AAPA Analyzes Draft Surface Transportation Reauthorization Bill

House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves and Ranking Member Rick Larsen recently released a draft Surface Transportation Reauthorization bill titled the “BUILD America 250 Act,” which the American Association of Port Authorities has reviewed. The draft bill includes several provisions favorable to ports, such as elimination of a 30% cap on multimodal projects for the INFRA grant program, permanent reauthorization of the Freight Logistics Optimization Works Program, and several permitting reforms intended to improve project delivery. However, AAPA noted the draft does not include advanced appropriations for the Port Infrastructure Development Program, for which President Trump’s FY27 budget requested $500 million. The current surface transportation authorization expires September 30, and AAPA is encouraging the Senate to include advanced appropriations for PIDP and other key grant programs as the legislation moves forward.

Read the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s press release here, a section-by-section here, and the full legislative text here.