House unveils $580 billion transport bill ahead of 2026 infrastructure funding deadline

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The U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee has released the text of the proposed BUILD America 250 Act, a five year surface transportation reauthorization package that would direct roughly $580 billion toward highways, bridges, rail, transit, and freight infrastructure before current federal authority expires in September 2026.

The proposal, introduced by Committee Chairman Sam Graves and Ranking Member Rick Larsen, is expected to move into committee debate this week as lawmakers begin negotiations over one of Washington’s largest infrastructure funding measures.

Several figures circulating in industry summaries and social media posts could not be fully verified against the committee’s published draft.

The BUILD America 250 Act is not formally known as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The IIJA was the bipartisan infrastructure law signed in 2021 and remains the current authorization framework that expires on Sept. 30, 2026.

Committee documents and congressional reporting also point to approximately $580 billion in proposed spending authority, not the $674 billion figure referenced in some early summaries.

Industry observers say that distinction matters because freight carriers, ports, and project cargo operators are already calculating future equipment investments and corridor planning around expected federal commitments. In logistics, even small differences in public funding assumptions can ripple through procurement and capacity planning.

The committee has described the proposal as the largest federal bridge investment in U.S. history, with more than $50 billion targeted toward bridge infrastructure.

The legislation also includes funding across highways, rail systems, highway safety programs, and freight mobility initiatives intended to reduce bottlenecks affecting cargo flows nationwide. Committee leaders said the bill focuses heavily on freight efficiency and long term supply chain reliability.

For the breakbulk and project freight sector, that focus is especially relevant around oversized cargo corridors, bridge weight restrictions, inland intermodal links, and port access roads. A delayed bridge replacement or tunnel expansion can affect heavy lift routing for years. One infrastructure choke point can behave much like a blocked crane on a project site. Everything behind it starts waiting.

Rail investment also remains a major part of the proposal. The bill includes passenger rail modernization and freight rail safety provisions, while expanding oversight and reform measures tied to rail operations and Amtrak funding.

One of the most debated sections involves a proposed annual fee on electric vehicles to support the Highway Trust Fund, which relies heavily on fuel tax revenue. Reuters reported that lawmakers are considering a $130 annual EV fee and a $35 fee for certain plug in hybrid vehicles.

The bill also introduces the first proposed federal framework for autonomous commercial motor vehicles, another closely watched issue for trucking and logistics operators.

The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is scheduled to mark up the legislation on Thursday as lawmakers work to avoid a lapse in federal transportation authorization next year.