Rep. Troy E. Nehls Votes to Advance BUILD America 250 Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. —Congressman Troy E. Nehls (R-TX-22) released the following statement after voting “YES” to pass the Building Unrivaled Infrastructure and Long-term Development for America’s 250th Act (BUILD America 250 Act), through the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. This critical bill reauthorizes and invests in America’s surface transportation infrastructure over the next five years and includes several amendments that enhance rail safety, among other items: 

“I’m extremely proud of the diligent work our committee has done to write the BUILD America 250 Act,” said Congressman Nehls. “Through the amendment process, we made this bill even stronger by including my Railway Safety Amendment, which enhances safety throughout our nation’s rail network, and is a top priority of President Trump. I’m proud to have led an overwhelmingly bipartisan coalition of Members to pass my amendment by a margin of 54-11. 

“Further, this bill makes historic investments in our nation’s bridges, securing a big win for the great state of Texas, which has the most bridge deck area of any state in the U.S. The BUILD America 250 Act also includes my legislation to ensure access to bathroom facilities for our nation’s hardworking truckers while they are on the road, transporting critical cargo across the country, which I’ve fought to do for nearly four years. 

“The BUILD America 250 Act also invests in our nation’s infrastructure systems that connect our country and ensures that all users of our highways pay their fair share for the upkeep of our roads. This legislation is a win for the future of our nation’s roads, bridges, and railways, which every American relies on every day, and I’m proud to have voted ‘YES’ to advance this legislation to the House Floor.”

The BUILD America 250 Act includes provisions championed by Congressman Nehls, including:

• An amendment to include the Railway Safety Act, cosponsored by Representatives Chris Deluzio (D-PA-17), Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ-02), Rob Bresnahan (R-PA-08), Dina Titus (D-NV-01), Emilia Sykes (D-OH-13), Andre Carson (D-IN-07), Seth Moulton (D-MA-06), and Chris Pappas (D-NH-01);
• An amendment to the Rail Technology and Asset Pilot Program of the bill to increase the federal cost share from 50 percent to 80 percent of the program, reducing the required private match from 50 percent down to the standard 20 percent match used across most federal transportation and safety programs;
• An amendment that makes two clarifications to explicitly include “data” alongside digital infrastructure systems and related technologies to reflect how modern infrastructure operates; 
• An amendment to update and modernize the threshold for “Other Projects” under the Federal Highway Administration’s project oversight requirements, which were established in 2005;
• An amendment to update federal law to ensure peer-to-peer car sharing platforms are treated fairly and consistently under the same vicarious liability framework that Congress already established for traditional rental car companies through the Graves Amendment.