A year after the East Palestine train derailment, it’s not too late for Congress to act
by Ranking Member Larsen
One year ago, a Norfolk Southern freight train derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, displacing a community, jeopardizing health, harming the local environment and exposing gaps in our rail safety laws. The derailment and subsequent fire of tanker cars carrying vinyl chloride led Norfolk Southern to release and burn these toxic chemicals to prevent a dangerous explosion. As a result, the town was forced to evacuate all residents within a one-mile radius, upending thousands of lives. Thanks to … Continue Reading
February 03, 2022
Aviation safety and 5G can coexist, but stakeholders must work together
By Chairs DeFazio and Larsen The rollout of our country's 5G wireless network has been marked by delays, dysfunction and denial. It didn't have to be this way! In 2019, aviation stakeholders, policymakers like us and safety advocates loudly warned it would be a grave mistake to turn on 5G without first ensuring that interference from these powerful networks wouldn't adversely impact aviation safety. Unfortunately, the Federal Communications Commission ignored and even mocked these … Continue Reading
November 23, 2021
Thanks to President Biden, infrastructure is bipartisan again — it needs to stay that way
Just before midnight on Nov. 5, 13 House Republicans along with 215 House Democrats voted to pass the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. This bill, which has now been signed into law, provides $550 billion in new funding to rebuild our deteriorated and failing critical infrastructure. Instead of being praised as bipartisan deal makers doing what's best for their constituents and the nation, these 13 Republicans are being threatened with expulsion from the Republican Party. Former … Continue Reading
July 21, 2021
Wall Street is boosting profits in railroads with new technology. But it’s ignoring the drawbacks
by Rep. Peter A. DeFazio
In a commentary published in Fortune earlier this month, Ike Brannon and Michael F. Gorman took great liberties in trying to debunk my concerns with precision scheduled railroading (PSR). Please allow me to set the record straight. I have served on the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure for 34 years, crafting public policy through seven different presidential administrations, both Democratic and Republican. Freight transportation is critical to our economy. The ability … Continue Reading
June 02, 2021
The FCC's decision to reallocate the safety band spectrum will impede efforts to save lives
by Rep. Peter A. DeFazio
As chair of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, I have a responsibility to ensure that actions Congress and the federal government take regarding our transportation networks contribute to, and do not detract from, public safety. That's why I oppose the Federal Communications Commission's decision to repurpose more than half of the 5.9 GHz radio frequency band, also known as the Safety Band. Since 1999, the 5.9 GHz band has been reserved for dedicated short-range communications … Continue Reading
May 14, 2021
To Build Back Better, We Need to Make Transformative Investments in America’s Transit Systems
by Rep. Peter A. DeFazio, Chair of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
It's no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic has led to tough times for transit agencies, riders, and workers. Not only have transit agencies nationwide seen a 65 percent drop in ridership; at the same time, many have incurred new costs associated with providing personal protective equipment, or PPE, to workers and passengers in order to keep their systems safe, and some temporarily stopped collecting fares altogether to encourage social distancing to save lives. Despite these unprecedented … Continue Reading
May 11, 2021
Biden's infrastructure plan builds a stronger foundation for seniors
by Rep. Peter A. DeFazio and Max Richtman
Infrastructure is not the only thing that's aging in America. Every day, 10,000 Americans turn 65. And like countless communities and across the U.S., our growing senior population would also greatly benefit from transformational investments in our nation's infrastructure. That's because investing in our infrastructure, as envisioned in President Biden's American Jobs Plan, would give a big boost to the program most seniors and disabled workers rely upon for income - Social Security. Here's … Continue Reading
October 29, 2019
Important questions for Boeing — and the FAA
by Chair Peter DeFazio
On Wednesday, Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg will testify before the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Over his shoulder will be family members of the 346 victims of the two Boeing 737 MAX crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia, including the Massachusetts parents of Samya Stumo. Sadly, we have been here before. In 2009, after 50 people died in the Colgan Air flight 3407 crash near Buffalo, N.Y, our committee worked in a bipartisan way to address safety issues raised by that … Continue Reading
October 08, 2019
Finkenauer and DeFazio: Iowa deserves high-quality highways and bridges
by Chair Peter DeFazio and Congresswoman Abby Finkenauer
Regardless of your political ideology, we can all agree that America's infrastructure network is essential to our quality of life and to the nation's economy. Our expansive national network of highways, bridges, tunnels, railways, waterways, and airports is capable of providing all Americans - from those living in the largest cities to those in the smallest towns - with extraordinary freedom of mobility and unprecedented opportunity. Infrastructure provides the backbone of the U.S. economy … Continue Reading
May 31, 2019
We must build Gateway—and we will
by Chair Peter DeFazio
Across our country, in communities large and small, our outdated and oversubscribed infrastructure is at a breaking point, the result of years of federal underinvestment in transportation and a lack of political courage in Washington, D.C. Nowhere is that more apparent than in New York and New Jersey, where I recently got a firsthand look at the largest infrastructure project in our nation, the Gateway Program. I was joined not only by members of Congress from New York and New Jersey who have … Continue Reading
May 19, 2019
Bustos and Finkenauer: It’s time to rebuild our country
by Representatives Cheri Bustos and Abby Finkenauer
The Greatest Generation earned its name for a reason. They survived an economic depression through the determination and grit that defines our country at its best. And when duty called during World War II, they proudly put on our nation's uniform and defeated evil forces that threatened peace and stability across the globe. But their service didn't stop on the battlefield. When these brave men and women returned home, they traded in their uniforms for hardhats and rebuilt America with an … Continue Reading
May 10, 2019
Moving Towards a Cleaner, Greener Future
by Representative Debbie Mucarsel-Powell
When I lived in Ecuador, I grew up surrounded by vibrant life; beautiful exotic plants and animals that would make anyone fall in love with our planet. When I moved to Miami, I felt a similar appreciation and love for our unique ecosystems like the Everglades, and our stunning coastlines-areas that would make anyone want to commit to protecting our planet. But when I am exploring the Everglades with my children, or scuba diving along our barrier reef, I can't help but worry that future … Continue Reading