# 119-s-2478: Freedom to Move Act

119-s-2478, Freedom to Move Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA] (D-MA); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2025-12-21).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2478
- As of: 2025-12-21
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-s-2478
- Congress: 119
- Title: Freedom to Move Act
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2025-07-28
- Sponsor: Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA] (D-MA)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2025-12-21

## Summary

**Fare-free public transportation** is the bill's main goal: it would create competitive five-year grants to cover lost fare revenue and fund service and equity improvements in both rural and urban areas. - Families and commuters would get expanded, more reliable bus service and free rides that improve connections to jobs, schools, and services. Grants must include a plan for bus network redesign and prioritized service to low-income and underserved neighborhoods. - Low-income people and foster care youth would be explicitly prioritized. The bill defines low income as at or below 150 percent of the poverty line and includes foster care youth in eligibility and reporting metrics. - Transit agencies, local governments, and eligible nonprofits could receive grants to cover lost fare revenue and higher operating costs such as fuel, hiring, maintenance, and training. Grants last five years. - Rural areas and urbanized areas are both eligible. Private nonprofit rural transit providers can partner with local entities to apply. - The program requires equity evaluations and data collection within three years, including demographic ridership data and progress toward closing equity gaps. *If enacted, it would authorize $5.0 billion per year for fiscal years 2026 through 2030, increasing federal outlays.*

## Cosponsors (1)

- Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA] (D-MA), 2025-07-28T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Grants to fund fare-free transit: benefit, high. If enacted, the bill would create a competitive grant program called Freedom to Move Grants. Congress would authorize $5 billion each year from 2026 through 2030 for the program. The agency would have 360 days after enactment to begin awarding five-year grants to eligible applicants. Grants could p…
- Who counts for grant priority: mixed, medium. If enacted, the bill would define who the program must prioritize and how recipients are counted. Low-income individuals would be people with family income at or below 150% of the poverty line for family size. An "underserved community" would need both little or infrequent bus service and to be in…

## Related bills

- 119-s-5071: Children's Safe Welcome Act of 2026
- 119-s-5022: Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act
- 119-s-2819: Head Start for America's Children Act
- 119-s-3990: PrEP Access and Coverage Act of 2026
- 119-s-2823: FAMILY Act
- 119-s-5134: Green New Deal for Health Act

## Sources
- [119-s-2478 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/2478)

## Related
- [119-s-5071: Children's Safe Welcome Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5071)
- [119-s-5022: Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5022)
- [119-s-2819: Head Start for America's Children Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2819)
- [119-s-3990: PrEP Access and Coverage Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3990)
- [119-s-2823: FAMILY Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2823)
- [119-s-5134: Green New Deal for Health Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5134)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2478 (as of 2025-12-21).