119th (2025–2027)
S. 5080
This bill amends federal transit and rail funding rules to allow transportation projects to acquire land and property before environmental reviews are completed. The changes affect recipients of federal transit assistance under Chapter 53 of title 49 and passenger rail projects under chapters 229, 249, and 243, allowing them to purchase, lease, or otherwise obtain necessary real property interests earlier in the project development process. However, the property cannot be physically developed or improved until all required environmental reviews are finished. The Federal Transit Administration must update its guidance documents within six months of the bill's enactment to implement these changes. This legislation essentially creates "modal parity" by giving transit and rail projects the same property acquisition flexibility, potentially allowing them to secure land at current prices while environmental assessments proceed in parallel rather than sequentially.