This bill is a major shift in how the U.S. handles infrastructure. For decades, the government has allowed some flexibility so that local leaders could decide if a new train line or a new highway lane was the best way to fix a traffic jam. If this bill becomes law, that choice is taken away at the federal level.

Voters should care because this impacts how tax dollars are used to solve traffic and pollution. If you live in a city where expanding the subway is a priority, this bill makes that harder. If you live in an area where you feel road money is being 'raided' to pay for empty buses, this bill ensures your gas taxes are spent only on the roads you drive on.