President Trump Signs Bill to Avoid Sept. 30 Crunch

What happened: President Donald Trump Sept. 2 signed into law a bill, extending support for most transportation programs through Dec. 11. The measure also contained an extension of the 2021 infrastructure law. Taken together, this will eliminate any short-term uncertainty associated with the Sept. 30 expiration of appropriations and authorization legislation for surface transportation programs.

However, the bill does not continue support for all programs, failing to extend $13.5 billion in highway and public transportation funding.

ARTBA led a series of congressional meetings with coalition partners in the Transportation Construction Coalition and Move America Coalition, urging Congress to reverse these cuts in any long-term legislation currently being drafted.

The Association of Oklahoma General Contractors and its members joined ARTBA in an Aug. 28 meeting in Oklahoma City with House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole (R-Okla.) to urge continued investment in highway and transit programs.

The House bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus also weighed in with a letter to Congress, supporting restoration of these funds.

Upon House passage of the bill, ARTBA’s Dave Bauer issued a statement:  “as Congress pursues a long-term measure, it should, at a minimum, restore these funds as soon as possible. America’s economy depends on a safe, reliable, and modern transportation network, and federal investment levels must reflect that reality by growing to meet the nation’s needs.”

Why it matters:  States and industry require long-term certainty to plan and build transportation improvements. While the law will avoid a government shutdown, it does not support critical programs like the Bridge Investment Program, the Bridge Formula Program and other large discretionary grant programs.

What’s next:  Congress has until Dec. 11 to finalize spending legislation for Fiscal Year 2027 and a long-term surface transportation reauthorization. ARTBA will continue to lead efforts that preserve and grow highway and public transportation investment.