More than 400 construction leaders, labor representatives, engineers, and infrastructure advocates convened in Washington and heard from the U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy and Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Wash. on the economic importance of transportation investments and planning certainty

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Transportation Construction Coalition (TCC), the united voice of America’s transportation construction industry, today convened more than 400 industry leaders, labor representatives, engineers, and infrastructure advocates in Washington, D.C., for the first day of its annual fly-in as Congress develops the next major surface transportation reauthorization bill.

The first day featured remarks from national transportation leaders, including U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy and House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Ranking Member Rick Larsen, D-Wash. Tomorrow, coalition members will meet with lawmakers and staff across the aisle to urge timely passage of the next reauthorization bill and funding for America’s highways, roads, bridges, transit, safety programs, and multimodal infrastructure.

“America’s transportation construction industry has arrived in Washington with a simple message: pass a reauthorization bill that helps deliver the projects every congressional district depends on,” the coalition said in a joint statement. “Federal transportation investments are not abstract line items. These programs keep our economy growing, freight moving and communities connected.”

The coalition’s annual fly-in comes at a pivotal moment for federal transportation policy. The current surface transportation authorization expires Sept. 30, 2026, raising the stakes for Congress to pass a timely, bipartisan bill that protects current investment levels, adjusts for inflation, and improves project delivery. Industry leaders also warned that delays could stall projects, drive up costs, and create uncertainty for states and contractors planning long-term work.

“The next reauthorization is about delivering safer roads, easier commutes, stronger supply chains, and lower costs for American families and businesses,” the coalition continued. “As lawmakers begin to debate the next surface transportation bill, they should protect the crucial investments already at work in every congressional district, adjust them for inflation, and deliver a bipartisan bill by September 30.”

The coalition recently released its 2026 Principles for Surface Transportation Reauthorization, offering Congress a practical framework to keep America building while easing congestion, improving safety, strengthening supply chains, and ensuring federal transportation dollars are used efficiently. The coalition is urging Congress to:

  • Keep America building by protecting current investment levels and adjusting them for inflation to maintain purchasing power, while enacting project delivery improvements to ensure dollars are efficiently put to use
  • Protect workers in construction zones with more resources to help keep construction workers and the traveling public safe while road improvements are made
  • Stabilize long-term funding by modernizing federal user fee structures, such as fuel taxes or mileage-based mechanisms, to ensure fair, sustainable revenue streams


About the Transportation Construction Coalition

The Transportation Construction Coalition (TCC) is a partnership of 34 national associations and construction unions representing hundreds of thousands of individuals with a direct market interest in federal transportation programs. Established in July 1996 and co-chaired by the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) and the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of America, the TCC focuses on federal budget and surface transportation program policy issues.