,,ii  #aaith ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #ceef  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,december #ag1 
#bjbe,ms4 ,alsobrooks 7for herself1 ,mr4
 ,cramer1 ,mr4 ,merkley1 and ,mr4       
,curtis7 introduced the following bill2 
which was read twice and referred to the
 ,committee on ,environment and ,public 
,works  ,a ,,bill  ,to reauthorize and  
improve the wildlife crossings program1 
and for other purposes4  #a4 ,short     
title ,this ,act may be cited as the    
,wildlife ,crossings ,program           
,reauthorization ,act of #bjbe4  #b4    
,wildlife crossings program  7a7        
,authorization of appropriations  7#a7  
,in general ,there is authorized to be  
appropriated out of the ,highway ,trust 
,fund 7other than the ,mass ,transit    
,account7 for the wildlife crossings    
program under section #aga of title #bc1
 ,united ,states ,code1 #ajj1jjj1jjj for
 each of fiscal years #bjbg through     
#bjca4  7#b7 ,availability              
,notwithstanding any other provision of 

law1 amounts made available under       
paragraph 7#a7 shall be available until 
expended4  7b7 ,wildlife crossings      
program  7#a7 ,in general ,section #aga 
of title #bc1 ,united ,states ,code1 is 
amended-- 7,a7 in the section heading1  
by striking pilot2  7,b7 by striking    
pilot each place it appears2  7,c7 by   
redesignating subsections 7h7 and 7i7 as
 subsections 7k7 and 7l71 respectively2 
and  7,d7 by inserting after subsection 
7g7 the following3  7h7 ,federal share  
for small1 rural1 and disadvantaged     
communities  7#a7 ,in general ,subject  
to paragraph 7#b71 in the case of a     
grant under the program provided to an  
eligible entity for the benefit of a    
small1 rural1 or disadvantaged          
community1 the ,federal share of the    
cost of the project shall be #ij        
percent4  7#b7 ,waiver ,the ,secretary  
may increase the ,federal share under   
paragraph 7#a7 to #ajj percent if the   
,secretary determines that the eligible 
entity is unable to pay1 or would       

experience significant financial        
hardship if required to pay1 the        
non-,federal share4  7i7 ,tribal        
technical assistance  7#a7 ,in general  
,the ,secretary may use an amount equal 
to not more than #j4e percent of the    
amounts made available to carry out the 
program for each fiscal year to improve 
the ability of eligible entities        
described in subsection 7c77#f7 to      
access funding for projects under the   
program in an efficient and expeditious 
manner by providing to those entities   
application assistance1 technical       
assistance1 and assistance in reducing  
the period of time between the selection
 of the project and the obligation of   
funds for the project4  7#b7 ,use of    
,funds ,amounts used under paragraph    
7#a7 may be expended-- 7,a7 by the      
,secretary2 or  7,b7 through contracts  
with-- 7i7 a ,federal1 ,tribal1         
regional1 or ,state government entity2  
7ii7 a private entity2 or  7iii7 a      
nonprofit entity4  7j7 ,grant           

administration ,the ,secretary may      
retain not more than a total of #j4e    
percent of the amounts made available to
 carry out the program for each fiscal  
year-- 7#a7 to review applications for  
grants under the program2  7#b7 to      
obligate and administer grant awards    
selected under the program2 and  7#c7 to
 carry out the requirements of-- 7,a7   
section #agb2 and  7,b7 subsections     
7b77#f7 and 7i77#c7 of section #add4  4 
7#b7 ,clerical amendment ,the analysis  
for chapter #a of title #bc1 ,united    
,states ,code1 is amended by striking   
the item relating to section #aga and   
inserting the following3  #aga4         
,wildlife crossings program4  4