,i  #aac? ,,congress  #b;d ,session  ,h4
 ,r4 #ddci  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(          
,,repres5tatives  ,april #i1 #bjad ,ms4 
,br[n ( ,florida introduc$ ! foll[+     
bill2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on   
,transportation & ,infra/ructure1 & 9   
addition to ! ,committee on ,small      
,bus9ess1 = a p]iod to be subsequ5tly   
det]m9$ by ! ,speak]1 9 ea* case =      
consid]ation ( su* provisions z fall )9 
! jurisdiction ( ! committee conc]n$  ,a
 ,,bill  ,to ensure t m9ority-own$ &    
wom5-own$ bus9esses h a full & fair     
opportunity to compete 9 cov]$ rail     
projects & contracts1 & t ! ,f$]al      
,gov]nm5t does n subsidize discrim9ation
 9 cov]$ rail projects4  #a4            
,disadvantag$ bus9ess ent]prise program 
7a7 ,f9d+s ,congress f9ds ! foll[+3     
7#a7 ,:ile significant progress has     
occurr$ due to ! enactm5t ( a           
disadvantag$ bus9ess ent]prise program =
 highways & mass transit1 includ+       
commut] rail pass5g] transportation1    
discrim9ation & relat$ b>ri]s cont9ue to

 pose significant ob/acles =            
m9ority-own$ & wom5-own$ bus9esses seek+
 to d bus9ess 9 f$]ally assi/$ surface  
transportation-relat$ m>kets1 includ+   
int]city rail pass5g] transportation    
m>kets4 ,?is cont9u+ discrim9ation      
w>rants ! e/abli%m5t ( ! disadvantag$   
bus9ess ent]prise program "u ?is        
section4  7#b7 ,discrim9ation poses     
s]i\s b>ri]s to ! full & fair           
p>ticipation ( m9ority & wom5 bus9ess   
own]s1 includ+ ,african-,am]icans1      
,hispanic-,am]icans1 ,asian-,am]icans1 &
 ,native ,am]icans 9 f$]ally assi/$     
surface transportation-relat$ projects &
 contracts1 includ+ int]city rail       
pass5g] transportation projects &       
contracts4  7#c7 ,discrim9ation impacts 
m9ority & wom5 bus9ess own]s 9 e        
geographic region ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates &   
?r\gh\t all ( ! surface                 
transportation-relat$ indu/ries1 includ+
 int]city rail pass5g] transportation   
indu/ries4  7#d7 ,congress has review$  
evid5ce ( discrim9ation aga9/ m9ority & 

wom5 bus9ess own]s ?r\gh\t !            
transportation sector1 includ+--  7,a7  
/ati/ical analyses demon/rat+           
significant disp>ities 9 ! utilization (
 m9ority-own$ & wom5-own$ bus9esses 9   
f$]ally & locally fund$ transportation  
contract+2  7,b7 /ati/ical analyses (   
private sector disp>ities 9 bus9ess     
success by m9ority-own$ & wom5-own$     
bus9esses 9 transportation indu/ries2   
7,c7 rese>* compil+ anecdotal reports ( 
discrim9ation aga9/ individual m9ority &
 wom5 bus9ess own]s2  7,d7 individual   
reports ( discrim9ation aga9/ m9ority & 
wom5 bus9ess own]s & ! organizations &  
individuals :o repres5t m9ority & wom5  
bus9ess own]s2  7,e7 analyses demon/rat+
 significant r$uctions 9 ! p>ticipation 
( m9ority & wom5 bus9esses 9            
jurisdictions t h r$uc$ or elim9at$ _!  
m9ority-own$ & wom5-own$ bus9ess        
programs2  7,f7 /ati/ical analyses %[+  
significant disp>ities 9 ! cr$it        
available to m9ority-own$ & wom5-own$   
bus9esses2  7,g7 rese>* & /ati/ical     

analyses demon/rat+ h[ discrim9ation    
negatively impacts firm =mation1 gr[?1 &
 success2  7,h7 exp]i5ce ( ,/ate        
dep>tm5ts ( transportation & localities 
demon/rat+ t race-neutral & g5d]-neutral
 ef=ts alone are insuffici5t to rem$y   
discrim9ation2 &  7,i7 o!r qualitative &
 quantitative evid5ce ( discrim9ation   
aga9/ m9ority-own$ & wom5-own$ bus9esses
 9 ! transportation sector4  7#e7       
,congress has receiv$ & review$ compell+
 evid5ce ( discrim9ation f _m diff]5t   
s\rces1 includ+ congressional he>+s &   
r\ndtables1 /udies1 sci5tific reports1  
reports issu$ by public & private       
ag5cies1 news /ories1 reports (         
discrim9ation by organizations &        
individuals1 & discrim9ation lawsuits4  
7#f7 ,all ( ?is evid5ce applies n only  
to highway & mass transportation        
programs1 b also to rail programs1      
provid+ a compell+ ne$ = ! e/abli%m5t ( 
! disadvantag$ bus9ess ent]prise program
 "u ?is section to address race & g5d]  
discrim9ation 9 int]city rail pass5g]   

transportation4  7b7 ,program ,!re is   
e/abli%$ a disadvantag$ bus9ess         
ent]prise program = ! ,f$]al ,railroad  
,adm9i/ration to ensure t disadvantag$  
bus9ess ent]prises h a full & fair      
opportunity to compete 9 cov]$ rail     
projects & to ensure t ! ,f$]al         
,gov]nm5t does n subsidize discrim9ation
 9 cov]$ rail projects4  7c7 ,am\nts =  
disadvantag$ bus9ess ent]prises ,except 
to ! ext5t t ! ,secret>y (              
,transportation det]m9es o!rwise1 n less
 ?an #aj p]c5t ( ! am\nts made available
 ?r\gh a grant1 contract1 loan1 or o!r  
f9anc+ in/rum5t = any cov]$ rail project
 %all be exp5d$ ?r\gh disadvantag$      
bus9ess ent]prises4  7d7 ,annual li/+ ( 
disadvantag$ bus9ess ent]prises ,!      
unifi$ c]tification program e/abli%$ "u 
subsection 7e7 %all annually survey &   
compile a li/ ( disadvantag$ bus9ess    
ent]prises & _! location1 & %all include
 an indication ( ! p]c5tage ( su*       
ent]prises :i* are controll$ by wom51 by
 socially & economically disadvantag$   

individuals 7o!r ?an wom571 & by        
individuals :o are wom5 & are o!rwise   
socially & economically disadvantag$    
individuals4  7e7 ,uni=m c]tification ,=
 purposes ( c>ry+ out ?is section1 !    
,secret>y ( ,transportation %all e/abli%
 m9imum uni=m crit]ia to use 9 c]tify+  
:e!r a conc]n qualifies z a small       
bus9ess conc]n4 ,! m9imum uni=m crit]ia 
%all include on-site visits1 p]sonal    
int]views ) p]sonnel1 issuance or       
inspection ( lic5ses1 analyses ( /ock   
own]%ip1 li/+ ( equipm5t1 analyses (    
bond+ capacity1 li/+ ( "w complet$1     
exam9ation ( ! resume ( pr9cipal own]s1 
analyses ( f9ancial capacity1 & analyses
 ( ! type ( "w pref]r$4 ,f$]al ,railroad
 ,adm9i/ration recipi5ts ( funds subject
 to ?is section mu/ p>ticipate 9 unifi$ 
c]tification program approv$ by !       
,secret>y4  7f7 ,report+ ,! ,secret>y ( 
,transportation %all e/abli% m9imum     
requirem5ts = cov]$ rail project ,f$]al 
fund+ recipi5ts to report to !          
,secret>y--  7#a7 in=mation conc]n+     

m9ority-own$ & wom5-own$ bus9ess aw>ds1 
commitm5ts1 & a*ievem5ts2 &  7#b7 su*   
o!r in=mation z ! ,secret>y det]m9es to 
be appropriate = ! prop] monitor+ ( !   
disadvantag$ bus9ess ent]prise program  
"u ?is section4  7g7 ,compliance ) c\rt 
ord]s ,no?+ 9 ?is section limits !      
eligibility ( an entity or p]son to     
receive funds if ! entity or p]son is   
prev5t$1 9 :ole or 9 "p1 f comply+ )    
subsection 7c7 because a ,f$]al c\rt    
issues a f9al ord] 9 :i* ! c\rt f9ds t a
 requirem5t or ! implem5tation (        
subsection 7c7 is uncon/itutional4  7h7 
,def9itions ,9 ?is section1 ! foll[+    
def9itions apply3  7#a7 ,commut] rail   
pass5g] transportation & int]city rail  
pass5g] transportation ,! t]ms commut]  
rail pass5g] transportation & int]city  
rail pass5g] transportation h ! mean+   
giv5 ^? t]ms 9 section #bdajb ( title   
#di1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code4  7#b7 ,cov]$  
rail project ,! t]m cov]$ rail project  
means any railroad project t is c>ri$   
out or is plann$ to be c>ri$ out ) ! use

 ( ,f$]al funds adm9i/]$ by ! ,f$]al    
,railroad ,adm9i/ration ?r\gh a grant1  
contract1 loan1 or o!r f9anc+ in/rum5t4 
7#c7 ,disadvantag$ bus9ess ent]prise ,! 
t]m disadvantag$ bus9ess ent]prise means
 a small bus9ess conc]n own$ by socially
 & economically disadvantag$            
individuals4  7#d7 ,small bus9ess conc]n
 ,! t]m small bus9ess conc]n has ! mean+
 giv5 t t]m "u section #c ( ! ,small    
,bus9ess ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #fcb71     
except t ! t]m %all n include any conc]n
 or gr\p ( conc]ns controll$ by ! same  
socially & economically disadvantag$    
individual or individuals t h av]age    
annual gross receipts ov] ! prec$+ #c   
fiscal ye>s 9 excess ( #bb1daj1jjj1 z   
adju/$ annually by ! ,secret>y (        
,transportation = inflation4  7#e7      
,socially & economically disadvantag$   
individuals ,! t]m socially &           
economically disadvantag$ individuals   
has ! mean+ giv5 t t]m "u section #h7;d7
 ( ! ,small ,bus9ess ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4
 #fcg7;d77 & relevant subcontract+      

regulations issu$ pursuant to t ,act1   
except t wom5 %all be presum$ to be     
socially & economically disadvantag$    
individuals = purposes ( ?is section4