[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 138 (Tuesday, August 3, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5752-S5753]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 2369. Mr. BOOKER (for himself, Mr. Markey, and Ms. Smith) 
submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to amendment SA 2137 
proposed by Mr. Schumer (for Ms. Sinema (for herself, Mr. Portman, Mr. 
Manchin, Mr. Cassidy, Mrs. Shaheen, Ms. Collins, Mr. Tester, Ms. 
Murkowski, Mr. Warner, and Mr. Romney)) to the bill H.R. 3684, to 
authorize funds for Federal-aid highways, highway safety programs, and 
transit programs, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on 
the table; as follows:

        At the appropriate place in division C, insert the 
     following:

     SEC. 3____. TRANSIT TO TRAILS GRANT PROGRAM.

       (a) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Community of color.--The term ``community of color'' 
     means a geographically distinct area in which the population 
     of any of the following categories of individuals is higher 
     than the average population of that category for the State in 
     which the community is located:
       (A) Black.
       (B) African American.
       (C) Asian.
       (D) Pacific Islander.
       (E) Other non-White race.
       (F) Hispanic.
       (G) Latino.
       (2) Critically underserved community.--The term 
     ``critically underserved community'' means--
       (A) a community that can demonstrate to the Secretary that 
     the community has inadequate, insufficient, or no park space 
     or recreation facilities, including by demonstrating--
       (i) quality concerns relating to the available park space 
     or recreation facilities;
       (ii) the presence of recreational facilities that do not 
     serve the needs of the community; or
       (iii) the inequitable distribution of park space for high-
     need populations, based on income, age, or other measures of 
     vulnerability and need;
       (B) a community in which at least 50 percent of the 
     population is not located within \1/2\ mile of park space;
       (C) an environmental justice community; and
       (D) any other community that the Secretary determines to be 
     appropriate.
       (3) Disproportionate burden of adverse human health or 
     environmental effects.--The term ``disproportionate burden of 
     adverse human health or environmental effects'' means a 
     situation where there exists higher or more adverse human 
     health or environmental effects on communities of color, low-
     income communities, and Tribal and Indigenous communities.
       (4) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means--
       (A) a State;
       (B) a political subdivision of a State (including a city or 
     a county) that represents or otherwise serves an urban area 
     or a rural area;
       (C) a special purpose district (including a park district);
       (D) an Indian Tribe (as defined in section 4 of the Indian 
     Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 
     5304)) that represents or otherwise serves an urban area or a 
     rural area; or
       (E) a metropolitan planning organization (as defined in 
     section 134(b) of title 23, United States Code).
       (5) Environmental justice community.--The term 
     ``environmental justice community'' means a community with 
     significant representation of communities of color, low-
     income communities, or Tribal and Indigenous communities that 
     experience, or is at risk of experiencing, a disproportionate 
     burden of adverse human health or environmental effects.
       (6) Low-income community.--The term ``low-income 
     community'' means any census block group in which 30 percent 
     or more of the population are individuals with an annual 
     household income equal to, or less than, the greater of--
       (A) an amount equal to 80 percent of the median income of 
     the area in which the household is located, as reported by 
     the Department of Housing and Urban Development; and
       (B) 200 percent of the Federal poverty line.
       (7) Program.--The term ``program'' means the Transit to 
     Trails Grant Program established under subsection (b)(1).
       (8) Rural area.--The term ``rural area'' means a community 
     that is not an urban area.
       (9) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of Transportation.
       (10) Transportation connector.--
       (A) In general.--The term ``transportation connector'' 
     means a system that--
       (i) connects 2 zip codes or communities within a 175-mile 
     radius of a designated service area; and
       (ii) offers rides available to the public.
       (B) Inclusions.--The term ``transportation connector'' 
     includes microtransits, bus lines, bus rails, light rail, 
     rapid transits, or personal rapid transits.

[[Page S5753]]

       (11) Urban area.--The term ``urban area'' means a community 
     that--
       (A) is densely developed;
       (B) has residential, commercial, and other nonresidential 
     areas; and
       (C)(i) is an urbanized area with a population of 50,000 or 
     more; or
       (ii) is an urban cluster with a population of--
       (I) not less than 2,500; and
       (II) not more than 50,000.
       (b) Grant Program.--
       (1) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish a grant 
     program, to be known as the ``Transit to Trails Grant 
     Program'', under which the Secretary shall award grants to 
     eligible entities for--
       (A) projects that develop transportation connectors or 
     routes in or serving, and related culturally and 
     linguistically appropriate education materials for, 
     critically underserved communities to increase access and 
     mobility to Federal or non-Federal public land, inland and 
     coastal waters, parkland, or monuments; or
       (B) projects that facilitate transportation improvements to 
     enhance access to Federal or non-Federal public land and 
     recreational opportunities in critically underserved 
     communities.
       (2) Administration.--
       (A) In general.--The Secretary shall administer the program 
     to assist eligible entities in the development of 
     transportation connectors or routes in or serving, and 
     related culturally and linguistically appropriate education 
     materials for, critically underserved communities and Federal 
     or non-Federal public land, inland and coastal waters, 
     parkland, and monuments.
       (B) Joint partnerships.--The Secretary shall encourage 
     joint partnership projects under the program, if available, 
     among multiple agencies, including school districts, 
     nonprofit organizations, metropolitan planning organizations, 
     regional transportation authorities, transit agencies, and 
     State and local governmental agencies (including park and 
     recreation agencies and authorities) to enhance investment of 
     public sources.
       (C) Annual grant project proposal solicitation, review, and 
     approval.--
       (i) In general.--The Secretary shall--

       (I) annually solicit the submission of project proposals 
     for grants from eligible entities under the program; and
       (II) review each project proposal submitted under subclause 
     (I) on a timeline established by the Secretary.

       (ii)  Required elements for project proposal.--A project 
     proposal submitted under clause (i)(I) shall include--

       (I) a statement of the purposes of the project;
       (II) the name of the entity or individual with overall 
     responsibility for the project;
       (III) a description of the qualifications of the entity or 
     individuals identified under subclause (II);
       (IV) a description of--

       (aa) staffing and stakeholder engagement for the project;
       (bb) the logistics of the project; and
       (cc) anticipated outcomes of the project;

       (V) a proposed budget for the funds and time required to 
     complete the project;
       (VI) information regarding the source and amount of 
     matching funding available for the project;
       (VII) information that demonstrates the clear potential of 
     the project to contribute to increased access to parkland for 
     critically underserved communities; and
       (VIII) any other information that the Secretary considers 
     to be necessary for evaluating the eligibility of the project 
     for funding under the program.

       (iii) Consultation; approval or disapproval.--The Secretary 
     shall, with respect to each project proposal submitted under 
     this subparagraph, as appropriate--

       (I) consult with the government of each State in which the 
     proposed project is to be conducted;
       (II) after taking into consideration any comments resulting 
     from the consultation under subclause (I), approve or 
     disapprove the proposal; and
       (III) provide written notification of the approval or 
     disapproval to--

       (aa) the individual or entity that submitted the proposal; 
     and
       (bb) each State consulted under subclause (I).
       (D) Priority.--To the extent practicable, in determining 
     whether to approve project proposals under the program, the 
     Secretary shall prioritize projects that--
       (i) are designed to increase access and mobility to local 
     or neighborhood Federal or non-Federal public land, inland 
     and coastal waters, parkland, monuments, or recreational 
     opportunities;
       (ii) use low- or zero-emission vehicles;
       (iii) provide free or discounted rates for low-income 
     riders of transportation connectors;
       (iv) provide opportunities for youth engagement;
       (v) give employment preference to individuals living in the 
     community in which the project is carried out;
       (vi) are carried out in--

       (I) a community of color;
       (II) a low-income community;
       (III) a Tribal or Indigenous community; or
       (IV) a rural community;

       (vii) would capitalize on existing established public-
     private partnerships; and
       (viii) comply with applicable provisions of the Americans 
     with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.).
       (3) Transportation planning procedures.--
       (A) Procedures.--In consultation with the head of each 
     appropriate Federal land management agency, the Secretary 
     shall develop, by rule, transportation planning procedures 
     for projects conducted under the program that are consistent 
     with metropolitan and statewide planning processes.
       (B) Requirements.--All projects carried out under the 
     program shall be developed in cooperation with States and 
     metropolitan planning organizations.
       (4) ADA compliance.--The Secretary shall ensure that all 
     new transportation connectors and routes developed under the 
     program are accessible to people with disabilities in 
     accordance with accessibility specifications for 
     transportation vehicles under the Americans with Disabilities 
     Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.).
       (5) Stakeholder engagement.--In carrying out the program, 
     the Secretary shall--
       (A) meaningfully engage with relevant stakeholders, 
     particularly--
       (i) impacted community members;
       (ii) transportation partners;
       (iii) existing potential passengers of the transportation 
     connectors;
       (iv) Indian Tribes and Tribal representatives; and
       (v) faith-based and community-based organizations; and
       (B) ensure that the input of the stakeholders described in 
     subparagraph (A) is central to the determination of new 
     transportation connectors and routes.
       (6) Non-federal contributions.--
       (A) In general.--The Federal share of the cost of an 
     eligible project provided a grant under the program shall not 
     exceed 80 percent.
       (B) Non-federal share.--The non-Federal share of the cost 
     of an eligible project provided a grant under the program may 
     be in the form of in-kind contributions.
       (7) Eligible uses.--Grant funds provided under the program 
     may be used--
       (A) to develop transportation connectors or routes in or 
     serving, and related culturally and linguistically 
     appropriate education materials for, critically underserved 
     communities to increase access and mobility to Federal and 
     non-Federal public land, inland and coastal waters, parkland, 
     and monuments; and
       (B) to create or significantly enhance access to Federal or 
     non-Federal public land and recreational opportunities in an 
     urban area or a rural area.
       (8) Grant amount.--A grant provided under the program shall 
     be--
       (A) not less than $25,000; and
       (B) not more than $500,000.
       (9) Technical assistance.--It is the intent of Congress 
     that grants provided under the program deliver project funds 
     to areas of greatest need while offering technical assistance 
     to all applicants and potential applicants for grant 
     preparation to encourage full participation in the program.
       (10) Public information.--The Secretary shall ensure that 
     current schedules and routes for transportation systems 
     developed after the receipt of a grant under the program are 
     available to the public, including on a website maintained by 
     the recipient of a grant.
       (c) Reporting Requirement.--
       (1) Reports by grant recipients.--The Secretary shall 
     require a recipient of a grant under the program to submit to 
     the Secretary at least 1 performance and financial report 
     that--
       (A) includes--
       (i) demographic data on communities served by the project; 
     and
       (ii) a summary of project activities conducted after 
     receiving the grant; and
       (B) describes the status of each project funded by the 
     grant as of the date of the report.
       (2) Additional reports.--In addition to the report required 
     under paragraph (1), the Secretary may require additional 
     reports from a recipient, as the Secretary determines to be 
     appropriate, including a final report.
       (3) Deadlines.--The Secretary shall establish deadlines for 
     the submission of each report required under paragraph (1) or 
     (2).
       (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized 
     to be appropriated to carry out this section--
       (1) $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 and 2023;
       (2) $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 and 2025; and
       (3) $40,000,000 for fiscal year 2026.
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