Exhibit A

Exhibit A

TITLE XII—TRANSPORTATION AND HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY

SUPPLEMENTAL DISCRETIONARY GRANTS FOR A NATIONAL SURFACE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM

For an additional amount for capital investments in surface transportation infrastructure, $1,500,000,000, to remain available through September 30, 2011: Provided, That the Secretary of Transportation shall distribute funds provided under this heading as discretionary grants to be awarded to State and local governments or transit agencies on a competitive basis for projects that will have a significant impact on the Nation, a metropolitan area, or a region: Provided further, That projects eligible for funding

provided under this heading shall include, but not be limited to, highway or bridge projects eligible under title 23, United States Code, including interstate rehabilitation, improvements to the rural collector road system, the reconstruction of overpasses and interchanges, bridge replacements, seismic retrofit projects for bridges, and road realignments; public transportation projects eligible under chapter 53 of title 49, United States Code, including investments in projects participating in the New Starts or Small Starts programs that will expedite the completion of those projects and their entry into revenue service; passenger and freight rail transportation projects; and port infrastructure investments, including projects that connect ports to other modes of transportation and improve the efficiency of freight movement: Provided further, That of the amount made available under this paragraph, the Secretary may use an amount not to exceed $200,000,000 for the purpose of paying the subsidy and administrative costs of projects eligible for federal credit assistance under chapter 6 of title 23, United States Code, if the Secretary finds that such use of the funds would advance the purposes of this paragraph: Provided further, That in distributing funds provided under this heading, the Secretary shall take such measures so as to ensure an equitable geographic distribution of funds and an appropriate balance in addressing the needs of urban and rural communities: Provided further, That a grant funded under this heading shall be not less than $20,000,000 and not greater than $300,000,000: Provided further, That the Secretary may waive the minimum grant size cited in the preceding proviso for the purpose of funding significant projects in smaller cities, regions, or States: Provided further, That not more than 20 percent of the funds made available under this paragraph may be awarded to projects in a single State: Provided further, That the Federal share of the costs for which an expenditure is made under this heading may be up to 100 percent: Provided further, That the Secretary shall give priority to projects that require a contribution of Federal funds in order to complete an overall financing package, and to projects that are expected to be completed within 3 years of enactment of this Act: Provided further, That the Secretary shall publish criteria on which to base the competition for any

grants awarded under this heading not later than 90 days after enactment of this Act: Provided further, That the Secretary shall require applications for funding provided under this heading to be submitted not later than 180 days after the publication of such criteria, and announce all projects selected to be funded from such funds not later than 1 year after enactment of this Act: Provided further, That projects conducted using funds provided under this heading must comply with the requirements of subchapter IV of chapter 31 of title 40, United States Code: Provided further, That the Secretary may retain up to $1,500,000 of the funds provided under this heading, and may transfer portions of those funds to the Administrators of the Federal Highway Administration, the Federal Transit Administration, the Federal Railroad Administration and the Maritime Administration, to fund the award and oversight of grants made under this heading.