House and Senate Approps. Committees Unveil Bipartisan FY26 THUD Appropriations Act
1/21/2026
House and Senate Appropriations Committee leaders unveiled H.R. 7148, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026, Jan. 20, which represents a bipartisan, bicameral agreement on FY26 appropriations legislation. The legislation includes the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026 (Division D) (THUD Appropriations Act).
The final, bipartisan THUD Appropriations Act provides the overwhelming majority of public transit and passenger rail investments authorized in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), and APTA strongly supports the legislation.
Specifically, the THUD Appropriations Act, together with the IIJA’s advance appropriations, provides a total of $21.1 billion for public transit in FY26, an increase of $168 million from the FY25 enacted level. In addition, the THUD Appropriations Act and IIJA provide $15.9 billion for passenger and freight rail in FY26, a decrease of $298 million from the FY25 enacted level.
The House of Representatives is slated to vote on H.R. 7148 over the coming days, and the Senate plans to consider the legislation next week, before the Jan. 30 deadline. APTA strongly encourages its members to urge their Representatives and Senators to support H.R. 7148, the final bipartisan FY26 Transportation Appropriations Act.
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The THUD Appropriations Act and IIJA provide $21.1 billion for public transit in FY26, an increase of $168 million from the FY25 enacted level. This total appropriation is $1.2 billion less than the amount authorized in the IIJA. The Act fully funds the public transit contract authority of $14.6 billion, as provided by the IIJA, which allows FTA to fund contract authority-backed programs, such as formula grants and bus competitive grants. The Act, together with IIJA advance appropriations, provides $3.3 billion for Capital Investment Grants, $505 million less than the FY25 enacted level.
The Act also includes several important public transit policy provisions that have been included in prior THUD Appropriations Acts. For example, Section 163 blocks the Rostenkowski Test, preventing a possible across-the-board cut of FY26 transit formula funds to each public transit agency.
View APTA’s Public Transit Funding Table of the THUD Appropriations Act.
The Act and IIJA provide $15.9 billion for passenger and freight rail in FY26, a decrease of $298 million from the FY25 enacted level. This total appropriation is $5.1 billion less than the amount authorized in the IIJA.
The legislation provides $137 million for Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvement (CRISI) grants, an increase of $37 million from the FY25 enacted level. The Act provides $87 million for specific CRISI projects and allows CRISI grants to be used for commuter railroad projects that implement or sustain positive train control systems.
The IIJA provides $7.2 billion for the Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Grants, and the THUD Appropriations Act provides an additional $65 million, a decrease of $10 million from the FY25 enacted level.
Finally, section 156 rescinds $928.6 million for high-speed and intercity passenger rail grants originally provided in 2010 (P.L. 111-117).
View APTA’s Passenger Rail Funding Table of the THUD Appropriations Act.
The THUD Appropriations Act and IIJA provide $1.6 billion for Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) competitive grants (formerly RAISE, formerly TIGER) for surface transportation projects, including public transportation and multi-modal projects. The THUD Appropriations Act provides $145 million for BUILD grants in FY26, which is $200 million less than the FY25 enacted level. The legislation sets aside five percent of these funds for grants for historically disadvantaged communities or areas of persistent poverty.
View APTA’s July 8, 2025 letter to House and Senate THUD Appropriations Committee leaders.
View THUD Appropriations Act (Division D) of H.R. 7148, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 and the accompanying Joint Explanatory Statement.
House and Senate Appropriations Committee leaders also unveiled H.R. 7147, the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2026. The House of Representatives is expected to consider H.R. 7147 separately from the Consolidated Appropriations Act before it is combined into one bill for consideration by the Senate. The legislation provides $88.4 million for the Transit Security Grant Program, an increase of $3.9 million from FY25 enacted levels.
View H.R. 7147, the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2026.
Read full details in APTA latest Legislative Alert.
APTA’s Industry Footprint shows every public transit system, supplier, and manufacturer by congressional district and state. APTA members can use this resource during congressional meetings to show their Members of Congress the importance of the public transportation industry to their regional economy.