H.R. 7442

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7442 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7442

To eliminate the Carbon Reduction Program and PROTECT Program and 
dedicate the funding to a new bridge formula program that distributes 
funding based primarily on overall deck area, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

February 9, 2026

Mr. Nehls (for himself, Mr. Weber of Texas, Mr. Williams of Texas, and 
Mr. Gill of Texas) introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To eliminate the Carbon Reduction Program and PROTECT Program and 
dedicate the funding to a new bridge formula program that distributes 
funding based primarily on overall deck area, 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 ``National Bridge Funding Reform 
Act''.

SEC. 2. NATIONAL BRIDGE PROGRAM AND PROGRAM ELIMINATION.

(a) Apportionment.--Section 104 of title 23, United States Code, is 
amended--
(1) by striking subsection (b)(7) and subsection (b)(8); 
and
(2) by inserting in its place the following:
``(7) National bridge program.--For the national bridge 
program under section 175, 5.47660865256628 percent of the 
amount remaining after distributing amounts under paragraphs 
(4), (5), and (6).''.
(b) Carbon Reduction Program.--Chapter 1 of title 23, United States 
Code, is amended by striking Section 175.
(c) Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, 
and Cost-Saving Transportation (PROTECT) Program.--Chapter 1 of title 
23, United States Code, is amended by striking Section 176.
(d) In General.--Title 23, United States Code, is amended by 
inserting after section 175 the following:
``Sec. 175. National bridge program
``(a) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish and implement a 
national bridge program under this section.
``(b) Purposes.--The purpose of the national bridge program shall 
be to provide support for the replacement, rehabilitation, 
preservation, protection, and construction of bridges on Federal-aid 
highways and for other purposes.
``(c) Eligible Projects.--
``(1) In general.--Funds apportioned to a State to carry 
out the national bridge program may be obligated for the 
replacement, rehabilitation, preservation, protection, and 
construction of bridges on Federal-aid highways.
``(2) Flexibility.--At the discretion of each State, funds 
made available for the national bridge program may be obligated 
for the replacement, rehabilitation, preservation, protection, 
and construction of bridges not on Federal-aid highways.
``(d) Apportionment.--The Secretary shall distribute the funds 
apportioned under section 104(b)(7) to carry out this section among 
States as follows--
``(1) 75 percent by the proportion that the total deck area 
of bridges on Federal-aid highways in such State bears to the 
sum of the total deck area of bridges on Federal-aid highways 
in all States; and
``(2) 25 percent by the proportion that the total deck area 
of bridges on Federal-aid highways classified as in poor 
condition in such State bears to the sum of the total deck area 
of bridges on Federal-aid highways classified as being in poor 
condition in all States.
``(e) National Bridge Inventory.--For purposes of determining the 
distribution of funds to States under subsection (d), the Secretary 
shall calculate the total deck area of bridges and the total deck area 
of bridges classified as being in poor condition based on the National 
Bridge Inventory as of December 31, 2024.''.
(e) Conforming Amendments.--
(1) Section 104 of title 23, United States Code, is 
amended--
(A) in subsection (b)--
(i) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), 
by striking ``the carbon reduction program 
under section 175, to carry out subsection (c) 
of the PROTECT program under section 176,''; 
and
(ii) by striking paragraphs (7) and (8);
(B) in subsection (c)(2) by striking ``the carbon 
reduction program under section 175, to carry out 
subsection (c) of the PROTECT program under section 
176,''; and
(C) in subsection (h) by striking ``the carbon 
reduction program under section 175, to carry out 
subsection (c) of the PROTECT program under section 
176,''.
(2) Section 120(l)(2)(A) of title 23, United States Code, 
is amended by striking clauses (vi) and (vii).
(3) Section 520(e)(3)(B) of title 23, United States Code, 
is amended by striking clause (ii).
(f) Clerical Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 1 of title 23, 
United States Code, is amended--
(1) by striking the items relating to section 175 and 
section 176 in effect prior to enactment of this section; and
(2) by inserting after the item relating to section 174 the 
following:

``175. National bridge program.''.
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