Transportation Assistance for Olympic and World Cup Cities Act of 2024
A BILL
To amend title 49, United States Code, to provide assistance for cities hosting international sporting events taking place in the United States, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Transportation assistance for international games
“5502. Transportation assistance for international games
“(a) Purpose—The purpose of this section is to support State and local efforts on transportation issues necessary to obtain the national recognition and economic benefits of hosting international sporting events in the United States.
“(b) Definitions—In this section:
“(1) Covered event
“(A) In general—The term covered event means any event that—
“(i) in the determination of the Secretary, is an irregular, multiday, international sporting event, including—
“(I) an Olympic, Paralympic, or Special Olympics event;
“(II) a FIFA World Cup event; and
“(III) a FIFA Women’s World Cup event; and
“(ii) is held at a site that has been selected to hold such event.
“(B) Exclusion—The term covered event does not include activities relating to preparing or submitting a bid to be selected to hold an event described in subparagraph (A)(i).
“(2) Eligible entity
“(A) In general—The term eligible entity means—
“(i) a State, Indian Tribe, or unit of local government (including a port authority or transit agency) hosting a covered event;
“(ii) a State, Indian Tribe, or unit of local government (including a port authority or transit agency) that—
“(I) is supporting a covered event; and
“(II) is located not more than 100 miles from the location in which the applicable covered event is or will be held;
“(iii) a metropolitan planning organization that serves an area that—
“(I) is under the jurisdiction of a State, Indian Tribe, or unit of local government described in subparagraph (A) or (B); and
“(II) is located not more than 100 miles from the location in which the applicable covered event is or will be held; or
“(iv) an entity eligible to receive a grant under section 5339 that is located not more than 100 miles from the location in which the applicable covered event is or will be held.
“(B) Transportation planning activities—For purposes of a transportation planning activity described in subsection (c)(2)(B) or (d), the term eligible entity means—
“(i) an entity described in subparagraph (A); or
“(ii) a nonprofit entity established for execution of a covered event.
“(3) Secretary—The term Secretary means the Secretary of Transportation.
“(c) Grants for transportation projects relating to international games
“(1) In general—Using amounts made available to the Secretary under subsection (f), the Secretary may make planning and construction grants to eligible entities to carry out projects described in paragraph (2) that—
“(A) are located not more than 100 miles from the location in which the applicable covered event is or will be held; and
“(B) in the determination of the Secretary, are not temporary infrastructure needed for hosting the covered event.
“(2) Project described—A project referred to in paragraph (1) is any of the following:
“(A) A transportation project that—
“(i) is eligible for assistance under—
“(I) any provision of this title, including section 5312; or
“(II) any provision of title 23; and
“(ii) in the determination of the Secretary, will assist with the movement of people and goods for the applicable covered event.
“(B) A transportation planning activity that, in the determination of the Secretary, will assist with the movement of people and goods for the applicable covered event.
“(3) Requirements—The requirements described in section 6701(n) shall apply to a project described in paragraph (2) that is funded by a grant under this subsection.
“(d) Transportation planning activities—The Secretary may provide technical and planning assistance to eligible entities, including—
“(1) by providing assistance for planning activities of States, Indian Tribes, units of local government, and metropolitan planning organizations under sections 134 and 135 of title 23 and sections 5303, 5304, and 5305 of this title for transportation projects relating to a covered event;
“(2) by assisting States, Indian Tribes, units of local government, and metropolitan planning organizations with the development of intermodal transportation plans;
“(3) by facilitating and incentivizing programs to temporarily pool and share, for the duration of a covered event, buses and related equipment among—
“(A) States, Indian Tribes, and units of local government hosting or supporting a covered event; and
“(B) States, Indian Tribes, and units of local government not hosting or supporting a covered event;
“(4) by expediting review and comment of any required submissions to the Secretary relating to a covered event;
“(5) by assisting with the coordination of transportation planning efforts between governments or the private sector; and
“(6) by providing any other technical or planning assistance the Secretary determines to be necessary for advancing the purpose of this section described in subsection (a).
“(e) Limitation—The Secretary may provide assistance under this section for a covered event only during the period beginning on the date that is 5 years before the date on which the covered event begins and ending on the date that is 30 days after the date on which the covered event ends.
“(f) Funding
“(1) Authorization of appropriations—There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section $50,000,000 for each fiscal year.
“(2) Transfer of authority—Of the amounts made available to carry out this section for each fiscal year, the Secretary may transfer not more than 2 percent for a fiscal year to the Administrator of any of the Federal Highway Administration, the Federal Transit Administration, the Federal Railroad Administration, the Federal Aviation Administration, or the Maritime Administration to award and oversee grants in accordance with this section.
“(3) Supplemental agreements—Notwithstanding part 200 of title 2, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations), a grant agreement under which funds are awarded pursuant to this section may take the form of a supplemental agreement to an existing agreement that meets the requirements of this section.”