Sam Graves
Coverage of Sam Graves in the Nexus archive.
- After overhaul, feds seek to reauthorize minority, women-owned business program
Federal lawmakers seek to reauthorize the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program, which supports women- and minority-owned businesses by providing access to public contracts and economic opportunities. The program, revised last year by the U.S. Department of Transportation to make qualification harder, faces a reauthorization campaign led by advocates and entrepreneurs. A bipartisan bill sponsored by Rep. Sam Graves aims to continue the program, requiring objective criteria for assessing business disadvantage.
- EV drivers will pay $130 a year under Congress' 2026 transportation bill
The US Congress' 2026 transportation bill includes an annual fee of $130 for electric vehicle owners, which will increase by $5 each year until it reaches $150. Plug-in hybrids will also be charged a fee, starting at $35 a year and increasing to $50 annually. The bill has support from both Democratic and Republican parties.