HR 3200 IHCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

112th CONGRESSCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

1st SessionCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

H. R. 3200CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To provide flexibility of certain transit functions to local entities.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

October 13, 2011CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Mr. CARNAHAN (for himself, Ms. BERKLEY, Mr. BERMAN, Mr. BOSWELL, Mr. BRADY of Texas, Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania, Ms. BROWN of Florida, Mr. CAPUANO, Mr. CHANDLER, Ms. CHU, Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia, Mr. CUMMINGS, Mr. DIAZ-BALART, Mr. DOYLE, Mr. ENGEL, Mr. FILNER, Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts, Mr. GONZALEZ, Mr. AL GREEN of Texas, Mr. GRIJALVA, Ms. HIRONO, Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia, Ms. KAPTUR, Mr. KING of New York, Mr. LANGEVIN, Mr. LARSEN of Washington, Mr. LATOURETTE, Mr. LEWIS of Georgia, Mr. LIPINSKI, Ms. MCCOLLUM, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. MCINTYRE, Ms. MOORE, Mr. NADLER, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Ms. NORTON, Mr. PETERS, Mr. QUIGLEY, Mr. RAHALL, Mr. RANGEL, Ms. RICHARDSON, Ms. LINDA T. SANCHEZ of California, Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia, Mr. SHULER, Mr. SIRES, Ms. SUTTON, Mr. BISHOP of New York, Mr. CLAY, Mr. COHEN, Mr. DAVIS of Illinois, Ms. DEGETTE, Mr. ELLISON, Ms. FUDGE, Mr. GARAMENDI, Mr. HASTINGS of Florida, Mr. HIGGINS, Mr. PALLONE, Mr. PERLMUTTER, Mr. TOWNS, Ms. TSONGAS, Mrs. MILLER of Michigan, Mrs. BIGGERT, Mr. TIBERI, Mr. LOBIONDO, Ms. BALDWIN, Mr. MORAN, Ms. WATERS, Mr. ACKERMAN, Mr. ALTMIRE, Mr. BARROW, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Mr. CARSON of Indiana, Mr. COSTELLO, Mr. DEUTCH, Mr. GUTIERREZ, Ms. MATSUI, Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California, Ms. WOOLSEY, Mr. PASCRELL, Mr. BRALEY of Iowa, Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas, Ms. SEWELL, Mr. CLEAVER, Mr. CARTER, Ms. BORDALLO, Mr. KILDEE, Mrs. CAPPS, Mr. TONKO, Mr. JACKSON of Illinois, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. CLARKE of Michigan, Mr. LYNCH, Mr. PAYNE, Mr. CICILLINE, Mr. DINGELL, Mr. SERRANO, Mr. KEATING, Mr. WAXMAN, Mr. CROWLEY, Mr. KUCINICH, Mr. HOLDEN, Ms. EDWARDS, Mr. DEFAZIO, Mr. MICHAUD, Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas, Ms. LEE of California, and Mr. WALZ of Minnesota) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and InfrastructureCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

A BILLCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To provide flexibility of certain transit functions to local entities.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ‘Local Flexibility for Transit Assistance Act’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress finds the following:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) While transit ridership has increased in the face of falling disposable income, transit agencies are being forced to implement some of the deepest service cuts, sharpest fare increases and layoffs as a result of declining revenues and increasing fuel prices.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) According to the American Public Transportation Association, over the past 2 years, 84 percent of transit systems have raised fares, cut service, or are considering either of these measures in the near future.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) Additionally, over the same period of time, transit systems across the country have seen a 56-percent reduction in rush hour service, a 62-percent reduction in off-peak service, and a 40-percent reduction in geographic coverage leaving thousands of transit drivers without a job.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) These cuts have left thousands of transit dependent Americans without a way to get to work.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) It is the policy of the Government to significantly increase the number of individuals who have access to viable public transportation systems and services in order to maximize Americans’ ability to access jobs and economic opportunity.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(6) It is the policy of the Government that the ability of all citizens to move quickly and at a reasonable cost shall be increased, especially in light of the growth in highway traffic congestion and the resulting cost to our Nation’s productivity and economic strength.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 3. URBANIZED AREA FORMULA GRANTS.

Section 5307(b)(1) of title 49 is amended--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) by redesignating subparagraphs (E) and (F) as subparagraphs (G) and (H), respectively; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) by inserting after subparagraph (D)--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(E) operating costs of equipment and facilities for use in public transportation in an urbanized area with a population of more than 200,000 for a designated recipient, direct recipient, or subrecipient under section 5311, providing public transportation in the area and operating less than 100 buses in fixed-route service in such area during peak service hours.’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 4. TARGETED AND TEMPORARY FLEXIBILITY FOR DESIGNATED RECIPIENTS IN CRISIS.

Chapter 53 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

‘SEC. 5341. TARGETED AND TEMPORARY FLEXIBILITY FOR DESIGNATED RECIPIENTS OR DIRECT RECIPIENTS IN CRISIS.

‘(a) Definition- For purposes of this section the term ‘crisis period’ means that the unemployment rate, as defined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, of any metropolitan statistical area located within a designated recipient’s or direct recipient’s service area is at or higher than 7 percent for the preceding month or the national average retail price of regular grade gasoline during a quarter, as reported by the United States Energy Information Administration, has increased by more than 10 percent compared to the same quarter during the previous year.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(b) Conditions for Flexibility-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) IN GENERAL- If a designated recipient or direct recipient operates at least 100 buses in fixed-route service during peak service hours, in an urbanized area with a population of more than 200,000, and is certified under paragraph (3) as being in a crisis period, the agency may use funds provided under section 5307 for operating costs of equipment and facilities, subject to the conditions set forth in paragraphs (2) and (3).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) LIMITATION ON USE OF FUNDS- A designated recipient or direct recipient that meets the criteria set forth in paragraph (1) may use--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) 50 percent of funds provided under section 5307 if it operates in an urbanized area with a population of more than 200,000 but less than 500,000;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) 45 percent of funds provided under section 5307 if it operates in an urbanized area with a population of more than 500,000 but less than 1,000,000; orCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(C) 40 percent of funds provided under section 5307 if it operates in an urbanized area with a population of more than 1,000,000.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(3) CERTIFICATION BY SECRETARY- To be eligible to use funds for operating costs of equipment and facilities under this section, a designated recipient or direct recipient shall request that the Secretary certify, not later than 30 days after such request is made, that the agency is in a crisis period. After each quarter, the Secretary shall monitor each designated recipient or direct recipient in a crisis period to determine if the agency no longer qualifies as being in a crisis period. When the Secretary determines that an agency is no longer in a crisis period, the agency has 3 additional consecutive quarters to use the funds for operating costs of equipment and facilities.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

‘SEC. 5342. LOCAL CONTROL OF TRANSIT OPERATING FLEXIBILITY.

‘(a) General Eligibility Requirements- If a designated recipient or direct recipient operates at least 100 buses in fixed-route service during peak service hours and is in an urbanized area with a population of more than 200,000 and--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) such recipient’s percentage of revenue for the operating cost of equipment and facilities for use in public transportation from non-Federal sources, excluding system-generated revenue, is at least equal to such revenue from the previous fiscal year; orCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) the recipient receives revenue for the operating cost of equipment and facilities for use in public transportation derived in whole or in part from dedicated sources of revenue;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





the designated recipient or direct recipient may use funds provided under section 5307 for operating costs of equipment and facilities, subject to the percentage limitations in subsection (b).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(b) Limitations on Use of Funds- A designated recipient or direct recipient that meets the criteria set forth in subsection (a) may use--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) 30 percent of such funds if the area served has a population of more than 200,000 but not more than 500,000;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) 25 percent of such funds if the area served has a population of more than 500,000 but not more than 1,000,000; orCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(3) 20 percent of such funds if the area served has a population of more than 1,000,000.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(c) Conditional Increase in Percentage Limits- If the designated recipient’s or direct recipient’s percentage of revenue for the operating cost of equipment and facilities for use in public transportation from non-Federal sources, excluding system-generated revenue, is greater than such revenue from the previous fiscal year, the designated recipient or direct recipient may increase the applicable percentage specified in subsection (b) by a percentage that is not greater than the year-over-year increase in such amount.’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink