Executive Summary
Congress has postponed the next long-term surface transportation law. On September 2, 2026, the President signed House Resolution H.R. 6500 (the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2027), extending highway and transit authorities from September 30 through December 11. The stopgap prevents an immediate lapse in programs supported by the Highway Trust Fund, but it does not continue all of the supplemental transportation funding provided by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The House committee responsible for transportation policy approved a 5-year replacement in May, but the full House and Senate have yet to advance a final package. States and local agencies now enter the new fiscal year without the funding depth or multiyear direction available under the IIJA.
What Happened
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act authorized federal surface transportation programs through September 30, 2026. These laws typically provide several years of funding and policy direction for highways, transit, rail, freight and safety. Congress reached the deadline without enacting a successor.
The House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure made the most progress. On May 22, it approved the BUILD America 250 Act (H.R. 8870) by a 62-2 vote. The bipartisan bill would provide a 5-year authorization, including approximately $474 billion in guaranteed…