Groups Pressure Congress for FY 2022 Spending Package

What happened: ARTBA helped lead a group of 66 other stakeholders in a Jan. 24 letter urging Congress to pass the Fiscal Year 2022 transportation spending bill, now four months overdue. ARTBA and its partners have held dozens of meetings with key congressional and administration staff over the past two weeks. The push comes as key Biden administration officials have also expressed similar concerns over the failure to approve a year-long transportation appropriations bill.

Why it’s important: At stake is $12 billion of additional FY 2022 highway and transit funding authorized under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) above FY 2021 levels. Implementation of other new IIJA programs is also on hold pending final congressional action on the appropriations bills.

What’s next: The Continuing Resolution now keeping the government operating at the 2021 fiscal year spending levels expires Feb. 18. ARTBA and its allies will continue to push for an affirmative vote when Congress returns the week of Jan. 31.