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IBTTA Joins Industry Outreach Urging Passage of FY 2026 Transportation Funding Bill
Mark Muriello International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association
| 2 min read
U.S. Capitol at night with cars on street

On January 21, International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association (IBTTA) joined 44 other national transportation organizations in signing a joint letter urging Congress to pass H.R. 7148, the FY 2026 Consolidated Appropriations Act. Subsequently, the House passed the legislation on January 22, and the Senate is scheduled to vote on the bill this week in a schedule affected by this weekend’s winter-storm.

The chances of a partial government shutdown have risen following the killing of a Minneapolis resident over the weekend. Senate Democrats indicated that they will not support the current version of the bill funding Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

The legislation already passed by the House includes Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) funding provisions designed to avert a January 30 government shutdown and fully fund core federal surface transportation programs for FY 2026 at previously authorized levels. Timely passage would provide continuity for more than 100,000 transportation projects currently advancing nationwide with federal support.

For IBTTA members—particularly state DOTs and toll facility operators with federal grants in the FY 2026 pipeline—the bill would bring much-needed certainty by maintaining Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) program funding at current levels. The legislation also increases the Federal Highway Administration’s Y 2026 budget to $64.3 billion, supporting continued investment in highway and mobility programs relied upon across the industry.

The bill rescinds certain advance appropriations for IIJA discretionary grant programs, designed to offset congressional earmarks, but the overall impact on IBTTA members is expected to be limited. Importantly, the bill preserves funding stability. IBTTA’s support underscores a commitment to work alongside industry partners to ensure reliable federal transportation funding and the predictability needed to plan, deliver, and operate critical infrastructure projects..

Read the full joint industry letter to Congressional leadership to learn more about the coalition’s priorities and recommendations.

U.S. Policy & LegislationInfrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA)
About Mark Muriello International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association
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Mark Muriello is IBTTA’s Vice President of Policy & Government Affairs.  Mark has a distinguished record of accomplishment in highway operations, tolling, finance, transportation planning, and policy.  Mark advocates for tolling and road pricing interests at the federal, state and local levels of government, and works with a a comprehensive array of industry organizations and stakeholders.  Mark actively leads IBTTA’s agenda in government affairs, policy, lost revenue recovery, sustainability and reliance, climate action, and alternative transportation revenue sources.  

Mark has more than four decades of experience in transportation and public finance, covering tolling and highway operations, bridges, tunnels, rail, bus, and marine terminal facilities, as well as in the electric utility industry.  As the former Deputy Director of Tunnels, Bridges and Terminals for The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Mark oversaw the operations, maintenance and planning for the agency’s six tunnels and bridges and two interstate bus terminals that connect the New Jersey and New York City.  Mr. Muriello served on the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association’s Board of Directors while at the Port Authority and in a leadership capacity in a number of industry and national transportation organizations, including the E-ZPass Group, the Transportation Research Board, the OmniAir Consortium, and the Eastern Transportation Coalition.
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