USCTA Alert

August 8, 2026

The Senate early this morning passed a bipartisan continuing resolution that would fund the federal government until December 11. The Senate CR would extend funding a week longer than a House-passed stopgap approved late last month. Additionally, the Senate measure – unlike the House CR – includes a number of adjustments known as “anomalies,” including several of note below. Today’s action on the CR and consideration of a long list of nominations comes as Senators are leaving for a five-week recess.
 
When the House returns in late August, lawmakers are expected to consider the Senate-passed CR. While both parties are eager to avoid a government shutdown on October 1, nothing is ever easy in the narrowly divided House of Representatives. A stopgap measure through early December would allow lawmakers to get past the midterm elections and focus on jumpstarting the Fiscal Year 2027 appropriations process, which has been sidetracked by vigorous disagreements between Republicans and Democrats on overall spending levels and priorities.
 
Below are some of the transportation-related items and other noteworthy provisions in the Senate CR.

Senate Continuing Resolution
 
Extension of Surface Transportation Programs: In addition to funding the federal government until December 11, the Senate CR would also extend surface transportation programs until December 11 as lawmakers continue to work on crafting a multi-year highway reauthorization bill. Without Congressional action, those programs are set to expire on September 30.
 
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act: Unfortunately, the CR does not extend advance appropriations that Congress used to create the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) as Vice Chair Patty Murray (D-WA), her Democratic colleagues, AAAE, ACI-NA, and a broad array of transportation interests have recommended. The IIJA programs are slated to expire at the end of September – creating a $4 billion funding cliff for airports in FY27.
 
AAAE is continuing to urge Congress to extend the airport-related IIJA programs to help airports pay for a growing list of critical infrastructure projects. We sent our own separate letter to Congressional leaders in late April and joined other groups of transportation stakeholders calling on lawmakers to extend the advance appropriations for IIJA programs as part of the CR or another legislative vehicle.
 
Office of Management and Budget Rule: The Senate bill would temporarily block the Office of Management and Budget from implementing a controversial new grant new rule through the duration of the CR. Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chair Murray said the administration’s proposed changes would “put Trump political appointees in charge of signing off on every last federal grant and empower them to terminate funding at any point for any reason.”
 
Reimbursable Screening Service Program: The CR would also extend the reimbursable screening service program (RSSP) through the duration of the extension. RSSP is a pilot program that allows TSA to enter into reimbursable agreements to provide screening services at locations other than primary passenger terminal screening areas.
 
Essential Air Service: The Senate stopgap measure would allow for the continued operation of the Essential Air Service program until December 11. 
 
What’s Next?
 
The House is expected to consider the Senate-passed CR after lawmakers in that chamber return to Washington in late August.