Key Takeaways
- • The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is advancing a $580 billion, five-year surface transportation reauthorization bill (BUILD America 250 Act) scheduled for markup on May 21, 2026, covering highway, public transit, rail, and safety programs before the September 30, 2026 expiration of current law.
- • The bill introduces new annual fees on electric vehicle and plug-in hybrid owners to bolster Highway Trust Fund revenues and establishes safety standards for autonomous commercial vehicles operating in interstate commerce.
- • House Energy and Commerce Committee will simultaneously markup motor vehicle safety legislation on May 21, 2026, addressing Right to Repair, autonomous vehicles, and NHTSA provisions that will form the Safety Title of the broader reauthorization.
- • Legislative timing constraints and the approaching September 30 deadline make a short-term extension likely, with full House consideration dependent on subsequent action by the House Ways and Means Committee on tax provisions and revenue mechanisms.
- • Senate committees (Environment and Public Works, Commerce/Science/Transportation, Banking, and Finance) have not yet released legislative text or scheduled markups, creating uncertainty around final bill structure and potential changes in committee leadership if reauthorization stalls past the election cycle.
Summary
Congress is advancing major surface transportation reauthorization legislation ahead of the September 30, 2026 expiration of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), with two House committees scheduled to begin markups on May 21, 2026. The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will markup the BUILD America 250 Act, a $580 billion five-year reauthorization covering highway, public transit, rail, highway safety, motor carrier safety, and hazardous materials transportation. Simultaneously, the House Energy and Commerce Committee will markup complementary motor vehicle safety legislation that will comprise the Safety Title of the broader reauthorization bill.
The BUILD America 250 Act released on May 17, 2026 retains core transportation programs from the IIJA, including most competitive grant programs, while introducing structural changes and new revenue sources. The bill bolsters Highway Trust Fund revenues through annual fees on electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids—addressing long-standing concerns about fuel tax erosion. Key provisions include creation of a new bridge formula program, safety standards for autonomous commercial vehicles in interstate commerce, permitting and project delay reductions, program consolidations, and passenger rail investments.
The Energy and Commerce Committee's safety legislation addresses jurisdiction-specific issues including Right to Repair regulations, autonomous vehicle standards, and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) authority. These markups represent the initial legislative shaping of the House's reauthorization framework, but significant procedural steps remain. The House Ways and Means Committee must address tax provisions, including ongoing debates over gas tax suspension and Highway Trust Fund revenue mechanisms, before merging all bill titles into a single proposal for full House consideration. House leadership has not yet signaled a floor action timeline.
Senate-side activity remains preliminary, with the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee conducting hearings and stakeholder engagement but having released neither legislative text nor scheduled markups. The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee and Senate Banking Committee will weigh in on vehicle safety, rail, public transit, and related jurisdictional matters. Timing constraints make a short-term extension beyond September 30 likely, while upcoming elections pose additional uncertainty—potential committee leadership changes and policy direction shifts could alter priorities if the reauthorization is not finalized by the deadline.
The BUILD America 250 Act released on May 17, 2026 retains core transportation programs from the IIJA, including most competitive grant programs, while introducing structural changes and new revenue sources. The bill bolsters Highway Trust Fund revenues through annual fees on electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids—addressing long-standing concerns about fuel tax erosion. Key provisions include creation of a new bridge formula program, safety standards for autonomous commercial vehicles in interstate commerce, permitting and project delay reductions, program consolidations, and passenger rail investments.
The Energy and Commerce Committee's safety legislation addresses jurisdiction-specific issues including Right to Repair regulations, autonomous vehicle standards, and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) authority. These markups represent the initial legislative shaping of the House's reauthorization framework, but significant procedural steps remain. The House Ways and Means Committee must address tax provisions, including ongoing debates over gas tax suspension and Highway Trust Fund revenue mechanisms, before merging all bill titles into a single proposal for full House consideration. House leadership has not yet signaled a floor action timeline.
Senate-side activity remains preliminary, with the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee conducting hearings and stakeholder engagement but having released neither legislative text nor scheduled markups. The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee and Senate Banking Committee will weigh in on vehicle safety, rail, public transit, and related jurisdictional matters. Timing constraints make a short-term extension beyond September 30 likely, while upcoming elections pose additional uncertainty—potential committee leadership changes and policy direction shifts could alter priorities if the reauthorization is not finalized by the deadline.
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