Highway Bill Gains Momentum as Funding Debate Moves Forward

Highway bill gets some more mileage as Congress advances reauthorization

Congress has moved one step closer to replacing the nation’s current surface transportation law, but the next highway bill is still not finished — and lawmakers face a tight deadline to complete it.

The current authorization, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, expires Sept. 30, 2026. The law provides federal policies and funding for highways, bridges, mass transit and other transportation programs, including projects that support freight movement.

On May 22, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approved the BUILD America 250 Act, or H.R. 8870, by a bipartisan vote of 62-2. The five-year proposal would authorize approximately $580 billion for surface transportation programs.

The committee’s action is the first major step toward a new authorization law. The full House is expected to consider the measure later this year. The Senate has not yet completed its own reauthorization proposal, meaning the two chambers still must pass their respective bills and negotiate a final package.

For professional drivers and motor carriers, the outcome will help determine how much federal support is available for highway construction, bridge repairs, safety programs and other infrastructure used every day by trucks. It also could shape transportation policies affecting freight corridors, congestion and the condition of roads and bridges.

Although the committee vote advances the process, it does not guarantee that Congress will finish a five-year bill before the Sept. 30 expiration date. If lawmakers do not reach agreement by then, they would need to approve a short-term extension to keep federal surface transportation programs operating under current authority.

That possibility is familiar in transportation legislation. Congress has sometimes relied on temporary extensions while lawmakers continue negotiating the larger bill. A short-term measure can prevent an immediate lapse in federal authority, but it also leaves states, transportation agencies and the freight industry without certainty about longer-term funding and policy changes.

One of the central issues is how to pay for the Highway Trust Fund, which has traditionally received much of its revenue from federal fuel taxes. Those taxes have not kept pace with inflation or changes in vehicle fuel efficiency, putting pressure on the fund’s ability to support transportation programs.

Congress is considering whether to supplement — or eventually replace — some fuel-tax revenue with annual fees on passenger vehicles. Options discussed include charges based on annual mileage or vehicle propulsion type, with electric and hybrid vehicles potentially paying more than gasoline-powered vehicles.

Those discussions primarily involve passenger vehicles, but the broader funding debate matters to trucking because the Highway Trust Fund supports the highway system on which commercial vehicles depend. Any change to transportation revenue could affect future investment levels, program priorities and the way infrastructure costs are distributed among road users.

The next bill also will move through Congress during a crowded political calendar. The 2026 midterm elections are scheduled for November, and lawmakers generally try to complete major legislation before the campaign season reaches its final stages. That leaves September as an important target for resolving the transportation package, even though the House and Senate have yet to align their approaches.

Transportation legislation is often viewed as one of the few areas where bipartisan cooperation remains possible. The House committee’s 62-2 vote reflects that tradition, but the final bill will have to address disagreements over spending, revenue, program priorities and the federal role in transportation.

The BUILD America 250 Act now provides the House with a starting point for those negotiations. The Senate’s response, the timing of House consideration and the two chambers’ ability to agree on funding will determine whether Congress produces a full five-year authorization or relies on another temporary extension.

Until a final bill becomes law, the existing IIJA framework remains in place. For drivers, that means the immediate federal transportation programs continue under current authority, while decisions about future highway funding, freight infrastructure and long-term road policy remain unsettled.