H.R. 4790 — All Aboard Act of 2025

This section establishes definitions for terms used in the Act, including (1) Administration (i.e., Federal Railroad Administration); (2) Administrator (i.e., Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration); (3) Amtrak (i.e., National Railroad Passenger Corporation); (4) electrification infrastructure (i.e., overhead wire in-motion charging technology and associated infrastructure necessary to propel a locomotive or train, including battery electric technology for railyards and other environments where catenary is difficult to deploy); (5) environmental justice community (i.e., a community with significant representation of individuals of color, low-income individuals, or Tribal and Indigenous individuals that experiences or is at risk of higher or more adverse human health or environmental effects); (6) Federal-State Intercity Partnership program (i.e., the grant program under 49 U.S.C. 24911(b)); (7) high-performance rail service (i.e., intercity passenger rail service designed to meet current and future market demand in terms of capacity, travel times, reliability, and efficiency); (8) locomotive, MU locomotive, train (i.e., as defined in specified federal regulations); (9) partnership applicant (i.e., applicant under 49 U.S.C. 24911); (10) Secretary (i.e., Secretary of Transportation); (11) State (i.e., any state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, U.S. Virgin Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of the Marshall Islands, or Republic of Palau); and (12) zero-emission locomotive (i.e., a locomotive that does not emit criteria pollutants, toxic pollutants, or greenhouse gases from any onboard power source, including propulsion power).

This section establishes a formula grant program under which the Secretary of Transportation awards grants to states for developing state rail plans, operating rail service, and maintaining and expanding rail infrastructure. Grant recipients must submit reports describing strategies to expand passenger rail service—including high-performance rail, new and existing routes, and routes selected under the Corridor Identification and Development Program (49 U.S.C. 25101)—electrify freight and passenger rail, and demonstrate progress toward eight specified goals, including achieving zero-emission locomotives by 2047, zero emissions for 50% of trains by 2030 and all new trains by 2035, rail network capacity to serve significant freight and passenger movement by 2050, and mode shift from short-haul flights. Allowable uses of funds include hiring and retaining staff; pooling funds with other states; improving or constructing rail infrastructure; studying freight impacts and coordination; operating intercity passenger rail; and preparing competitive federal grant applications. The formula ensures each state receives at least $5 million annually over five years, with remaining funds apportioned based on existing and future rail service demand. The section authorizes $3.5 billion for the program for the five-year period beginning October 1, 2025 (FY2026-FY2030), and requires the Federal Railroad Administrator—coordinating with other agencies—to provide technical assistance for state rail plans.

This section establishes a competitive grant program, the Green Railroads Fund, administered by the Secretary of Transportation in consultation with the EPA Administrator, to award grants to eligible entities—including states, groups of states, Amtrak, class I/II/III railroads, federally recognized Indian Tribes, public utilities, and others—to enable or improve electrified rail operations. Grant applications must include plans for public engagement (i.e., multilingual notices, meetings, and comment periods); environmental and public health safeguards with monitoring; wage and apprenticeship requirements; and workforce transition strategies addressing skills gaps, insourcing, displacement avoidance, and collaboration with labor organizations. Grant funds may be used (1) to purchase railroad lines or rights-of-way for electrification; (2) to rebuild or improve locomotives or trains for electrification compatibility; (3) to install, improve, or build new electrification infrastructure or update rail yards; (4) to lease or acquire easements; (5) to purchase or lease electric locomotives, multiple-unit locomotives, or rolling stock; (6) to ensure climate resilience; (7) for community engagement; or (8) for workforce development and training. Grant-funded projects must use project labor agreements and enforceable local hiring agreements and—for any freight train or light engine movements—require a crew of at least two individuals, one certified as a locomotive engineer under 49 U.S.C. 20135 and one certified as a conductor under 49 U.S.C. 20163. In awarding grants, the Secretary must prioritize projects that reduce air pollution in environmental justice communities or expand high-performance passenger rail. Grant recipients eligible for other rail grant programs under the Act receive priority for additional funding on electrification projects, and recipients of other Act grants may receive Green Railroads Fund grants. Not later than 180 days after enactment, the Secretary, in coordination with the EPA Administrator and consultation with specified agencies, must complete a study evaluating the feasibility, benefits, equity impacts, and challenges of co-locating electric transmission infrastructure within or adjacent to rail rights-of-way.

This section authorizes $80 billion for the Federal-State Intercity Partnership program (i.e., grants to states and rail carriers for intercity passenger rail development and service) for FY2026 through FY2030; prioritizes projects enabling high-performance passenger rail (i.e., speeds of at least 125 mph) along new or existing corridors under 49 U.S.C. 24911(d); and requires cost-benefit analyses to consider electrification impacts. This section authorizes $30 billion for the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) grant program for FY2026 through FY2030; expands eligibility to Class I freight railroads for electrification projects that use project labor agreements, hire locally, comply with employee protection requirements under 49 U.S.C. 22404 (i.e., fair arrangements preserving railroad employee rights, benefits, and compensation), and partner with states, municipalities, or passenger entities; adds zero-emission locomotive infrastructure (e.g., electrified corridors, rail yards, resilient electrification, and right-of-way acquisitions) as an eligible activity under 49 U.S.C. 22907(c); replaces the application process under 22907(d) to require workforce transition plans addressing skills gaps, insourcing, displacement avoidance, and labor collaboration, plus community engagement and hiring plans for electrification grants; and prioritizes electrification in environmental justice communities and along rail corridors under 22907(e). This section authorizes $30 billion for Amtrak for FY2026 through FY2030, of which $5 billion is for climate resiliency projects addressing risks such as flooding, sea level rise, extreme storms, coastal erosion, and extreme temperatures.

This section directs the EPA Administrator to establish a grant program under Clean Air Act sections 103 (research, investigations, demonstrations, and studies relating to air pollution causes, effects, prevention, and control) and 105 (grants to state, local, and tribal air pollution control agencies) to address air pollution from railyards. It authorizes $500 million for such section 105 grants for the five-year period beginning October 1, 2025 (i.e., FY2026 through FY2030).

This section applies grant conditions under 49 U.S.C. §§22905(a), (c), (d), and 22404 to assistance provided under the Act; deems passenger rail operators and persons performing specified support work on funded rail infrastructure as rail carriers and employers solely for purposes of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 (45 U.S.C. 231 et seq.), Railway Labor Act (45 U.S.C. 151 et seq.), and Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act (45 U.S.C. 351 et seq.)—but not other U.S. laws; and provides exceptions allowing certain construction contractors (i.e., those primarily in the building and construction industry under 29 U.S.C. 158(f)) and other contractors/subcontractors to perform work without coverage under those Acts if consistent with applicable collective bargaining agreements or not involving historically railroad-performed maintenance/repair. This section further requires contractors and subcontractors on construction, alteration, or repair work funded under the Act to pay laborers and mechanics prevailing wages as determined by the Secretary of Labor under 40 U.S.C. ch. 31 subch. IV (i.e., Davis-Bacon Act requirements), with related enforcement authority assigned to the Secretary. This section establishes (1) a Passenger Rail Workforce Training Center within the consolidated workforce training program to develop standards-based training for passenger rail maintenance and operations occupations, in partnership with nonprofit labor organizations and Amtrak, including expanded apprenticeship programs; and (2) a Freight Rail Workforce Training Center, in partnership with rail carriers and nonprofit labor organizations, to provide similar training for freight rail personnel.