Van Hollen, Norton Introduce Bill to Make Union Station Eligible for Funding Under Federal Transportation Grant Programs

Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) today introduced a bill to make the Union Station Redevelopment Corporation (USRC), a nonprofit responsible for managing and operating Union Station in D.C., eligible for funding under several federal transportation grant programs.

“Union Station is the gateway to our nation’s capital for visitors and regional commuters alike, including thousands of Marylanders and District residents every day. We passed the infrastructure modernization law to fund critical upgrades to our nation’s transportation system, and this legislation will ensure those federal resources are available to this important regional hub,” said Senator Van Hollen.

“Despite the vital role Union Station plays in the nation’s capital, it has not undergone major renovation since the 1980s,” Norton said. “The planned redevelopment and expansion of Union Station represents a historic transportation and economic development opportunity for the nation’s capital and the national capital region, but billions of dollars are needed to carry it out. This bill would give USRC access to critical funding.”

Union Station is a vital local, regional, and national intermodal transportation hub that welcomes approximately 70,000 travelers and visitors each day—more than either Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport or Washington Dulles International Airport. It is owned by the federal government, and the nonprofit Union Station Redevelopment Corporation (USRC) manages and operates it exclusively under a lease. Due to its federal ownership and management structure, it is currently ineligible for federal grant funding. As such, the station has not undergone major renovation since the 1980s.

Senator Van Hollen and Congresswoman Norton’s Union Station Redevelopment Corporation Funding Eligibility Act allows USRC to apply for funding under four major U.S. Department of Transportation infrastructure funding programs: the Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail (FSP) Program, the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Program, the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Program and the National Infrastructure Project Assistance Program, also known as the Mega Program.