US Secretary of Transportation, Sean P. Duffy convened Congressional members, state departments of transportation and key infrastructure stakeholders in Washington for a national conference ahead of the upcoming surface transportation reauthorization process.
The event aimed to build consensus on priorities for renewing federal transportation legislation, which is due to expire in 2026.
This meeting marks the beginning of policy discussions under President Trump’s America is Building Again initiative, a framework that seeks to accelerate infrastructure development and modernise delivery mechanisms across the country. Secretary Duffy used the occasion to outline key focus to shape the future direction of federal transport policy.
The proposed priorities include improvements to transportation safety. The administration is also advocating for reforms to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the permitting process to expedite project delivery. Additional objectives include expanded investment in capacity, congestion relief, and increased involvement of the private sector in infrastructure financing.
Secretary Duffy said:Our mission is to build as quickly and as much as possible. So, we're working through a historic backlog as fast as possible to make sure we can get money out the door to all of you to make sure these projects are moving and moving quickly. With our money, we want you to build as fast, and we want to streamline the rules and regulations around what you do as much as possible.
During the event, Secretary Duffy signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), enabling the state to take on greater responsibility for environmental permitting. This agreement is expected to allow projects to proceed more quickly and could serve as a model for similar arrangements with other states.
The signing was attended by Senator Ted Cruz, TxDOT Executive Director Marc Williams, and Federal Highways Administrator nominee Sean McMaster.
The Department of Transportation has also issued a Request for Information to gather feedback from the public and industry on how best to advance future surface transportation policy.
The current Surface Transportation Authorization expires on 30 September 2026. Reauthorization legislation determines funding levels and policy direction for several agencies, including the Federal Highway Administration, Federal Railroad Administration, Federal Transit Administration, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
