U.S. House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee passes surface transportation reauthorization

By Madi Hawkins / ASA

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. House of Representatives Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee passed the 2021 INVEST in America Act late last night, after hours of debate.

The INVEST Act, which is the surface transportation reauthorization, must pass through Congress before September 30, when the previous surface transportation funding runs out.

This legislation includes $547 billion for transportation, including $4 billion over 4 years for investments in electric vehicle charging infrastructure. The legislation also:

• Directs the Secretary to complete a rulemaking to require Automatic Emergency Braking systems in newly manufactured commercial motor vehicles.
• Establishes a new Highly Automated Vehicle and Mobility Innovation Clearinghouse to study the societal impacts of automated vehicles and Mobility on Demand.
• Authorizes automated vehicle research on improving safety for all road users and expanding accessibility in an equitable manner.

This legislation will be combined with the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee legislation and voted on by the full U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate, as early as next month.

To read the full bill text, click here.

To read a section-by-section summary of the legislation, click here.

Madi Hawkins serves as a Legislative Analyst in the Automotive Service Association’s Washington, D.C. office.  She is a graduate of Vanderbilt University with a major in Public Policy Studies.  Madi is originally from Austin, Texas, where she was born and raised, but now resides in Washington, D.C.