H.R. 5947: Invest in American Railroads Act

116th Congress · introduced 2020-02-21 · Transportation and Public Works · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2020-02-21 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Kuster, Ann M. [D-NH-2] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials. 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

Invest in American Railroads Act

Plain summary

Invest in American Railroads Act This bill revises and expands the Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing program of the Department of Transportation (DOT). Specifically, the bill authorizes DOT to pay certain credit risk premiums for loans or loan guarantees; requires DOT to set aside at least $100 million for passenger rail projects in a given fiscal year; directs DOT to provide loans and loan guarantees to private entities with controlling ownership in one or more freight railroads other than Class I carriers; expands eligibility under the loan program to include reimbursement of planning, permitting, and design expenses related to acquiring, improving, or rehabilitating intermodal or rail equipment or facilities; sets forth collateral and appraisal standards under the program; and allows loan repayment terms to be extended up to 50 years after the date of substantial completion of a project, or the estimated useful life of the rail equipment or facilities to be acquired, rehabilitated, improved, developed, or established.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), 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

Invest in American Railroads Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Kuster, Ann M. [D-NH-2] · 2 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Lloyd Smucker (R-PA), Chris Pappas (D-NH)

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 (3)

Appraisal: An estimate of what property is worth. In Texas, county appraisal districts set the value that property taxes are based on.
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).
Fiscal year: The 12-month period a government uses for its budget. The federal fiscal year runs from October 1 to September 30 and is named for the calendar year in which it ends. Most states use July 1 to June 30.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-116hr5947.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/hr>

Record fed-us-cong116-hr5947 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116