Time’s Ticking for Surface Transportation Reauthorization

The deadline is fast approaching for Congress to reauthorize surface transportation legislation, with the current bill expiring on September 30, 2026. Regular, continued reauthorization of our nation’s surface transportation programs is integral to maintaining the safety and integrity of our local infrastructure. Without essential repairs and improvements, our roadways and bridges will continue to take on more wear and tear, leading to major issues down the road.

Serving on the Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee and as Chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, the work we do in both committees goes hand-in-glove for ensuring that our nation can build and move forward with these essential projects. And at the center of it all is the need for permitting reform.

The bipartisan SPEED Act, which I introduced in June, cuts through the red tape of our current federal permitting process, streamlining it to enable America to build again. Through my work on the Natural Resources Committee, I’ve seen how the permitting process places serious restrictions on our ability to produce crucial energy infrastructure, and as a member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I’ve seen firsthand how the permitting process stifles innovation and production as it relates to necessary infrastructure, like the I-49 construction that stretches across the Fourth District. 

Recently, I attended the I-49 Arkansas River Bridge groundbreaking. Tree-clearing and site preparation began in 2022 for this project, but full bridge construction could not proceed for nearly two years while the agency awaited final environmental and Section 404 water-crossing permits, leaving cleared areas idle until those approvals were issued. This is a prime example of permitting delay holding up a project that will eventually bring greater access to jobs, hospitals, and a thriving economy to all of Arkansas and the surrounding states.

Not only is it imperative that we reopen the government and get back to governing through regular order, but we must hit the ground running to tackle permitting reform and work on Surface Transportation Reauthorization that benefits Arkansans and Americans alike. 

As a district that is made up largely of rural communities, connection is key. Without updated road repairs and bridges, our friends and neighbors in these areas will experience greater difficulty accessing health care, shopping for groceries, and reaching other essential services. 

To rectify our bloated bureaucratic budget, T&I Committee Republicans are ready to go back to the basics by placing the focus on our most fundamental infrastructure needs. A commonsense, key element to securing this vision is to continue empowering states to make the best judgment call on their individual needs while limiting bureaucratic overreach and the morass of federal red tape.

For a better future for the Natural State, investing in our roads, bridges, and transportation systems is an investment in our state’s economy and the thousands of Arkansans who rely on this industry for well-paying jobs. Investing in our state’s infrastructure also reduces the headaches of years-long projects and restores reliability for our nation’s transportation industry. 

It’s time for Congress to get back to work and create solutions, not play partisan games that place the burden on American taxpayers. As we get back to business, I look forward to working in the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and in Congress to ensure government overreach is streamlined and reigned in, commonsense surface transportation reauthorization legislation is passed, and vital infrastructure projects are completed in a timely manner.