Govwatch

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 5080 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 5080

   To amend title 49, United States Code, to clarify the assistance 
 available for recipients of assistance under chapter 53 of such title 
  for acquisition of real property interests, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 22, 2026

 Ms. Alsobrooks (for herself and Mr. Cramer) introduced the following 
 bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, 
                       Housing, and Urban Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
   To amend title 49, United States Code, to clarify the assistance 
 available for recipients of assistance under chapter 53 of such title 
  for acquisition of real property interests, 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 ``Modal Parity in Permitting Act''.

SEC. 2. ACQUISITION OF REAL PROPERTY INTERESTS.

    (a) In General.--Section 5323(q) of title 49, United States Code, 
is amended--
            (1) in the heading, by striking ``Corridor Preservation'' 
        and inserting ``Real Property Interests'';
            (2) in paragraph (1)--
                    (A) by striking ``right-of-way'' each time it 
                appears and inserting ``real property interests''; and
                    (B) by inserting ``acquired'' after ``may use 
                the''; and
            (3) in paragraph (2), by striking ``Right-of-way'' and 
        inserting ``Real property interests''.
    (b) Updates Required.--Not later than 6 months after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal Transit 
Administration shall update the ``FTA Circular 5010.1F'' (published on 
November 1, 2024), or any successor circular or regulations, and any 
other relevant guidance as necessary to implement the amendments made 
by subsection (a).

SEC. 3. PASSENGER RAIL PROJECT TRANSACTIONS.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 242 of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 24203. Passenger rail project transactions
    ``(a) Acquisition of Real Property Interests During Environmental 
Review.--A recipient of financial assistance under chapter 229, 249, or 
243 may use such assistance to acquire, through purchase, lease, or 
otherwise, any real property interest necessary for a project before 
the environmental review for the project is complete if the acquisition 
or related transaction is otherwise permitted by Federal law.
    ``(b) Timing of Development.--A real property interest purchased, 
leased, or otherwise acquired under subsection (a) may not be 
physically developed or improved in anticipation of the project until 
all required environmental reviews for the project have been 
completed.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 242 of title 49, 
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

``24203. Passenger rail project transactions.''.
                                 <all>
Modal Parity in Permitting Act

Full Text
