The No Desire for Streetcars Act blocks four major federal transportation grant programs from paying for streetcar projects, including their purchase, operation, or upkeep. The affected programs are the Surface Transportation Block Grant Program, the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program, Urbanized Area Formula Grants, and Fixed Guideway Capital Investment Grants — funding streams cities currently use for a range of transit and road projects. Local governments and transit agencies that plan or operate streetcar lines, such as modern trolley systems in downtown districts, would lose access to these federal dollars specifically for streetcars, though the same money could still fund buses, light rail, or road repairs. The bill does not reduce the overall size of these grant programs; it only narrows what streetcar projects can be paid for with federal transportation funds. Cities with existing streetcar systems or in-progress streetcar plans would need to find other funding sources to continue those projects.
Congressional Summary
No Desire for Streetcars ActThis bill prohibits funds provided under certain Department of Transportation programs from being used for the procurement, operation, or maintenance of a streetcar.Specifically, this prohibition applies to theSurface Transportation Block Grant Program, Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program, Urbanized Area Formula Grants Program, andFixed Guideway Capital Investment Grants Program.
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- House
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Introduced in House
- Action Date
- 2025-06-06
- Date Added
- 2026-07-18
- Source
- Congress.gov →
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