Title: REPAIR Act
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
Reinvesting in Essential Partnerships And Infrastructure for Rural America Act or the REPAIR Act
This bill revises the fixed guideway capital investment grant program to include rural start projects within the program and directs the Department of Transportation to establish an innovative mobility and technology deployment grants program to assist states, local governments, or publicly owned operators of public transportation with financing certain public transportation projects.
The bill also provides additional funding and flexibility for other transportation projects, including for projects in areas that are designated as medically underserved.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8859 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 8859

 To establish an innovative mobility and technology deployment grants 
                    program, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            December 3, 2020

Mrs. Miller (for herself, Mr. Crawford, Mr. Weber of Texas, Mr. Graves 
 of Louisiana, and Mr. Pence) introduced the following bill; which was 
     referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To establish an innovative mobility and technology deployment grants 
                    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 ``Reinvesting in Essential 
Partnerships And Infrastructure for Rural America Act'' or the ``REPAIR 
Act''.

SEC. 2. FIXED GUIDEWAY CAPITAL INVESTMENT GRANTS.

    Section 5309 of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) in paragraph (7)--
                            (i) in subparagraph (A) by striking 
                        ``$100,000,000'' and inserting 
                        ``$200,000,000''; and
                            (ii) in subparagraph (B) by striking 
                        ``$300,000,000'' and inserting 
                        ``$400,000,000''; and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(8) Rural start project.--The term `rural start project' 
        means a new transit capital project that is not in an urbanized 
        area for which--
                    ``(A) the Federal assistance provided or to be 
                provided under this section is less than $80,000,000; 
                and
                    ``(B) the total estimated net capital cost is less 
                than $150,000,000.'';
            (2) in subsection (b)(1) by striking ``or small start 
        projects'' and inserting ``, small start projects, or rural 
        start projects'';
            (3) in subsection (c)(1) by striking ``small start 
        projects'' and inserting ``, small start projects, rural start 
        projects''; and
            (4) in subsection (h)--
                    (A) in the heading by striking ``Small Start 
                Projects'' and inserting ``Small Start Projects and 
                Rural Start Projects'';
                    (B) in paragraph (1) by striking ``small start 
                project'' and inserting ``small start project or rural 
                start project'';
                    (C) in paragraph (2)(A) by striking ``small starts 
                project'' and inserting ``small start project or rural 
                start project'';
                    (D) in paragraph (3) by striking ``small start 
                project'' and inserting ``small start project or rural 
                start project''; and
                    (E) in paragraph (6)(A) by striking ``small start 
                project'' and inserting ``small start project or rural 
                start project''.

SEC. 3. ENHANCED MOBILITY OF SENIORS AND INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES.

    Section 5310 of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subsection (b)(2) by striking ``(A) Amount 
        available'' and all that follows through ``A recipient of a 
        grant under'' and inserting ``A recipient of a grant under'';
            (2) in subsection (c)(2) by adding at the end the 
        following:
                    ``(E) Reallocation.--Amounts apportioned under 
                section 5310(c)(1)(A) may be reallocated to projects in 
                areas other than urbanized areas.'';
            (3) by striking paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (d) 
        and inserting the following:
            ``(1) Capital projects.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Except as provided in 
                subparagraph (B), a grant awarded under this section 
                for a capital project shall be 80 percent of the net 
                costs of the project, as determined by the Secretary.
                    ``(B) Exception.--A State described in section 
                120(b) of title 23 shall receive a Government share of 
                the net costs in accordance with the formula under such 
                section.
            ``(2) Operating assistance.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Except as provided by 
                subparagraph (B), a grant awarded under this section 
                for a operating assistance may not exceed an amount 
                equal to 50 percent of the net operating costs of the 
                project, as determined by the Secretary.
                    ``(B) Exception.--A State described in section 
                120(b) of title 23 shall receive a Government share of 
                the net costs that is equal to 62.5 percent of the 
                Government share provided for under paragraph 
                (1)(B).''; and
            (4) by striking subsection (e)(1) and inserting the 
        following:
            ``(1) In general.--To the extent the Secretary determines 
        appropriate, the requirements of--
                    ``(A) section 5307 shall apply to recipients of 
                grants made in urbanized areas under this subsection; 
                and
                    ``(B) section 5311 shall apply to recipients of 
                grants made in rural areas under this subsection.''.

SEC. 4. FORMULA GRANTS FOR RURAL AREAS.

    Section 5311(g) of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(C) Projects in qualified opportunity zones, 
                medically underserved areas, or areas with a medically 
                underserved population.--A grant awarded under this 
                section for a capital project in a qualified 
                opportunity zone, a medically underserved area, or 
                areas with a medically underserved population shall be 
                for 90 percent of the net costs of the project, as 
                determined by the Secretary.'';
            (2) in paragraph (2) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(C) Projects in qualified opportunity zones, 
                medically underserved areas, or areas with a medically 
                underserved population.--A grant awarded under this 
                section for a capital project in a qualified 
                opportunity zone, a medically underserved area, or an 
                area with a medically underserved population shall be 
                for 62.5 percent of the Government share provided for 
                under paragraph (1)(B).''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(6) Definitions.--In this subsection:
                    ``(A) Qualified opportunity zone.--The term 
                `qualified opportunity zone' has the meaning given such 
                term section 1400Z-1 of the Internal Revenue Code of 
                1986.
                    ``(B) Medically underserved areas; an area with a 
                medically underserved population.--The term `medically 
                underserved areas' or `an area with a medically 
                underserved population' means an area or populations 
                that are designated as medically underserved by the 
                Secretary of Health and Human Services pursuant to 
                section 330(b)(3) of the Public Health Service Act (42 
                U.S.C. 254b(b)(3)).''.

SEC. 5. NON-EMERGENCY MEDICAL TRANSPORTATION.

    (a) Research Project Eligibility.--Section 5312(c)(2) of title 49, 
United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (M), by striking ``or'' at the end;
            (2) by redesignating subparagraph (N) as subparagraph (O); 
        and
            (3) by inserting after subparagraph (M) the following:
                    ``(N) access to hospitals and healthcare providers 
                in areas underserved by transit or with limited public 
                transportation options, as determined by the Secretary; 
                or''.
    (b) Innovation and Development Project Eligibility.--Section 
5312(d)(2) of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (G), by striking ``or'' at the end;
            (2) by redesignating subparagraph (H) as subparagraph (I); 
        and
            (3) by inserting after subparagraph (G) the following:
                    ``(H) public transportation projects that improve 
                health care access and outcomes; or''.
    (c) Demonstration, Deployment, and Evaluation Project 
Eligibility.--Section 5312(e)(3) of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``or'' at the end;
            (2) in subparagraph (C), by striking the period and 
        inserting ``; or''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(D) the deployment of public transportation 
                projects or practices that--
                            ``(i) achieve measurable improvements in 
                        transportation access to health care for 
                        medically underserved areas or populations, as 
                        designated by the Health Resources and Services 
                        Administration pursuant to section 330(b)(3) of 
                        the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
                        254b(b)(3));
                            ``(ii) implement transportation strategies 
                        for addressing significant health needs as 
                        identified by a community health needs 
                        assessment pursuant to the requirements of 
                        section 501(r)(3)(A) of the Internal Revenue 
                        Code of 1986; or
                            ``(iii) eliminate or reduce transportation 
                        barriers to accessing health care that are 
                        identified and prioritized in the coordinated 
                        public transit-human services transportation 
                        plan described in section 5310(e)(2)(A).''.

SEC. 6. INNOVATIVE MOBILITY AND TECHNOLOGY DEPLOYMENT GRANTS.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 53 of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended by inserting after section 5312 the following:
``Sec. 5313. Innovative mobility and technology deployment grants
    ``(a) Authority.--The Secretary shall establish an innovative 
mobility and technology deployment grants program to award grants to 
entities described in subsection (b) to assist in financing of public 
transportation projects that--
            ``(1) allow for the integration of mobility services or 
        technologies in public transportation services, including 
        traveler information, trip planning information, new or 
        expanded reservation capabilities, integrated payment 
        solutions, fare automation, or delivery designs to improve 
        options in public transportation;
            ``(2) advance first-mile, last-mile, late night, or low 
        density services that connect riders to public transportation, 
        including--
                    ``(A) microtransit;
                    ``(B) commuter busing; or
                    ``(C) commuter highway vehicles;
            ``(3) advance on demand complementary paratransit services;
            ``(4) provide accessibility and connectivity for rural 
        areas not being adequately served by public transportation, as 
        determined by the Secretary;
            ``(5) expand high-performing public transportation business 
        models that increase access to public transportation; or
            ``(6) provide any other transit service that the Secretary 
        determines appropriate to meet the purposes of this section.
    ``(b) Eligible Entities.--To be eligible for a grant under this 
section, an entity shall be--
            ``(1) a State or local government; or
            ``(2) a publicly owned operator of public transportation.
    ``(c) Application.--To be eligible to receive a grant under this 
section, an entity described in subsection (b) shall submit to the 
Secretary an application in such form and contain such information as 
the Secretary may require.
    ``(d) Rulemaking.--The Secretary shall--
            ``(1) issue such regulations as are necessary to carry out 
        this section, and publish such regulations in the Federal 
        Register, not later than 270 days after the date of enactment 
        of this section; and
            ``(2) in issuing such regulations, solicit and receive 
        comments from stakeholders not later than 180 days after the 
        date of enactment of this section.
    ``(e) Grant Requirements.--The Secretary may approve modified grant 
requirements for projects carried out using a grant under this section.
    ``(f) Limitations.--
            ``(1) Period of grant.--A grant under this section shall be 
        for a 3-year period beginning on the date on which the first 
        payment of any amount under the grant is provided to an 
        eligible entity.
            ``(2) Rural grant minimum.--The Secretary shall award not 
        less than 20 percent of the total amounts made available to 
        carry out this section to support activities described under 
        subsection (a) in rural areas.
            ``(3) Government share of costs.--The Federal share of the 
        total project cost of a project carried out under this section 
        may not exceed 80 percent.
            ``(4) Allocation.--Of the amounts authorized to be 
        appropriated to carry out this section for each fiscal year, 
        not more than 20 percent may be awarded under subsection (a) to 
        a single entity.
    ``(g) Best Practices.--The Secretary shall annually collect from, 
review, and disseminate to public transportation agencies findings or 
best practices from projects funded under this section.
    ``(h) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Commuter highway vehicle.--The term `commuter highway 
        vehicle' has the meaning given such term in section 
        132(f)(5)(B) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
            ``(2) High-performing public transportation.--The term 
        `high-performing public transportation' means a public 
        transportation service, whether provided by a public agency, 
        private nonprofit, or for-profit organization, that is able to 
        collect all operating costs through fare-box revenue or other 
        dedicated sources for an activity and increases access to 
        public transportation.
            ``(3) Micro-transit.--The term `micro-transit' means 
        internet-enabled, public transportation services that use 
        dynamically generated routes calculated by algorithms developed 
        to increase the occupancy of vehicles.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 53 of title 49, 
United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 5312 the 
following:

``5313. Innovative mobility and technology deployment grants.''.
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