[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5152 Introduced in House (IH)]
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116th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 5152
To establish a grant program under which the Secretary of
Transportation will reimburse public transportation agencies that offer
free unlimited transportation passes to eligible individuals.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
November 18, 2019
Ms. Velazquez (for herself and Mr. Espaillat) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish a grant program under which the Secretary of
Transportation will reimburse public transportation agencies that offer
free unlimited transportation passes to eligible individuals.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Transportation
Equity Act''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as
follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Establishment of grant program.
Sec. 3. Eligible agencies.
Sec. 4. Eligible individuals.
Sec. 5. Eligible services and requirements.
Sec. 6. Features of T-U Pass.
Sec. 7. Proof of eligibility.
Sec. 8. Application and selection.
Sec. 9. Amount of reimbursement to transit agencies.
Sec. 10. Reports from agencies.
Sec. 11. Termination of benefits under certain circumstances.
Sec. 12. Rule of construction.
Sec. 13. Authorization of appropriations.
Sec. 14. Definitions.
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF GRANT PROGRAM.
The Secretary of Transportation shall establish a program to
reimburse eligible public transportation agencies that provide eligible
individuals a free unlimited transportation pass (to be known as a ``T-
U Pass'').
SEC. 3. ELIGIBLE AGENCIES.
A public transportation agency is eligible to participate in the
program if the agency--
(1) provides a monthly, flat-rate, unlimited transportation
pass for purchase by any individual; and
(2) agrees to establish a separate T-U Pass for eligible
individuals.
SEC. 4. ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS.
The following individuals are eligible to receive a free T-U Pass:
(1) An individual aged 60 and older.
(2) An individual with a disability (as defined in section
3 of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C.
12102)).
(3) An individual who receives a means-tested benefit, as
determined by the Secretary.
(4) A low-income individual (as defined in this Act).
(5) The spouse of an individual described in paragraphs (1)
through (4) who lives with such individual.
(6) The unmarried dependent of an individual described in
paragraphs (1) through (4) who lives with such individual.
SEC. 5. ELIGIBLE SERVICES AND REQUIREMENTS.
(a) In General.--Subject to subsection (b), a T-U Pass shall only
provide general transportation services and not premium transportation
services.
(b) Exception for Certain Individuals.--A public transportation
agency may seek a waiver from the Secretary to provide a T-U Pass that
provides premium transportation services to an eligible individual who
the transit agency determines--
(1) has no access to reasonably accessible transportation
access points and is not eligible for paratransit
transportation services; or
(2) is disabled and whose principal place of residence,
primary or specialist medical facilities, educational
facilities, or place of employment is not within one-half mile
of a transportation access point that contains the necessary
infrastructure for the individual to use public transportation.
(c) T-U Pass Requirements.--A T-U Pass shall provide unlimited
access to public transportation and shall be valid for all schedules,
times, and periods the transportation agency offers service.
(d) Automatic Monthly Loading Capability of Transportation
Benefits.--A T-U Pass shall--
(1) be able to receive funds remotely or be loaded with
funds automatically on the first day of each calendar month;
and
(2) make such funds available upon entrance or boarding at
the first transportation access point on the first day the T-U
Pass is used in such month.
(e) Waiver for Certain Public Transportation Agencies.--The
Secretary may waive a requirement under subsection (d) if the Secretary
determines that--
(1) a public transportation agency cannot meet such
requirement because of infrastructure limitations, cost
inefficiencies, inability to finance, or unavailable
technology; and
(2) the transportation agency provides a T-U Pass that--
(A) only functions at entry and exit points of the
transit system; or
(B) only permits transactions of transportation-
related expenses at facilities operated by the
transportation agency, including--
(i) booths or automated vending machines at
transportation access points operated by the
transit agency;
(ii) telephone or online interfaces
operated by the transit agencies; and
(iii) additional facilities as determined
by the Secretary.
(f) Rollover Prohibited.--Any funds that are disbursed to a T-U
Pass shall be surrendered if not used in the course of the month for
which such benefits were provided.
(g) Prohibition of Duplicative Transportation Benefits.--Grants
made pursuant to the program shall not be used to reimburse more than
one T-U Pass per individual.
SEC. 6. FEATURES OF T-U PASS.
(a) Expiration.--Subject to section 11, a T-U Pass expires one year
after issuance, and a public transportation agency may not terminate
the validity of the T-U Pass until the date of expiration regardless of
whether the individual continues to be eligible under section 4 of this
Act.
(b) Design.--A public transportation agency receiving a grant
pursuant to the program shall select a design that distinguishes the T-
U Pass from other passes. The T-U Pass shall--
(1) be a card, ticket, or voucher;
(2) include the words ``Photo ID T-U Pass'' on the front
and back;
(3) include the words ``If found, please return to''
immediately followed by the address of the issuing office of
the transportation agency;
(4) include a photo of the person to whom the T-U Pass was
provided;
(5) include a seal with the logo of the transportation
agency;
(6) include the full name of such eligible person;
(7) include the expiration date of the T-U Pass; and
(8) include any additional features the Secretary
determines is necessary.
SEC. 7. PROOF OF ELIGIBILITY.
An individual seeking a T-U Pass must provide to the public
transportation agency--
(1) proof of the basis of at least one ground of
eligibility described section 4; and
(2) documentation the Secretary determines is necessary to
support the basis of eligibility.
SEC. 8. APPLICATION AND SELECTION.
The Secretary shall award grants on a competitive basis and may
require that an application from a public transportation agency be
submitted in a prescribed form and manner and that it contains
specified agreements, assurances, and information.
SEC. 9. AMOUNT OF REIMBURSEMENT TO TRANSIT AGENCIES.
(a) In General.--Grants made pursuant to the program shall be used
only to reimburse a public transportation agency for the cost of
providing a T-U Pass.
(b) Amount of Reimbursement.--A public transportation agency shall
be eligible to receive reimbursement for each T-U Pass at the cost
charged for a monthly, flat-rate, unlimited transportation pass.
(c) Exception for Discounted Monthly Passes.--If an eligible
individual is eligible for a reduced-cost monthly, flat-rate, unlimited
transportation pass for reasons including disability or age, the public
transportation agency shall be eligible to receive compensation
equaling the cost of such reduced-cost pass.
SEC. 10. REPORTS FROM AGENCIES.
A public transportation agency receiving a grant under this Act
shall provide to the Secretary an annual report explaining--
(1) the agency's plan to annually verify the eligibility of
holders of a T-U Pass; and
(2) the number of T-U Passes that have been terminated
pursuant to section 11.
SEC. 11. TERMINATION OF BENEFITS UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES.
(a) Fraud and Sale.--The Secretary shall establish procedures for
termination of a T-U Pass if--
(1) an individual obtains or uses the T-U Pass
fraudulently; or
(2) an individual sells, distributes, or provisions the T-U
Pass to an individual other than the individual to whom the T-U
Pass was provided.
(b) Procedures.--The procedures required by subsection (a) shall
include notice, opportunity for hearing, and civil monetary penalties.
SEC. 12. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.
Nothing in this Act shall be construed to limit any other programs
that are sponsored by public transportation agencies to provide free
transportation to eligible individuals.
SEC. 13. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated $1,000,000,000, to be
available under expended, for fiscal year 2021 and each fiscal year
thereafter.
SEC. 14. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Dependent.--The term ``dependent'' has the meaning
given such term in section 152 of the Internal Revenue Code of
1986, except that the term also includes an individual who is
not a citizen or national of the United States if such
individual would otherwise be considered a dependent pursuant
to such section if such individual were a citizen or national
of the United States.
(2) Eligible individual.--The term ``eligible individual''
means an individual described in section 4.
(3) General transportation service.--The term ``general
transportation service'' means a transportation service that is
subject to the same base fare established by the transportation
agency for local or general service.
(4) Low-income individual.--The term ``low-income
individual'' means, with respect to any calendar year, any
individual who lives in a household that has a gross income
that does not exceed 300 percent of the poverty line, as
defined in section 673(2) of the Community Services Block Grant
Act (42 U.S.C. 9902(2)).
(5) Means-tested benefit.--The term ``means-tested
benefit'' means a mandatory spending program of the Federal
Government for which, as determined by the Secretary,
eligibility for the program's benefits, or the amount of such
benefits, is determined on the basis of income or resources of
the individual or family seeking the benefit.
(6) Paratransit services.--The term ``paratransit
services'' means service to individuals with disabilities that
is comparable to the level of service provided to individuals
without disabilities who use routes operated by the public
transportation agency.
(7) Premium transportation service.--The term ``premium
transportation service'' means a transportation service that is
not a general transportation service.
(8) Program.--The term ``program'' means the grant program
established pursuant to section 2.
(9) Reasonably accessible.--The term ``reasonably
accessible'' means, with respect to a transportation access
point, a transportation access point within one-half mile of
the eligible individual's principal place of residence.
(10) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Transportation.
(11) T-U pass.--The term ``T-U Pass'' means the unlimited
transportation pass established pursuant to the program.
(12) Transportation access point.--The term
``transportation access point'' means a bus stop, a train,
subway, or rail station, or any similar fixed infrastructure
used by passengers to embark and disembark mass-transit
service.
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