Reauthorizing Surface Transportation Funds
Across Congress, federal lawmakers are addressing the reauthorization of surface transportation funding for highways, roads, and bridges. For instance, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee as well as the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee have set deadlines next week to collect local and regional priorities from committee members around surface transportation needs in 2026 and beyond that will then inform what that federal funding will look like. Research shows that in Georgia 40.7% of vehicle miles traveled are on local roads, yet only 10.5% of state transportation dollars are allocated for localities and spent on your roads. According to data from GDOT, 86% of roads in the state are locally owned.
Two House members from Georgia, Rep. Hank Johnson (GA-04) and Rep. Mike Collins (GA-10), serve on House T&I. Whether you are in their district or not, they need to hear from Georgia cities about local transportation concerns and the need for continuous and adequate funding. Those funds should be distributed in ways that reflect local priorities and the intense use of local roads, as measured by VMTs and local contributions of gas tax revenues. Rep. Johnson has set up a Stakeholder Input Form here; please consider providing your feedback by Monday, May 12. You can find contact information for Rep. Collins’s office here.
NLC Snapshot of Congress
On Monday, the National League of Cities published a snapshot of what is at stake for local governments with major budget and funding discussions underway in Congress. It highlights the issues that matter most to city leaders, particularly future funding for transportation, housing, disaster preparedness and response, and other local priorities.
As described above with surface transportation, Congress is actively collecting stakeholder input on issues that affect municipal operations. A House Subcommittee recently solicited feedback from localities and other stakeholders on the Community Development Block Grant and HOME Investment Partnerships programs. Local voices matter and cities can help maximize the impact of federal funds. GMA encourages city officials to stay tuned for opportunities to shape policymaking in Congress.