[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},"mediaId",6374594,"mediaKeyId","2144438-c4369e22fbc0da4285ba7076b5e3bde3","parentId",2144438,"title","Materials producers urge Congress to preserve aggregates exemption to Build America, Buy America; recounts of Mexican expropriation raised","audioSeconds",6730,"startMs",2088000,"endMs",8818000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2144438-c4369e22fbc0da4285ba7076b5e3bde3&start=2088&end=8818","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2144438-c4369e22fbc0da4285ba7076b5e3bde3/thumbnail_2088000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6374594/Materials-producers-urge-Congress-to-preserve-aggregates-exemption-to-Build-America-Buy-America-recounts-of-Mexican-expropriation-raised","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6374594-2e4588cfe4e72f5b6fe30d5f9e47f405/orig.mp4?Expires=1771206852&Signature=a~35vj9gjmHP36m0L5XAC6BFgjMZr4PcMtDoQPqf8QgrNJ1LUNIkRTrbmZFk2nyQpspKtAFDtHqtvVWayKHwCmCWXm8rjTE2y2ZikfoODbEztzREwIpB0LWSUi1Kl6lf9P4U46rZoHg-Kxkdvzo~lzplKJo2Qksmi6kpOENJnNRNutu-wJYniT69zpF52xsxAqZNpDo8T47Yz~7~SuTwITTgplEDkHAJADRrgCfwi8lzCSDM7~CnpOA0bE6dgVOK0tjI8~7eH25hCa6T0PyrSllt6rKGz4vx81hV17v1Hyt9KReTKOFzk9hW0fjNpZsw0b8XM3iYQhNk2lud~noDEw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","U.S. House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure","date","2025-01-22T18:55:28Z","article","Janet Cavanokey, testifying for Vulcan Materials Company, told the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit that the construction materials sector supports steady, predictable federal highway funding and relies on a narrow Build America, Buy America (BABA) exemption for certain aggregates and cementitious materials.

Cavanokey explained that geological reality—‘‘rock only is where rock is’’—requires importing aggregates to serve parts of the U.S. Gulf and Atlantic coasts and other regions without local quarry resources. She said an exemption for certain imported aggregate and cementitious materials was essential to avoid supply disruptions and dramatically higher costs for infrastructure projects in those markets.

Cavanokey also described a separate international business dispute: she said Vulcan’s quarry and deep‑water export operations in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, were ordered shut in May 2022 and later expropriated by the Mexican government. She told the committee that the expropriation affected supply chains that serve U.S. ports and that congressional attention and trade remedies were appropriate to address the treatment of U.S. firms investing abroad.

Members asked about construction cost inflation and whether a more focused multiyear authorization would help projects move forward; Cavanokey and others said predictable multi‑year contract authority is vital for state planning and for the supply chain that supports projects.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","America Builds: Highways to Move People and Freight","oneSentenceSummary","Vulcan Materials told the subcommittee that aggregates and cementitious‑material exemptions in Buy America are essential for regions lacking indigenous rock; the company also described expropriation of its Mexican quarry operations and urged congressional attention.","taxTitle","Transportation and Infrastructure: House Committee, Standing Committees - House & Senate, Congressional Hearings Compilation, Legislative, Federal","taxId",1827,"location","","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6374596,"Trucking executives highlight driver shortage, equipment taxes, truck parking and cargo theft as top barriers",695,3080000,3775000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2144438-c4369e22fbc0da4285ba7076b5e3bde3&start=3080&end=3775","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2144438-c4369e22fbc0da4285ba7076b5e3bde3/thumbnail_3080000.jpg","/articles/6374596/Trucking-executives-highlight-driver-shortage-equipment-taxes-truck-parking-and-cargo-theft-as-top-barriers","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6374596-140e3f91154118539ac77984cc43b3af/orig.mp4?Expires=1771206852&Signature=hK988IHU7uMUGKu1yYGm-RLgHhuyWLnXoJl38zp~h36eReITxdkjXd95reteqXD7RmH98PYvdycIQVUrhh9P8VkzuwZ5gJbgSaLHBQ5RVcfIbgBsEhNTqljNjol7hgjFr4sMiKRjoFTG0O~BwoYOqtviVmJ6alpm1fp4CG2uKzk4ZBnd5zal5whcmArxj2MCRaQ4qwhDoPAGxVpRmReHHGnv3FLCenu0AA3wrsU5doRcw0j6wWWOX9v7~Wa7FM~o0ua7MOEA0Vg7XdhGNvZNp0NKvttlRHggZP28cHRURSHy4L6P5EGsM~5SvwYcRVOz0u5N604ew2xiijIaabFm3w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representatives of the American Trucking Associations and a large family-owned carrier told the Highways and Transit Subcommittee that the trucking industry faces multiple systemic challenges that directly affect safety, supply‑chain reliability and costs.

Driver workforce: ATA representatives described a sustained need for qualified drivers. Witnesses and members discussed pilot programs that allow younger drivers limited interstate operation and urged permanent, expanded pathways to recruit new drivers and broaden the pool, including more women and younger entrants. The ATA witness said the industry needs sustained training programs and better parking and safety conditions to retain workers.

Federal excise tax (FET): Cargo Transporters’ witness said the 12% federal excise tax on heavy trucks (a levy dating to World War I) adds thousands of dollars to equipment purchases and discourages procurement of newer, cleaner, safer trucks. The witness and several members urged Congress to consider repeal or reform of the FET as a way to reduce fleet costs and modernize equipment.

Truck parking and safety: Members and ATA witnesses said inadequate safe truck parking forces drivers to park on ramps and shoulders, creating safety risks. Several members said they support dedicated truck‑parking grant programs and regulatory fixes that would let states and localities convert right‑of‑way or rest areas into secure parking without undue federal obstacles.

Cargo theft and security: ATA described rising cargo theft and the need for a centralized reporting ‘‘clearinghouse’’ and better law‑enforcement coordination. Committee members asked the witness about federal responses and whether recent executive actions addressed cargo‑theft enforcement.

Drug testing and hair testing: Several members raised hair testing as a drug‑screening method with broader detection windows than urine tests. A motor‑carrier witness said his company has used hair testing since 2017 and sees higher detection rates compared with urine tests; he urged that regulators create a consistent pathway for hair testing results to be included in the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse if it can be implemented reliably.

The panel did not vote on policy changes; committee members said they would continue exploring legislative options to support driver recruitment, reconsider FET and expand truck parking and cargo‑theft prevention.","The trucking industry told the subcommittee labor shortages, a century‑old federal excise tax, lack of safe parking, cargo theft and hair-testing rules for drug screening are key challenges affecting safety and supply-chain costs.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6374597,"Members press need to speed NEPA and permitting to lower costs and deliver projects faster",1184,2996000,4180000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2144438-c4369e22fbc0da4285ba7076b5e3bde3&start=2996&end=4180","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2144438-c4369e22fbc0da4285ba7076b5e3bde3/thumbnail_2996000.jpg","/articles/6374597/Members-press-need-to-speed-NEPA-and-permitting-to-lower-costs-and-deliver-projects-faster","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6374597-684007c9da3f7db623348505fc36c3b4/orig.mp4?Expires=1771206852&Signature=cV5my9G8BT8KNvlbV3ItqlB8yDbWSKUNOa1ruf0LCsm4gmM2meW7U5Z8vGLpNz2xBtNwzPHwynZEWflpf138CDDxEyek91j4Sa~AfsfGpXbU9maZb2gthGJRcmhl5GQbJX-5nte2qpXDE~2K0xcVuJzR4HMbeQVfO2lMV3wGfsPdjDxL43pbbxcUkWVest0ey5gOq4Aj1IwUgkuzKdOgW-IeCcBQ4ixn0gq5~ejgjnoNaQitgfCRJc0NIjO576u8lXHovnlwE1R~zIM89zEigt2tIJyE83YPuWYrJO8xLO7N9L2B6~irgEsoFFEfz4k28sICfH4sfGf9oDoB26zyTQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Multiple members—including Representatives Westerman, Stalberg and others—and witnesses said project delays driven by environmental reviews, duplicative federal permitting and litigation add substantially to project cost and time.

AASHTO and state DOT witnesses described the ‘‘one federal decision’’ provision in IIJA as a tool that, if fully implemented, could shorten timelines; some states have pursued NEPA assignment (letting a state assume certain NEPA responsibilities) but widespread adoption is restricted by legal and political obstacles, including the need for states to waive sovereign immunity in some cases.

Testimony described state efforts to speed reviews by colocating federal resource‑agency staff in interagency offices to coordinate permits and approvals. Georgia was cited as an example: Timon said Georgia had hired federal resource‑agency staff to work on state projects as a workaround to speed reviews.

Multiple members said reforms should preserve environmental protections but remove redundant processes, allow more concurrent review, and expand categorical exclusions where appropriate. Witnesses and members framed permitting reform as essential to stemming the inflationary effects of long delays: some witnesses estimated that each year of delay can add 20–30% to project cost, and that cumulative material‑cost inflation has largely consumed nominal funding increases from IIJA for many core formula programs.

The subcommittee did not adopt policy language at the hearing but directed staff to explore statutory and regulatory options to implement ‘‘one federal decision’’ and reduce duplicative permitting steps that apply to major highway projects.","Members and witnesses described lengthy NEPA reviews and fragmented federal permitting as a major cause of project delay and cost increases, proposing interagency collaboration, categorical exclusions and 'one federal decision' implementation as remedies.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6374598,"Witnesses tell subcommittee discretionary grants are slow; states rely on formula dollars to deliver projects",850,2855000,3705000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2144438-c4369e22fbc0da4285ba7076b5e3bde3&start=2855&end=3705","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2144438-c4369e22fbc0da4285ba7076b5e3bde3/thumbnail_2855000.jpg","/articles/6374598/Witnesses-tell-subcommittee-discretionary-grants-are-slow-states-rely-on-formula-dollars-to-deliver-projects","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6374598-637c552773ecc45f3f11a1abf4ee1eb3/orig.mp4?Expires=1771206852&Signature=kWpwkl~cQWDhwnFK6RkbJdwG7z7wUOwIEzEsB~q-9vtSJ-h-9iUtjzQ3EEeU-bwaIVcosingx92x~bEuP9DL9yptHJqQyR8hoDzKa~pYd~N0X0O-emHlKcUXlLUMqQyh2ubc5H5WdneN6tY-lIePxNGHWFkKVMs5Yyqtg3XfY5bwUW3e~WmeMCnF3KVWAwR2W1KRpzP8pnDWEtkW3fC~k83qWWnX2267dxTyfC7dRB6NZgWFfm1aNHMuIUSXNQtSuOfX33r1wkJDcFPkMKLdSahwu2zfocDiRi0p6mHG4vMOUwI2N~D6-jQ3mB4RqIb~INwi7iJXqG67B923HANfXA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","State DOTs and their national association told the House Subcommittee on Highways and Transit that formula apportionments under IIJA deliver results faster and more predictably than discretionary competitive grants.

AASHTO Executive Director Jim Timon told members that Congressional Budget Office estimates show an estimated 67% spendout of formula dollars provided to states in the first two years after allocation, compared with a 1%–7.4% spendout rate for discretionary grants in the same period. Timon and several members said that the formula pipeline allows states, metropolitan planning organizations and localities to program multiyear projects and obligate funds quickly.

Members from both parties noted examples of discretionary grants taking years to reach recipients. Timon described a Georgia applicant that had to wait two years from selection to signing a grant agreement with the Department of Transportation; members and witnesses said those delays can leave local projects unable to start or facing higher costs by the time agreement is reached.

The committee also discussed the August redistribution of unused obligation limitation, which this past year totaled roughly $8.7 billion (about 14.5% of the FHWA program) and created extreme short‑term pressure on states to obligate funds. Timon said states have mostly exhausted their “ready to go” project pipelines and that the redistribution mechanism may need legislative attention to avoid recurrent fiscal cliffs at the end of the fiscal year.

Witnesses and members proposed several approaches to improve delivery and equity: streamlining federal grant agreement processes, reexamining eligibility and reporting burdens on discretionary grants, increasing formula apportionments as the “foundation of the program,” and improving technical assistance to smaller localities that lack grant-writing staff. Several witnesses urged that the next reauthorization preserve core formula programs as the baseline while tailoring some competitive programs for projects that genuinely require federal prioritization.","AASHTO and state DOT advocates said formula funding from IIJA spends out far faster than discretionary competitive grants, a gap that affects project delivery and local planning.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6374599,"House subcommittee opens surface-transportation reauthorization with warnings on funding, trust fund solvency and a paused administration order",1083,378000,1461000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2144438-c4369e22fbc0da4285ba7076b5e3bde3&start=378&end=1461","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2144438-c4369e22fbc0da4285ba7076b5e3bde3/thumbnail_378000.jpg","/articles/6374599/House-subcommittee-opens-surface-transportation-reauthorization-with-warnings-on-funding-trust-fund-solvency-and-a-paused-administration-order","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6374599-2c6b8f29c7375d3416c9d18d39362b17/orig.mp4?Expires=1771206852&Signature=SKy8ezWqVkPxU1JFFytql0BfLVNj-sK~r622dgHTVjtaO53xY-kaw4yrKYd48IGjIQJLZ61cYfmFLinEkKD5DNOBU1BiggB2g4YLbYx-ikJDiJ9RU3RrzvRewFt0K6phwSuyzBPt4gN8vvF4lufOo6brH63nGdBFvjJfQzo2QzvgP~lTH~OX-1NdvNz8t0J~~k0blLmZvH3LhMX2-1aGofFUAtJldnYEF6OE0siz1kF~UY3AvRlwHdQFCo5ZLwxvR~c2Ip2AOA-i5o-jUMYaQcPJVmlp7oLZr3Kzv4rBl7Gue~mwJMml~AP~VRW85tKT4FfdPbcXzxRHCwB1o1PSYg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Chairman Rausser opened the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Highways and Transit hearing on Jan. 23, 2025, by setting reauthorization of the nation’s surface-transportation programs as the subcommittee’s priority and urging a bipartisan, member-driven bill to follow the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), also called the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL).

The hearing featured opening statements from Ranking Member Eleanor Holmes Norton and several members who emphasized different priorities: safety, resiliency and maintaining investment in formula highway programs. Witnesses from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), the American Trucking Associations (ATA), Vulcan Materials Company and the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO, described how federal funding from IIJA has been spent and the remaining challenges in delivering projects to communities.

Why it matters: IIJA authorized surface transportation programs through Sept. 30, 2026, and provided a major infusion of funding that state and local agencies have used to build and repair roads, bridges and transit. Multiple witnesses told the subcommittee that nominal increases in IIJA formula funding were substantially eroded by recent construction inflation, reducing purchasing power and complicating state multiyear planning.

AASHTO Executive Director Jim Timon testified that formula funds have spent out far faster than discretionary grants, and urged that the next reauthorization start from IIJA funding levels and provide states more flexibility. Timon pointed to a Congressional Budget Office estimate that 67% of formula dollars had been spent in the first two years after allocation, compared with single-digit spendout rates for discretionary grants.

Several members and witnesses flagged the Highway Trust Fund’s long-term solvency as a central issue for reauthorization. Vulcan Materials’ Janet Cavanokey told the committee Congressional Budget Office estimates show a projected Highway Trust Fund gap of roughly $18 billion by fiscal 2028 under flat spending assumptions and a cumulative shortfall through 2031 on the order of $136 billion.

Complicating near-term delivery, witnesses said, was an executive order issued by President Trump on Jan. 20, 2025, directing agencies to pause disbursement of certain funds appropriated by IIJA and the Inflation Reduction Act. Witnesses said early implementation of that order briefly halted some reimbursement processing and caused alarm among state departments of transportation until U.S. Department of Transportation and Office of Management and Budget officials clarified which programs would continue to flow. AASHTO said it had worked with the agencies to get assurances that most formula reimbursements would proceed and described the initial pause as a cause of “panic” in the state DOT community.

Other crosscutting issues raised at the hearing included continued pressure from construction inflation, the need for predictable multi‑year contract authority, and the difficulty that discretionary competitive grants have shown in moving money quickly into projects.

Members said the subcommittee will begin drafting reauthorization language to address these concerns, with broad themes including predictability for state planning, a careful look at formula versus discretionary balances, and options to shore up Highway Trust Fund revenues.","Subcommittee members and witnesses opened the 119th Congress’ reauthorization process by reviewing the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, warning that inflation, Highway Trust Fund shortfalls and a White House pause on certain program disbursements risk project delivery and planning.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Materials producers urge Congress to preserve aggregates exemption to Build America, Buy America; recounts of Mexican expropriation raised

Trucking executives highlight driver shortage, equipment taxes, truck parking and cargo theft as top barriers

Members press need to speed NEPA and permitting to lower costs and deliver projects faster

Witnesses tell subcommittee discretionary grants are slow; states rely on formula dollars to deliver projects

House subcommittee opens surface-transportation reauthorization with warnings on funding, trust fund solvency and a paused administration order