The House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure voted 61-2 on May 22, 2026 to advance the Building Unrivaled Infrastructure and Long-term Development for America’s 250th Act — commonly called the “BUILD America 250 Act.” The vote came after a fourteen-hour markup session.

The bill authorizes funding for federal highways, bridge construction and rehabilitation, highway safety, transit, and rail programs. The strong bipartisan vote signals broad support for the legislation, which would authorize $580 billion in transportation spending through fiscal year 2031. That figure is $30 billion more than the $550 billion authorized under the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).

Spending Priorities Shift Toward Highways

Despite the higher overall number, the bill would provide fewer federal subsidies than its predecessor. Highway funding would increase 8%, adding $28 billion. Transit and rail funding, however, would be cut by 20% — a reduction of roughly $43 billion compared to current law.

Key Provisions

The bill includes several notable new policies:

  • Electric vehicle fees. A new federal registration fee of $130 for EVs and $35 for plug-in hybrids would take effect, with both amounts increasing by $5 every two years starting in 2029. States would collect the fees and forward them to the Federal Highway Administration to offset declining gas tax revenues.
  • Faster permitting. The bill streamlines approvals for transportation projects by imposing tighter deadlines on agency reviews.
  • Autonomous vehicle rules. The bill would create the first federal regulatory framework for commercial self-driving vehicles, including trucks.
  • Transit safety requirements. Transit agencies would be required to spend at least 1% of their funding on crime prevention. The Department of Transportation could withhold funds from agencies that fail to address fare evasion.

What Comes Next

The bill still faces significant obstacles. House leadership has not announced a timeline for a full floor vote. The Senate appears to be drafting its own transportation bill, and Senate Democrats have already signaled opposition to the electric vehicle fees.

The stakes are high. Existing highway and transit program authorities expire on September 30, 2026, and Congress faces a packed legislative calendar ahead of November elections. Short-term extensions are likely while Congress works toward a long-term deal. Even so, the $580 billion top-line number represents a meaningful step forward for U.S. infrastructure investment.

Matthew Morgan is a Partner at Barnes & Thornburg LLP, a full-service national business law firm providing advice in all the areas required to do business in today’s marketplace. Matt provides companies and trade associations with strategic, legislative and political counsel on a variety of business-related issues, including taxation, trade/tariffs and appropriations matters. Prior to joining Barnes & Thornburg, Matt served in the White House from 2017-2020 as the chief counsel to the Vice President and as a deputy assistant to the President.