H.R. 4847House119th Congress (2025-2027)In Committee

Transportation Emergency Relief Extension Act

AI-Generated Summary

Updated November 23, 2025 at 10:59 PM UTC

The Transportation Emergency Relief Extension Act amends the federal highway law to give states more time to move emergency‑relief projects into the construction phase after a disaster. It sets a minimum six‑year waiting period after a disaster is declared and lets the FHWA extend that deadline when states request it. The bill also mandates regular updates to the FHWA’s Emergency Relief Manual and requires those updates to be shared with states and posted publicly.

Key Provisions

Adds a new rule that the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) cannot force an emergency relief project to reach the construction‑obligation stage until at least six fiscal years after the later of the governor’s emergency declaration or the president’s major‑disaster declaration.
Allows the FHWA Secretary, upon a governor’s request, to extend that deadline by up to one year, and to grant further extensions if the governor provides sufficient justification.
Requires the FHWA to update its Emergency Relief Manual within two years of the law’s enactment and then every two years thereafter, to give the updated manual to each state department of transportation and to post it publicly online.

Legislative Activity

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3 earlier actions

HouseCommittee Latest Action

Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.

Highways and Transit Subcommittee

August 2, 2025

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

August 1, 2025

HouseIntro Referral

Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E748)

August 1, 2025

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

Transportation and Infrastructure Committee

August 1, 2025

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.

Highways and Transit Subcommittee

August 2, 2025

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued August 1, 2025

119th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 4847

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

August 1, 2025

Mr. Garamendi (for himself and Mr. LaMalfa) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

A BILL

To amend title 23, United States Code, to increase flexibility for emergency relief projects, and for other purposes.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Transportation Emergency Relief Extension Act.

Federal-aid highway emergency relief

Section 125 of title 23, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

(h)

Imposition of deadline

(1)

In general

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary may not require any project funded under this section to advance to the construction obligation stage before the date that is the last day of the sixth fiscal year after the later of—

(A)

the date on which the Governor declared the emergency, as described in subsection (d)(1)(A); and

(B)

the date on which the President declared the emergency to be a major disaster, as described in that subsection.

(2)

Extension of deadline

If the Secretary imposes a deadline for advancement to the construction obligation stage pursuant to paragraph (1), the Secretary may—

(A)

on the request of the Governor of the State, issue an extension of not more than 1 year to complete the advancement; and

(B)

issue additional extensions after the expiration of any extension, if the Secretary determines the Governor of the State has provided suitable justification to warrant such an extension.

(i)

Emergency relief manuals

Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this subsection and every 2 years thereafter, the Secretary shall—

(1)

update the Emergency Relief Manual of the Federal Highway Administration;

(2)

provide the updated Manual to each State department of transportation; and

(3)

make the updated Manual publicly available on a website of the Secretary.