of the 
                United States of which at least 20 percent of the 
                population has consistently lived in poverty over the 
                most recent 30-year period for which data is available, 
                as measured by the 1990, 2000, and 2010 decennial 
                censuses or equivalent data of the Bureau of the 
                Census.
            ``(2) Covered project.--The term `covered project' means 
        any project eligible under this chapter carried out by an 
        eligible entity that would serve an area of persistent poverty.
            ``(3) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity' means an 
        eligible recipient or subrecipient under section 5307, 5310, or 
        5311 that seeks to carry out a covered project.
            ``(4) Program.--The term `program' means the Helping Obtain 
        Prosperity for Everyone program established under subsection 
        (b).
    ``(b) Establishment.--The Secretary shall carry out a program, to 
be known as the `Helping Obtain Prosperity for Everyone' program, to 
award grants to eligible entities--
            ``(1) to carry out planning or engineering work for covered 
        projects, which may include studies or analyses to assess the 
        transit needs of an area of persistent poverty; and
            ``(2) to develop technical or financing plans for covered 
        projects.
    ``(c) Application.--An eligible entity seeking a grant under the 
program, or a State department of transportation acting on behalf of an 
eligible entity seeking a grant under the program, shall submit to the 
Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and containing 
such information as the Secretary may require.
    ``(d) Federal Share.--The Federal share of the cost of an activity 
described in subsection (b) shall be not less than 90 percent.
    ``(e) Outreach.--Not later than 1 year after the date on which the 
Secretary establishes the program, the Secretary shall conduct 
outreach, including through personal contact, webinars, online 
materials, and other appropriate methods determined by the Secretary, 
to eligible entities with respect to grant opportunities under the 
program.
    ``(f) Partnerships.--
            ``(1) In general.--The recipient of a grant under the 
        program may enter into a partnership with a nonprofit 
        organization or other entity to assist the recipient in 
        carrying out the activities described in subsection (b).
            ``(2) Encouragement.--The Secretary shall encourage 
        recipients of grants under the program to enter into 
        partnerships with nonprofit organizations that could assist the 
        recipient in ensuring that a covered project results in lower 
        emissions or no emissions.
    ``(g) Rural Areas.--Of the amounts made available to carry out the 
program each fiscal year, the Secretary shall ensure that not less than 
20 percent is used to carry out covered projects in rural areas.''.
            (2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections for chapter 
        53 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by inserting 
        after the item relating to section 5307 the following:

``5308. Helping Obtain Prosperity for Everyone program.''.
    (b) Funding.--Section 5338(a) of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1)--
                    (A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by 
                inserting ``5308,'' after ``5307,'';
                    (B) in subparagraph (D), by striking ``and'' at the 
                end;
                    (C) in subparagraph (E), by striking the period at 
                the end and inserting ``; and''; and
                    (D) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(F) $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 
                through 2026.''; and
            (2) in paragraph (2)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (M), by striking ``and'' at the 
                end;
                    (B) in subparagraph (N)(ii), by striking the period 
                at the end and inserting ``; and''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(O) $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 
                through 2026 shall be available to carry out section 
                5308.''.
                                 <all>