H.R. 1659

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1659 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1659

To amend title 23, United States Code, to establish a competitive grant 
program for projects for commercial motor vehicle parking, and for 
other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

February 27, 2025

Mr. Bost (for himself, Ms. Craig, Mr. Stauber, Mr. Carbajal, Mr. Mrvan, 
Mrs. Kim, Mr. Steil, Mr. Nehls, Mr. Cleaver, Mr. Meuser, Ms. Scholten, 
Mr. Swalwell, Ms. Brownley, Mr. LaHood, Mr. Mann, Mr. Guest, Ms. Titus, 
Mr. Pappas, Mr. Davis of North Carolina, Mr. Yakym, Mr. Van Orden, Mr. 
Finstad, Mr. Magaziner, Mr. Hurd of Colorado, Mrs. Houchin, Ms. Ross, 
and Mr. Cuellar) introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To amend title 23, United States Code, to establish a competitive grant 
program for projects for commercial motor vehicle parking, and for 
other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Truck Parking Safety Improvement 
Act''.

SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

It is the sense of Congress that it should be a national priority 
to address the shortage of parking for commercial motor vehicles on the 
Federal-aid highway system to improve highway safety.

SEC. 3. PARKING FOR COMMERCIAL MOTOR VEHICLES.

(a) In General.--Chapter 1 of title 23, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 180. Parking for commercial motor vehicles
``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Commercial motor vehicle.--The term `commercial motor 
vehicle' has the meaning given the term in section 31132 of 
title 49.
``(2) Safety rest area.--The term `safety rest area' has 
the meaning given the term in section 120(c)(1).
``(b) Grant Authority.--Subject to the availability of funds, the 
Secretary shall make grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible 
entities for projects to provide public parking for commercial motor 
vehicles and improve the safety of commercial motor vehicle drivers.
``(c) Eligible Entities.--
``(1) In general.--An entity eligible to receive a grant 
under this section is any of the following:
``(A) A State.
``(B) A metropolitan planning organization.
``(C) A unit of local government.
``(D) A political subdivision of a State or local 
government carrying out responsibilities relating to 
commercial motor vehicle parking.
``(E) A Tribal government or a consortium of Tribal 
governments.
``(F) A multistate or multijurisdictional group of 
entities described in subparagraphs (A) through (E).
``(2) Private sector participation.--An eligible entity 
that receives a grant under this section may partner with a 
private entity to carry out an eligible project under this 
section.
``(d) Eligible Projects.--
``(1) In general.--An entity may use a grant provided under 
this section for a project described in paragraph (2) that is 
on--
``(A) a Federal-aid highway; or
``(B) a facility with reasonable access (as 
described in section 658.19 of title 23, Code of 
Federal Regulations (or a successor regulation)) to--
``(i) a Federal-aid highway; or
``(ii) a freight facility.
``(2) Projects described.--A project referred to in 
paragraph (1) is a project--
``(A) to construct a safety rest area that includes 
parking for commercial motor vehicles;
``(B) to construct additional commercial motor 
vehicle parking capacity--
``(i) adjacent to a private commercial 
truck stop or travel plaza;
``(ii) within the boundaries of, or 
adjacent to, a publicly owned freight facility, 
including a port terminal operated by a public 
authority;
``(iii) at an existing facility, including 
an inspection or weigh station and a park-and-
ride location; or
``(iv) at another suitable facility, as 
determined by the eligible entity, in 
concurrence with the Secretary;
``(C) to reopen an existing weigh station, safety 
rest area, park-and-ride facility, or other government-
owned facility, that is not in use, for commercial 
motor vehicle parking;
``(D) to construct or make capital improvements to 
an existing public commercial motor vehicle parking 
facility to expand parking use and availability, 
including at a seasonal facility;
``(E) to identify, promote, and manage the 
availability of publicly and privately provided 
commercial motor vehicle parking, such as through the 
use of intelligent transportation systems;
``(F) to improve the personal safety of commercial 
motor vehicle drivers at a parking facility as part of 
a project described in subparagraphs (A) through (D); 
or
``(G) to improve a parking facility, including 
through truck stop electrification systems, as part of 
a project described in subparagraphs (A) through (D).
``(e) Application.--To be eligible to receive a grant under this 
section, an eligible entity shall submit to the Secretary an 
application at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
information as the Secretary may require, including--
``(1) a description of the proposed project; and
``(2) any other information that the Secretary determines 
to be necessary.
``(f) Selection Criteria.--The Secretary may select a project to 
receive a grant under this section only if the Secretary determines 
that--
``(1) there is a shortage of commercial motor vehicle 
parking capacity in the corridor in which the project is 
located;
``(2) the eligible entity has consulted with motor 
carriers, commercial motor vehicle drivers, public safety 
officials, and private providers of commercial motor vehicle 
parking regarding the project;
``(3) the project will likely--
``(A) increase the availability or utilization of 
commercial motor vehicle parking;
``(B) facilitate the efficient movement of freight; 
or
``(C) improve highway safety, traffic congestion, 
and air quality; and
``(4) the eligible entity demonstrates the ability to 
provide for the maintenance and operation of the facility.
``(g) Additional Consideration.--To the maximum extent practicable, 
the Secretary shall select projects to receive grants under the program 
in a manner that maximizes the geographic dispersion of new commercial 
motor vehicle parking capacity across the United States.
``(h) Use of Funds.--
``(1) In general.--An eligible entity may use a grant under 
this section for--
``(A) development phase activities, including 
planning, feasibility analysis, benefit-cost analysis, 
environmental review, preliminary engineering and 
design work, and other preconstruction activities 
necessary to advance a project under this section; and
``(B) construction and operational improvements.
``(2) Limitations.--
``(A) In general.--An eligible entity may use not 
more than 25 percent of the amount of a grant under 
this section for activities described in paragraph 
(1)(A).
``(B) Existing facilities.--
``(i) In general.--Except as provided in 
clause (ii), not more than 10 percent of the 
amounts made available for each fiscal year for 
grants under this section may be used for 
projects described in subsection (d)(2)(E) that 
solely identify, promote, and manage the 
availability of existing commercial motor 
vehicle parking.
``(ii) Exception.--Clause (i) shall not 
apply to a project described in subsection 
(d)(2)(E) that is part of a project to expand 
commercial motor vehicle parking capacity.
``(3) Prohibition.--
``(A) In general.--Amounts made available to carry 
out this section shall not be used for the 
construction, or development phase activities that 
would enable the construction, of charging or fueling 
infrastructure for the propulsion of a vehicle, 
including a commercial motor vehicle.
``(B) Savings provision.--Nothing in this paragraph 
limits the use of funds other than funds made available 
to carry out this section.
``(i) Requirements.--
``(1) Publicly accessible parking.--Commercial motor 
vehicle parking constructed, opened, or improved with funds 
from a grant under this section shall be open and accessible to 
all commercial motor vehicle drivers.
``(2) Prohibition on charging fees.--
``(A) In general.--No fee may be charged by an 
eligible entity to a commercial motor vehicle driver to 
gain access to parking constructed, opened, maintained, 
or improved with a grant under this section.
``(j) Treatment of Projects.--Notwithstanding any other provision 
of law, a project carried out under this section shall be treated as a 
project on a Federal-aid highway under this chapter.
``(k) Period of Availability of Funds.--Amounts made available for 
projects under this section shall remain available for a period of 3 
years after the last day of the fiscal year in which the amounts are 
made available.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 1 of title 23, 
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

``180. Parking for commercial motor vehicles.''.

SEC. 4. SURVEY AND COMPARATIVE ASSESSMENT.

(a) In General.--Not later than 4 years after the date of enactment 
of this Act, and every 2 years thereafter, the Secretary of 
Transportation, in consultation with appropriate State motor carrier 
safety personnel, motor carriers, State departments of transportation, 
and private providers of commercial motor vehicle parking, shall submit 
to the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the 
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of 
Representatives a report that--
(1) evaluates the availability of adequate parking and rest 
facilities, taking into account both private and public 
facilities, for commercial motor vehicles engaged in interstate 
transportation;
(2) evaluates the effectiveness of the projects funded 
under section 180 of title 23, United States Code, in improving 
access to commercial motor vehicle parking;
(3) evaluates the ability of eligible entities that 
received a grant under section 180 of title 23, United States 
Code, to sustain the operation of parking facilities 
constructed with funds provided under that section; and
(4) reports on the progress being made to provide adequate 
commercial motor vehicle parking facilities.
(b) Results.--The Secretary of Transportation shall make the 
reports under subsection (a) available to the public on the website of 
the Department of Transportation.
(c) Alignment of Reports.--In carrying out this section, the 
Secretary of Transportation shall--
(1) consider the results of the commercial motor vehicle 
parking facilities assessments of States under subsection (f) 
of section 70202 of title 49, United States Code; and
(2) seek to align the contents of the reports under 
subsection (a) and the submission and publication of those 
reports with the State freight plans developed and updated 
under that section.

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of 
Transportation for projects for commercial motor vehicle parking under 
section 180 of title 23, United States Code, $151,000,000 for each of 
fiscal years 2025 through 2029.
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