[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8200 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8200
To amend title 23, United States Code, so that a privately or majority-
privately owned ferry or ferry terminal facility is an eligible entity
for purposes of participation in the Ferry Boat Program, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 6, 2026
Mr. LaLota (for himself and Mr. Courtney) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 23, United States Code, so that a privately or majority-
privately owned ferry or ferry terminal facility is an eligible entity
for purposes of participation in the Ferry Boat Program, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Interstate Ferry Fairness Act''.
SEC. 2. AMENDMENT TO ALLOW PRIVATELY OWNED FERRIES AND FERRY TERMINAL
FACILITIES TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR FERRY BOAT PROGRAM.
(a) Permissibility of Federal Participation in Construction of
Privately Owned Ferries or Ferry Terminal Facilities.--Section 129(c)
of title 23, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in paragraph (2)--
(A) by inserting ``(A)'' before ``The operation'';
and
(B) by striking ``on a route'' and all that follows
through the period at the end and inserting ``on a
route--
``(i) classified as a public road within the State
and which has not been designated as a route on the
Interstate System or on a public transit ferry eligible
under chapter 53 of title 49; or
``(ii) between 2 adjoining States and that connects
one or more public roads.
``(B) Projects under this subsection may be eligible for
both ferry boats carrying cars and passengers and ferry boats
carrying passengers only.'';
(2) in paragraph (3)--
(A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``shall be''
and all that follows through the period at the end and
inserting ``shall be--
``(i) publicly owned or operated;
``(ii) majority publicly owned, if the Secretary
determines with respect to such majority publicly owned
ferry or ferry terminal facility that the ferry boat or
ferry terminal facility provides substantial public
benefits; or
``(iii) with respect to a ferry that operates
between 2 adjoining States or a ferry terminal facility
that supports such a ferry, privately owned or majority
privately owned, if the Secretary determines with
respect to such ferry or ferry terminal facility that
the ferry boat or ferry terminal facility provides
substantial public benefits or otherwise meets the
foremost needs of the surface transportation system
described in section 101(b)(3)(D).''; and
(B) in subparagraph (B)--
(i) by striking ``Any Federal
participation'' and inserting ``(i) Except as
provided in clause (ii), any Federal
participation''; and
(ii) by adding at the end the following new
clause:
``(ii) Federal participation may involve the construction
or purchase, for private ownership, of--
``(I) a ferry boat that operates between 2
adjoining States; or
``(II) a ferry terminal facility or any other
eligible project under this section that supports such
ferry boat.''; and
(3) in paragraph (4)--
(A) by inserting ``(A)'' before ``The operating
authority'';
(B) by striking ``such ferry'' and inserting ``a
publicly owned or a majority publicly owned ferry'';
(C) by striking ``a privately operated toll ferry''
and inserting ``a privately operated toll ferry not
subject to subparagraph (B)''; and
(D) by adding at the end the following new
subparagraph:
``(B) A privately owned or majority privately owned ferry
operating between 2 adjoining States may charge a fare for
passage on such ferry in an amount not more than the sum of an
amount necessary to produce revenues sufficient to cover actual
and necessary costs of operation, maintenance, repair, debt
service, negotiated management fees, plus an amount that the
Secretary determines is a reasonable rate of return for the
ferry. All revenues derived therefrom shall be applied to such
actual and necessary costs, except the ferry may retain the
amount that the Secretary determines is a reasonable rate of
return.''.
(b) Conforming Amendments.--
(1) Surface transportation block grant program.--Section
133(b)(1)(B) of title 23, United States Code, is amended to
read as follows:
``(B) ferry boats and terminal facilities that are
eligible for funding under section 129(c);''.
(2) Construction of ferry boats and ferry terminal
facilities.--Section 147(c) of title 23, United States Code, is
amended by striking ``public entities'' and inserting
``entities''.
(c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall take
affect with respect to a privately owned, or majority privately owned,
ferry or ferry terminal facility for purposes of eligibility of the
program under section 147 of title 23, United States Code, on the date
that is 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act.
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