Federal Reauthorization
Securing the Future Interstate’s Financial Future
Federal Transportation Reauthorization is the comprehensive legislative act through which Congress establishes national surface transportation policy and authorizes multi-year (typically five-year) funding for highways, freight, safety, and mobility programs across the United States. These reauthorization bills set the federal transportation agenda, determine eligibility for funding, and guide how projects advance from planning to construction. For the Ports-to-Plains Alliance, securing the Future Interstate Corridor’s financial future depends on explicit inclusion within this federal legislation.
Without corridor-specific recognition and funding priorities written into the reauthorization bill, Future Interstate corridors must compete unevenly for limited resources under programs not designed for multi-state, nationally significant routes. The Alliance’s federal legislative agenda focuses on ensuring that Future Interstate funding priorities, formula mechanisms, feasibility studies, and Interstate route numbering are clearly authorized in the next Federal Transportation Reauthorization. Doing so provides long-term funding certainty, reinforces national-interest policy goals, and enables coordinated, multi-state delivery of infrastructure critical to freight movement, rural connectivity, and economic competitiveness.
Legislative Priorities for Reauthorization
To secure long-term delivery of the Future Interstate Corridor, the Ports-to-Plains Alliance has identified a focused set of non-negotiable legislative priorities that must be explicitly addressed in the next Federal Transportation Reauthorization to advance I-27 from designation to construction.
The Reauthorization Process
The Federal Transportation Reauthorization process is led by Congress and begins with committee-driven legislation that sets national surface transportation policy and multi-year funding levels. In the House, the bill is written primarily by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, while the Senate process is led by the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, with coordination from other jurisdictional committees. These committees develop policy language, authorize funding programs, and establish eligibility criteria through hearings, markups, and bipartisan negotiations. The next comprehensive Federal Transportation Reauthorization bill is expected by 2026, making the current Congress a critical window for advancing Future Interstate priorities, securing corridor-specific legislative language, and aligning national transportation policy with long-term economic and freight mobility goals.
Advocate for Our Inclusion
Now is the time to act to protect the Future Interstate Corridor. Ask your Member of Congress to co-sponsor Future Interstate funding language, support the Interstate Feasibility Study, and directly advocate to House and Senate committee chairs to include Ports-to-Plains priorities in the Federal Transportation Reauthorization agenda. Collective action drives legislative results.