Summary
On November 5, the House passed the Surface Transportation and Reform (STRR) Act (H.R. 22), its proposal for a six-year reauthorization of federal surface transportation programs. The Senate passed its version, the Developing a Reliable and Innovative Vision for the Economy (DRIVE) Act, in July.
The bills now move to conference, where the House and Senate will attempt to resolve differences between the two proposals. Current authorization for the programs expires November 20, although Congress recently passed an extension through December 4, which the president is expected to sign.
While the STRR Act and DRIVE Act are both six-year reauthorizations and share common elements, the two bills differ in many respects. This Issue Brief compares the two proposals, focusing on changes to federal grant programs, and other issues to be resolved during conference.