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119th Congress

H.R. 5437 · 118th Congress (2023–2025)

Protecting Infrastructure Investments for Rural America Act

This bill modifies the definition of rural area that is used for the Rural Surface Transportation Grant Program and adds provisions for small communities.

As background, the grant program supports projects that improve and expand the surface transportation infrastructure in rural areas. Eligible applicants for the grant program include states, regional transportation planning organizations, local governments, and tribal governments.

For purposes of the program, the bill defines rural area as an area outside an urbanized area that has a population of 20,000 or less. Current law requires a rural area to be outside of an urbanized area with a population of over 200,000.

The bill includes provisions for small communities (i.e., an area outside an urbanized area and that has a population of 5,000 or less). The bill sets the maximum federal cost-share at 90% for project grants carried out in a small community. The Department of Transportation (DOT) must use at least 5% of the program's annual funds to provide grants for projects in small communities. The bill also removes the prohibition against DOT using more than 10% of program funds for grants that are under $25 million.

Further, program grants may be used for highway, road, bridge, or tunnel projects that would benefit the economic development or quality of life for citizens of the local community.

The bill also specifies that the program's goals include the generation of economic growth and development in rural areas.

Show official title

To ensure the rural surface transportation grant program is accessible to rural areas, and for other purposes.

Expired in House committee

Derived from the legislative history, not an official disposition.

Latest actionReferred to Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials

This bill’s path

This is H.R. 5437’s recorded path, not a universal congressional workflow.

How bills become lawAll actions

  1. Introduced

  2. Passed House

  3. Passed Senate

  4. Sent to President

  5. Signed into law

  6. Expired

Sponsor
Rep. Brad Finstad (R-MN-1)
Cosponsors
7 cosponsors

3 original · 4 later

5 R · 2 D

  1. Rep. Jared F. Golden (D-ME-2)· Original · Sep 13, 2023
  2. Rep. Pete Stauber (R-MN-8)· Original · Sep 13, 2023
  3. Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-WI-3)· Original · Sep 13, 2023
  4. Rep. Tracey Mann (R-KS-1)· Later · Sep 14, 2023
  5. Rep. John R. Moolenaar (R-MI-2)· Later · May 10, 2024
  6. Rep. Eric Sorensen (D-IL-17)· Later · May 21, 2024
  7. Rep. Michelle Fischbach (R-MN-7)· Later · Nov 26, 2024
Policy area
Transportation and Public Works
Subjects
  • Infrastructure development
  • Roads and highways
  • Rural conditions and development
  • Transportation programs funding

On this page

Timeline

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In chronological order. Major procedural acts are shown in full. Committee work and ordinary amendments fold in place where they happened, so they do not jump the sequence or stretch the timeline.

  1. Introduced in House

    Document: Introduced in House

    Sources
  2. Latest
    ▸ 3 committee actions · Sep 13, 2023 – Sep 14, 2023

    1. Referred to committee

      Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

      Sources

    2. Referred to Highways and Transit

      Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.

      Sources

    3. Referred to Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials

      Referred to the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials.

      Sources

  3. Expired

    Introduced → Referred to House Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials → No further action before the 118th Congress ended.

Committees

  1. HouseTransportation and InfrastructureReferred Sep 13, 2023
  2. HouseHighways and TransitReferred Sep 14, 2023
  3. HouseRailroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous MaterialsReferred Sep 14, 2023

Text & titles

i

Each distinct name Congress.gov recorded, once. Official, short, display, and popular titles stay distinct when the wording differs. The same wording is not repeated for every text version.

Text versions
VersionDateLinks
Introduced in House
Titles (2)

  1. Protecting Infrastructure Investments for Rural America Act

    Display title, Short title · Introduced in House

  2. To ensure the rural surface transportation grant program is accessible to rural areas, and for other purposes.

    Official title · Introduced in House