TRLF Federal Law
SEC. 350. <> STATE INFRASTRUCTURE BANK PILOT PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--
(1) Cooperative agreements.--Subject to the provisions of this section, the Secretary may enter into cooperative agreements with not to exceed 10 States for the establishment of State infrastructure banks and multistate infrastructure banks for making loans and providing other assistance to public and private entities carrying out or proposing to carry out projects eligible for assistance under this section.
(2) Interstate compacts.--Congress grants consent to 2 or more of the States, entering into a cooperative agreement under paragraph (1) with the Secretary for the establishment of a multistate infrastructure bank, to enter into an interstate compact establishing such bank in accordance with this section.
(b) Funding.--
(1) Separate accounts.--An infrastructure bank established under this section shall maintain a separate highway account for Federal funds contributed to the bank under paragraph (2) and a separate transit account for Federal funds contributed to the bank under paragraph (3). No Federal funds contributed or credited to an account of an infrastructure bank established under this section may be commingled with Federal funds contributed or credited to any other account of such bank.
(2) Highway account.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary may allow, subject to subsection (g)(1), a State entering into a cooperative agreement under this section to contribute not to exceed--
(A) 10 percent of the funds apportioned to the State for each of fiscal years 1996 and 1997 under each of sections 104(b)(1), 104(b)(3), 104(b)(5)(B), 144, and 160 of title 23, United States Code, and section 1015 of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991; and
(B) 10 percent of the funds allocated to the State for each of such fiscal years under each of section 157 of such title and section 1013(c) of such Act; into the highway account of the infrastructure bank established by the State. Federal funds contributed to such account under this paragraph shall constitute for purposes of this section a capitalization grant for the highway account of the infrastructure bank.
(3) Transit account.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary may allow, subject to subsection (g)(1), a State entering into a cooperative agreement under this section, and any other Federal transit grant recipient, to contribute not to exceed 10 percent of the funds made available to the State or other Federal transit grant recipient in each of fiscal years 1996 and 1997 for capital projects under sections 5307, 5309, and 5311 of title 49, United States Code, into the transit account of the infrastructure bank established by the State. Federal funds contributed to such account under this paragraph shall constitute for purposes of this section a capitalization grant for the transit account of the infrastructure bank.
(4) Special rule for urbanized areas of over 200,000.--Funds that are apportioned or allocated to a State under section 104(b)(3) or 160 of title 23, United States Code, or under section 1013(c) or 1015 of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 and attributed to urbanized areas of a State with an urbanized population of over 200,000 under section 133(d)(3) of such title may be used to provide assistance with respect to a project only if the metropolitan planning organization designated for such area concurs, in writing, with the provision of such assistance.
(c) Forms of Assistance From Infrastructure Banks.--An infrastructure bank established under this section may make loans or provide other assistance to a public or private entity in an amount equal to all or part of the cost of carrying out a project eligible for assistance under this section. The amount of any loan or other assistance provided for such project may be subordinated to any other debt financing for the project. Initial assistance provided with respect to a project from Federal funds contributed to an infrastructure bank under this section may not be made in the form of a grant.
(d) Qualifying Projects.--Federal funds in the highway account of an infrastructure bank established under this section may be used only to provide assistance with respect to construction of Federal-aid highways. Federal funds in the transit account of such bank may be used only to provide assistance with respect to capital projects.
(e) Infrastructure Bank Requirements.--In order to establish an infrastructure bank under this section, each State establishing the bank shall--
(1) contribute, at a minimum, in each account of the bank from non-Federal sources an amount equal to 25 percent of the amount of each capitalization grant made to the State and contributed to the bank; except that if the contribution is into the highway account of the bank and the State has a lower non- Federal share under section 120(b) of title 23, United States Code, such percentage shall be adjusted by the Secretary to correspond with such lower non-Federal share;
(2) ensure that the bank maintains on a continuing basis an investment grade rating on its debt issuances or has a sufficient level of bond or debt financing instrument insurance to maintain the viability of the bank;
(3) ensure that investment income generated by funds contributed to an account of the bank will be-- (A) credited to the account; (B) available for use in providing loans and other assistance to projects eligible for assistance from the account; and (C) invested in United States Treasury securities, bank deposits, or such other financing instruments as the Secretary may approve to earn interest to enhance the leveraging of projects assisted by the bank;
(4) provide that the repayment of a loan or other assistance from an account of the bank under this section shall be consistent with the repayment provisions of section 129(a)(7) of title 23, United States Code, except to the extent the Secretary determines that such provisions are not consistent with this section;
(5) ensure that any loan from the bank will bear interest at or below market interest rates, as determined by the State, to make the project that is the subject of the loan feasible;
(6) ensure that repayment of any loan from the bank will commence not later than 5 years after the project has been completed or, in the case of a highway project, the facility has opened to traffic, whichever is later;
(7) ensure that the term for repaying any loan will not exceed 30 years after the date of the first payment on the loan under paragraph (6); and
(8) <> require the bank to make an annual report to the Secretary on its status no later than September 30, 1996, and September 30, 1997, and to make such other reports as the Secretary may require by guidelines.
(f) Limitation on Repayments.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the repayment of a loan or other assistance provided from an infrastructure bank under this section may not be credited towards the non-Federal share of the cost of any project.
(g) Secretarial Requirements.--In administering this section, the Secretary shall--
(1) ensure that Federal disbursements shall be at a rate consistent with historic rates for the Federal-aid highway program and the Federal transit program, respectively;
(2) <> issue guidelines to ensure that all requirements of title 23, United States Code, or title 49, United States Code, that would otherwise apply to funds made available under such title and projects assisted with such funds apply to--
(A) funds made available under such title and contributed to an infrastructure bank established under this section; and
(B) projects assisted by the bank through the use of such funds; except to the extent that the Secretary determines that any requirement of such title is not consistent with the objectives of this section; and
(3) specify procedures and guidelines for establishing, operating, and providing assistance from the bank.
(h) United States Not Obligated.--The contribution of Federal funds into an infrastructure bank established under this section shall not be construed as a commitment, guarantee, or obligation on the part of the United States to any third party, nor shall any third party have any right against the United States for payment solely by virtue of the contribution. Any security or debt financing instrument issued by the infrastructure bank shall expressly state that the security or instrument does not constitute a commitment, guarantee, or obligation of the United States.
(i) Management of Federal Funds.--Sections 3335 and 6503 of title 31, United States Code, shall not apply to funds contributed under this section.
(j) Program Administration.--For each of fiscal years 1996 and 1997, a State may expend not to exceed 2 percent of the Federal funds contributed to an infrastructure bank established by the State under this section to pay the reasonable costs of administering the bank.
(k) <> Secretarial Review.--The Secretary shall review the financial condition of each infrastructure bank established under this section and transmit to Congress a report on the results of such review not later than March 1, 1997. In addition, the report shall contain--
(1) an evaluation of the pilot program conducted under this section and the ability of such program to increase public investment and attract non-Federal capital; and
(2) recommendations of the Secretary as to whether the program should be expanded or made a part of the Federal-aid highway and transit programs.
(l) Definitions.--In this section, the following definitions apply:
(1) Capital project.--The term ``capital project'' has the meaning such term has under section 5302 of title 49, United States Code.
(2) Construction; federal-aid highway.--The terms ``construction'' and ``Federal-aid highway'' have the meanings such terms have under section 101 of title 23, United States Code.
(3) Other assistance.--The term ``other assistance'' includes any use of funds in an infrastructure bank--
(A) to provide credit enhancements;
(B) to serve as a capital reserve for bond or debt instrument financing;
(C) to subsidize interest rates;
(D) to ensure the issuance of letters of credit and credit instruments;
(E) to finance purchase and lease agreements with respect to transit projects;
(F) to provide bond or debt financing instrument security; and
(G) to provide other forms of debt financing and methods of leveraging funds that are approved by the Secretary and that relate to the project with respect to which such assistance is being provided.
(4) State.--The term ``State'' has the meaning such term has under section 101 of title 23, United States Code.