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Home My WebLink About052226 email - House T&I Committee Full Markup_ H_R_ 8870_ the BUILD America 250 Act (Overview)ALERT: BE CAUTIOUS This email originated outside the organization. Do not open attachments or click on links if you are not expecting them. Good afternoon Commissioner Eisenhour, Commissioner Brotherton, Administrator Peters, Director Kuzma, and Commissioner Dudley-Nollettee. We’ve put together a brief synopsis of yesterday’s full House T&I Committee markup of H.R. 8870, the BUILD America 250 Act. See below, and reach out with any questions. Best, Crystal -- After a marathon markup that went until just past 1 AM, the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure completed its markup of the BUILD America 250 Act with a successful final passage—62 yeas, 2 nays (Reps. Perry and Nadler), and 3 absentees (Reps. Massie, Garamendi, and Wilson). Of the nearly 300 amendments filed, including Chairman Graves’ Manager’s Amendment, 49 went to a recorded vote—20 of which were offered by Rep. Perry. Ultimately, 19 amendments were adopted during the markup (none of which were Perry amendments). The bipartisan agreement resulted in numerous amendments being withdrawn throughout the day, but the fact that the agreement was not global allowed several controversial matters into the bill that was reported out of Committee. While Members were in good spirits and the markup was orderly, a few points of contention arose during the markup. One of which was over a rail safety amendment <https://transportation.house.gov/uploadedfiles/nehls_094_rev1.pdf> offered by Rep. Nehls (R-TX) and supported by the Trump Administration. The Chairman expressed that he would not support the amendment, which includes a provision requiring at least two people to operate a freight train. Though he encouraged his colleagues to vote against it, the amendment ultimately passed successfully (54-11) with support from both sides of the aisle. The base text of Build 250 continued numerous provisions aimed at permitting reform and streamlining project delivery, which were referenced multiple times throughout yesterday’s markup. The general sentiment was mostly framed from the perspective that the Committee should not put more money into projects that are increasingly realizing a delayed delivery, and that these changes are necessary to maximize the return on increasing infrastructure investment. House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Westerman praised the provisions as complementary to his broader permitting package. Another notable amendment <https://transportation.house.gov/uploadedfiles/johnsd_077_rev_1.pdf> came from Rep. Johnson (R-SD) to create a federal pilot program that would allow voluntarily participating states to permit certain heavier 6-axle trucks to operate on Interstate highways and to collect a variety of safety data. Covered 6-axle vehicles with a permit would be allowed to exceed the 80,000 lb limit up to 91,000 lbs. The amendment was agreed to by a vote of 35-29. Two other weight waiver amendments were raised by Reps. Collins (R-GA) <https://transportatio n.house.gov/uploadedfiles/collmi_023.pdf> and Patronis (R-FL) <https://transportation.house.gov/uploadedfiles/patron_047.pdf> . The Johsnon and the Patronis amendment, which would allow heavier automobile transport trucks—specifically “stinger-steered combination automobile transporters”—to operate on the Interstate Highway System and certain federally designated highways, were the only two that passed (Patronis by a 32-31 vote). The markup also included a lengthy discussion of vicarious liability, prompted by an amendment offered by Rep. Nehls <https://transportation.house.gov/uploadedfiles/nehls_093.pdf> , which was adopted on a 36-28 vote. The amendment would extend federal liability protections for rental car companies to peer-to-peer car-sharing platforms and vehicle owners who participate in those services, essentially extending protections similar to those already granted to traditional rental car companies. House Energy & Commerce also held a markup yesterday on 16 bills touching on issues across the Committee’s jurisdiction. Included in the slew of bills was text that addresses E&C’s jurisdictional elements of NHTSA’s program—vehicle safety standards. All of the 16 bills considered were passed and are now on to be considered by the full House. We are still awaiting Committee action by House Ways & Means and Science, Space, Tech. After the remaining Committees complete their elements of the surface transportation reauthorization, the measure will be compiled as it is considered before the full House via the Rules Committee process. House Leadership has indicated their hope to advance the final House product in June. That being said, several of the controversial elements included at T&I’s markup (e.g., the budget shortfall, truck size and weight, vicarious liability, etc.) bring into question how the narrow House majority will navigate the hurdles of this complicated measure. Crystal Ellerbe direct dial: (202) 862-7103 company main: (202) 862-7100 cellular: (202) 367-6012 email: cellerbe@acornwdc.com website: acornconsulting.com A4EBCchzHPkQAAOBARnIcxz4qAABsQiwAAGxCLgAAuEEwAAC4QUgAAIA/SgAAgD9MAADgQE4AAOBAAAp0AHIAdQBjAGsAIABzAGkAegBlAMcKIwUawc0UEAchsCIAAIA/MgAAkEECAAAAQBIAAIA/FkdRNzsUAMAyRBoAgChEHP5RcT8eAIAoRCD+UXE/IgAAHEIkDm tfPSYAABxCKA5rXz3uAQAAgD80AACAPzY5jmM9OAAAIEE65DgOPzwAACBBPuQ4Dj9AAADgQEJyHMc+RAAA4EBGchzHPioAAHRCLAAAdEIuAACoQTAAAKhBSAAAQEBKAABAQEwAAKBATgAAoEAACWwAaQBhAGIAaQBsAGkAdAB5AMcK2/qkwM0UEAchsCIAAIA/MgAAk EECAACAPxIAAIA/FkdRtzoUAMAyRBoAwClEHEkccz8eAMApRCBJHHM/IgAADEIk5YBIPSYAAAxCKOWASD3uAQAAgD80AACAPzY5jmM9OAAAIEE65DgOPzwAACBBPuQ4Dj9AAADgQEJyHMc+RAAA4EBGchzHPioAAIRCLAAAhEIuAACIQTAAAIhBSAAAAEFKAAAAQUwA AIA/TgAAgD8AFW4AYQByAHIAbwB3ACAAaABvAHUAcwBlACAAbQBhAGoAbwByAGkAdAB5AMcK/3JKwc0UEAcjsCIAAIA/MgAAkEECAABAQBIAAIA/FvV8iTsUAMAyRBirqqo+GgCAK0Qc5p11Px4AgCtEIOaddT8iAADQQSQJ8hQ9JgAA0EEoCfIUPewBq6qqPu4BAAC APzQAAIA/NjmOYz04AAAgQTrkOA4/PAAAIEE+5DgOP0AAAOBAQnIcxz5EAADgQEZyHMc+KgAAkkIsAACSQi4AAABBMAAAAEFIAACgQEoAAKBATAAAAEFOAAAAQQAHaAB1AHIAZABsAGUAcwDHCiP4rcDNFBAHIbAiAACAPzIAAJBBAgAAgD8SAACAPxZHUbc6FADAMk QaAAAtRBzZw3c/HgAALUQg2cN3PyIAALBBJMEP/DwmAACwQSjBD/w87gEAAIA/NAAAgD82OY5jPTgAACBBOuQ4Dj88AAAgQT7kOA4/QAAA4EBCchzHPkQAAOBARnIcxz4qAACeQiwAAJ5CLgAAgEAwAACAQEgAADBBSgAAMEFMAACAQE4AAIBAABNjAG8AbQBwAGwAa QBjAGEAdABlAGQAIABtAGUAYQBzAHUAcgBlAMcKKrccwc0UEAcdsCIAAIA/MgAAkEECAAAAQBIAAIA/FkdRNzsUAMAyRBoAwC1EHNPWeD8eAMAtRCDT1ng/IgAAkEEkbzvOPCYAAJBBKG87zjzuAQAAgD80AACAPzY5jmM9OAAAIEE65DgOPzwAACBBPuQ4Dj9AAADg QEJyHMc+RAAA4EBGchzHPioAAKRCLAAApEJIAABgQUoAAGBBAA9jAHIAeQBzAHQAYQBsACAAZQBsAGwAZQByAGIAZQDHCvIwhEDNFBAHHLAiAACAPzIAAJBBAgAAAEASAACAPxZHUTc7FADAMkQYAACAPxoAQC5EHCWOeT8eAEAuRCAljnk/IgAAgEEkR1G3PCYAAIB BKEdRtzw0AACAPzY5jmM9OAAAMEE6x3EcPzwAADBBPsdxHD9AAADAQEKrqqo+RAAAwEBGq6qqPqABAAAAQKIBAACAP6QBAACAPwALZABpAHIAZQBjAHQAIABkAGkAYQBsAMcKJ30dwc0UEAccsCIAAIA/MgAAkEECAAAAQBIAAIA/FkdRNzsUAMAyRBoAwC5EHHZFej 8eAMAuRCB2RXo/IgAAYEEkHmegPCYAAGBBKB5noDw0AACAPzY5jmM9OAAAQEE6q6oqPzwAAEBBPquqKj9AAACgQELkOI4+RAAAoEBG5DiOPi4AAABAMAAAAEBMAAAAQE4AAABAAAA=", "@type": "KeyPhraseExtraction", "@context": "http://schema.microsoft.com", "@EntityId": "ed8f6e8a-0b60-4593-8a4d-a4fec2b26c3a", "@extractionTimeUtc": "2026-05-22T19:50:42.9193090Z" } ]