Extending Surface Transportation & Federal-Aid Highway Programs Through October 31st (H.R. 5434)

What is H.R. 5434?

(Updated November 29, 2021)

This bill was enacted on October 2, 2021

This bill would extend the authorization of a number of federal programs related to surface transportation that expired on October 1, 2021, through October 31st. The lapse in the authorization of the programs, which are largely under the Dept. of Transportation (DOT) and include all federal-aid highway programs, has resulted in about 3,700 DOT workers being temporarily furloughed.

Argument in favor

A Senate-passed, longer-term reauthorization of federal surface transportation programs within a bipartisan infrastructure bill is on hold until Democrats reach a compromise within their caucus about the scope of a reconciliation spending plan. Congress should enact this one month extension to ensure federal transportation workers who have been furloughed can get back on the job.

Argument opposed

Democrats should not have blocked the bipartisan infrastructure bill that includes a reauthorization of surface transportation programs. Progressive Democrats should allow that bill to pass instead of putting forward a one month extension of the programs after workers were furloughed. It’s not clear Democrats will sort out their intraparty haggling before a 30-day highway extension expires.

Impact

Federal surface transportation programs and workers.

Cost of H.R. 5434

A CBO cost estimate is unavailable.

Additional Info

In-Depth: House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Peter DeFazio (D-OR) introduced this bill to reauthorize surface transportation programs that expired September 30, 2021. 

A longer-term reauthorization and enhancement of these surface transportation programs is included within the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which passed the Senate in August on a 69-30 vote. The bill was expected to receive a House vote this week, but progressive Democrats declined to support it in the absence of a commitment by moderate Democrats to support a sizeable reconciliation bill. 

Media:

• Causes (Highway Program Lapse Reconciliation Debate)

• Causes (Bipartisan Infrastructure & Surface Transportation Reauthorization)