S. 2008: Transportation, Access, and Opportunity Act of 2015

114th Congress · introduced 2015-08-06 · 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 2015-08-06 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR] · 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

Transportation, Access, and Opportunity Act of 2015

Plain summary

Transportation, Access, and Opportunity Act of 2015 This bill modifies transportation programs to establish a goal of achieving an interconnected transportation system that connects people to jobs, schools, and essential services; and to require more data and public input during the planning process. States and metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) must permit the public to provide input during the development and implementation of transportation plans. (MPOs are federally required and funded organizations responsible for the regional transportation planning process in certain urban areas.) The bill revises the goals of the federal highway program to include achieving an interconnected transportation system which connects people to jobs, schools, and other essential services through a multimodal network. The Department of Transportation (DOT) may establish a performance measure for MPOs to measure transportation connectivity. DOT must establish the Connection to Opportunity Pilot Program for up to 10 MPOs to develop and implement projects to improve multimodal connectivity and increase connections for transportation-disadvantaged individuals and neighborhoods with limited transportation options. The participating MPOs must submit performance data to DOT, and DOT must use the data to evaluate the programs and consider developing a national indicator to measure multimodal connections to opportunities. DOT must create and maintain data sets and analysis tools to assist MPOs, states, and entities within DOT in carrying out performance management analyses. The bill permanently extends the authorization for the Transportation Alternatives Program, revises federal share requirements, and permits nonprofit organizations and certain MPOs to receive funding under the program.

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

Transportation, Access, and Opportunity Act of 2015

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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Alternatives

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR] · 0 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR] reported raising $5.4 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

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)

Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

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-114s2008.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/114/s>

Record fed-us-cong114-s2008 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong114 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong114