Long-Distance Corridor Relief Enhancement Act

This bill, known as the "Long-Distance Corridor Relief Enhancement Act," seeks to alter the selection criteria for intercity passenger rail corridors within the Corridor Identification and Development Program. Its primary purpose is to eliminate the mandate for the Secretary of Transportation to consider committed or anticipated non-Federal funding when evaluating long-distance intercity passenger rail routes. The legislation achieves this by amending Section 25101(c) of title 49, United States Code, to introduce a specific exception . This new provision dictates that the Secretary shall not require or consider non-Federal funding for any long-distance route corridor. This policy adjustment applies to all long-distance routes accepted into the program on or after October 1, 2023 , potentially streamlining the approval process for these critical infrastructure projects.