MORE DOT Grants Act
Sponsored By: Senator Sen. Cortez Masto, Catherine [D-NV]
Introduced
Summary
Boost access to DOT discretionary grants for small counties with large amounts of federal land. This bill would cut local match costs and remove application barriers so High‑Density Public Land Counties and the local or Tribal governments inside them can compete more effectively for federal transportation grants.
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- Local and Tribal governments: Projects located in qualifying counties would see local matching requirements reduced by 50 percent, lowering the up‑front cash needed to apply for qualifying DOT discretionary grants.
- Small, rural counties and isolated communities: The Secretary of Transportation would have to provide extra technical assistance before and during application windows and may simplify scoring, partnership, and cash‑on‑hand rules to reduce barriers to applying.
- New applicants and Tribal governments: Applicants in these counties who have not received support under a qualifying program in the prior 10 years get application priority, and Tribal governments receive a related preference and special consideration for rural set‑asides.
This framework applies to a defined set of DOT discretionary programs, including BUILD/Local and Regional Project Assistance, Mega grants, INFRA, rural surface transportation grants, bus and low/no emission transit grants, airport improvement, rail infrastructure, and other similar programs.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Extra grant help for rural counties
If enacted, the Secretary would have to provide extra technical help to a High‑Density Public Land County or its local or Tribal governments when they ask. If enacted, this help must be available before and during the annual grant application period. If enacted, the Secretary would give priority to applicants in those counties that have not received support under the program in the prior 10 years. If enacted, the Secretary could ease scoring, partner, cash‑on‑hand, and complex application rules to lower barriers, and could give Tribal governments special priority for help.
Half local match for eligible counties
If enacted, the bill would cut required local matching funds in half for a High‑Density Public Land County and any unit of local or Tribal government inside such a county. If enacted, the 50% reduction would apply to match requirements for qualifying DOT discretionary grant programs, notwithstanding other law.
Which counties and grants qualify
If enacted, the bill would define a "High‑Density Public Land County" as one with 100,000 people or fewer and more than half its land owned or managed by the Federal Government. If enacted, it would define "Secretary" to mean the Secretary of Transportation. If enacted, it would define "Tribal government" as tribes listed on the most recent federal list. If enacted, it would apply these rules to specific DOT discretionary programs like BUILD, Mega Grants, INFRA, airport and transit grants, and other DOT discretionary grants to counties, local governments, or Tribal governments.
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Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Sen. Cortez Masto, Catherine [D-NV]
NV • D
Cosponsors
Sen. Daines, Steve [R-MT]
MT • R
Sponsored 7/31/2025
Sen. Schiff, Adam B. [D-CA]
CA • D
Sponsored 7/31/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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