Good News on Funding and TBC-Proposed NEPA Reforms from Capitol Hill!
Last week, the Senate unveiled their 2026 Transportation and Housing and Urban Development (THUD) Appropriations Bill. Once again, we were pleased to see full funding for the Buses and Bus Facilities and Low- and No- Emissions formula and competitive grant programs. We now have support for full 5339 funding from the Senate, House, and Administration, putting us in the strongest possible position for full funding in the appropriations process.
The Senate’s Appropriations bill also includes language that allows transit agencies to acquire real property before the completion of NEPA, a major win for TBC. During my visit to Washington, D.C. this summer, we discussed this matter with numerous offices, including the Republican Appropriations Committee staff. This provision, if included in the final law, will speed up project delivery and save agencies valuable time, money, and headaches in the property acquisition process.
Given the significant differences between other provisions in the House and Senate THUD bills, we still have a long way to go before the final Appropriations bill is signed into law. However, this is a very promising development for bus funding and puts us in a strong position as reauthorization conversations continue.
Our team will continue to monitor the funding levels as the bills progress and keep up our advocacy for this vital funding. Thank you, again, for all of your work to make this a priority for your Members of Congress.
