S. 2803: Transportation Empowerment Act

117th Congress · introduced 2021-09-22 · Transportation and Public Works · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2021-09-22 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Lee, Mike [R-UT] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Transportation Empowerment Act

Plain summary

Transportation Empowerment Act This bill limits federal support available through the Highway Trust Fund to highways and surface transportation systems designated as part of the Interstate System and correspondingly reduces the taxes on gasoline and other fuels that generate revenue for the fund. The bill phases in these changes over five years. In addition, the bill eliminates various programs, such as the Congestion and Air Quality Mitigation Improvement Program, that currently receive funding through the Highway Trust Fund; removes requirements for states to comply with federal standards, environmental provisions, and related matters with respect to the design, construction, and maintenance of highways and surface transportation systems that are not part of the Interstate System; and transfers unobligated COVID-19 relief funding to the Highway Trust Fund for unpaid obligations incurred prior to the bill's enactment.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Transportation Empowerment Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Lee, Mike [R-UT] · 2 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Ted Cruz (R-TX), Cynthia M. Lummis (R-WY)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Lee, Mike [R-UT] reported raising $2.5 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Obligation: A binding promise by a government agency to pay money, for example by signing a contract or awarding a grant. Spending data such as USAspending.gov counts money when it is obligated, which can be before it is actually paid out.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-117s2803.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/117/s>

Record fed-us-cong117-s2803 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong117 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong117