Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
House Transportation Committee warned federal IIJA supplementals may not be continued after reauthorization
Summary
Federal policy director Costa Pappas told the House Transportation Committee on Jan. 13 that many IIJA grant programs were one‑time supplementals and could expire with the current authorization, potentially reducing funds available for bridges, transit vehicles and other capital projects. Members pressed him on grant competitiveness, small‑state minimums and how grant decisions are made.
BURLINGTON, Jan. 13, 2026 — Costa Pappas, federal policy director at the Agency of Transportation, told the House Transportation Committee on Tuesday that Vermont relies heavily on federal funding and faces an uncertain outlook as Congress approaches reauthorization of surface transportation programs.
Pappas said formula funds — the predictable allocations for highways and transit — remain the backbone of state capital planning, but discretionary, competitive grants introduced or expanded under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) provided a large, one‑time infusion that may not survive the next reauthorization. “What happens when the IIJA expires? … We don't know what's gonna happen next,” he said, noting that September 30 is the statutory expiration for some IIJA funding windows.
Why it matters: Pappas warned that Vermont’s recent success in securing large discretionary grants — including multiple major bridge and rail…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
