ASA Supports Using ARP Funds for Transportation Projects

On Thursday, September 15, 2022, ASA, along with the transportation construction coalition, sent a letter to House and Senate Leadership requesting additional flexibility in using the American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds for transportation projects.  The ARP law provided $350 billion in state and local government relief funds and $10 billion in capital improvement assistance. As states continue to recover from the pandemic, new economic headwinds and rising costs have emerged. Currently, states and localities are only allowed to use a fraction of their ARP resources for highway, public transit, and other surface transportation projects. The ARP funds can help mitigate state budget shortfalls and allow states and localities to address ongoing infrastructure needs that may have been sidelined during the pandemic. The legislation passed the Senate last October via a unanimous consent agreement, and the House companion bill has over 150 bipartisan co-sponsors. The legislation would not increase costs to the federal government or the deficit and does not mandate state or local governments change plans or priorities.  We strongly support the inclusion of these ARP funds in the current continuing resolution (CR) to fund our government.