H.R. 516 · 119th Congress

Raises the tax credit for maintaining short line railroad track

Official title: To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to modify the railroad track maintenance credit.1

Never got a floor voteBusiness tax breaks

§1What it does

Why this matters: A plain-English description of the bill as it was voted on, written by us from the official summary and text.

Drafted by AI from the public sources cited. Each sentence links to its source.

This bill would raise the yearly limit on the federal tax credit for railroad track maintenance, often called the short line railroad tax credit, from $3,500 to $6,100 per mile of track that a company owns, leases or is assigned by a smaller railroad, with the new amount adjusted for inflation after 2025.2,3 It would also let the credit cover maintenance of track owned or leased as of January 1, 2024, instead of as of January 1, 2015, as under current law.2

§2Status

StatusLatest action, January 16, 2025: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.1
IntroducedJanuary 16, 2025
SponsorRep. Kelly, Mike [R-PA-16]
Cosponsors183 cosponsors (70 Democratic, 112 Republican, 1 independent)
Official recordH.R. 516 on Congress.gov

§3It never got a vote

Why this matters: This bill had wide support from both parties, but it never reached the House or Senate floor, so no member of Congress was ever recorded voting for or against it.

Latest action, January 16, 2025: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.1 How bills die without a vote.

2026 candidates who sponsored or cosponsored it (156)