Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
The American High-Speed Rail Act amends federal transportation law to significantly expand support for high-speed rail development across the country. The bill increases federal funding for corridor planning to cover 100 percent of costs, allows private entities to participate in planning, and raises the speed threshold for what qualifies as high-speed rail from 125 mph to 186 mph while creating a new category for trains reaching 110-186 mph. Federal financing eligibility is expanded to cover up to 100 percent of project costs, though projects are prioritized if they secure at least 20 percent non-federal funding from state, local, private, or international sources. The bill also permits advance land acquisition for rail corridors before environmental reviews are complete, though all environmental and historic preservation reviews must be finished before federal funding for property acquisitions is authorized and any acquired land is developed. Rail operators and workers on federally-funded projects must comply with federal railroad labor laws, though construction contractors may use non-unionized workers in certain circumstances.
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