Real Infrastructure Appropriations May Await Lame Duck Congress

Given the press of other congressional business, and the politics of midterm elections, House Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Bill Shuster says action on infrastructure appropriations legislation may need to await the lame duck session after November’s elections. Furthermore, Texas Senator John Cornyn, of the Senate Finance Committee, has said the Senate won’t get to infrastructure funding measures until after the first of next year.

Although President Trump has spoken recently in favor of a $0.25 per gallon increase in the federal motor fuel tax, various legislators addressing the AASTHO conference this week have said GOP legislators were “walking back” that proposal from the administration.