House T&I Leaders Outline Priorities for 2026 Transportation Reauthorization

The following information was provided by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO).

On February 5, 2025, members of the House of Representatives Transportation and Infrastructure Committee outlined their top priorities for the federal surface transportation reauthorization as the current Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act approaches its expiration in September 2026.

Noted priorities include regulatory reform, state flexibility and increased investment in infrastructure. Emphasis is placed on efficient use of federal funds, reduced administrative barriers and continued bipartisan collaboration.

Bill by ‘Late Summer or Early Fall’

Rep. David Rouzer (R-NC), chair of the House T&I Subcommittee on Highways and Transit, and Rep. Rick Larsen (D-WA), ranking member of the House T&I Committee, both underscored their commitment to bipartisanship during remarks at the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) 2025 Washington Briefing in Washington, D.C.

The T&I committee has been a hallmark of bipartisanship over the years, which is one reason why the bills we pass in T&I tend to endure,” explained Rep. Rouzer.

“We are going to get to work on this [surface reauthorization] early and we hope to get a bill out of the House by late summer or early fall; one that gets [federal transportation] dollars back to where we get the greatest bang for the buck,” he said.

Streamlining Regulations for Smarter Investments

“Also, the more we can streamline regulations, the more efficient we can make [transportation] projects, the more we will be able to invest in infrastructure,” Rep. Rouzer added. “And we will bend over backwards to make sure this is a bipartisan process. We will do that by soliciting input from the entire committee membership.”

Rep. Larsen echoed those remarks, adding that the reauthorization package within the current IIJA “tells a great infrastructure story” about how America is building.

“At hearings we are getting testimony about closing the ‘needs gap’ in transportation and where we are upgrading and building the infrastructure our country needs.” he said.

“The message is that these investments are working and that my message for these next few years is, ‘let’s keep it going’ – let’s keep transportation safe, accessible, sustainable, and resilient,” Rep. Larsen said. “Reauthorization expires in this Congress in 2026 and I am committed to work with the [Trump] administration and Rep. Graves [chairman of the House T&I committee] to enact another infrastructure bill.”

For more information, visit AASHTO Journal.

SSSBA’s Role in Advancing Infrastructure Priorities

The Short Span Steel Bridge Alliance (SSSBA) aligns with the goal of streamlining regulations for smarter investments in several ways:

• Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC) Solutions – SSSBA promotes standardized and prefabricated steel bridge components, which reduce construction time and costs, making projects more efficient and minimizing regulatory delays.
• Simplified Design Tools – Tools like eSPAN140 help engineers and decision-makers quickly determine optimal steel bridge designs, reducing the time needed for regulatory reviews and approvals.
• Cost-Effective, Long-Lasting Infrastructure – Steel bridges require less maintenance and have longer lifespans, ensuring that federal and state transportation dollars are invested wisely with fewer long-term expenditures.
• Advocacy for Regulatory Efficiency – SSSBA works with industry stakeholders to identify and remove unnecessary barriers in bridge project approvals, helping states and local governments move forward more quickly with critical infrastructure projects.
• Proven Resiliency and Sustainability – Steel bridges are highly adaptable to evolving safety and environmental regulations, helping agencies meet sustainability goals without excessive delays or costly redesigns.

By focusing on innovation, efficiency and smart investments, the SSSBA directly supports the vision of streamlining regulations to maximize infrastructure funding impact.

For more information, please explore the SSSBA website or contact Dan Snyder at dsnyder@steel.org