Lawmakers Draft Five-Year Bill for Roads, Bridges and Transit

House committee leaders have prepared a five-year surface transportation authorization bill that would direct billions of dollars to roads, bridges, transit, rail and safety programs. The measure is named the Building Unrivaled Infrastructure and Long-term Development for America’s 250th Act, or BUILD America 250 Act, in reference to the forthcoming 250th anniversary of the United States.

The lead Republican and Democrat on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure drafted the legislation, according to the committee’s Sunday press release. The bill aims to invest in America’s roads, bridges, transit, rail transportation, and highway and motor carrier safety programs.

Committee leaders described the proposal as the most important surface transportation bill since the Interstate Highway System was built. They said the measure includes more than $50 billion for bridges, requires electric vehicle owners to pay for road use, and includes reforms intended to strengthen infrastructure, drive innovation, bolster safety, and reduce permitting delays.

Manufacturers endorsed the bill.

The group said highway congestion and port delays cost manufacturers nearly $40 billion annually and that freight delays cause 65 million hours of lost efficiency each year. A spokesperson for the association directed the Daily Caller News Foundation to its “Building to Win” campaign, which urges Congress to pass infrastructure investments and reauthorize federal highway programs.

Committee leaders plan to introduce the legislation soon, with the goal of having it on President Donald Trump’s desk by Sept. 30. The exact proposed total dollar amount has not been announced.