,i #aaeth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #bcbi ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,may #c1 #bjag,mr4 ,higgins of ,new ,york introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,transportation and ,infrastructure ,a ,,bill ,to direct the ,secretary of ,transportation to establish a transformational infrastructure competitive grant program1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,nation ,building ,here at ,home ,act of #bjag4 #b4 ,transformational infrastructure competitive grant program 7a7 ,establishment ,not later than #bgj days after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary of ,transportation shall establish a transformational infrastructure competitive grant program4 7b7 ,grant authority ,in carrying out the program established under subsection 7a71 the ,secretary may make a grant1 on a competitive basis1 to any of the following3 7#a7 ,a ,state government4 7#b7 ,a local government4 7#c7 ,a transit agency4 7#d7 ,a port authority4 7c7 ,eligible projects 7#a7 ,in general ,a grant made under subsection 7b7 may be used for any of the following1 if the ,secretary determines that the project will significantly impact a metropolitan area1 a region1 or all of the ,united ,states3 7,a7 ,a highway or bridge project eligible under title #bc1 ,united ,states ,code1 including interstate rehabilitation1 improvements to the rural collector road system1 the reconstruction of overpasses and interchanges1 bridge replacements1 bridge painting1 seismic retrofit projects for bridges1 and road realignments4 7,b7 ,a public transportation project eligible under chapter #ec of title #di1 ,united ,states ,code1 including investment in a project participating in the ,new ,starts or ,small ,starts programs that will expedite the completion of that project and its entry into revenue service4 7,c7 ,a passenger or freight rail transportation project4 7,d7 ,a port infrastructure investment1 including a project that connects ports to other modes of transportation and improves the efficiency of freight movement4 7,e7 ,an aviation infrastructure project4 7,f7 ,a water infrastructure project4 7#b7 ,coordination ,with respect to a project described in paragraph 7#a77;,f71 the ,secretary shall coordinate any grant for such a project with the ,administrator of the ,environmental ,protection ,agency and the ,secretary of the ,army 7acting through the ,chief of ,engineers74 7d7 ,applications and criteria for grant awards 7#a7 ,applications ,to be eligible for a grant made under subsection 7b71 an entity described in paragraph 7#a71 7#b71 7#c71 or 7#d7 of that subsection shall submit to the ,secretary an application in such form1 at such time1 and containing such information as the ,secretary determines appropriate4 7#b7 ,criteria for grant awards ,not later than #ij days after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary shall issue regulations specifying the criteria that the ,secretary will use to make grants on a competitive basis under subsection 7b74 7#c7 ,financial commitments ,the criteria specified by the ,secretary under paragraph 7#b7 shall include criteria for the consideration of-- 7,a7 whether there are financial commitments in place with respect to a proposed project2 7,b7 the degree of certainty with respect to such financial commitments2 and 7,c7 whether such financial commitments are from non-,federal sources4 7e7 ,federal share ,the ,federal share of the cost of a project assisted with a grant made under subsection 7b7 may not exceed #ajj percent of that cost4 7f7 ,considerations ,in making grants under subsection 7b71 the ,secretary shall ensure1 to the extent practicable1 that the grants-- 7#a7 are distributed geographically in an equitable manner2 7#b7 address the needs of both urban and rural areas appropriately2 7#c7 promote the training and employment of veterans1 including by having applicable contractors provide to veterans a preference during the hiring and referral of laborers2 7#d7 are utilized in a manner that ensures an appropriate percentage of grant amounts are expended through small business concerns owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals 7as determined by the ,secretary72 and 7#e7 promote the utilization of participants in a registered apprenticeship program1 including by providing a preference to proposed projects that incorporate such utilization4 7g7 ,applicability of title #dj ,each project conducted using funds provided with a grant made under subsection 7b7 shall comply with the requirements of subchapter ,,iv of chapter #ca of title #dj1 ,united ,states ,code4 7h7 ,buy ,america 7#a7 ,in general ,none of the funds made available for a project under this ,act may be used for the project unless all of the iron1 steel1 and manufactured goods used in the project are produced in the ,united ,states4 7#b7 ,exceptions ,paragraph 7#a7 shall not apply in any case or category of cases in which the ,secretary finds that-- 7,a7 applying paragraph 7#a7 would be inconsistent with the public interest2 7,b7 iron1 steel1 or the relevant manufactured goods are not produced in the ,united ,states in sufficient and reasonably available quantities or to a satisfactory quality2 or 7,c7 inclusion of iron1 steel1 and manufactured goods produced in the ,united ,states will increase the cost of the overall project by more than #be percent4 7#c7 ,justifications ,if the ,secretary determines that it is necessary to waive the application of paragraph 7#a7 based on a finding under paragraph 7#b71 the ,secretary shall publish in the ,federal ,register a detailed justification for the waiver4 7#d7 ,international agreements ,this subsection shall be applied in a manner consistent with ,united ,states obligations under international agreements4 7i7 ,transparency and accountability ,in carrying out the program established under subsection 7a71 the ,secretary shall-- 7#a7 take actions to ensure that grants made under subsection 7b7 are utilized as expeditiously and efficiently as possible2 7#b7 make available to the public1 on an appropriate ,web site of the ,department of ,transportation1 information on each grant made under subsection 7b72 and 7#c7 submit to ,congress1 not later than #a year after the first grant is made under subsection 7b71 and annually thereafter1 information on grants made under subsection 7b71 including the progress made on projects funded by such grants4 7j7 ,environmental streamlining ,the ,secretary shall coordinate1 to the maximum extent practicable1 with relevant ,federal departments and agencies to ensure that environmental reviews are conducted in a manner that facilitates the accelerated delivery of projects for which a grant is made under this section4 7k7 ,authorization of appropriations 7#a7 ,in general ,there is authorized to be appropriated to the ,secretary to make grants under the program established under subsection 7a7 #a1bfc1jjj1jjj1jjj1 in the aggregate1 for fiscal years #bjah through #bjbb4 7#b7 ,eligible project use ,from the amounts made available under paragraph 7#a71 the ,secretary shall use-- 7,a7 #he percent of the amounts to make grants for projects described in subparagraph 7,a71 7,b71 or 7,c7 of subsection 7c77#a72 7,b7 #b percent of the amounts to make grants for projects described in subparagraph 7,d7 of subsection 7c77#a72 7,c7 #d percent of the amounts to make grants for projects described in subparagraph 7,e7 of subsection 7c77#a72 and 7,d7 #i percent of the amounts to make grants for projects described in subparagraph 7,f7 of subsection 7c77#a74 #c4 ,nation ,building ,here at ,home ,financing ,initiative 7a7 ,establishment ,not later than #ahj days after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary of the ,treasury1 in consultation with the ,secretary of ,transportation1 shall establish a ,nation ,building ,here at ,home ,financing ,initiative in accordance with this section4 7b7 ,authority ,to issue bonds ,in carrying out the initiative established under subsection 7a71 the ,secretary of the ,treasury may issue bonds4 ,the aggregate face amount of bonds issued under this subsection may not exceed #cjj1jjj1jjj1jjj4 7c7 ,characteristics of bonds ,bonds issued under subsection 7b7 shall be issued in such amounts1 bear such rates of interest1 and be subject to such terms and conditions as the ,secretary of the ,treasury may prescribe4 7d7 ,use of bond proceeds ,the ,secretary of the ,treasury shall make available to the ,secretary of ,transportation the proceeds resulting from bonds issued under subsection 7b74 ,the ,secretary of ,transportation may use such proceeds only to carry out the program established under section #b7;a7 of this ,act4 #d4 ,report ,not later than #ahj days after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary of ,transportation shall submit to ,congress a comprehensive report describing the transportation needs of the ,united ,states for each of the following3 7#a7 ,the #bj-year period beginning on the date of enactment of this ,act4 7#b7 ,the #cj-year period beginning after the period described in paragraph 7#a74 7#c7 ,the #ej-year period beginning after the period described in paragraph 7#b74