Senate EPW lays out three principles for next surface-transportation bill

Chairwoman Shelley Moore Capito opened the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing by outlining three central principles she wants reflected in the next Surface Transportation Reauthorization Bill: improving safety and reliability, reforming and modernizing federal programs to increase efficiency, and giving states flexibility to address varied transportation needs.

Capito said the legislation should "optimize the impact of federal funding and give the state partners the confidence they can invest over the longer period of time," and stressed eliminating duplicative programs that she said invite regulatory overreach. She told the committee the goal is bipartisan legislation that will be ready before the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act expires in September 2026.

Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy told senators he shares the bipartisan view that infrastructure is an area where both parties can work together. Duffy emphasized safety and efficiency and said the department will pursue regulatory and procedural reforms, including work on environmental review and procurement processes, to "move projects faster" while still protecting the environment.

Committee members emphasized formula funding and state flexibility as central themes. Several senators pressed that federal policy should better recognize differences between rural and urban needs and avoid top-down mandates from Washington. Capito and other senators argued the bill should increase highway formula funding and streamline federal requirements to reduce delay and cost.

The committee did not vote on legislation at the hearing. Members signaled an intent to begin drafting and negotiating a reauthorization bill that emphasizes Capito's three principles and that both committee leaders described as requiring collaboration across Senate, House, and the administration.