House T&I Committee Approves BUILD America 250 Act

The House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I), following a 14-hour legislative markup, approved H.R. 8870, the BUILD America 250 Act—a bipartisan, five-year surface transportation reauthorization bill—by a vote of 62-2, May 22.

APTA has praised numerous provisions in the bill, including reforms to FTA’s Capital Investment Grants program, expanded National Environmental Policy Act categorical exclusions, advance property acquisition authority, and other provisions intended to streamline environmental reviews and project development.

APTA also identified several policy areas of concern. Among them are the proposed Consolidated State Block Grant Program, provisions limiting federal contributions for bus procurements, and new federal mandates on local transit agencies.

“The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s approval of the BUILD America 250 Act is a significant milestone, and there is a lot to applaud in this bipartisan legislation,” said APTA President and CEO Paul P. Skoutelas. “While the bill does not yet reflect everything our industry needs—particularly when it comes to guaranteed funding levels for public transit and passenger rail—it is a great first step. APTA looks forward to building upon this momentum and working with Congress to ensure the final legislation delivers the investment our riders, our workers, and our communities deserve.”