Congress moves to eliminate federal funding for public transit expansion
H.R. 8233 — No CIG Act · Filed by Scott Perry (R-PA) · Introduced Apr 9, 2026 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill repeals Section 5309 of federal transportation law, which currently authorizes the Federal Transit Administration to award competitive capital investment grants to public transit agencies for fixed guideway projects (rail, bus rapid transit, streetcar systems). The repeal eliminates the program entirely, ending federal funding for new or expanded transit infrastructure of this type. Cities and transit agencies would lose access to this major source of federal capital funding for major transit projects.
Why we flagged it
The bill's sole operative mechanism is the repeal of a federal grant program for public transit capital projects. It is a straightforward elimination of federal funding authority, not a restructuring or reform.
What the text implies
- Repeal eliminates not just future grants but also the statutory authority for the program, making reinstatement require new legislation rather than appropriations.
- Conforming amendments to Section 5338 remove cross-references and related provisions, suggesting a complete statutory removal rather than a temporary freeze.
- Cities with pending or planned applications for Section 5309 grants would lose eligibility mid-pipeline, potentially stranding projects in planning stages.
- The repeal may trigger cascading effects on state and local transit agencies' capital planning, which often relies on federal match requirements and multi-year grant cycles.
Section numbers refer to the bill text the analysis read — linked under Primary records below.
Who it affects
Eliminating federal capital grants for fixed guideway transit removes a major funding source for public transportation infrastructure. Citizens in communities relying on federal support for transit expansion face reduced mobility options, longer commutes, and diminished access to transit-dependent services. The loss of this program disproportionately affects lower-income riders who depend on public transit.
Named in the bill
Federal Transit Administration (FTA), Section 5309, Title 49 USC, Section 5338, Title 49 USC, Public transit agencies, Fixed guideway transit systems
Where it stands
- Apr 9, 2026 — Introduced · Congress.gov: “Introduced in House”
- Apr 9, 2026 — Referred to House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure · Congress.gov: “Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure”
Dates and quoted wording are Congress.gov's action record; the timeline shows status changes, not every procedural step.
How this was measured
Analysis — Quorum's AI read the bill text published by Congress.gov (496 characters) on Oct 17, 2026. Section numbers in the findings refer to that text, linked below; transparency and hidden-provision scores are compared against the median of 16,222 analysed bills.
Status and sponsors — Congress.gov's bill record — actions, committee referrals and cosponsors — loaded nightly. The timeline shows status changes, not every procedural action.
As of — page rendered 2026-10-20.
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