Supplemental Appropriations Bill Rescinds Highway Contract Authority

Following months of AGC and other transportation construction stakeholders successfully lobbying Congress and the administration to restore $8.7 billion of rescinded highway contract authority, the House of Representatives is poised to take $2 billion of that unobligated money away to offset a $10 billion appropriation to preserve teachers' jobs included in the House supplemental appropriations bill.  The intent of the bill is to provide funding for U.S. troops; however, the House Appropriations Committee added additional funding that required an offset of $11.7 billion.  As co-chair of the Transportation Construction Coalition, AGC sent a letter to Congress opposing the House supplemental proposal, and argued that the rescission creates further uncertainty in an already-suffering transportation construction marketplace. AGC also argued that it raises questions about future federal transportation investment commitments.