Providing Assistance for Transit Help to College Act
Bill: S.3250 | Sponsor: Sen. Casey, Robert P., Jr. (D-PA)
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
Providing Assistance for Transit Help to College Act or the PATH to College Act
This bill authorizes grants for improving transit connections for students at institutions of higher education, such as by adding transit stops within walking distance of a campus or subsidizing transit costs for students. The Department of Transportation may award the grants to partnerships of public transit providers and one or more community colleges, historically Black colleges and universities, tribal colleges and universities, and other minority-serving institutions.

To increase access to higher education by providing public transit 
                                grants.

    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 ``Providing Assistance for Transit 
Help to College Act'' or the ``PATH to College Act''.

SEC. 2. INCREASING ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION THROUGH PUBLIC TRANSIT 
              GRANTS.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Eligible institution.--The term ``eligible 
        institution'' means--
                    (A) a community college;
                    (B) a historically Black college or university;
                    (C) a Tribal College or University (as defined in 
                section 316 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
                U.S.C. 1059c)); or
                    (D) a minority-serving institution.
            (2) Eligible recipient.--The term ``eligible recipient'' 
        means a public transit provider in partnership with one or more 
        eligible institutions.
            (3) Historically black college or university.--The term 
        ``historically Black college and university'' has the meaning 
        given the term ``part B institution'' in section 322 of the 
        Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061).
            (4) Minority-serving institution.--The term ``minority-
        serving institution'' means an eligible institution under 
        section 371 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
        1067q).
            (5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Transportation.
    (b) In General.--The Secretary may make grants under this section 
to eligible recipients to enable those eligible recipients to carry out 
projects described in subsection (c) to better connect students with 
transportation to eligible institutions.
    (c) Eligible Projects.--An eligible recipient receiving a grant 
under this section shall use grant funds to carry out one or more of 
the following activities to better connect students with transportation 
to one or more of the eligible institutions that are part of the 
eligible recipient partnership:
            (1) Adding bus, rail, or paratransit stops at or within 
        walking distances of campuses.
            (2) Adding bus, rail, or paratransit routes to and from 
        campuses from surrounding areas and other cities.
            (3) Increasing the frequency of service or adjusting the 
        time of bus, rail, or paratransit routes to allow students to 
        get to and from their classes.
            (4) Subsidizing bus, rail, or paratransit costs for 
        students.
    (d) Application.--
            (1) In general.--An eligible recipient that desires a grant 
        under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary 
        at such time, in such manner, and containing such information 
        as the Secretary may require, including information on the 
        extent to which the proposed projects using grant funds will 
        improve the availability of transit access for students.
            (2) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the 
        Secretary shall give priority to an eligible recipient whose 
        partnership includes an eligible institution with respect to 
        which more than 25 percent of students enrolled in that 
        eligible institution receive a Federal Pell Grant.
    (e) Federal Share.--
            (1) Capital project.--The Federal share of the net project 
        cost of a capital project carried out using a grant under this 
        section shall be not more than 80 percent.
            (2) Operating costs.--The Federal share of net operating 
        costs for a project carried out using a grant under this 
        section shall be not more than 50 percent.
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