January 15, 2026
Ms. Blunt Rochester (for herself and Mr. McCormick) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
To increase access to higher education and center-based Head Start programs by providing public transit grants.
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 Promoting Advancement Through Transit Help to Education Act
or the PATH to Education Act
.
Sec. 2. Increasing access to education through public transit grants
Chapter 53 of title 49, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
in section 5307, by adding at the end the following:
(i) Promoting advancement through transit help to education grants
(1) Definitions
In this subsection:
(A) Center-based Head Start program
The term center-based Head Start program means a center-based Head Start program, including a center-based Early Head Start program, under the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.).
(B) Eligible institution
The term eligible institution means—
(i)
a community college;
(ii)
a minority-serving institution;
(iii)
a Head Start agency, including an Early Head Start agency, that operates a center-based Head Start program;
(iv)
an area career and technical education school, as defined in section 3 of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2302); or
(v)
a rural-serving institution of higher education, as defined in section 861 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1161q).
(C) Eligible recipient
The term eligible recipient means a public transportation provider that is eligible for assistance under this section in partnership with 1 or more eligible institutions.
(D) Minority-serving institution
The term minority-serving institution means an eligible institution under section 371(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1067q(a)).
(2) Authority
The Secretary may make grants under this subsection to eligible recipients to enable those eligible recipients to carry out projects described in paragraph (3) to better connect students with transportation to eligible institutions.
(3) Eligible projects
An eligible recipient receiving a grant under this subsection shall use grant funds to carry out 1 or more of the following activities to better connect students with transportation to 1 or more eligible institutions that are served by the eligible recipient partnership:
(A)
Adding bus or rail stops or routes and complementary paratransit service that serve eligible institution campuses and connect to surrounding areas or other cities.
(B)
Increasing the frequency of service or adjusting the time of bus, rail, or paratransit routes to—
(i)
allow students of an eligible institution to get to and from their classes; and
(ii)
allow participants in a center-based Head Start program, and their families, to get to and from the Head Start program.
(C)
Operating costs for service described in subparagraphs (A) and (B), if such costs are eligible under this section.
(4) Application
(A) In general
An eligible recipient that desires a grant under this subsection shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require, including information on the extent to which the proposed projects using grant funds will improve the availability of transit access for students of eligible institutions and participants, and families of participants, in center-based Head Start programs.
(B) Priority
In awarding grants under this subsection, the Secretary shall give priority to an eligible recipient whose partnership includes an eligible institution with respect to which more than 25 percent of students enrolled in that eligible institution receive a Federal Pell Grant under section 401 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a).;
(2)
in section 5311—
(A)
in subsection (c)—
(i)
in paragraph (1)(A), by striking and
;
(ii)
in paragraph (1)(B), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and
; and
(iii)
by and at the end the following:
(C)
there shall be set aside to carry out subsection (k)—
(i)
for fiscal year 2027, $1,000,000;
(ii)
for fiscal year 2028, $2,000,000;
(iii)
for fiscal year 2029, $3,000,000;
(iv)
for fiscal year 2030, $4,000,000; and
(v)
for fiscal year 2031, $5,000,000.; and
(B)
by adding at the end the following:
(k) Promoting advancement through transit help to education grants
(1) Definitions
In this subsection:
(A) Center-based head start program
The term center-based Head Start program means a center-based Head Start program, including a center-based Early Head Start program, under the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.).
(B) Eligible institution
The term eligible institution means—
(i)
a community college;
(ii)
a minority-serving institution;
(iii)
a Head Start agency, including an Early Head Start agency, that operates a center-based Head Start program;
(iv)
an area career and technical education school, as defined in section 3 of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2302); or
(v)
a rural-serving institution of higher education, as defined in section 861 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1161q).
(C) Eligible recipient
The term eligible recipient means a public transportation provider that is eligible for assistance under this section in partnership with 1 or more eligible entities.
(2) Authority
The Secretary may make grants under this subsection to eligible recipients to enable those eligible recipients to carry out projects described in paragraph (3) to better connect students with transportation to eligible institutions.
(3) Eligible projects
An eligible recipient receiving a grant under this subsection shall use grant funds to carry out 1 or more of the following activities to better connect students with transportation to 1 or more eligible institutions that are served by the eligible recipient partnership:
(A)
Adding bus or rail stops or routes and complementary paratransit service that serve eligible institution campuses and connect to surrounding areas or other cities.
(B)
Increasing the frequency of service or adjusting the time of bus, rail, or paratransit routes to—
(i)
allow students of an eligible institution to get to and from their classes; and
(ii)
allow participants in a center-based Head Start program, and their families, to get to and from the Head Start program.
(C)
Operating costs for service described in subparagraphs (A) and (B), if such costs are eligible under this section.
(4) Application
(A) In general
An eligible recipient that desires a grant under this subsection shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require, including information on the extent to which the proposed projects using grant funds will improve the availability of transit access for students of eligible institutions and participants, and families of participants, in center-based Head Start programs.
(B) Priority
In awarding grants under this subsection, the Secretary shall give priority to an eligible recipient whose partnership includes an eligible institution with respect to which more than 25 percent of students enrolled in that eligible institution receive a Federal Pell Grant under section 401 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a).; and
(3)
in section 5336(h)—
(A)
by redesignating paragraphs (3) through (5) as paragraphs (4) through (6), respectively;
(B)
by inserting after paragraph (2) the following:
(3)
there shall be set aside to carry out section 5307(i)—
(A)
for fiscal year 2027, $1,000,000;
(B)
for fiscal year 2028, $2,000,000;
(C)
for fiscal year 2029, $3,000,000;
(D)
for fiscal year 2030, $4,000,000; and
(E)
for fiscal year 2031, $5,000,000.;
(C)
in paragraph (4), as so redesignated, by striking and (2),
and inserting , (2), and (3),
; and
(D)
in paragraph (5), as so redesignated, by striking and (4)
and inserting (4), and (5)
.