H.R. 6451

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6451 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 6451

To direct the Secretary of Transportation to establish a pilot program 
for grants to improve access to public transportation services for 
veterans, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

December 4, 2025

Mr. Larsen of Washington introduced the following bill; which was 
referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To direct the Secretary of Transportation to establish a pilot program 
for grants to improve access to public transportation services for 
veterans, 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 ``Veterans Access to Transit Act'' or 
the ``VA Transit Act''.

SEC. 2. PILOT PROGRAM FOR GRANTS TO IMPROVE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION 
SERVICES FOR VETERANS.

(a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation, in consultation 
with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, shall establish a pilot program 
to award grants for the improvement of public transportation services 
for veterans.
(b) Award of Grants.--
(1) In general.--In carrying out the pilot program, the 
Secretary of Transportation may award grants to eligible 
recipients for eligible public transportation projects.
(2) Equitable distribution.--The Secretary of 
Transportation shall ensure that, to the extent practicable, 
grants awarded under this section are equitably distributed 
across geographic regions, including rural and Tribal 
communities.
(3) Grant recipient requirements.--A grant under this 
section shall be subject to the requirements of--
(A) section 5307 of title 49, United States Code, 
for eligible recipients of grants made in urbanized 
areas; and
(B) section 5311 of such title for eligible 
recipients of grants made in rural areas.
(4) Allocation to subrecipients.--A recipient of a grant 
under this section may allocate amounts provided under the 
grant to a subrecipient.
(5) Locations.--The Secretary shall award grants under the 
pilot program to eligible recipients at not fewer than 5 
eligible locations.
(c) Grant Application.--An eligible recipient seeking the award of 
a grant under this section shall submit to the Secretary of 
Transportation an application in such form, in such manner, and 
containing such commitments and information as the Secretary considers 
necessary to carry out this section, including the following:
(1) A description of the public transportation services 
that the eligible recipient intends to provide with such grant.
(2) A list of all sites to be served by such services, 
including any sites that are facilities and organizations that 
serve veterans.
(3) The frequency and hours of operation of such services.
(4) An estimate of the number of veterans that would use 
such services.
(5) Evidence that the eligible recipient has the legal, 
technical, and financial capacity to carry out the project 
proposed to be carried out with such grant.
(d) Notification to Veterans.--Each recipient awarded a grant under 
this section shall publicize and conduct outreach targeted to veterans 
regarding the transportation services funded under this section.
(e) Termination.--The pilot program established under this section 
shall terminate on the date that is 5 years after the date on which the 
pilot program commences.
(f) Data Collection.--Not later than 90 days after the termination 
date described in subsection (e), each recipient of a grant under this 
section shall submit to the Secretary of Transportation a report 
containing information on the projects carried out with such grant, 
including--
(1) a description of the effects of expanded geographic 
coverage, improved service quality, increased frequency, or 
other activities funded with such grant on public 
transportation services for veterans;
(2) a description of any accessibility improvements made as 
a result of such projects;
(3) a description of changes in ridership due to such 
projects, including estimates or data regarding both general 
ridership and the number of veterans served;
(4) a description of the size and type of public 
transportation vehicles used in services funded with a grant 
awarded under this section;
(5) information on whether the use of facilities or 
organizations that serve veterans has increased due to such 
projects; and
(6) any other information the Secretary requires.
(g) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date on which the 
reports required under subsection (f) are submitted, the Secretary of 
Transportation shall submit to the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate, a report on the 
results of the pilot program carried out under this section based on 
the information provided in the reports required under subsection (f).
(h) Definitions.--In this section, the following definitions shall 
apply:
(1) Eligible recipient.--The term ``eligible recipient'' 
means--
(A) a State or local governmental entity; and
(B) a Tribe or Tribal governmental entity.
(2) Eligible location.--The term ``eligible location'' 
means--
(A) a rural area, as defined in section 5302 of 
title 49, United States Code; or
(B) an urbanized area, as defined in section 5302 
of title 49, United States Code, that has a population 
of fewer than 200,000 individuals.
(3) Eligible transportation project.--The term ``eligible 
transportation project'' means--
(A) a project planned, designed, and carried out to 
expand, modify, retain, or establish public 
transportation services that provide veterans access to 
locations of facilities or organizations that serve 
veterans that is--
(i) a capital project; or
(ii) a project to acquire such public 
transportation services, including entering 
into service agreements with private providers 
of public transportation; or
(B) operating costs associated with such project.
(4) Facility or organization that serves veterans.--The 
term ``facility or organization that serves veterans'' means--
(A) a facility of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs;
(B) an organization or facility that provides 
services to veterans using funds provided by the 
Department of Veterans Affairs; and
(C) and organization or facility proven to serve a 
significant number or percentage of the local 
population of veterans.
(5) Net project cost.--The term ``net project cost'' has 
the meaning given such term in section 5302 of title 49, United 
States Code.
(6) Subrecipient.--The term ``subrecipient'' means a State 
or local governmental authority, a private nonprofit 
organization, or an operator of public transportation services.
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