As Shutdown Drags On, Surface Transportation Bill Timeline Shifts

What happened: House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves (R-Mo.) suggested Nov. 4 that the House will not advance a highway and public transportation bill until early Spring 2026. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chairman Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) noted her committee is still working to meet an end-of-year goal though the shutdown poses a challenge.

During Graves’ remarks at a news event, he also expressed interest in establishing user fees for electric and hybrid vehicles to ensure all system users pay for its maintenance, similar to a House plan advanced earlier this year that ultimately failed in the Senate.

Why it matters: While both authorizing committees tried to advance a new surface transportation bill by the end of 2025, the prolonged government shutdown has delayed progress on both sides of Capitol Hill. However, the new timelines have both committees still well ahead of schedule, with current law expiring Oct. 1, 2026.

What’s next: The Senate continues to negotiate a bipartisan deal to reopen the government, but there is currently no indication of when an agreement may be reached.