,,ii  #aaith ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #cgja  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,january #bg1  
#bjbf,ms4 ,duckworth introduced the     
following bill2 which was read twice and
 referred to the ,committee on ,banking1
 ,housing1 and ,urban ,affairs  ,a      
,,bill  ,to establish a competitive     
grant program to provide capital        
assistance for the maintenance1         
replacement1 and rehabilitation needs of
 commuter rail bridges4  #a4 ,short     
title ,this ,act may be cited as the    
,building ,rail ,infrastructure for a   
,durable and ,growing ,economy ,act or  
the ,,bridge ,act4  #b4 ,commuter rail  
bridge grants  7a7 ,in general ,chapter 
#ec of title #di1 ,united ,states ,code1
 is amended by inserting after section  
#ecab the following3  #ecac4 ,commuter  
rail bridge grants  7a7 ,definitions ,in
 this section3 7#a7 ,commuter rail ,the 
term commuter rail shall have the       
meaning given the term by the ,secretary
 for purposes of reporting to the       

national transit database under section 
#ecce4  7#b7 ,commuter rail bridge ,the 
term commuter rail bridge-- 7,a7 means a
 bridge used in commuter rail           
operations2 and  7,b7 includes a bridge 
described in subparagraph 7,a7 that is  
also utilized for-- 7i7 intercity       
passenger railroad service2  7ii7 other 
public transportation service2 or  7iii7
 a roadway4  7#c7 ,covered grant ,the   
term covered grant means a grant awarded
 under subsection 7b74  7b7 ,grant      
authority ,the ,secretary may make      
grants to operators of public           
transportation systems for capital costs
 of maintenance1 replacement1 or        
rehabilitation of a commuter rail       
bridge4  7c7 ,grant requirements  7#a7  
,terms and conditions ,except as        
otherwise provided in this section1 a   
covered grant shall be subject to the   
same terms and conditions as a grant    
under section #eccg4  7#b7 ,eligible    
costs ,eligible costs for a project     
funded by a covered grant shall be      

limited to the net capital costs of the 
public transportation costs attributable
 to the project based on projected use  
of the commuter rail bridge4  7#c7      
,bridge access agreement ,before        
executing a grant agreement with the    
,secretary under this section1 an       
operator of a public transportation     
system seeking a covered grant for a    
commuter rail bridge that is not owned  
by the operator shall establish and     
maintain an agreement with the owner of 
the bridge that ensures bridge access by
 the operator4  7d7 ,competitive process
 ,the ,secretary shall-- 7#a7 not later 
than #cj days after the date on which   
amounts are made available for          
obligation under this section for a full
 fiscal year1 solicit applications for  
covered grants on a competitive basis2  
and  7#b7 award a covered grant based on
 the solicitation under paragraph 7#a7  
not later than the earlier of-- 7,a7 #ge
 days after the date on which the       
solicitation expires2 or  7,b7 the last 

day of the fiscal year in which the     
,secretary solicits the applications for
 covered grants4  7e7 ,consideration ,in
 awarding covered grants1 the ,secretary
 shall consider-- 7#a7 the size of the  
commuter rail system of the applicant2  
7#b7 the amount of funds available to   
the applicant under section #eccg2  7#c7
 the age and condition of the commuter  
rail bridge2 and  7#d7 whether the      
applicant has identified replacement of 
the commuter rail bridge as a priority  
in the investment prioritization portion
 of the transit asset management plan   
developed by the applicant pursuant to  
part #fbe of title #di1 ,code of        
,federal ,regulations 7or successor     
regulations74  4  7b7 ,technical and    
conforming amendment ,the table of      
sections for chapter #ec of title #di1  
,united ,states ,code1 is amended by    
inserting after the item relating to    
section #ecab the following3  #ecac4    
,commuter rail bridge grants4  4  7c7   
,authorization of appropriations        

,section #ecch of title #di1 ,united    
,states ,code1 is amended by adding at  
the end the following3  7f7 ,commuter   
rail bridge grants ,there are authorized
 to be appropriated to carry out section
 #ecac #a1ejj1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal
 years #bjbg through #bjca4  4