Posted January 29, 2025 in Weblog
Weblog initially posted right here by Transportation for America and is reposted right here with permission.
The federal authorities owes communities upwards of $125.6 billion {dollars} in federal contract obligations from the infrastructure regulation however President Trump is threatening to renege on the federal government’s legally binding commitments. Right here’s how a lot they owe for transportation.
How a lot transportation cash is being threatened in your group and state? Try this spreadsheet of all infrastructure regulation funding at the moment in danger.
The promised “Golden Age” of journey is already in want of some roadside help.
Amidst a wave of day-one actions by the brand new administration, President Trump signed the Unleashing American Power govt order on January 20, 2025, concentrating on the earlier administration’s prime priorities. Whereas the rhetoric was centered on stopping spending on range and inclusion, and local weather and electrical automobiles packages, the language was unclear and indiscriminately paused all spending for all packages underneath the Infrastructure Funding and Jobs Act and Inflation Discount Act. This set the administration as much as violate binding, authorized contracts paying for all the things from practice tracks to site visitors lights.
Practically everybody was shocked and confused, together with teams like AASHTO which represents state departments of transportation.
The subsequent day, the Workplace of Administration and Funds (OMB) launched steerage (M-25-11) making an attempt to stroll again the scope of the day before today’s order. Whereas nonetheless leaving issues muddied, the administration was in a position to articulate its supposed motion to officers: there could be a halt on new obligations for a gaggle of electrical car and community-focused packages, however legally required disbursements to obligated initiatives would proceed.
On Monday of this week, in obvious disregard of the occasions of the earlier week, the OMB issued a brand new memo (M-25-13) issuing an undefined “non permanent pause” on “all actions associated to obligation or disbursement of all federal monetary help,” increasing the scope of the Unleashing American Power govt order from the earlier administration’s signature packages to just about each single federally funded mission and program within the nation. A slew of latest paperwork circulated by the admin has completed little to light up the administration’s intentions, with paperwork calling for particular person company employees to determine if particular person packages, together with these which can be defunct, occur to battle with the brand new administration’s priorities.
Whereas a federal choose put a non permanent pause on this funding freeze earlier than it was to enter impact late Tuesday, it isn’t clear if the Trump administration will pause. Due to this fact, with all federal funding frozen, all the things from federally sponsored lunches to efforts that combat avian flu is in limbo. Admittedly, transportation initiatives are nowhere close to as pressing, however that’s our subject and the place we’ll focus.
UPDATE 1/29/25 1:15 p.m. ET The Washington Publish is reporting that this OMB steerage is being rescinded. “In a memo dated Wednesday and distributed to federal businesses, Matthew J. Vaeth, appearing director of the White Home Workplace of Administration and Funds, states that OMB memorandum M-25-13 ‘is rescinded.’” This marks the second time in per week that steerage affecting huge swaths of transportation spending has been issued after which rescinded or clarified. They backed off final week however then went larger with this OMB steerage that’s now rescinded. Nobody ought to count on the story to finish right here. It’s best to completely proceed to name and e-mail your Senators and consultant, your USDOT contacts, the administration, and the media to make clear in the event that they plan to reinstitute an identical freeze for a third time, in addition to the present and future standing of all ongoing transportation initiatives and lively grants. [End update]
Federal transportation funding is at all times flowing to all ranges of presidency. Every thing on a spectrum from small grant packages (like Protected Streets and Roads for All grants), to the Federal Freeway Administration’s largest method program to states (the Nationwide Freeway Efficiency Program) are affected with out ample clarification in regards to the impacts on lively initiatives.
Assume this pause will straight have an effect on initiatives in your group. To get solutions on what this may imply on your mission and the way lengthy this pause will final, we strongly encourage you to let individuals know in regards to the impression a pause or cancellation of your mission may have.
Attain out to your contact at USDOT (or elsewhere within the administration) and ask them to make clear in case your mission is stopped and for the way lengthy. Allow them to know the impression of even a pause. Realizing that there’s an upcoming deadline earlier than furloughs or occasions that need to be canceled may assist them to make selections extra shortly.
Contact your federal representatives within the Home and the Senate to allow them to find out about your mission and get their assist to hurry a willpower about your mission and get the funds flowing once more. Ask them to make clear the standing of your mission and clarify why it’s or is just not transferring ahead. In case your member of Congress attended an occasion or put out a press launch asserting your grant, counsel they take an identical motion to clarify the standing of the mission underneath this order.
Ensure that your state, county, and native elected officers find out about your mission and the impression this order may have. They can show you how to get solutions. (Plus, they might be making an attempt to get a deal with on all the things inside their jurisdiction that’s impacted and determine methods to assist.) Right here’s an on-line instrument that will show you how to discover your native and state-level officers.
Name reporters to allow them to find out about your mission in order that they will get a way of the impression to your areas. Ask them the identical questions you might be asking USDOT and your elected leaders—does this order have an effect on our mission and why? See if they will write about this and show you how to get details about what’s taking place.
This order may have immense implications for states’ economies and local-level priorities. In 2022, federal funding made up over a 3rd of states’ revenues. Alternatively, it’s clear that this motion was not thought out. The final 7 days have been chaotic, and we are able to make sure that the subsequent 7 days can be too.
Don’t make any assumptions about the place issues are heading. Quite than issuing declarations and statements, contain those that made these selections and people who have oversight powers over the administration in these questions and challenges. They should personal this mess and determine it out.
Fill their cellphone strains and inboxes up with so many “do you all know what this implies?” questions that they’ll assume twice about doing this sort of factor once more.
Click on the picture beneath to view a spreadsheet of all IIJA funding at the moment in danger.
