AGC Presses Congress to Pass BUILD America 250 Act Before September Deadline

AGC warns Congress must pass the BUILD America 250 Act before the September 30 deadline to avoid a lapse in federal transportation funding.

The Associated General Contractors of America says the five‑year, $580‑billion bill would fund highways, bridges, transit, rail and safety programs through fiscal year 2031.

The legislation cleared the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in May with a bipartisan 62‑2 vote, but it remains stalled awaiting action by the full House and has not yet begun consideration in the Senate.

AGC officials warn that without a new authorization before the current law expires on Sept. 30, states could lose the multi‑year funding certainty they rely on to plan and start major capital projects.

Contractors, labor organizations and transportation stakeholders say a funding gap would delay or postpone projects, jeopardize jobs and slow purchases of materials such as cement, concrete, steel and aggregates.

The chief economist of AGC, Ken Simonson, notes that heavy and civil engineering employment — the sector most dependent on highway, bridge and transit spending — grew by 64,000 jobs over the past year but could reverse if long‑term certainty is not provided before the deadline.

A nationwide survey commissioned by AGC and conducted with Morning Consult found 78 percent of voters want Congress to pass a new highway, bridge and transit funding bill before Sept. 30, and the same share view timely passage as a national priority.

About 76 percent of respondents said they are more likely to support elected officials who help enact a new transportation bill, indicating broad public pressure for action.

Political debates over federal transportation priorities have tangled the bill’s path; the Trump administration proposed cutting mass‑transit funding and eliminating certain electric‑vehicle and bicycle‑infrastructure grants, prompting opposition from transit advocates and industry groups.

Some lawmakers have discussed a short‑term extension of the current law to avoid an immediate funding cliff, but AGC argues such a move would only postpone uncertainty rather than resolve it.

Transportation agencies typically plan projects years in advance; contractors hire workers, buy equipment and secure materials based on expected funding streams, so uncertainty can ripple through the supply chain as agencies delay approvals and firms hold back major investments.

Without a long‑term bill, engineering firms, equipment suppliers and contractors could see reduced workloads, and communities awaiting infrastructure upgrades might see those improvements pushed further into the future.

Supporters of the BUILD America 250 Act contend that transportation investment drives economic competitiveness, freight movement, business productivity and employment, especially in highway construction, which remains one of the strongest segments of the U.S. construction market.

AGC officials have issued repeated statements in recent weeks urging congressional leaders to schedule a vote on the BUILD America 250 Act before the fiscal year ends, warning that further delay erodes confidence among state transportation departments and private‑sector partners.

The group also notes that a timely reauthorization would allow states to obligate funds for projects already in the pipeline, preserving the 64,000‑job gain in heavy and civil engineering seen over the last year and supporting continued demand for construction materials nationwide.