Subcommittee on Highways and Transit

The Subcommittee on Highways and Transit has responsibility for the development of national surface transportation policy, construction and improvement of highway and transit facilities, implementation of safety and research programs, and regulation of commercial vehicle operations. Within this scope of responsibilities, the Subcommittee has jurisdiction over many U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) programs, including the following:

  • Federal-aid Highway Program administered by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
  • Federal transit program administered by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA)
  • Highway safety grants and research programs administered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
  • Commercial vehicle safety programs and regulations administered by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)
  • Surface transportation research administered by FHWA and FTA and coordinated through the Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA).

Many of these agencies, especially FTA and FMCSA, also have security oversight and enforcement responsibilities as part of their regulatory functions. In addition, the Subcommittee has jurisdiction over certain provisions of the Clean Air Act pertaining to air quality compliance through the transportation planning and project development process administered by FHWA and FTA.

In the course of discharging its responsibilities, the overriding concerns of the Subcommittee are to: (1) adjust federal transportation policy to meet current and future needs; (2) ensure adequate resources are made available to DOT, the States, Indian tribes, and localities to carry out programs and projects authorized by federal law; (3) maintain the direct linkage between federal investment in transportation programs and dedicated revenues coming into the federal Highway Trust Fund; (4) enhance funding equity among the States, (5) review program implementation by federal agencies; and (6) monitor development of emerging transportation issues.