[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6154 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6154

   To establish a pilot program to provide partial or full gasoline 
      reimbursement for certain commuters and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 22, 2008

 Mr. LaTourette (for himself, Mr. Tiberi, and Mr. McCotter) introduced 
      the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
                   Transportation and Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To establish a pilot program to provide partial or full gasoline 
      reimbursement for certain commuters 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. ESTABLISHMENT OF GASOLINE REIMBURSEMENT PILOT PROGRAM.

    (a) Establishment of Pilot Program.--
            (1) Grant program to states.--The Administrator of the 
        Federal Highway Administration, in consultation with the 
        Secretary of Commerce, shall establish a 3-year pilot program 
        to provide States with grant funds to reimburse commuters for 
        the cost of gasoline for not more than 30 miles a day in 
        accordance with this section.
            (2) Grant awards.--The Administrator shall provide grant 
        funds to a State based on the number of commuter vehicles in 
        such State using the attribution tables for the number of 
        vehicle miles traveled in each State to determine the number of 
        commuting vehicles.
            (3) Formula.--The administrator shall apportion funds to a 
        State in a ratio that--
                    (A) the total number of commuting vehicles in each 
                State; bears to
                    (B) the total number of commuting vehicles in all 
                States.
    (b) Reimbursement Levels.--Except as provided in subsection (e), a 
commuter who operates a commuter vehicle that has an estimated fuel 
economy rating by the Environmental Protection Agency--
            (1) of less than 35 miles per gallon on the highway is 
        eligible to receive from a State $0.04 per mile, not to exceed 
        30 miles per day for not more than 5 days a week and 50 weeks a 
        year; and
            (2) of 35 or more miles per gallon on the highway is 
        eligible to receive $0.05 per mile, not to exceed 30 miles per 
        day for not more than 5 days a week and 50 weeks a year.
    (c) Reimbursement Trigger.--Reimbursement by a commuter will only 
be available if the average cost of gasoline across the country, as 
calculated by the American Automobile Association and reported in the 
daily fuel gauge report, exceeds $2.75 per gallon and the State has 
sufficient grant funds to provide such reimbursement.
    (d) Reimbursement Distribution.--Each State that receives a grant 
under this section shall establish--
            (1) an application process for eligible drivers to receive 
        reimbursement; and
            (2) a schedule for reimbursement for such drivers on a 
        monthly or quarterly basis.
    (e) Commuter Exception.--A commuter who receives any reimbursement 
for mileage from an employer is not eligible to receive reimbursement 
from a State under this section.
    (f) Non-Commuter Reimbursement.--A senior driver and a driver who 
does not use a commuter vehicle are eligible to receive reimbursement 
for up to 2,000 miles per year for miles driven in the United States.
    (g) Definitions.--In this section, the following definitions apply:
            (1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
        Administrator of the Federal Highway Administration.
            (2) Commuter.--The term ``commuter'' means an individual, 
        not including an alien who is unlawfully present in the United 
        States, who uses a commuter vehicle as transportation to and 
        from a place of employment in the United States.
            (3) Commuter vehicle.--The term ``commuter vehicle'' means 
        a passenger vehicle, light truck, or sport utility vehicle if 
        used as transportation to and from a place of employment in the 
        United States.
            (4) Eligible driver.--The term ``eligible driver'' means a 
        non-commuter described in subsection (e) and a commuter.
            (5) Senior citizen.--The term ``senior driver'' means a 
        driver who is 65 years of age or older.
            (6) State.--The term ``State'' means each of the 50 States, 
        the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.
    (h) Reporting Requirements.--
            (1) Reports to administrator.--Beginning not later than 180 
        days after the date of enactment of this section and each year 
        thereafter during the pilot program, each State that receives 
        funds under this Act shall submit a report to the Administrator 
        regarding implementation of the program.
            (2) Reports to congress.--Beginning not later than 180 days 
        after the date the Administrator receives a report under 
        paragraph (1) and each year thereafter during the pilot 
        program, the Administrator shall submit a report to Congress 
        regarding the effectiveness of State gasoline reimbursement 
        program, including any recommendations for changes to the 
        program.
    (i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary 
for each of fiscal years 2008, 2009, and 2010.
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