John Drake
Vice President, Transportation, Infrastructure, and Supply Chain Policy, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Published
May 14, 2025
Infrastructure Week is here, and with it comes the “unofficial” start by Congress to write the next surface transportation and infrastructure law.
With so much attention by lawmakers—and the public—on budget reconciliation, it’s easy to forget that Congress is already hard at work on a new surface transportation and infrastructure law. This law will follow the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA)—the largest federal investment in American infrastructure in half a century—and already States and other transportation stakeholders are anxiously tracking the fate of potentially hundreds of billions of dollars for our nation’s roads, bridges, railways, transit systems, and ports as well as the future of the laws that govern the movement of our cars, trucks, railroads, and buses.
Each day, millions of American families and businesses rely on our nation’s infrastructure for their mobility needs and to get goods to market. Years of underinvestment in our nation’s infrastructure led to deferred maintenance and delays in projects critical to our nation’s competitiveness and economic growth. Thankfully, as outlined in the American Society of Civil Engineers’ “Report Card for America’s Infrastructure,” there has been recent improvement, underscoring the importance of continued progress.
Here are several priorities lawmakers must address in the next infrastructure bill to keep America’s economic growth and competitiveness on the right track.
Bolster America's Economic Growth and Competitiveness Through Targeted Investments
America’s roads, bridges, railways, transit systems, and ports are essential to our economy, moving people and freight efficiently around the country. New infrastructure investments must advance the totality of this transportation network to boost economic growth and strengthen our quality of life.
To do so, Congress should maintain funding levels that build on the investments of the previous reauthorization. We’ve seen federal investments successfully help fix freight traffic bottlenecks, improve road safety and ease congestion, and give states and regions the ability to rebuild and reimagine their communities. Lawmakers must continue that momentum to deliver these benefits to more communities across the nation.
Cut Red Tape for Faster Progress
A substantial hurdle to building and improving infrastructure is the broken federal permitting process, which often adds years of delays and unnecessary costs. Lawmakers must prioritize streamlining and modernizing the permitting process, removing bureaucratic roadblocks that have stunted the building of infrastructure necessary to meet the needs of our modern society and compete globally.
The successful, fast-track completion of emergency projects like the I-95 rebuild in Philadelphia and Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge shows that we can streamline processes and work more efficiently. By cutting red tape, we can unlock faster construction, lower costs, and fund more projects that enhance the quality of life for more American workers and families.
Safety and Reliability for the Long Haul
Americans need dependable infrastructure that ensures safety and efficiency for communities, businesses, and the economy. That means investing in roads, bridges, ports, and transit systems that are reliable against weather-related and man-made disruptions. As technology evolves, it offers new ways to shore up our infrastructure with technology solutions that strengthen our system, reduce future risks, and are built with longevity in mind.
Restore Stable Funding to Transportation Projects
Stable funding from Washington, D.C., provides states with the confidence to plan infrastructure investments over the long term. Historically, the federal government’s contribution to these investments was generated by revenues from the gas tax—but the gas tax was last raised in 1993 despite rising construction costs and growing infrastructure needs. Increasingly, Congress is buying debt to make up the difference.
This is why we are calling on Congress to restore the "user fee" as the cornerstone of surface transportation funding. Congress must modernize the user fee to reflect the realities of rising construction costs, the improving fuel efficiency of gasoline-powered vehicles, and the growing share of electric vehicles traveling on our roads, which will ensure all users contribute meaningfully to maintaining and improving our nation’s roads, bridges, and transit systems.
The Road Ahead
The next infrastructure bill has the potential to be more than just a policy decision—it can be a defining moment for America’s future. Following these recommendations will ensure modern, efficient, and secure infrastructure and transportation systems that strengthen America’s global competitiveness, enhance national security, and spur a manufacturing renaissance.
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About the author
John Drake
John Drake is responsible for representing the business community on transportation, infrastructure, and supply chain issues before Congress, the administration, the media, the business community, and other stakeholders.
