HR4790-119

What This Bill Does

The All Aboard Act is a rail expansion, electrification, pollution-reduction, and labor bill. It defines high-performance rail, electrification infrastructure, zero-emission locomotives, environmental justice communities, Amtrak, and Federal Railroad Administration roles. Section 3 creates a state rail formula grant program with at least $5 million annually per state over five years and $3.5 billion authorized for state rail plans, rail service operations, maintenance, expansion, staffing, interstate pooling, applications, and technical assistance. Section 4 creates Green Railroads Fund competitive grants for electrified rail operations, electric locomotives, right-of-way purchases, rail-yard electrification, resilient infrastructure, public engagement, workforce transition plans, project labor agreements, local hiring, two-person freight crews, and priority for projects reducing pollution in environmental justice communities. Section 5 authorizes $80 billion over five years for the Federal-State Intercity Partnership program, gives priority to high-performance passenger rail and electrification, authorizes $30 billion for rail improvement grants, allows Class I railroad participation only with electrification, project labor agreements, local hiring, and public partners, authorizes $30 billion for Amtrak with $5 billion for climate resiliency, $10 billion for grade crossing grants, and $1 billion for restoration and enhancement grants. Section 6 authorizes $500 million for EPA grants addressing railyard air pollution. Section 7 applies rail labor protections, prevailing wage standards, railroad retirement and unemployment coverage for rail operations work, and creates passenger and freight rail workforce training centers with organized labor participation.

Who Benefits and How

State rail agencies benefit from formula grants, technical assistance, and at least $5 million annually per state for five years. Amtrak benefits from a $30 billion authorization, including $5 billion dedicated to climate resiliency projects. Passenger rail riders benefit if high-performance rail corridors, new routes, improved trip times, and electrified infrastructure expand service. Environmental justice communities near railyards benefit from priority electrification projects and a $500 million EPA air-pollution grant program. Rail labor organizations benefit from project labor agreements, local hiring, prevailing wage rules, workforce transition plans, and passenger and freight training centers.

Who Bears the Burden and How

Federal Railroad Administration must administer formula grants, competitive rail grants, technical assistance, applications, selection priorities, and workforce training programs. State grant applicants must produce rail plans, progress reports, workforce transition plans, community engagement plans, and electrification strategies. Class I railroads must meet partnership, electrification, project labor agreement, local hiring, and labor-condition requirements to access certain funds. Federal taxpayers bear the cost of the multi-year authorizations for state rail, intercity partnership projects, rail improvements, Amtrak, grade crossings, restoration grants, and EPA railyard grants.

Key Provisions

• Creates state rail formula grants with at least $5 million annually per state and $3.5 billion authorized over five years.
• Authorizes Green Railroads Fund grants for electrified rail operations, electric rolling stock, railyard electrification, workforce transition, and local hiring.
• Authorizes $80 billion for Federal-State Intercity Partnership projects and priority for high-performance passenger rail.
• Provides $30 billion for rail improvement grants, $30 billion for Amtrak, $10 billion for grade crossings, $1 billion for restoration grants, and $500 million for EPA railyard pollution grants.
• Requires labor protections, prevailing wages, railroad labor-law coverage for covered operations work, and passenger and freight workforce training centers.