Transportation (Transportation Funding)

in committee · United States · House Feb 9, 2026

HR 7437: BASICS Act

This bill, known as the BASICS Act, creates a new $5.5 billion federal funding program over five years to repair and replace bridges in poor condition across the United States. The program prioritizes projects based on the cost of bridge rehabilitation in each state and guarantees a minimum funding allocation of $45 million per state annually. It also expands funding for regional transportation planning in rural areas and increases flexibility for local governments to select and manage transportation projects through enhanced consultation requirements. Additionally, the legislation removes local matching fund requirements for metropolitan planning activities and allows 100 percent federal funding for off-system bridge projects owned by local governments or tribes.

Topics ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationBill allocates $5.5 billion for bridge repairs and expands rural transportation planning funding, directly strengthening transportation infrastructure.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Bridges Roads & Highways Transportation Funding

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in committee · United States · House Apr 3, 2026

HR 8188: Tribal Roads Improvement Act

The Tribal Roads Improvement Act addresses the poor condition of approximately 160,000 miles of roads on Tribal lands by allowing Tribal governments to use more of their transportation funding for road grading projects. This change removes a previous limitation that restricted how much of Tribal Transportation Program funds could be spent on grading, giving Tribes greater flexibility to improve road infrastructure. The bill also requires the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study within three years to evaluate the impact of this funding flexibility on road conditions, economic development, and community access. Results from the study will be reported to Congress with recommendations on how to further support Tribal road grading initiatives.

Topics ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationBill improves Tribal road infrastructure by allowing more funding for road grading projects, directly strengthening transportation on Tribal lands.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Roads & Highways Transportation Funding Tags Tribal Nations

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in committee · United States · House Apr 7, 2026

HR 8200: Interstate Ferry Fairness Act

The Interstate Ferry Fairness Act allows privately owned ferries and ferry terminals operating between two adjoining states to receive federal funding for construction and purchase. Under this legislation, private ferry operators can apply for federal assistance if the Secretary of Transportation determines the project provides substantial public benefits or meets surface transportation needs. The bill also permits privately owned ferries to charge fares that cover operational costs plus a reasonable rate of return approved by the Secretary. These changes expand eligibility for the Ferry Boat Program beyond publicly owned vessels, while maintaining oversight on fare structures and fund usage.

Topics ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationBill provides federal funding for privately owned ferries and ferry terminals, expanding transportation infrastructure and services between states.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Airports Ports Transportation Funding

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in committee · United States · House Mar 5, 2026

HR 7843: No Free Rides Act of 2026

This bill, known as the No Free Rides Act of 2026, would prohibit federal public transportation funding recipients from offering universal free fare policies that allow all riders to use transit services without paying. The law would still permit targeted fare policies that provide free or reduced-cost rides for specific groups such as seniors, low-income riders, students, or employees with employer-paid agreements. Additionally, the Secretary of Transportation could grant waivers if a transit agency can demonstrate a dedicated non-federal revenue source to support universal free fare programs. The measure directly affects public transportation agencies that receive federal assistance under Title 49 of the United States Code.

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesBill restricts public transportation funding by prohibiting universal free fare policies, limiting government spending on transit services.85% confidence ✗ TransportationOpposes TransportationBill prohibits universal free fare policies on public transportation, restricting access and limiting funding flexibility for transit systems.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Public Transit Rail Transportation Funding

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in committee · United States · House Mar 17, 2026

HR 7941: Pay TSA Act of 2026

This bill establishes a dedicated Transportation Security Trust Fund to ensure money collected from airline passenger security fees is used exclusively for aviation security purposes. The fund would support the Transportation Security Administration by paying salaries and benefits for its personnel, funding passenger and baggage screening operations, and purchasing security technology and infrastructure. Additionally, the legislation guarantees that aviation security operations can continue without interruption during government funding lapses, prioritizing frontline staff compensation and operational expenses before using remaining funds for technology upgrades.

Topics ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationBill establishes dedicated funding for aviation security operations, personnel salaries, and security infrastructure, directly strengthening transportation security.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Airports Transportation Funding

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in committee · United States · House Mar 4, 2026

HR 7776: Highway Formula Fairness Act

This bill, known as the Highway Formula Fairness Act, changes how federal highway funds are distributed to states starting in fiscal year 2026. It requires that each state receive at least 95 percent of the funds it would normally get based on its share of highway user taxes paid into the Highway Trust Fund. The law uses historical data from 2012 to calculate each state's initial funding share, then adjusts those amounts to ensure states meet the minimum threshold. This change directly affects state transportation budgets and the allocation of federal highway program money.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill ensures states receive at least 95% of highway funds based on user taxes, protecting state budget allocations and fiscal stability for transportation infrastructure.85% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationBill ensures states receive at least 95% of their highway funding based on historical data, protecting and strengthening federal highway program allocations.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Bridges Roads & Highways Transportation Funding

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in committee · United States · House Mar 4, 2026

HR 7758: The Dalilah Law

This bill, known as the Dalilah Law, would restrict commercial driver's licenses to U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, and holders of specific work visas. It requires states to verify the citizenship or visa status of all CDL applicants and renewals within 180 days of enactment, while also mandating English language proficiency testing for all license holders. States that fail to enforce these requirements or issue licenses to ineligible individuals risk losing federal transportation funding. The law also imposes lifetime disqualifications for operating commercial vehicles without proper immigration status.

Topics ✗ ImmigrationOpposes ImmigrationBill restricts commercial driver's licenses to citizens and lawful permanent residents, limiting access to services for non-citizens and increasing state immigration enforcement verification requirements.95% confidence ✗ TransportationOpposes TransportationBill restricts CDL issuance to citizens and certain visa holders, limiting the available workforce for commercial transportation and potentially reducing service capacity.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Citizenship & Naturalization Driver Licenses & IDs Driver Licensing Transportation Funding

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in committee · United States · House Mar 4, 2026

HR 7774: FERRIES Act

This bill establishes and funds four federal grant programs to support passenger ferry services across the United States from 2027 through 2031. It authorizes funding for building and upgrading ferry boats and terminals, expanding urban ferry grants, creating a modernization program for ferry fleets and shipyards, and supporting essential ferry service in rural areas. The legislation allocates hundreds of millions of dollars in total funding, with specific amounts designated for each program and fiscal year, and requires that a significant portion of rural ferry funds go to services connecting multiple rural communities.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill establishes and funds four federal grant programs for passenger ferry services, allocating hundreds of millions in funding to build, upgrade, and modernize ferry infrastructure and support essential services.90% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationBill establishes and funds four federal grant programs to support passenger ferry services, including building boats, upgrading terminals, and expanding urban and rural ferry services.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Ports Rail Transportation Funding

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in committee · United States · Senate Mar 18, 2026

S 4135: FLAP Reauthorization Act

This bill reauthorizes funding for the Federal Lands Access Program, which provides financial assistance to build and maintain roads connecting communities to federal lands like national parks and forests. It directly affects state and local governments, transportation agencies, and communities that rely on these roads for access to public lands. The legislation appropriates specific amounts from the Highway Trust Fund for each fiscal year from 2027 through 2031, with funding increasing slightly each year. The program supports infrastructure projects that improve transportation routes to federal lands, facilitating recreation, tourism, and emergency access.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill reauthorizes and increases funding for Federal Lands Access Program, directly strengthening budget allocation for public infrastructure and transportation services.90% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationBill reauthorizes and funds Federal Lands Access Program for building and maintaining roads connecting communities to federal lands, directly advancing transportation infrastructure.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Roads & Highways Transportation Funding

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in committee · United States · Senate Mar 3, 2026

S 3972: Highway Formula Fairness Act

This bill, known as the Highway Formula Fairness Act, changes how the federal government distributes highway funding to states starting in fiscal year 2027. Instead of using current population or other metrics, the new formula bases each state's share on the amount of highway funding it received in 2012, relative to the total given to all states that year. The bill also includes a floor provision ensuring no state receives less than 95% of what its share would be based on its proportion of highway user tax payments to the federal Highway Trust Fund. These changes directly affect how billions of dollars in federal highway, safety, and infrastructure funds are allocated to state transportation departments.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill modifies federal highway funding distribution to ensure states maintain funding levels, protecting state budgets and essential infrastructure programs.75% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationBill modifies federal highway funding distribution to ensure states receive fair allocations, protecting transportation infrastructure funding levels.75% confidence

Sub-Topics Roads & Highways Transportation Funding

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