Surface transportation funding extended to mid-December

The temporary spending bill reduces public transit funding by 20% and passenger rail funding by 81%.

1 minute read

September 5, 2026, 5:00 AM PDT

By Zachary Whalen


A road, lined with cars, leading to the United States Capital Building.

The deadline for the full, five-year surface transportation reauthorization bill is Dec. 11. | Volodymyr TVERDOKHLIB

President Trump signed the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act 2027 into law on Sept. 2, a temporary spending bill that heavily reduces funding for transit and passenger rail. 

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which has funded surface-level transportation in America for the last five years, is up for reauthorization in Congress. As Congress anticipated being unable to agree on the fiscal year 2027 budget before the Sept. 30 deadline, it approved a continuing resolution bill on Sept. 1 to avoid a government shutdown.

The continuing resolution bill does not include advance appropriations for public transit or passenger rail, resulting in a 20% cut from current public transit funding levels and an 81% cut in passenger rail, Megan Perrero writes for Mass Transit. 

“With funding levels set through Dec. 11, the industry will shift its focus to pushing its priorities for the next full, five-year surface transportation reauthorization bill,” Mass Transit reports. 

Friday, September 4, 2026 in Mass Transit

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