Key facts
- The US Transportation Department proposed increasing transit project grants by up to 10% for areas with high birth and marriage rates.
- The policy applies to the Capital Investment Grants program, which funds light rail, bus, and commuter rail projects.
- Democratic Senator Patty Murray criticized the proposal as "bizarre and dystopian."
- The proposal is open for public comment until November 16.
The US Transportation Department has proposed a new policy that would tie federal funding for major transit projects to the birth and marriage rates in the areas they serve. The plan, part of the Capital Investment Grants program, could increase the federal share for eligible projects by up to 10 percentage points.
The proposal, published in the Federal Register on October 1, 2026, aims to give preference to communities with marriage and birth rates higher than the national average. Projects that meet specific criteria related to these rates could receive a larger portion of federal funding, while those that do not would not be penalized but would not receive the boost.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has advocated for this policy since taking office. However, the proposal has faced immediate criticism from Democrats. Senator Patty Murray described the plan as "bizarre and dystopian," questioning the rationale of linking transit funding to demographic factors like birth and marriage rates.
The Capital Investment Grants program funds a variety of transit infrastructure, including light rail, bus rapid transit, and commuter rail projects across more than 20 states. The public has until November 16 to submit comments on the proposed guidance.