This week, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy announced the department has rescinded two memorandums issued during the Biden Administration which injected a social justice and environmental agenda into decisions for critical infrastructure projects. Outside groups and key stakeholders have praised this decision for overturning the memo, which had imposed significant financial and time burdens. See what they are saying below:
American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) shared:
“The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) firmly believes in the federally assisted and state administered framework established through the Federal-aid Highway Program more than a century ago. Congress reaffirmed its support for state-driven decision-making embodied in the formula program to state departments of transportation under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and we oppose any actions that do not align with this Congressional intent.
Thank you [Secretary Duffy,] for your stalwart leadership and support for each state’s full authority to meet its unique program and project needs through the formula program, which remains the proven approach to creating and maintaining a world-class transportation system that advances our economy, safety, and mobility.”
American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) shared:
“The cornerstone of the federal-state partnership that began with the creation of the Interstate Highway System is the autonomy of state and local leaders to make project selection decisions consistent with national objectives. We commend Secretary Duffy and President Trump for affirming today this long-standing foundation of the federal-aid highway program and removing any doubt about the authority of states to use highway formula funds in a manner that best meets their unique needs.”
American Highway Users Alliance President and CEO Andrew Stasiowski shared:
“The American Highway Users Alliance is pleased by Secretary Duffy and President Trump’s decision to rescind the Biden Administration’s memo ‘Policy on Using Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Resources to Build a Better America’ and the updated ‘Policy on Using Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Resources to Build a Better America’. Rescinding these memos gives clarity to the states, and restores their autonomy to determine how best to invest their highway funds. Investing in highways and expanding the capacity of our roadways is a priority of the Highway Users and we applaud yesterday’s decision.”
Associated General Contractors of America Vice President of Government Relations Alex Etchen shared:
“The rescission of the “policy memos” restores the long-standing policy that federal-aid highway programs are federally funded and state administered and eliminates the uncertainty those memos brought to the construction industry and state departments of transportation.”