On September 10, the U.S. Census Bureau published a Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) in the Federal Register that would add two new parts to the federal regulations governing the decennial census ahead of the 2030 Census.
On September 30, the five-year surface transportation authorization bill, the Infrastructure, Investment, and Jobs Act (IIJA), expired. On September 2, Congress enacted a short-term extension of IIJA extending contract authority for Highway Trust Fund programs until December 11. However, Congress did not extend advanced appropriations, leaving a a $36.8 billion annual shortfall beginning on October 1, 2026.
The funding lapse affects a wide range of federal transportation programs that have relied on advance appropriations since enactment of the IIJA. As Congress considers both a long-term reauthorization bill and potential additional extensions, transportation stakeholders across the country are closely monitoring the impacts on project delivery, planning activities, and state and local transportation investments.