John Cornyn (R-TX)
I–47 Future Interstate Act of 2026
A Republican bill with 1 Republican cosponsor · See the cosponsor
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The "I-47 Future Interstate Act of 2026" is a bill introduced to change the designation of United States Route 287. It proposes to designate the route as a High Priority Corridor. Specifically, it covers the area from State Highway 87 in Port Arthur, Texas, to United States Route 89 in Choteau, Montana. The bill further designates and numbers this route as Interstate Route I-47.
Yes· 3 of 13
- Scored +8
Does this repair or build roads and bridges?
The bill explicitly upgrades a US route to an interstate, which necessitates significant road and bridge improvements.
- Scored +7
Would people in rural areas be better off under this?
Significant improvement in accessibility and infrastructure for rural communities along the route.
- Scored +6
Would farmers be better off under this?
Farmers benefit from improved interstate access for transporting crops and equipment.
The opposite
- Scored -2
Does this cut the pollution that drives climate change?
Increased interstate capacity often leads to increased vehicle miles traveled and higher emissions.
- Scored -1
Does this reduce what the federal government spends?
Interstate designations typically require increased federal spending for upgrades to meet interstate standards.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
- High Priority Corridor Designation: By adding United States Route 287 from Port Arthur, Texas, to Choteau, Montana as a High Priority Corridor under Section 2(a), the route is given a specialized status.
- Interstate Designation: Section 2(b) designates the route as Interstate Route I-47, which officially reclassifies the highway as an interstate.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No negative impacts for individuals or groups of people are explicitly mentioned in the provided text.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — Significant improvement in accessibility and infrastructure for rural communities along the route. Would farmers be better off under this? — Farmers benefit from improved interstate access for transporting crops and equipment. Would business owners be better off under this? — Improved transport infrastructure benefits logistics and business operations. Would union members be better off under this? — Increased infrastructure projects often create high-paying union construction jobs. Would people in cities be better off under this? — Improved connection between urban hubs like Port Arthur and northern destinations.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this repair or build roads and bridges? — The bill explicitly upgrades a US route to an interstate, which necessitates significant road and bridge improvements. Does this invest in rural communities? — Interstate designation provides critical infrastructure connectivity for rural areas between Texas and Montana. Does this cut the pollution that drives climate change? — Increased interstate capacity often leads to increased vehicle miles traveled and higher emissions.
- Economy And Finance
- Is this likely to grow the economy? — Improved transportation infrastructure generally facilitates trade and economic activity along the corridor. Does this make it easier to run a small business? — Enhanced road access can increase customer traffic for small businesses along the I-47 route. Is this likely to create jobs? — Designating a high priority corridor often leads to increased construction and infrastructure jobs. Does this reduce what the federal government spends? — Interstate designations typically require increased federal spending for upgrades to meet interstate standards.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make it easier to do business across state lines? — Designating a new interstate specifically aims to facilitate commerce across state lines. Does this give the federal government more power? — Interstate designation increases federal oversight and funding roles for the highway.
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Does this make trade with other countries easier? — Improving interstate connectivity can facilitate the movement of goods toward international shipping ports.
- 5/11/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Cynthia LummisRepublican · Wyoming