AASHTO Journal - AASHTO’s Howard Joins Michigan DOT Podcast

Susan Howard (above), policy and government relations director for the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, recently shared with the “Talking Michigan Transportation” podcast some insights into the ongoing surface reauthorization legislative process on Capitol Hill.

[Above photo by AASHTO]

Howard noted that the most recent reauthorization bill served as the core of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act or IIJA, which will expire on September 30, 2026.

“Because of the unique way that transportation is funded at the federal level, you have to pass a reauthorization bill on time,” she said on the podcast. “A lot of other federal programs can kind of go year-to-year with appropriations and be fine without authorizing legislation, but because we are dependent upon the federal fuel tax to support the Highway Trust Fund, we really need either a bill or an extension by September 30, 2026.”

Howard pointed out that the committees in both the House or Representatives and Senate responsible for crafting reauthorization legislation are working on what she described as “a very aggressive timeline” – aiming to have reauthorization bills drafted and moved through their committees by the end of the calendar year.

“That would be unusual [as] that is a good maybe nine months to a year before the bill actually expires,” Howard said.

She also noted that as many federal workers, included those at the U.S. Department of Transportation, are taking early retirement as part of the Trump administration’s effort to shrink the federal workforce, there may be some “reorganizations” of USDOT functions – with some of those potentially being shifted to state agencies.

“Those functions won’t go away. They could [result] in a lot of deregulation. They could pass things over to the states,” Howard explained. “That does take time and nimbleness. We will see [what develops] down the road when it comes to more duties being given over to the states or deregulation.

To listen to the entire podcast episode, click here.