,,ii  #aaf? ,,congress  #b;d ,session   
,s4 #chdb  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!      
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,may #ba1 #bjbj,mr4    
,wick] introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0   
read twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on  
,comm]ce1 ,sci5ce1 & ,transportation  ,a
 ,,bill  ,to require ! ,secret>y (      
,transportation to e/abli% a pilot      
program to provide assi/ance to c]ta9   
entities 9 rural communities1 & = o!r   
purposes4  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may
 be cit$ z ! ,rural ,infra/ructure      
,advancem5t ,act ( #bjbj4  #b4 ,rural   
,assi/ance ,pilot ,program  7a7         
,e/abli%m5t  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,! ,secret>y 
%all e/abli% )9 ! ,build ,am]ica ,bureau
 a pilot program1 to be kn[n z ! ,rural 
,assi/ance ,pilot ,program1 to provide  
to eligible entities1 ?r\gh ! s]vices ( 
exp]t firms describ$ 9 subsection 7c71  
assi/ance & in=mation describ$ 9        
p>agraph 7#b74  7#b7 ,assi/ance &       
in=mation ,9 c>ry+ out ! ,rural         
,assi/ance ,pilot ,program1 ! ,secret>y 
may provide ! foll[+3 7,a7 ,f9ancial1   

te*nical1 & legal assi/ance to evaluate 
pot5tial projects eligible to receive   
fund+ or f9anc+ assi/ance "u an eligible
 program4  7,b7 ,assi/ance ) developm5t 
phase activities1 includ+-- 7i7 project 
plann+2  7ii7 feasibility /udies2  7iii7
 rev5ue =eca/+ & fund+ & f9anc+ options 
analysis2  7iv7 environm5tal review2    
7v7 prelim9>y eng9e]+ & design "w2  7vi7
 economic assessm5ts & co/-b5efit       
analyses2  7vii7 public b5efit /udies2  
7viii7 /atutory & regulatory framework  
analyses2  7ix7 value = money /udies2   
7x7 evaluations ( co/s to su/a9 !       
project2  7xi7 evaluat+ opportunities = 
private f9anc+ & project bundl+2 &      
7xii7 any o!r activity det]m9$ to be    
appropriate by ! ,secret>y4  7,c7       
,in=mation ab\t innovative f9anc+ be/   
practices & case /udies if ! eligible   
entity is int]e/$ 9 us+ innovative      
f9anc+ me?ods4  7b7 ,eligible entities  
,an entity eligible = assi/ance "u !    
,rural ,assi/ance ,pilot ,program is an 
entity t-- 7#a7 is locat$ 9 an area t is

 outside ( an urbaniz$ area 7z def9$ by 
! ,bureau ( ! ,c5sus7 ) a population    
great] ?an #aej1jjj individuals2 or     
7#b7 may pursue a project locat$ 9 an   
area describ$ 9 p>agraph 7#a74  7c7     
,assi/ance f exp]t firms ,! ,secret>y   
may reta9 ! s]vices ( exp]t firms1      
includ+ c\nsel1 9 ! field ( municipal & 
project f9ance to assi/ 9 provid+       
f9ancial1 te*nical1 & legal assi/ance to
 eligible entities4  7d7 ,website  7#a7 
,description ( program  7,a7 ,9 g5]al ,!
 ,secret>y %all make publicly available 
on ! website ( ! ,dep>tm5t a description
 ( ! ,rural ,assi/ance ,pilot ,program1 
includ+ ! res\rces available to eligible
 entities4  7,b7 ,cle>+h\se ,! ,secret>y
 may e/abli% a cle>+h\se = tools1       
templates1 & be/ practices on ! page ( !
 website ( ! ,dep>tm5t t conta9s !      
in=mation describ$ 9 subp>agraph 7,a74  
7#b7 ,application processes  7,a7 ,9    
g5]al ,n lat] ?an #ahj days aft] ! date 
( enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 ! ,secret>y %all 
e/abli% a process = submitt+ an         

application4  7,b7 ,onl9e portal ,!     
,secret>y %all develop & make available 
to ! public an onl9e portal ?r\gh :i* ! 
,secret>y may receive1 on a roll+ basis1
 applications4  7,c7 ,review (          
applications  7i7 ,9 g5]al ,n lat] ?an  
#fj days aft] ! date on :i* ! ,secret>y 
receives an application1 ! ,secret>y    
%all notify ea* eligible entity t       
submitt$ ! application ( ! approval or  
disapproval ( ! application4  7ii7      
,additional writt5 notification  7,i7 ,9
 g5]al ,n lat] ?an #cj days aft] ! date 
on :i* ! ,secret>y initially notifies an
 eligible entity "u clause 7i71 !       
,secret>y %all provide to ! eligible    
entity an additional writt5 notification
 ( ! approval or disapproval ( !        
application4  7,,ii7 ,disapprov$        
applications ,if an application is n    
approv$1 a writt5 notification "u       
subclause 7,i7 %all include an (f] = a  
writt5 or telephonic debrief by !       
,secret>y t w provide an explanation (1 
& guidance on1 ! reasons t ! application

 0 n approv$4  7iii7 ,incomplete        
applications ,! ,secret>y %all n approve
 an application if ! application does n 
meet ! crit]ia e/abli%$ "u ?is section4 
7#c7 ,da%bo>d ,! ,secret>y %all po/ on !
 website ( ! ,dep>tm5t a mon?ly report t
 includes1 = ea* application-- 7,a7 !   
type ( entity t submitt$ ! application2 
7,b7 ! location ( ! pot5tial project or 
projects2  7,c7 a brief description ( ! 
assi/ance reque/$2  7,d7 ! date on :i* !
 ,secret>y receiv$ ! application2 &     
7,e7 ! date on :i* ! ,secret>y provid$  
notice ( approval or disapproval "u     
p>agraph 7#b77;,c77i74  7e7 ,exp]ts ,an 
eligible entity t receives assi/ance "u 
! ,rural ,assi/ance ,pilot ,program may 
reta9 ! s]vices ( any exp]t = any phase 
( a project1 includ+ project developm5t1
 reg>dless ( :e!r ! exp]t 0 reta9$ by ! 
,secret>y "u subsection 7c74  7f7 ,fund+
  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,= ea* ( fiscal ye>s    
#bjba ?r\gh #bjbe1 ! ,secret>y may use  
to c>ry out ! ,rural ,assi/ance ,pilot  
,program1 includ+ to reta9 ! s]vices (  

exp]t firms1 any am\nts made available  
to ! ,secret>y t are us$ to provide     
cr$it assi/ance "u eligible programs & n
 o!rwise obligat$1 n to exce$-- 7,a7    
#b1jjj1jjj = fiscal ye> #bjba2  7,b7    
#b1djj1jjj = fiscal ye> #bjbb2  7,c7    
#c1bjj1jjj = fiscal ye> #bjbc2  7,d7    
#d1jjj1jjj = fiscal ye> #bjbd2 &  7,e7  
#e1bjj1jjj = fiscal ye> #bjbe4  7#b7    
,geographic di/ribution ,n m ?an #bj    
p]c5t ( ! am\nts made available = grants
 "u ?is subsection = a fiscal ye> may be
 us$ to make grants = projects 9 any #a 
,/ate4  7g7 ,sunset ,! ,rural ,assi/ance
 ,pilot ,program %all t]m9ate on ! date 
t is #e ye>s aft] ! date ( enactm5t (   
?is ,act4  7h7 ,adm9i/ration (          
application process by ! ,build ,am]ica 
,bureau ,section #aaf7;d77#a7 ( title   
#di1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 is am5d$ by   
add+ at ! end ! foll[+3  7,e7 ,! ,rural 
,assi/ance ,pilot ,program e/abli%$ "u !
 ,rural ,infra/ructure ,advancem5t ,act 
( #bjbj4  4  7i7 ,def9itions ,9 ?is     
section3 7#a7 ,application ,! t]m       

application means an application =      
assi/ance "u ! ,rural ,assi/ance ,pilot 
,program submitt$ by an eligible entity 
to ! ,secret>y 9 su* =m & conta9+ su*   
in=mation z ! ,secret>y may require4    
7#b7 ,build ,am]ica ,bureau ,! t]m      
,build ,am]ica ,bureau means ! ,national
 ,surface ,transportation & ,innovative 
,f9ance ,bureau e/abli%$ "u section #aaf
 ( title #di1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code4  7#c7
 ,dep>tm5t ,! t]m ,dep>tm5t means !     
,dep>tm5t ( ,transportation4  7#d7      
,eligible entity ,! t]m eligible entity 
means an entity describ$ 9 subsection   
7b74  7#e7 ,eligible program ,! t]m     
eligible program means a program        
describ$ 9 any ( subp>agraphs 7,a71     
7,b71 & 7,d7 ( section #aaf7;d77#a7 (   
title #di1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code4  7#f7   
,secret>y ,! t]m ,secret>y means !      
,secret>y ( ,transportation4