S 3556 — Wildlife Crossings Program Reauthorization Act of 2025

Summary

Authorizes $100 million per year from the Highway Trust Fund for the wildlife crossings program from 2027 through 2031.
Changes the wildlife crossings program from a pilot program to a permanent program.
Increases the federal funding share to 90 percent for projects benefiting small, rural, or disadvantaged communities, with the option to reach 100 percent in cases of financial hardship.
Allows up to 0.5 percent of annual funding for technical assistance to tribal and other eligible entities in applying for and accessing the program.
Allows the Secretary to retain up to 0.5 percent of annual funding for administrative costs such as application review and grant administration.

AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.

Sponsor (1)

Sen. Alsobrooks, Angela D. (D-MD)

5 cosponsors

Actions (2)

Dec 17, 2025 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. · senate
Dec 17, 2025 Introduced in Senate

Similar bills (6)

Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.

Text versions (1)

Introduced in Senate · Dec 17, 2025

Only one text version is on file, so there’s no earlier version to compare against yet.

Full text

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

December 17, 2025

Ms. Alsobrooks (for herself, Mr. Cramer, Mr. Merkley, and Mr. Curtis) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works

A BILL

To reauthorize and improve the wildlife crossings program, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the “Wildlife Crossings Program Reauthorization Act of 2025”.

SEC. 2. WILDLIFE CROSSINGS PROGRAM.

(a) Authorization of Appropriations.—

(1) In general.—There is authorized to be appropriated out of the Highway Trust Fund (other than the Mass Transit Account) for the wildlife crossings program under section 171 of title 23, United States Code, $100,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031.

(2) Availability.—Notwithstanding any other provision of law, amounts made available under paragraph (1) shall be available until expended.

(b) Wildlife Crossings Program.—

(1) In general.—Section 171 of title 23, United States Code, is amended—

(A) in the section heading, by striking “pilot”;

(B) by striking “pilot” each place it appears;

(C) by redesignating subsections (h) and (i) as subsections (k) and (l), respectively; and

(D) by inserting after subsection (g) the following:

“(h) Federal Share for Small, Rural, and Disadvantaged Communities.—

“(1) In general.—Subject to paragraph (2), in the case of a grant under the program provided to an eligible entity for the benefit of a small, rural, or disadvantaged community, the Federal share of the cost of the project shall be 90 percent.

“(2) Waiver.—The Secretary may increase the Federal share under paragraph (1) to 100 percent if the Secretary determines that the eligible entity is unable to pay, or would experience significant financial hardship if required to pay, the non- Federal share.

“(i) Tribal Technical Assistance.—

“(1) In general.—The Secretary may use an amount equal to not more than 0.5 percent of the amounts made available to carry out the program for each fiscal year to improve the ability of eligible entities described in subsection (c)(6) to access funding for projects under the program in an efficient and expeditious manner by providing to those entities application assistance, technical assistance, and assistance in reducing the period of time between the selection of the project and the obligation of funds for the project.

“(2) Use of funds.—Amounts used under paragraph (1) may be expended—

“(A) by the Secretary; or

“(B) through contracts with—

“(i) a Federal, Tribal, regional, or State government entity;

“(ii) a private entity; or

“(iii) a nonprofit entity.

“(j) Grant Administration.—The Secretary may retain not more than a total of 0.5 percent of the amounts made available to carry out the program for each fiscal year—

“(1) to review applications for grants under the program;

“(2) to obligate and administer grant awards selected under the program; and

“(3) to carry out the requirements of—

“(A) section 172; and

“(B) subsections (b)(6) and (i)(3) of section 144.”.

(2) Clerical amendment.—The analysis for chapter 1 of title 23, United States Code, is amended by striking the item relating to section 171 and inserting the following:

“171. Wildlife crossings program.”. <all>

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