05/23/2026
Infrastructure Week in Washington, D.C., was an important opportunity to advocate for counties and the communities we serve every day. As part of my role on the National Association of Counties Transportation Steering Committee, it is my role to make sure counties like Grayson County have a seat at the table when federal transportation policy is being drafted.
This past week, the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee released the BUILD America 250 Act - the House proposal for the next surface transportation reauthorization bill. There are several major wins in this proposal for counties across America, especially rural counties that maintain large amounts of road and bridge infrastructure. For example, the County owns and maintains 52% of all roads and 45% of all bridges in Grayson County.
Over the course of the week, I participated in policy discussions at the Business Roundtable where we heard from House T&I Ranking Member Rick Larsen and FHWA Administrator Sean McMaster, met with the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs and the White House Office of Management and Budget, and conducted Capitol Hill meetings with the offices of Rep. Pat Fallon, Rep. Brian Babin, Rep. Brandon Gill, Rep. Craig Goldman, Rep. Kevin Hearn, Senator John Cornyn, and Senator Ted Cruz.
The focus of every meeting was the proposed BUILD America 250 Act and how Counties play a vital role in our economy. Counties are not secondary players in American infrastructure – much of our economy starts and ends on a county road.
This legislation would provide counties and local governments access to 22% of total bill funding through formula set-asides, suballocation, and discretionary grants, while also streamlining federal permitting to move critical projects faster. For Texas counties, the expansion of the Bridge Formula Program and increased Surface Transportation Block Grant funding would be especially significant. Commissioner Courts overseeing locally-owned off-system bridges would receive a dedicated 25% set-aside along with a required state consultation process for funding obligations.
I’m proud to represent Grayson County and to continue to fight for infrastructure investment. These conversations matter because the future of America’s infrastructure is being decided now and we want to ensure Grayson County is positioned to benefit from the investments that will shape the next generation of highways, roads, and bridges. This bill is a strong example of what can happen when counties across America work together and advocate for policies that recognize the important role local governments play in maintaining our nation’s infrastructure.
