Skip to main content

Allred Bill that Prevents $960 million in Cuts to Texas Federal Transportation Funds Included in CR, Passes House

November 19, 2019

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Colin Allred (TX-32), a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, today announced that his bipartisan transportation bill, H.R. 3612, was included as language in the must-pass Continuing Resolution. The Continuing Resolution passed with bipartisan support today. The bill will repeal a provision that prevents Texas from receiving about $960 million in federal transportation funds, thus securing these funds.

"As North Texas grows, we must ensure that our region and our state gets its share of federal investment funds, and that starts with restoring federal highway contract authority," said Allred. "This bill is an important step forward and helps remove unnecessary hurdles that were creating uncertainty for local and state transportation departments. It is my hope that Congress and the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee can soon get to work on making the bold, necessary investments we need."

Background:

Section 1438 of the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act) rescinds $7.6 billion in unobligated Federal-aid highway program (FAHP) contract authority on July 1, 2020. This section was inserted into the FAST Act solely as a budgetary offset because the FAST Act provided funding for surface transportation programs for fiscal year 2016 through 2020 at levels that were above the Congressional Budget Office's (CBO) baseline at the time.

The Allred legislation removes that rescission and sets a path forward for future spending levels.