How your transportation dollars get spent—now with receipts.
H.R. 5711 — Metropolitan Planning Enhancement Act · Filed by Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA) · Introduced Oct 8, 2025 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill requires federal transportation agencies and state/local planning bodies to select infrastructure projects through transparent, publicly documented processes using clear performance criteria. When a lower-ranked project is chosen over a higher-ranked one, agencies must publicly explain why—citing geographic balance or economic distress as justification. The bill applies the same transparency rules to both metropolitan and statewide transportation planning.
Why we flagged it
The bill's core mechanism is procedural accountability—it does not fund, defund, or redirect money, but instead mandates transparent criteria and public justification for project selection decisions already being made by transportation agencies.
What the text implies
- Agencies may face litigation if project selections cannot be justified under stated criteria, creating potential delays in project approval and funding.
- The requirement to explain deviations for 'geographic balance' and 'economically distressed areas' may create pressure to fund lower-performing projects in underserved regions, potentially reducing overall transportation system efficiency.
The full analysis lists 3 implications of this text.
Who it affects
Citizens gain enforceable transparency and public accountability in how billions in federal transportation funds are allocated. The requirement to publicly justify project selection and explain deviations from performance rankings reduces opaque decision-making and creates a record citizens can scrutinize.