On the federal front, the current multi-year transportation authorization bill, the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, expires on September 30, 2021, after a one-year extension. On July 1, the House passed the $759 billion "Investing in a New Vision for the Environment and Surface Transportation in America Act" or the "INVEST in America Act", HR 3684 (web attachment 1).
The INVEST Act includes a $2 million earmark for the US 101 Safety Improvements - South of Salinas project. Attachment 1 is a federal legislative update from Alcalde & Fay, focused on infrastructure, budget and appropriations, dated July 2, 2021.
On July 28, President Biden and a select group of Senators agreed on a "Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act". Web attachment 2 is a fact sheet about that deal, and web attachment 3 is an article in the New York Times dated August 10, 2021 on the deal. Attachment 2 is a federal legislative update from Alcalde & Fay, focused on the Senate Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, dated August 6, 2021.
The Senate authorization bill is not expected to include any earmarks. Therefore, TAMC legislative analysts Alcalde & Fay are working with our Senators' offices to request the earmarks be included in appropriations legislation, the annual process of funding transportation programs and projects.
Caltrans is leading an effort to have a unified letter to Congress representing California transportation priorities and is requesting transportation agencies to sign on to the letter (Attachment 3). The Executive Committee discussed this letter at its August 4, 2021 meeting and recommended the Board endorse the Caltrans letter.