Confused concerning the chaos? Make Congress and the administration make clear the transportation funding freeze
The federal authorities owes communities upwards of $125.6 billion {dollars} in federal contract obligations from the infrastructure legislation however President Trump is threatening to renege on the federal government’s legally binding commitments. Right here’s how a lot they owe for transportation.
UPDATE 1/29/25 1:15 p.m. ET – The OMB steerage is being rescinded however calls and emails with questions ought to completely proceed. See replace in pink under.
| Contact your federal representatives, the administration and the press to ask for clarification in your challenge’s standing, and inform them concerning the affect.
How a lot transportation cash is being threatened in your group and state? Take a look at this spreadsheet of all infrastructure legislation funding at the moment in danger. |
The promised “Golden Age” of journey is already in want of some roadside help.
Amidst a wave of day-one actions by the brand new administration, President Trump signed the Unleashing American Power govt order on January 20, 2025, focusing on the earlier administration’s high priorities. Whereas the rhetoric was centered on stopping spending on range and inclusion, and local weather and electrical autos applications, the language was unclear and indiscriminately paused all spending for all applications underneath the Infrastructure Funding and Jobs Act and Inflation Discount Act. This set the administration as much as violate binding, authorized contracts paying for every little thing from practice tracks to site visitors lights.
Almost everybody was shocked and confused, together with teams like AASHTO which represents state departments of transportation.
The following day, the Workplace of Administration and Funds (OMB) launched steerage (M-25-11) trying to stroll again the scope of the day before today’s order. Whereas nonetheless leaving issues muddied, the administration was capable of articulate its supposed motion to officers: there could be a halt on new obligations for a bunch of electrical automobile and community-focused applications, however legally required disbursements to obligated tasks would proceed.
On Monday of this week, in obvious disregard of the occasions of the earlier week, the OMB issued a brand new memo (M-25-13) issuing an undefined “momentary pause” on “all actions associated to obligation or disbursement of all federal monetary help,” increasing the scope of the Unleashing American Power govt order from the earlier administration’s signature applications to almost each single federally funded challenge and program within the nation. A slew of latest paperwork circulated by the admin has executed little to light up the administration’s intentions, with paperwork calling for particular person company employees to determine if particular person applications, together with these which can be defunct, occur to battle with the brand new administration’s priorities.
Whereas a federal choose put a momentary pause on this funding freeze earlier than it was to enter impact late Tuesday, it’s not clear if the Trump administration will pause. Subsequently, with all federal funding frozen, every little thing from federally backed lunches to efforts that battle avian flu is in limbo. Admittedly, transportation tasks are nowhere close to as pressing, however that’s our area and the place we are going to focus.
UPDATE 1/29/25 1:15 p.m. ET
The New York Occasions is reporting that the OMB steerage to freeze all federal spending has been rescinded. “In a memo dated Wednesday and distributed to federal businesses, Matthew J. Vaeth, performing director of the White Home Workplace of Administration and Funds, states that OMB memorandum M-25-13 ‘is rescinded.’” This marks the second time in per week that steerage affecting huge swaths of transportation spending has been issued after which rescinded or clarified. They backed off final week however then went broader and greater with the now-rescinded OMB steerage. However the story doesn’t finish right here. The unique Govt Order required that all spending be reviewed to see if it helps points the Trump administration opposes, like local weather change, DEI and a transition from fossil fuels. Will your challenge or precedence be rejected on that foundation, and who’s making that call and by when? You need to completely proceed to name and e mail your Senators and Representatives, your USDOT contacts and others within the administration in addition to the media to make clear the place your tasks stand.
[End update]
Federal transportation funding is all the time flowing to all ranges of presidency. Every part on a spectrum from small grant applications (like Secure Streets and Roads for All grants), to the Federal Freeway Administration’s largest system program to states (the Nationwide Freeway Efficiency Program) are affected with out enough clarification concerning the impacts on energetic tasks.
Assume this pause will straight have an effect on tasks in your group. To get solutions on what this may imply in your challenge and the way lengthy this pause will final, we strongly encourage you to let folks know concerning the affect a pause or cancellation of your challenge can have.
- Attain out to your contact at USDOT (or elsewhere within the administration) and ask them to make clear in case your challenge is stopped and for the way lengthy. Allow them to know the affect of even a pause. Understanding that there’s an upcoming deadline earlier than furloughs or occasions that need to be canceled may assist them to make selections extra shortly.
- Contact your federal representatives within the Home and the Senate to allow them to learn about your challenge and get their assist to hurry a dedication about your challenge and get the funds flowing once more. Ask them to make clear the standing of your challenge and clarify why it’s or isn’t transferring ahead. In case your member of Congress attended an occasion or put out a press launch saying your grant, recommend they take an analogous motion to clarify the standing of the challenge underneath this order.
- Make sure that your state, county, and native elected officers learn about your challenge and the affect this order can have. They can show you how to get solutions. (Plus, they might be making an attempt to get a deal with on every little thing inside their jurisdiction that’s impacted and determine methods to assist.) Right here’s an on-line instrument that will show you how to discover your native and state-level officers.
- Name reporters to allow them to learn about your challenge in order that they will get a way of the affect to your areas. Ask them the identical questions you’re asking USDOT and your elected leaders—does this order have an effect on our challenge and why? See if they will write about this and show you how to get details about what’s taking place.
This order might have immense implications for states’ economies and local-level priorities. In 2022, federal funding made up over a 3rd of states’ revenues. However, it’s clear that this motion was not thought out. The final 7 days have been chaotic, and we will make certain that the subsequent 7 days will probably be too.
Don’t make any assumptions about the place issues are heading. Relatively than issuing declarations and statements, contain those that made these selections and people who have oversight powers over the administration in these questions and challenges. They should personal this mess and determine it out.
Fill their telephone traces and inboxes up with so many “do you all know what this implies?” questions that they’ll suppose twice about doing this sort of factor once more.
Click on the picture under to view a spreadsheet of all IIJA funding at the moment in danger.
