Senate Committee Advances FY 2026 Transportation Spending Bill

What happened: The Senate Appropriations Committee July 24 passed, 27-1, their Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development appropriations bill. The legislation meets investment levels authorized by the 2021 infrastructure law and would add additional resources for highway, public transportation and airport construction projects.

The Senate committee action follows similar activity in the House, though with the bipartisan support necessary to get a bill through Congress and eventually enacted into law.

Unlike the House bill, the Senate version would fund the Capital Investment Grants program and the BUILD Grant program, which supports projects of regional and national significance.

Why it matters: Progress in both chambers provides optimism that a final FY 2026 spending bill may be completed by the Sept. 30 deadline for the first time in 28 years.

What’s next: Timing on consideration by the full Senate is unclear, but action is not expected until after the August district work period. ARTBA will continue advocating  for full-funding at FY 2026 authorized spending levels in any final bill.