H.R. 992 – Bicycles for Rural African Transport Act

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Updated January 20, 2026 at 3:38 AM UTC

The Bicycles for Rural African Transport Act creates a rural mobility program within USAID’s Office of Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment to increase access to affordable, purpose‑built bicycles in sub‑Saharan Africa. The program aims to help rural people reach education, health care and livelihood opportunities, and to build local capacity such as mechanics and spare‑part supply. Funding is authorized starting at $3 million in FY2024 and rising to $12 million annually after FY2028. The bill also requires USAID to report on past and current bicycle projects to Congress.

Key Provisions

Establishes a USAID rural mobility program within the Office of Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment to fund bicycle‑based projects in sub‑Saharan Africa.
Directs the program to promote access to education, health care and livelihoods by providing affordable bicycles and supporting mechanics, spare parts, stigma reduction, and community management.
Requires the program to partner with proven overseas entities that deliver affordable bicycles for development goals.
Authorizes appropriations of $3 M for FY2024, $3 M for FY2025, $6 M for FY2026, $6 M for FY2027, and $12 M for FY2028 and each year thereafter.
Mandates USAID to submit a report within 30 days of enactment detailing bicycle projects from FY2020‑2023, and annual reports each December 30 on the prior fiscal year’s activities.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action

HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Foreign Affairs Committee

February 14, 2023

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

February 14, 2023

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Foreign Affairs Committee

February 14, 2023

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued February 14, 2023

I

118th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 992

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

February 14, 2023

Mr. Blumenauer introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

A BILL

To establish within the Office of Gender Equality and Womens Empowerment of the United States Agency for International Development a rural mobility program to promote mobility in rural communities through access to affordable, fit-for-purpose bicycles, provide support to sustainably increase access to rural areas, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Bicycles for Rural African Transport Act.

2.

Rural mobility program in sub-Saharan Africa

(a)

Establishment

(1)

In general

The Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) shall establish within the Office of Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment of USAID a rural mobility program (in this section referred to as the program) to carry out the purposes described in paragraph (2), including through grants made to eligible nongovernmental partner organizations, prioritizing those organizations with demonstrated success conducting rural mobility programs in the region to so carry out such purposes.

(2)

Purpose

The program shall focus on country-driven projects within sub-Saharan Africa to—

(A)

promote rural communities’ access to critical services and opportunities, including education, health care, and livelihood opportunities, through access to affordable, fit-for-purpose bicycles; and

(B)

provide support to sustainably increase access to critical services such as education, health care, and livelihood opportunities in rural areas, including through support for rural-based mechanics, access to spare parts, reduction of social and gender-based stigma, and community project management capacity.

(3)

Partnerships

To the greatest extent practicable, the program shall partner with existing entities overseas that have successful models for providing access to affordable bicycles to achieve development objectives.

(4)

Authorization of appropriations

To carry out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated—

(A)

$3,000,000 for fiscal year 2024;

(B)

$3,000,000 for fiscal year 2025;

(C)

$6,000,000 for fiscal year 2026;

(D)

$6,000,000 for fiscal year 2027; and

(E)

$12,000,000 for fiscal year 2028 and each fiscal year thereafter.

(b)

Report

(1)

Prior projects

Not later than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of USAID shall submit to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate a report on projects carried out by USAID during each of fiscal years 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023 relating to the purposes described in subsection (a)(2). The report shall—

(A)

identify in which countries USAID embedded rural bicycle mobility into strategies, programs, and projects of USAID;

(B)

describe the mechanisms by which rural bicycle mobility was so embedded;

(C)

specify the number of bicycles distributed each fiscal year;

(D)

assess the outcomes for and impacts on participants in such projects; and

(E)

assess USAID’s efforts to disseminate lessons learned from such projects.

(2)

Current projects

Not later than December 30, 2025, and each December 30 thereafter, the Administrator of USAID shall submit to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate a report on projects carried out by USAID during the immediately preceding fiscal year. Each such report shall include information relating to the matters described in subparagraphs (A) through (E) of paragraph (1).