[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4272 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4272

To authorize the Secretary of Transportation to make capital grants for 
          certain freight rail economic development projects.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 27, 2012

  Mr. Nadler introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
             Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To authorize the Secretary of Transportation to make capital grants for 
          certain freight rail economic development projects.

    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 ``Freight Rail Economic Development 
Act of 2012''.

SEC. 2. CAPITAL GRANTS FOR FREIGHT RAIL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.

    (a) Establishment of Program.--The Secretary of Transportation 
shall carry out a program for making capital grants to construct 
freight rail switches and sidings to encourage economic development.
    (b) Provision of Grants and Grant Criteria.--
            (1) Eligibility.--Grants shall be made under this section--
                    (A) directly to a class I, class II or class II 
                railroad; or
                    (B) with the concurrence of the railroad to a State 
                or local government.
            (2) Considerations.--The Secretary shall--
                    (A) conduct a national solicitation for 
                applications;
                    (B) award grants on a competitive basis; and
                    (C) establish criteria for selecting among projects 
                that meet the criteria specified in paragraph (3).
            (3) Grant criteria.--The Secretary, in selecting the 
        recipients of grants to be provided under this subsection, 
        shall select projects that--
                    (A) construct or rehabilitate freight rail sidings;
                    (B) construct or rehabilitate freight rail 
                switches;
                    (C) promote economic development; and
                    (D) have a public benefit.
    (c) State Cooperation.--Railroad applicants for a grant under this 
section are encouraged to utilize the expertise and assistance of State 
transportation agencies in applying for and administering such grants. 
State transportation agencies are encouraged to provide such expertise 
and assistance to such railroads.
    (d) Federal Share.--The maximum Federal share for carrying out a 
project under this section shall be 80 percent of the project cost. The 
non-Federal share may be provided by any non-Federal source in cash, 
equipment, or supplies. Other in-kind contributions may be approved by 
the Secretary on a case-by-case basis.
    (e) Wage Rate Requirements.--All laborers and mechanics employed by 
contractors or subcontractors in the construction, alteration, or 
repair, including painting and decorating of projects, buildings, and 
works, with respect to any project that receives assistance under this 
section shall be paid wages at rates not less than those prevailing on 
similar construction in the locality as determined by the Secretary of 
Labor in accordance with subchapter IV of chapter 31 of part A of 
subtitle II of title 40, United States Code (commonly referred to as 
the ``Davis-Bacon Act''). The Secretary of Labor shall have, with 
respect to such labor standards, the authority and functions set forth 
in Reorganization Plan Number 14 of 1950 (15 Fed. Reg. 3176; 64 Stat. 
1267) and in section 3145 of title 40, United States Code.
    (f) Regulations.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall prescribe regulations for 
carrying out this section.
    (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary of Transportation for use in carrying out 
this section $20,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2013 through 
2017.
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