S. 1210: SMART Act

112th Congress · introduced 2011-06-15 · Transportation and Public Works · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2011-06-15 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

SMART Act

Plain summary

Strengthening Manufacturing and Rebuilding Transit Act of 2011 or SMART Act - Requires the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) to give preference to the award of discretionary or competitive grants, loans, loan guarantees, and lines of credit to transportation infrastructure projects, including the purchase of transit vehicle rolling stock, rail, and supporting equipment, in which manufactured goods to be purchased have a domestic content percentage that: (1) exceeds applicable federal requirements; and (2) in the case of rolling stock, is consistent with industry-recognized standards, if available. Directs the Secretary to establish a centralized website that provides rules and guidance, waiver notices, and agency actions of the domestic content (Buy America) standards for DOT federal-aid programs. Requires the Secretary to subject to public notice and comment any request for waiver, and to publication in the Federal Register and notification to Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) of any waiver, of Buy America requirements involving: (1) public transportation projects, (2) AMTRAK acquisition and maintenance of equipment and facilities, and (3) intercity passenger rail service corridor capital assistance projects. Directs the DOT Inspector General to report annually to Congress on acquisitions funded by federal transportation infrastructure investments that do not comply with Buy American requirements.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

SMART Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH] · 1 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Jeff Merkley (D-OR)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)

Federal Register: The official daily publication of the U.S. government for agency rules, proposed rules, public notices and presidential documents.
Rulemaking: The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-112s1210.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/112/s>

Record fed-us-cong112-s1210 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong112 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong112