Surface transportation programs extended through December 3

Key Takeaways

On October 31, President Biden signed into law the Further Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2021 (H.R. 5763) to extend surface transportation funding through December 3, giving lawmakers additional time to reach a resolution on the infrastructure and reconciliation packages currently stalled in Congress. The bipartisan infrastructure package, otherwise known the Infrastructure, Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) (H.R. 3684), includes a five-year surface transportation reauthorization; however, disagreements among lawmakers over the reconciliation bill are preventing passage of the IIJA. This is the second short-term extension of surface transportation programs enacted in the last month, as Congress approved a 30-day stopgap measure to cover these programs on October 2.

The short-term surface transportation funding measure runs through December 3, the same day the government's current Continuing Resolution (CR) funding expires and the date that America is projected to reach the debt ceiling. Similar to the surface transportation stopgap, the CR provided Congress with additional time to finalize the Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 appropriations bills as lawmakers continue to focus on infrastructure and reconciliation.

While Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) had previously committed to moving IIJA in tandem with the reconciliation package, they have faced resistance from members. Sens. Krysten Sinema (D-Ariz.) and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) have stated they will not vote for the reconciliation package unless its price tag is significantly lowered, while other members in the U.S. House are standing firm on their goal to move the IIJA and reconciliation together. Though it seemed that a deal was reached this week, Sen. Manchin has since insisted that he needs more time to understand the legislation and if its offsets will truly cover the cost of the legislation over ten years.

While it is unclear when an agreement on reconciliation and infrastructure might be reached, counties continue to advocate for a long-term surface transportation reauthorization. Counties, who play a vital role in America’s transportation system, rely on the long-term certainty offered by long-term surface transportation reauthorizations and urge Congress to continue to work toward passasge of these critical investments.

Additional Resources

• Legislative Analysis for Counties: Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act
• Federal Transportation & Infrastructure Policy Hub for Counties