MORE DOT Grants Act

The MORE DOT Grants Act seeks to make it easier for certain rural counties—specifically High-Density Public Land Counties, defined as counties with populations of 100,000 or fewer and in which more than half the land is owned or managed by the Federal Government—to obtain a broad set of Department of Transportation (DOT) grants. For these counties, the bill would lower local matching requirements by 50% for qualifying DOT grant programs, provide additional technical assistance, and give priority to new grant recipients and to Tribal governments within such counties. It also directs the Department to consider rural and Tribal-set-aside opportunities more favorably and to offer flexibility to overcome common barriers to applying for grants. The aim is to boost rural economic development, infrastructure, and transportation improvements in areas with large federal land ownership.