US House resolves to extend highway funding for one year

The US House of Representatives introduced a continuing resolution (CR) to extend federal government funding through 11 December, including a one-year extension of current surface transportation authorisation funding levels.

The proposal to extend the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, which expires on 30 September, includes an additional US$13.6 billion added to the Highway Trust Fund (HTF), according to the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO).

“While we had hoped to reach an agreement between the House and the Senate this year on a modern, multi-year surface transportation bill that moves our country forward, the single most important factor right now is providing certainty to states and local governments that are under the strain of both the pandemic and the resulting economic downturn,” House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Chair Peter DeFazio was quoted. 

“With this one-year extension in place, we can continue work on a long-term, transformational bill that significantly boosts investment in our surface transportation network and moves our transportation systems into the 21st century.”

Leading up to this most recent development, organisations such as the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) sent a letter to Congress asking for the extension that would provide a continuation of funding to maintain and repair America’s roads.