Infrastructure

Bringing Real Ideas, Data, and Genuine Experience to Congress Resolution or the BRIDGE to Congress Resolution This resolution modifies the House Rules regarding remote testimony of witnesses in committee proceedings. Specifically, the resolution eliminates the requirement for the committee chair to approve remote testimony of witnesses.

This resolution elects Members to the following standing committees: Armed Services Education and Workforce Energy and Commerce Homeland Security Judiciary Oversight and Government Reform Rules Small Business Transportation and Infrastructure Veterans' Affairs 

Protecting Infrastructure Investments for Rural America Act This bill modifies the definition of rural area that is used for the Rural Surface Transportation Grant Program and adds provisions for small communities. As background, the grant program supports projects that improve and expand the surface transportation infrastructure in rural areas. Eligible applicants for the grant program include states, regional transportation planning organizations, local governments, and tribal governments. For purposes of the program, the bill defines rural area as an area outside an urbanized area that has a population of 30,000 or less. Current law requires a rural area to be outside of an urbanized area with a population of over 200,000. The bill includes provisions for small communities (i.e., an area outside an urbanized area and that has a population of 5,000 or less). The bill sets the maximum federal cost-share at 90% for project grants carried out in a small community. The Department of Transportation (DOT) must use at least 5% of the program's annual funds to provide grants for projects in small communities. The bill also removes the prohibition against DOT using more than 10% of program funds for grants that are under $25 million. Further, program grants may be used for highway, road, bridge, or tunnel projects that would benefit the economic development or quality of life for citizens of the local community. The bill also specifies that the program's goals include the generation of economic growth and development in rural areas. 

This resolution recognizes domestically produced natural gas as affordable, green, and necessary for the United States to be energy dominant while asserting that the United States should take a broad approach to meet energy needs. It also supports efforts to increase domestic production of natural gas and natural gas infrastructure, identify and remove barriers to the production of natural gas, and expedite the approval of liquefied natural gas export facilities in the United States.

This resolution elects Members to the committees on Appropriations; Education and Workforce; Homeland Security; Rules; Small Business; and Transportation and Infrastructure.

This bill prohibits the state of California from receiving federal funds for a high-speed rail corridor development project. Specifically, the prohibition applies to a project in California that is the same or substantially similar to the project that is the subject of an FY2010 cooperative agreement entered into on November 18, 2011, between the California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) and the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). As background, CHSRA has received various federal grants for the California High-Speed Rail program, a project led by the state of California with the goal of implementing a high-speed rail system capable of speeds exceeding 200 miles per hour between Los Angeles and San Francisco. The FRA terminated the specific FY2010 cooperative agreement on May 16, 2019.

Railroad Responsibility Act of 2025 This bill provides states with the authority to adopt or enact any law, regulation, order, or other requirement limiting the duration that a railroad carrier may block a grade rail crossing. Specifically, this bill states that federal transportation laws do not preempt a state from adopting or enacting these limits.  As background, state and federal courts have generally found that state laws regarding obstructed crossings are preempted by one or more federal laws, thereby rendering the state laws unenforceable.

Anti-Congestion Tax Act This bill prohibits the Department of Transportation (DOT) from awarding capital investment grants to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) for projects in New York until DOT certifies that vehicles using certain crossings to enter into Manhattan's congestion tolling zone receive exemptions from congestion tolls. The vehicular crossings include the Holland Tunnel, the Lincoln Tunnel, the George Washington Bridge, and any other crossing immediately before entry into the congestion tolling zone. As background, the MTA's Central Business District Tolling Program for New York City charges drivers a toll to enter an area in Manhattan designated as the Congestion Relief Zone. Under the bill, c ongestion tolling zone generally means any roadways, bridges, tunnels, approaches, or ramps that are located within, or enter to, the Congestion Relief Zone, with some modifications. Specifically, the bill requires the MTA to credit a vehicle for the vehicular crossing toll from the amount of the congestion toll charged to the vehicle for entering the congestion tolling zone. Further, the bill allows drivers entering Manhattan using any of the vehicular crossings immediately before entry into the congestion tolling zone to receive a federal tax credit at the end of the year equal to the amount paid in congestion tolls for using the crossing. 

This resolution expresses that the Panama Canal is vital to U.S. regional security, hemispheric hegemony, and economic interests. The resolution also assesses that Chinese-backed investment in Panama's port infrastructure and canal operations violates the Neutrality Treaty (i.e., the Treaty Concerning the Permanent Neutrality and Operation of the Panama Canal, signed in 1977) and urges the administration to ensure that the canal remains neutral.

This bill prohibits the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) from establishing or maintaining a value pricing program under the FHWA's Value Pricing Pilot Program that includes value pricing, congestion pricing, or cordon pricing.   In general, value pricing, also referred to as congestion pricing, includes a variety of strategies to manage congestion on highways and surface streets (e.g., charging drivers on congested roadways during peak periods). Cordon pricing is a form of congestion pricing that includes a zone-based pricing system that involves either variable or fixed charges to drive within or into a congested area within a city.

This resolution elects Chairs for the following committees: Agriculture Appropriations Armed Services Budget Education and Workforce Energy and Commerce Financial Services Foreign Affairs Homeland Security Judiciary  National Resources Oversight and Government Reform Science, Space, and Technology  Small Business Transportation and Infrastructure Veterans' Affairs Ways and Means

This joint resolution nullifies the rule titled National Primary Drinking Water Regulations for Lead and Copper: Improvements (LCRI) , which was submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency on October 30, 2024. The rule modifies the regulations under the Safe Drinking Water Act to further reduce lead in drinking water, including by directing water systems to replace all lead and certain galvanized service lines under their control within 10 years.

Motorist Tax Abuse Act This bill prohibits the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) from establishing or maintaining cordon pricing for the Central Business District Tolling Program for New York City under the FHWA's Value Pricing Pilot Program. The New York program charges drivers a toll to enter an area in Manhattan designated as the Congestion Relief Zone. In general, cordon pricing is a form of congestion pricing that includes a zone-based pricing system that involves either variable or fixed charges to drive within or into a congested area within a city.

Hawaii Invasive Species Protection Act This bill directs the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to conduct preclearance quarantine inspections for high-risk invasive species and agricultural materials on persons, baggage, cargo, and any other articles destined for direct movement to or from the state of Hawaii. The visual, x-ray, and canine inspections must be conducted at airports, ports, and postal sorting facilities. APHIS must also consult with the state of Hawaii to develop and publish a list of items subject to inspection for high-risk invasive species and agricultural materials. User fees must be prescribed and collected to cover the cost of the inspections.

This resolution establishes the majority party's membership on and designates chairs of the following committees: Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Appropriations Armed Services Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Budget Commerce, Science, and Transportation Energy and Natural Resources Environment and Public Works Finance Foreign Relations Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Indian Affairs Rules and Administration Small Business and Entrepreneurship Veterans' Affairs Joint Economic Committee Select Committee on Ethics Select Committee on Intelligence Special Committee on Aging

Fair Representation Amendment This resolution directs specified House committees to conduct a comprehensive review of laws within their jurisdiction and to recommend changes to eliminate excessive executive branch discretion in the application of those laws. Thereafter, the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform must report legislation containing all such recommendations with the short title  Article One Restoration Act . The requirement applies to the following House committees: Agriculture Armed Services Budget Education and Workforce Energy and Commerce Financial Services Foreign Affairs Judiciary Natural Resources Oversight and Government Reform Science, Space, and Technology Small Business Transportation and Infrastructure Veterans’ Affairs Ways and Means Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence

Support Neighborhoods Offset Winter Damage Act of 2025 or the SNOW Act of 2025 This bill authorizes Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant funding for winter storm hazard mitigation and requires FEMA rulemaking to expand assistance for winter storms. It also increases the federal cost share for various FEMA grants, for any hazard type, in rural or disadvantaged areas. The bill specifically authorizes the use of grant funding under the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) and Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program to reduce the risk of future damage in areas affected by winter storms, such as by acquiring snow removal equipment.  Also, under current FEMA policy, in determining eligibility and recommending a presidential major disaster declaration for a snowstorm, FEMA’s considerations include whether data shows record (or near record) snowfall and whether estimated statewide costs meet applicable thresholds. The bill requires FEMA to create regulations waiving these eligibility requirements for a major disaster declaration for a snowstorm in certain circumstances. FEMA must also create regulations to provide certain assistance for winter storms, including for debris removal and specified infrastructure, as well as individual and emergency assistance when the state determines the storm exceeds state and local capacity.  In addition, for any hazard type, the bill requires FEMA to increase the federal cost share from 75% to 90% for certain assistance provided in rural or disadvantaged areas. It also authorizes an increased HMGP federal cost share amount from 75% to 90% for assistance in rural or disadvantaged areas. 

Assistance for Local Heroes During Train Crises Act This bill establishes a Hazardous Train Event Emergency Reimbursement Fund for state and local emergency response groups. Upon a declaration by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) that a hazardous train event has occurred, the FRA must immediately award at least $250,000 from the emergency fund to one or more eligible groups (e.g., law enforcement agencies and fire departments). Additional amounts may be awarded, but may not exceed $3 million per hazardous train event. The FRA may declare a hazardous train event has occurred following a derailment or crash involving a train carrying hazardous materials, hazardous waste, or other materials that pose a threat to public health, safety, and the environment. Costs associated with a response to a hazardous train event that are eligible for reimbursement include (1) replacing damaged or contaminated equipment, (2) overtime pay for firefighters or law enforcement officers, and (3) retroactively covering these types of incurred costs after the event date. The FRA must also (1) establish annual fees for shippers and carriers of hazardous materials by rail that have total annual collections of at least $10 million, and (2) deposit the fees into the reimbursement fund. Further, the Department of Transportation must issue regulations requiring railroads that transport hazardous materials by train to provide county and local emergency response groups with (1) advance warning of the train's load and timing, and (2) real-time location information on the train when it enters and exits the community's service area.

Western Water Accelerated Revenue Repayment Act This bill permanently authorizes a provision under the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act that (1) allows certain water users (e.g., agriculture and municipal water users) in western states to prepay what they owe under contracts with the Bureau of Reclamation for delivering water through a lump sum payment or over a period of three years; and (2) requires a specified portion of the receipts generated from such prepayments be directed to the Reclamation Water Storage Account for the construction of water storage. Such prepayments do not alter certain requirements for the disposition of amounts that are directed by project-specific statutes in effect prior to the passage of the WIIN Act to accounts other than the General Reclamation Fund.