Federal law currently allows states to receive several types of transportation grants — funding for bus fleets, formula payments tied to population growth and density, culvert restoration projects, and road safety improvements — but the District of Columbia is not treated as a state under these programs. This bill changes that by explicitly including DC alongside all 50 states for each of those four federal transit and infrastructure programs. The roughly 700,000 residents of Washington, DC would gain access to the same federal transportation funding streams that residents in every state already receive. The bill equalizes DC's standing without changing the programs themselves or reducing the funding available to other states.
Average Household Impact
- Federal transit grant access for DC residents — District of Columbia made eligible for bus formula grants, culvert restoration funds, and safe-streets funding previously limited to states
Congressional Summary
District of Columbia Transportation Funding Equality ActThis bill makes the District of Columbia eligible for certain Department of Transportation (DOT) grant programs by treating the District as a state under the programs.Specifically, the bill applies to the Bus and Bus Facilities Grant Program, which provides funding for capital expenses to purchase and rehabilitate buses and to construct bus-related facilities. Under the program, a state is eligible for higher payments than a territory. Currently, the District is treated as a territory under the program.The bill also treats the District as a state under two additional DOT programs. The National Culvert Removal, Replacement, and Restoration Grant Program provides competitive grants to eligible entities for projects that meaningfully improve or restore fish passage for certain types of fish. The Safe Streets and Roads for All grant program supports initiatives to prevent roadway deaths and serious injuries. Currently, the District is not included under either of these programs.Further, the bill treats the District as a state for purposes of the Growing States and High Density States Formula, which provides additional money to some places (e.g., states with a population density greater than 370 persons per square mile) and is distributed through the Urbanized and Rural Area Formula Programs. Currently, the District is not included under the formula.
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- House
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Introduced in House
- Action Date
- 2026-01-06
- Date Added
- 2026-06-19
- Source
- Congress.gov →
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