To Keep America Moving, Congress Must Act on Infrastructure

Every American relies on roads, bridges, ports, transit systems, and other aspects of our national transportation network to travel, commute, and deliver goods. They are the connective tissue of our economy and our nation.  

Policymakers in Washington, D.C. will consider the future of this network in 2026 when they craft the next “surface transportation” or “highway” bill.  

This is how Congress establishes federal funding commitments for America’s critical transportation systems for the years ahead, along with the investment and policy priorities that guide them. Absent timely action from Washington, states and local governments cannot maintain these networks on their own—undermining efforts to reduce congestion, improve safety, and support economic growth, including new opportunities created by “nearshoring” and “reshoring” of American manufacturing and supply chains. 

Congress has an opportunity to address two long-term challenges: (1) the solvency of the Highway Trust Fund, and (2) permitting reform.  

Modernize How We Fund America’s Infrastructure  

Since the Eisenhower Administration, America’s roads, bridges, and transit systems have been supported by “user fees”—gasoline, motor fuel, and other vehicle-related taxes paid by those who use the system. But today, that model no longer reflects how Americans actually travel. More fuel-efficient, hybrid, and electric vehicles are paying far less—or in some cases nothing at all—into the Highway Trust Fund (HTF), even as they rely on the same network. As a result, drivers of older and less-efficient vehicles are increasingly carrying more than their fair share of the costs. 

Meanwhile, the HTF is falling further behind. Inflation, rising construction costs, and shifting vehicle technologies have steadily eroded the system’s buying power. The Congressional Budget Office now projects a $33 billion shortfall in 2026 alone—jeopardizing projects essential to modernizing our infrastructure and sustaining economic growth. 

That’s why Congress must modernize the user-fee system. Any solution under consideration must reflect today’s transportation realities and ensure that everyone who benefits from our infrastructure contributes fairly to its upkeep. 

The Chamber will remain an active voice in this debate. The next surface transportation bill must keep America moving forward—and ensure that our funding model is fair, sustainable, and built for the future.

DIG DEEPER: Learn about our Keep America Moving Initiative

Accelerating Approvals for New Transportation Projects   

One of the most significant barriers to upgrading and expanding America’s transportation infrastructure is the federal permitting process.  The current process is often unwieldy, inconsistent, and time-consuming, adding years of delays and unnecessary costs to critical projects.  

On average, it takes 7½ years to secure a permit for a new road or bridge, with more complex projects taking even longer. Such a lengthy process can add billions of dollars to the cost, in some cases making such projects too expensive or risky to pursue. 

That’s why we are prioritizing permitting reform. Congress can reduce delays, lower costs, and provide greater predictability for states, localities, and project sponsors of transportation projects while ensuring appropriate environmental reviews and public input by streamlining and modernizing the decision-making process that gets shovels into the ground. 

And there’s reason for optimism: proponents of permitting reform in Congress have enjoyed meaningful, bipartisan progress with the House of Representatives expected to pass several permitting reform bills this month.   

Congress must build on these efforts and pass comprehensive permitting reform to cut red tape, enhance interagency coordination, and leverage technology to accelerate project delivery. 

RELATED: U.S. Chamber, 20+ Organizations Unite to Modernize U.S. Infrastructure

A Defining Moment for America’s Infrastructure 

The next surface transportation bill offers a critical opportunity to improve the lives of everyday Americans by strengthening the Highway Trust Fund, modernizing our permitting system, and enhancing the safety and reliability of our transportation network.  This is about more than fixing roads and bridges—it’s about giving people safer commutes, more reliable transit, and infrastructure that helps businesses grow and keeps household costs down. It’s about creating good jobs, opening doors to new opportunities, and strengthening the communities where families live and work. 

Let’s seize this moment to invest in our future and deliver the infrastructure that America deserves.

About the author

John Drake

John Drake is responsible for representing the business community on transportation, infrastructure, and supply chain issues before Congress, the administration, the media, the business community, and other stakeholders.

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