118 S4814 IS: Transportation Assistance for Olympic and World Cup Cities Act of 2024
U.S. Senate
2024-07-25
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II
118th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4814
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 25, 2024
Ms. Cantwell (for herself and Mr. Moran) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
A BILL
To amend title 49, United States Code, to provide assistance for cities hosting international sporting events taking place in the United States, and for other purposes.
1.

Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Transportation Assistance for Olympic and World Cup Cities Act of 2024”.
2.

Transportation assistance for international games
(a)

In general
Chapter 55 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 5501 the following:
“5502.

Transportation assistance for international games
(a)

Purpose
The purpose of this section is to support State and local efforts on transportation issues necessary to obtain the national recognition and economic benefits of hosting international sporting events in the United States.
(b)

Definitions
In this section:
(1)

Covered event
(A)

In general
The term covered event means any event that—
(i)
in the determination of the Secretary, is an irregular, multiday, international sporting event, including—
(I)
an Olympic, Paralympic, or Special Olympics event;
(II)
a FIFA World Cup event; and
(III)
a FIFA Women’s World Cup event; and
(ii)
is held at a site that has been selected to hold such event.
(B)

Exclusion
The term covered event does not include activities relating to preparing or submitting a bid to be selected to hold an event described in subparagraph (A)(i).
(2)

Eligible entity
(A)

In general
The term eligible entity means—
(i)
a State, Indian Tribe, or unit of local government (including a port authority or transit agency) hosting a covered event;
(ii)
a State, Indian Tribe, or unit of local government (including a port authority or transit agency) that—
(I)
is supporting a covered event; and
(II)
is located not more than 100 miles from the location in which the applicable covered event is or will be held;
(iii)
a metropolitan planning organization that serves an area that—
(I)
is under the jurisdiction of a State, Indian Tribe, or unit of local government described in subparagraph (A) or (B); and
(II)
is located not more than 100 miles from the location in which the applicable covered event is or will be held; or
(iv)
an entity eligible to receive a grant under section 5339 that is located not more than 100 miles from the location in which the applicable covered event is or will be held.
(B)

Transportation planning activities
For purposes of a transportation planning activity described in subsection (c)(2)(B) or (d), the term eligible entity means—
(i)
an entity described in subparagraph (A); or
(ii)
a nonprofit entity established for execution of a covered event.
(3)

Secretary
The term Secretary means the Secretary of Transportation.
(c)

Grants for transportation projects relating to international games
(1)

In general
Using amounts made available to the Secretary under subsection (f), the Secretary may make planning and construction grants to eligible entities to carry out projects described in paragraph (2) that—
(A)
are located not more than 100 miles from the location in which the applicable covered event is or will be held; and
(B)
in the determination of the Secretary, are not temporary infrastructure needed for hosting the covered event.
(2)

Project described
A project referred to in paragraph (1) is any of the following:
(A)
A transportation project that—
(i)
is eligible for assistance under—
(I)
any provision of this title, including section 5312; or
(II)
any provision of title 23; and
(ii)
in the determination of the Secretary, will assist with the movement of people and goods for the applicable covered event.
(B)
A transportation planning activity that, in the determination of the Secretary, will assist with the movement of people and goods for the applicable covered event.
(3)

Requirements
The requirements described in section 6701(n) shall apply to a project described in paragraph (2) that is funded by a grant under this subsection.
(d)

Transportation planning activities
The Secretary may provide technical and planning assistance to eligible entities, including—
(1)
by providing assistance for planning activities of States, Indian Tribes, units of local government, and metropolitan planning organizations under sections 134 and 135 of title 23 and sections 5303, 5304, and 5305 of this title for transportation projects relating to a covered event;
(2)
by assisting States, Indian Tribes, units of local government, and metropolitan planning organizations with the development of intermodal transportation plans;
(3)
by facilitating and incentivizing programs to temporarily pool and share, for the duration of a covered event, buses and related equipment among—
(A)
States, Indian Tribes, and units of local government hosting or supporting a covered event; and
(B)
States, Indian Tribes, and units of local government not hosting or supporting a covered event;
(4)
by expediting review and comment of any required submissions to the Secretary relating to a covered event;
(5)
by assisting with the coordination of transportation planning efforts between governments or the private sector; and
(6)
by providing any other technical or planning assistance the Secretary determines to be necessary for advancing the purpose of this section described in subsection (a).
(e)

Limitation
The Secretary may provide assistance under this section for a covered event only during the period beginning on the date that is 5 years before the date on which the covered event begins and ending on the date that is 30 days after the date on which the covered event ends.
(f)

Funding
(1)

Authorization of appropriations
There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section $50,000,000 for each fiscal year.
(2)

Transfer of authority
Of the amounts made available to carry out this section for each fiscal year, the Secretary may transfer not more than 2 percent for a fiscal year to the Administrator of any of the Federal Highway Administration, the Federal Transit Administration, the Federal Railroad Administration, the Federal Aviation Administration, or the Maritime Administration to award and oversee grants in accordance with this section.
(3)

Supplemental agreements
Notwithstanding part 200 of title 2, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations), a grant agreement under which funds are awarded pursuant to this section may take the form of a supplemental agreement to an existing agreement that meets the requirements of this section.”.
(b)

Clerical amendment
The analysis for chapter 55 of title 49, Untied States Code, is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 5501 the following:
“5502. Transportation assistance for international games.”.
3.

Studies on the effects of hosting the Olympics and World Cup on the travel and tourism industry in the United States
(a)

Definitions
In this section:
(1)

Local Planning Committees
The term Local Planning Committees means the World Cup planning committees specific to each World Cup host city.
(2)

Olympics
The term Olympics means the 2028 Summer Olympics and 2028 Paralympics, both hosted by Los Angeles, California.
(3)

Secretary
The term Secretary means the Secretary of Commerce.
(4)

Travel and tourism industry
The term travel and tourism industry means the travel and tourism industry in the United States.
(5)

World cup
The term World Cup means the 2026 Men’s FIFA World Cup, hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
(b)

Department of Commerce study and report on effects on travel and tourism of hosting the Olympics
(1)

Study
Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act and after consultation with the United States Travel and Tourism Advisory Board and the United States Olympic Planning Committee, the Secretary shall, subject to the availability of appropriations, commence a study to examine the impact of the Olympics on the travel and tourism industry, including—
(A)
changes in the frequency of international travel to the United States;
(B)
changes in the frequency of domestic travel within the United States;
(C)
changes in the revenues of businesses in the travel and tourism industry; and
(D)
changes in employment rates in the travel and tourism industry.
(2)

Report
(A)

In general
Not later than 180 days after the conclusion of the Olympics, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives a report containing the results of the study conducted under paragraph (1).
(B)

Availability
The Secretary shall make the report described in subparagraph (A) publicly available on the website of the Department of Commerce.
(c)

Department of Commerce study and report on effects on travel and tourism of hosting the World Cup
(1)

Study
Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act and after consultation with the United States Travel and Tourism Advisory Board and Local Planning Committees, the Secretary shall, subject to the availability of appropriations, commence a study to examine the impact of the World Cup on the travel and tourism industry, including—
(A)
changes in the frequency of international travel to the United States;
(B)
changes in the frequency of domestic travel within the United States;
(C)
changes in the revenues of businesses in the travel and tourism industry; and
(D)
changes in employment rates in the travel and tourism industry.
(2)

Report
(A)

In general
Not later than 180 days after the conclusion of the World Cup, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives a report containing the results of the study conducted under paragraph (1).
(B)

Availability
The Secretary shall make the report described in subparagraph (A) publicly available on the website of the Department of Commerce.