No CIG Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 8233
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Transportation and Public Works
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-04-09: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
- Last Updated
- 2026-04-14T19:36:40Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The "No CIG Act" (H.R. 8233) aims to eliminate the federal program providing grants for capital investments in fixed guideway public transportation systems, such as subways, light rail, and commuter rail. "Fixed guideway" refers to transit systems that run on dedicated tracks or rails.
Key Provisions
- Repeal of core program: Completely removes Section 5309 of title 49, United States Code, which authorized these capital investment grants, along with its listing in the chapter's table of contents.
- Conforming changes to funding formulas: Amends Section 5338 of title 49:
- Deletes subsection (b).
- Removes subparagraph (C) from paragraph (1)(1) and renumbers the next subparagraph.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Ends the Fixed Guideway Capital Investment Grants program (also known as New Starts, Small Starts, and Core Capacity grants), halting new federal funding for planning, building, or expanding fixed guideway transit projects.
- Adjusts related federal transit funding allocation rules to exclude references to this repealed program.
Potential Impacts
- Government agencies: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) would lose authority and budget for these grants, potentially redirecting funds to other transit programs like buses or general operations.
- Citizens and communities: Stops federal support for new rail and similar transit projects, which could slow urban expansion of public transit, increase reliance on local funding, or shift focus to road/automobile infrastructure.
- Federal budget: Reduces federal spending on transit capital projects, potentially saving taxpayer money but limiting national transit development.
- No direct impact on international relations.
Main Stakeholders
- Transit agencies and local governments: Majorly affected, as they rely on these grants for costly rail projects (e.g., cities like New York, Los Angeles).
- Federal taxpayers: Benefit from reduced spending.
- Construction and transit industries: Lose federal project opportunities.
- Advocates for fiscal restraint: Supporters like bill sponsor Rep. Perry, who seek to cut what they view as inefficient programs.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Simple repeal by Congress, which has full authority over federal programs; no transition provisions for ongoing projects, potentially disrupting contracts or approvals.
- Constitutional: Aligns with Congress's spending power under Article I; no apparent free speech, property, or equal protection issues.
- Political: Signals pushback against large-scale federal transit subsidies, favoring state/local control or alternative transport; could spark debates on infrastructure priorities amid budget constraints.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Recent Actions
- 2026-04-09: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
- 2026-04-09: Introduced in House
- 2026-04-09: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- No CIG Act — issued 2026-04-09 — PDF (2 pages)