• The House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) yesterday approved H.R. 8870, the “BUILD America 250 Act” after a 14-hour markup. T&I finished and approved the surface transportation authorization bill (BUILD America 250) about 1:00 a.m. this morning. Final passage was 62 to 2.

  Prior to the markup, more than 250 amendments were filed for potential consideration. Over 100 of them were withdrawn by Members with the encouragement of bipartisan committee leaders, who committed to work with Members on many of their proposals and consider including them in a committee amendment to be added to the bill on the House floor.

  The bill increases guaranteed highway funding (particularly bridges) while decreasing the combined amount of transit and rail guaranteed funding by 41% over all – with most of that decrease coming from the rail side. The vast majority of the rail cuts come from a $25 billion cut in Federal-State Partnership grants.

  Notably, Rep. Nehls’ Rail Safety Act was added to the bill – the recorded vote was 54-11. Chairman Sam Graves voted no, but the Trump/Vance pressure caused many Republicans to join with the Democrats and vote yes. The commuter rail formula provision was retained.

  The bill grew in size from $474 billion to $480 billion.

  Some notable amendments:

  • Rep. Crawford (R-AR) amendment to add passenger and freight rail transportation project eligibility under the rural portion of the Surface Transportation Accelerator Grant (STAG) program AGREED TO.

  • Rep. Owens (R-UT) amendment to allow rapidly growing regions (i.e. western areas) to better compete in Capital Investment Grant program AGREED TO.

  • Rep. Gillen (D-NY) amendment to add parts of the Passenger Rail Crew Protection Act FAILED.

  • Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV) amendment to add Secure Tracks Act (automated track inspection) AGREED TO.

  • Rep. Perry (R-PA) amendments to repeal Capital Investment Grant (CIG) program, block funding for streetcars, repeal Safe Streets for All program FAILED.

  The changes to Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Capital Investment Grant (CIG) program in the base bill (unchanged by amendments) are noteworthy. By expanding eligibilities for core capacity, turning Small Starts into Streamlined Starts for projects up to $1 billion in cost and increasing the federal match in the Expedited Project Delivery program from 25% to 40%, the bill reshuffles the deck for project sponsors considering how to scale their ambitions to the structure of the program. 

  Next steps: House Ways and Means Committee must move to extend expiring taxes that support the Highway Trust Fund. Following that, House leadership will decide when to bring the bill to the floor.

  Outlook:  While the White House may be able to pressure the bill into passing on House floor, the Senate has been very slow in moving its bill. An extension for some duration is likely. Current bill expires September 30.

• (Per Politico) The House subcommittee in charge of funding DOT at a Thursday markup advanced its fiscal 2027 spending bill, 9-7, along party lines. No amendments were offered.

  The full Appropriations Committee is scheduled to mark up the legislation June 4. A report offering granular details about the bill has yet to be released.

  Because Republicans are repurposing almost $8 billion in money from the 2021 infrastructure law to use in this bill, it’s difficult to fully assess its new spending for DOT until the report is released.

Fort Worth, Texas’s Trinity Metro has approved a contract renewal for President/CEO Richard Andreski.

In addition to advancing customer-focused improvements across the transit system, Andreski has prepared Trinity Metro for major infrastructure and expansion efforts that continue to strengthen regional mobility and economic opportunity. Trinity Metro is preparing for upcoming groundbreaking ceremonies for the TEXRail extension into Fort Worth’s Medical District and the Trinity Railway Express double-track project, two transformative investments that will improve connectivity and support the region’s continued growth.

In addition to Trinity Metro, myriad local and national boards benefit from Andreski’s strengths, including the CRC Board of Directors.

Andreski is also leading the host committee for the 2026 Commuter Rail Summit, November 9 – 11 in Fort Worth.

COMBATING HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN TRANSPORTATION IMPACT AWARD

The annual U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Combating Human Trafficking in Transportation Impact Awards seek to raise awareness among transportation stakeholders about human trafficking, and increase training and prevention efforts to address this crime. The awards are a component of the Department's Transportation Leaders Against Human Trafficking (TLAHT) initiative. Additional information regarding DOT's counter-trafficking efforts can be found online here.

The awards serve as a platform for transportation stakeholders to creatively develop impactful and innovative counter-trafficking tools, initiatives, campaigns, and technologies that can help prevent human trafficking. This year, entrants will compete for three cash awards: up to $100,000 for first place, up to $50,000 for second place, and up to $25,000 for third place.

Submissions will be accepted through 11:59 p.m. EST on June 22, 2026. Learn more about previous winners and view the Federal Register Notice for full details and submission instructions. 

WHAT WE’RE READING

• Commuter rail’s price of protection (TrainsPro)

• NYC Transit Tech Lab Announces 2026 Project Partners (Railway Age)

• Gas prices are rising. So is public transit ridership. (Grist)

• House bill would tighten congressional oversight of Amtrak: Analysis (TrainsPro)

• Road to Reauthorization (Eno Center for Transportation)

• Rail Passengers' Analysis of BUILD America 250 Act: Part 1 (Rail Passengers Association)

• LIRR strike ends as unions, MTA reach deal after 3-day walkout (Eyewitness News ABC7)

• Long Island Rail Road Strike Ends as Deal Is Reached (The New York Times)

• Metrolink’s Funding Crisis Is Really a Governance Crisis (StreetsBlog CAL)

• Report Examines Where Public Transit Delivers the Greatest Cost Advantage Over Driving (METRO)

• Trinity Metro's TEXRail getting an extension; construction starting this year (The Dallas Morning News)