American High-Speed Rail Act

Section 2(b) permits up to 100 percent federal funding for corridor planning when working with public agencies or private entities, which can help communities plan modern rail systems without heavy local upfront costs.

Section 2(f) allows the federal share of net capital costs for high-speed rail projects to be up to 100 percent, potentially easing the financial burden on state and local taxpayers.

Section 4 provides $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031 for transit-oriented development planning, giving greater consideration to communities where high-speed rail projects occur to help local areas grow around new stations.

Section 6 excludes certain gains, grants, and capital improvements from the gross income of rail carriers for tax purposes, and provides grants to freight rail carriers that acquire additional real property when they sell or lease land for rail projects, which supports cooperation between passenger and freight rail.

Section 7 ensures specific labor protections by applying laws like the Railroad Retirement Act and the Railway Labor Act to operators and service providers working on grant-funded rail infrastructure.

Section 3 authorizes massive appropriations of billions of dollars for each fiscal year from 2027 through 2031 for corridor planning, technology improvements, and corridor development, which significantly increases federal spending that taxpayers ultimately fund.

Section 2(g) directs the Secretary of State to provide necessary presidential permits for international border projects unless it is determined not to be in the interest of national security, which removes certain discretionary hurdles but could raise concerns regarding local environmental or border oversight.