Transportation for Reentry Act
Sponsored By: Representative Cleaver, Emanuel [D-MO-5]
Introduced
Summary
Free public transit for people reentering society. This bill would create a Public Transportation Reentry Service that requires recipients of federal transit grants under 5307 or 5311 to provide free public transit to eligible returning individuals for 1 year after release and allows federal reimbursement for direct and certain indirect costs.
Show full summary
- Returning individuals: Eligible people who served at least 1 year in state or federal prison would get free public transit for 1 year starting on their release date to support travel for work, appointments, and reintegration.
- Transit agencies and recipients: Covered transit providers must set up enrollment systems, train staff, track usage, and ensure 1-year compliance. They may be reimbursed for direct costs and for planning, outreach, training, operations, and technical assistance.
- Federal reporting and oversight: Recipients must report user counts, trips, and estimated revenue forgone to the National Transit Database and the Federal Transit Administration must summarize results for Congress. The Comptroller General must review implementation and effects on recidivism within 5 years.
*This bill would authorize $40.0 million per year from the Mass Transit Account for fiscal years 2027 through 2031 to carry out the program.*
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Free transit for people reentering
If enacted, you would be able to ride public transit free for one year after your release. This applies if you were jailed at least one year in State or Federal prison. Transit agencies getting certain federal grants would have to enroll returning people and train staff. They would also track trips and set systems to enforce the one-year limit. The bill would provide $40 million each year for fiscal years 2027–2031 and allow the Secretary to reimburse direct and certain indirect costs. Agencies would report data yearly to the National Transit Database, and the FTA would summarize reports for Congress. The Secretary would write rules within one year to coordinate technical help, promote outreach to prisons and returning people, and clarify multi-state cases.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Cleaver, Emanuel [D-MO-5]
MO • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Bell, Wesley [D-MO-1]
MO • D
Sponsored 7/23/2026
Rep. Carson, André [D-IN-7]
IN • D
Sponsored 7/23/2026
Rep. Carter, Troy A. [D-LA-2]
LA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2026
Rep. Chu, Judy [D-CA-28]
CA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2026
Rep. Crockett, Jasmine [D-TX-30]
TX • D
Sponsored 7/23/2026
Rep. Evans, Dwight [D-PA-3]
PA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2026
Rep. Foushee, Valerie P. [D-NC-4]
NC • D
Sponsored 7/23/2026
Rep. Frost, Maxwell [D-FL-10]
FL • D
Sponsored 7/23/2026
Rep. Garcia, Robert [D-CA-42]
CA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2026
Rep. Ivey, Glenn [D-MD-4]
MD • D
Sponsored 7/23/2026
Rep. Jackson, Jonathan L. [D-IL-1]
IL • D
Sponsored 7/23/2026
Rep. Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7]
WA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2026
Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4]
GA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2026
Rep. Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL-9]
IL • D
Sponsored 7/23/2026
Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12]
MI • D
Sponsored 7/23/2026
Rep. Watson Coleman, Bonnie [D-NJ-12]
NJ • D
Sponsored 7/23/2026
Rep. Wilson, Frederica S. [D-FL-24]
FL • D
Sponsored 7/23/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov