§ 5316. Job access and reverse commute formula grants
(a)
Definitions.—
In this section, the following definitions apply:
(1)
Access to jobs project.—
The term “access to jobs project” means a project relating to the development and maintenance of transportation services designed to transport welfare recipients and eligible low-income individuals to and from jobs and activities related to their employment, including—
(A)
transportation projects to finance planning, capital, and operating costs of providing access to jobs under this chapter;
(B)
promoting public transportation by low-income workers, including the use of public transportation by workers with nontraditional work schedules;
(2)
Eligible low-income individual.—
The term “eligible low-income individual” means an individual whose family income is at or below 150 percent of the poverty line (as that term is defined in section 673(2) of the Community Services Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 9902
(2)), including any revision required by that section) for a family of the size involved.
(3)
Recipient.—
The term “recipient” means a designated recipient (as defined in section
5307
(a)(2)) and a State that receives a grant under this section directly.
(4)
Reverse commute project.—
The term “reverse commute project” means a public transportation project designed to transport residents of urbanized areas and other than urbanized areas to suburban employment opportunities, including any projects to—
(A)
subsidize the costs associated with adding reverse commute bus, train, carpool, van routes, or service from urbanized areas and other than urbanized areas to suburban workplaces;
(5)
Subrecipient.—
The term “subrecipient” means a State or local governmental authority, nonprofit organization, or operator of public transportation services that receives a grant under this section indirectly through a recipient.
(6)
Welfare recipient.—
The term “welfare recipient” means an individual who has received assistance under a State or tribal program funded under part A of title IV of the Social Security Act at any time during the 3-year period before the date on which the applicant applies for a grant under this section.
(b)
General Authority.—
(c)
Apportionments.—
(1)
Formula.—
The Secretary shall apportion amounts made available for a fiscal year to carry out this section as follows:
(A)
60 percent of the funds shall be apportioned among designated recipients (as defined in section
5307
(a)(2)) for urbanized areas with a population of 200,000 or more in the ratio that—
(B)
20 percent of the funds shall be apportioned among the States in the ratio that—
(2)
Use of apportioned funds.—
Except as provided in paragraph (3)—
(A)
funds apportioned under paragraph (1)(A) shall be used for projects serving urbanized areas with a population of 200,000 or more;
(3)
Exceptions.—
A State may use funds apportioned under paragraphs (1)(B) and (1)(C)—
(d)
Competitive Process for Grants to Subrecipients.—
(1)
Areawide solicitations.—
A recipient of funds apportioned under subsection (c)(1)(A) shall conduct, in cooperation with the appropriate metropolitan planning organization, an areawide solicitation for applications for grants to the recipient and subrecipients under this section.
(2)
Statewide solicitation.—
A recipient of funds apportioned under subsection (c)(1)(B) or (c)(1)(C) shall conduct a statewide solicitation for applications for grants to the recipient and subrecipients under this section.
(e)
Transfers.—
(1)
In general.—
A State may transfer any funds apportioned to it under subsection (c)(1)(B) or (c)(1)(C), or both, to an apportionment under section
5311
(c) or
5336, or both.
(g)
Coordination.—
(1)
In general.—
The Secretary shall coordinate activities under this section with related activities under programs of other Federal departments and agencies.
(2)
With nonprofit providers.—
A State that transfers funds to an apportionment under section
5336 pursuant to subsection (e) shall certify to the Secretary that any project for which the funds are requested under this section has been coordinated with nonprofit providers of services.
(h)
Government’s Share of Costs.—
(1)
Capital projects.—
A grant for a capital project under this section may not exceed 80 percent of the net capital costs of the project, as determined by the Secretary.
(2)
Operating assistance.—
A grant made under this section for operating assistance may not exceed 50 percent of the net operating costs of the project, as determined by the Secretary.
(3)
Remainder.—
The remainder of the net project costs—
(4)
Use of certain funds.—
For purposes of paragraph (3)(B), the prohibitions on the use of funds for matching requirements under section 403(a)(5)(C)(vii) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 603
(a)(5)(C)(vii)) shall not apply to Federal or State funds to be used for transportation purposes.
(i)
Program Evaluation.—
(1)
Comptroller general.—
Beginning one year after the date of enactment of the Federal Public Transportation Act of 2005, and every 2 years thereafter, the Comptroller General shall—
(2)
Department of transportation.—
Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of [1] Federal Public Transportation Act of 2005, the Secretary shall—
[1] So in original. Probably should be followed by “the”.