Supplemental Appropriations Bill Rescinds Highway Contract Authority

Following months of AGC and other transportation construction stakeholders successfully lobbying Congress and the administration to restore $8.7 billion of rescinded highway contract authority, the House of Representatives is poised to take $2 billion of that unobligated money away to offset a $10 billion appropriation to preserve teachers' jobs included in the House supplemental appropriations bill.  This provision will not impact overall spending but may have an impact on what types of projects states can fund in the future. The intent of the bill is to provide funding for U.S. troops; however, the House Appropriations Committee added additional funding that required an offset of $11.7 billion.  As co-chair of the Transportation Construction Coalition, AGC sent a letter to Congress opposing the House supplemental proposal, and argued that the rescission creates further uncertainty in an already-suffering transportation construction marketplace. AGC also argued that it raises questions about future federal transportation investment commitments.  A copy of the letter can be found here. For more information, contact Sean O'Neill at (202) 547-8892 or oneills@agc.org.