Congress quietly strips federal mandate for bike lanes and transit
H.R. 8349 — No TAP Act of 2026 · Filed by Scott Perry (R-PA) · Introduced Apr 16, 2026 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill removes a federal funding set-aside for Transportation Alternative Programs (TAP) from the Surface Transportation Block Grant program under 23 U.S.C. § 133. TAP funds currently support local projects like pedestrian/bicycle infrastructure, transit, and community improvements. The bill eliminates this dedicated funding stream, allowing states to redirect that money to other transportation priorities or retain it without the TAP requirement.
Why we flagged it
The bill mechanically removes a dedicated funding set-aside for alternative transportation programs, shifting discretion to states. This is a straightforward reallocation of federal transportation block grant authority, not a hidden rider or concealment—the title accurately names what it does.
What the text implies
- States may redirect TAP funds to highway expansion or maintenance, reducing investment in pedestrian/bicycle/transit infrastructure that serves non-drivers and lower-income populations.
- Rural and small urban areas that lack political clout to compete for discretionary funding may see TAP projects eliminated entirely, as larger metro areas prioritize highway capacity.
- Removal of the mandate may reduce federal leverage over state transportation planning, weakening coordination between land-use and transit policy.
- The bill does not prohibit TAP funding—it removes the requirement—so the actual impact depends on state legislative choices and political priorities post-enactment.
Section numbers refer to the bill text the analysis read — linked under Primary records below.
Who it affects
Ordinary citizens lose a dedicated federal funding stream for pedestrian, bicycle, transit, and community transportation projects. While states retain discretion to fund TAP voluntarily, the removal of the mandate means fewer resources will likely flow to these programs, disproportionately affecting non-drivers, low-income communities, and rural areas that depend on alternative transportation infrastructure.
Who stands to gain
- highway construction contractors
- road maintenance firms
- states with highway-focused transportation budgets
Named in the bill
23 U.S.C. § 133 (Surface Transportation Block Grant program), 23 U.S.C. § 126 (Transferability of Federal-aid highway funds), 23 U.S.C. § 134 (Metropolitan transportation planning), Transportation Alternative Programs (TAP), House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
Where it stands
- Apr 16, 2026 — Introduced · Congress.gov: “Introduced in House”
- Apr 16, 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 (1,276 characters) on Jun 8, 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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