The US House of Representatives Transportation and Infrastructure Committee has passed a five-year surface transportation reauthorisation bill.

Bill H.R. 8870, known as the Building Unrivaled Infrastructure and Long-term Development for America’s 250th Act or BUILD America 250 Act, authorises US$580 billion (c. £432bn) through fiscal years 2027 to 2031.

This is in addition to $474.4bn (c £353bn0 provided as Highway Trust Fund (HTF) contract authority. Across its five-year operational period, the bill will provide the Federal Highway Administration with $376bn (c. £280bn); the Federal Transit Administration with $87.6bn (c. £65bn); the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration with $5.7bn (c. £4.25bn); the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration with $5bn (c. £3.72bn); and the Federal Railroad Administration with $64.7bn (c. £48.2bn), including $31.1bn (c. £23.17bn) for Amtrak.

The bill requires states to collect $130 (c. £96) in annual registration fees on electric vehicles and $35 (c. £26) per year from plug-in hybrids, escalating biennially starting in 2029 and capped at $150 (c. £111) and $50 (c. £37) per year, respectively – raising just under $10 billion in the first five years and $29bn (c. £21) over the first 10 years.

The proposed legislation establishes a revised bridge formula programme funded at $9.2bn (c. £6.85bn) per year from the HTF and authorises $2bn (c. £1.49bn) per year for the “Bridge Completion Program” from the General Fund, subject to future appropriations. Additionally, the package creates the Surface Transportation Accelerator Grant discretionary program with $2.4bn (c. £1.79bn) per year from the HTF and continues the Safe Streets and Roads for All program, ramping up to $1bn (c. £740m) in FY 2031 from the HTF.

The bill also establishes a new federal framework for Automated Driving System‑equipped commercial motor vehicles operating in interstate commerce, including a safety standard rulemaking to require a safety case and incident reporting, like what was included in the SELF-DRIVE Act.

It also repeals the Carbon Reduction formula programme; repeals the Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhood Access and Equity grant programs; and eliminates the formula funded component Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation or PROTECT formula program while continuing the discretionary grants.

Chair of the House T&I committee, Rep. Sam Graves (R-MO), said: “This bill makes historic investments in our bridges and other critical infrastructure, reduces costs and delays in building, ensures states have the resources and flexibility they need, bolsters the Highway Trust Fund, fosters innovation, and provides a framework for safely integrating autonomous commercial motor vehicles onto our highways."