Press Releases
Chairs DeFazio, Carbajal Announce Hearing on Positioning the U.S. Coast Guard for the Future
October 15, 2021Washington, DC- Today, Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Chair of the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Salud Carbajal (D-CA) announced the subcommittee will hold a hearing titled, "Achieving Mission Balance: Positioning the Coast Guard for the Future." This hearing will examine how the U.S. Coast Guard allocates hours and resources among its multiple statutory missions, as well as how it measures mission … Continue Reading
Chairs DeFazio and Carbajal Statement on Sexual Assault Allegations at the United States Merchant Marine Academy and Aboard Training Vessels
October 13, 2021Washington, D.C. - Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Chair of the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Salud Carbajal (D-CA) issued the following statement regarding allegations of rape and sexual harassment of students at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and aboard training vessels: "We must have zero tolerance when it comes to sexual assault," Chairs DeFazio and Carbajal said. "This pattern of abuse in the maritime … Continue Reading
DeFazio and Cohen Urge President Biden to Reopen and Reexamine U.S. Army Corps’ Nationwide Permits
October 13, 2021T&I Members to Biden: "[Nationwide Permits] should be based on sound science, with abundant stakeholder input-including robust input from the states-and include considerations of climate change impacts and the environmental justice goals of your administration" Washington, DC - Today, Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Representative Steve Cohen (D-TN) urged President Biden to ensure protection of clean water by reopening and … Continue Reading
Chairs DeFazio, Carbajal, and Payne, Jr. Statements on Critical Federal Steps Taken Following Oil Spill in Southern California
October 08, 2021Washington, D.C. - Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Chair of the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Salud Carbajal (D-CA), and Chair of the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials Donald M. Payne, Jr. (D-NJ) issued the following statements on the critical steps taken by the federal government following an oil spill off the coast of Southern California: "The recent oil spill in Southern California … Continue Reading
DeLauro, DeFazio, McGovern, and Kildee Urge EPA Administrator Regan to Fully Address PFAS Pollution
October 06, 2021Letter Comes as EPA Prepares Multiyear PFAS Strategy WASHINGTON, DC - House Appropriations Committee Chair Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03), House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chair Peter DeFazio (D-OR-04), House Rules Committee Chairman James McGovern (D-MA-02), and Co-Chair of the Congressional PFAS Task Force Daniel Kildee (D-MI-05) today sent a letter to the United States Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan urging him to comprehensively address … Continue Reading
Chair Napolitano Statement from Hearing on Emerging Contaminants, Forever Chemicals, and More: Challenges to Water Quality and Public Health
October 06, 2021Washington, D.C. - The following are opening remarks, as prepared for delivery, from Chair of the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment Grace F. Napolitano (D-CA) during today's hearing titled, "Emerging Contaminants, Forever Chemicals, and More: Challenges to Water Quality, Public Health, and Communities." Video of Chair Napolitano's opening statement is here. More information on the hearing can be found here. Chair Napolitano: Today's hearing has been a long time coming. This … Continue Reading
Chair DeFazio Statement on 30-Day Surface Transportation Extension
October 01, 2021WASHINGTON, DC- Today, Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) issued the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation to extend the authorization of current surface transportation programs for 30 days. "Today's extension protects thousands of Department of Transportation employees and will keep important projects on schedule," Chair DeFazio said. "Now we will continue our work to pass the Build Back Better … Continue Reading
Chairs DeFazio, Napolitano Announce Hearing on Emerging Contaminants, Forever Chemicals, and Challenges to Water Quality, Public Health, and Communities
October 01, 2021Washington, DC - Today, Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Chair of the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment Grace F. Napolitano (D-CA) announced that the subcommittee will hold a hearing titled, "Emerging Contaminants, Forever Chemicals, and More: Challenges to Water Quality, Public Health, and Communities." The hearing will examine various perspectives on emerging contaminants, so-called forever chemicals, and their impacts … Continue Reading
Chair DeFazio Statement from Hearing to Assess the Impact of the Federal Government’s COVID-19 Relief and Response Efforts
September 30, 2021Washington, D.C. - The following are opening remarks, as prepared for delivery, from Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) during today's hearing titled, "Assessing the Federal Government's COVID-19 Relief and Response Efforts and its Impact - Part II." Video of DeFazio's opening statement is here. More information on the hearing can be found here. Chair DeFazio: In July, we held the first part of this hearing examining oversight of the … Continue Reading
ICYMI: Chair DeFazio Closes House Floor Debate on the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
September 28, 2021WASHINGTON, DC - Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, opened debate last night on the Senate amendment to H.R. 3684, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and closed debate on the House floor today. During the debate, Chair DeFazio made clear it is beyond time for Congress to make badly needed investments in America's infrastructure to create good-paying jobs, boost American manufacturing and ingenuity, and make a down-payment on … Continue Reading
Chair Norton Statement from Hearing on Examining the Role of Ferries in Improving Mobility
September 28, 2021Washington, D.C. - The following are opening remarks, as prepared for delivery, from Chair of the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) during today's hearing titled, "Examining the Role of Ferries in Improving Mobility." Video of Norton's opening statement is here. More information on the hearing can be found here. Chair Norton: Welcome to today's hearing examining the role of ferries in mobility. While the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit currently oversees … Continue Reading
Chair DeFazio Announces Second Hearing in a Two-Part Series to Assess the Federal Government’s COVID-19 Relief and Response Efforts
September 24, 2021Washington, DC - Today, Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) announced the committee will hold a hearing titled, "Assessing the Federal Government's COVID-19 Relief and Response Efforts and its Impact - Part II." This is the second hearing in a two-part series focused on examining the impact of the federal relief and response efforts to the COVID-19 pandemic on the transportation and infrastructure sectors and its workers. More information … Continue Reading
Chairs DeFazio, Norton Announce Subcommittee Hearing on Examining the Role of Ferries in Improving Mobility
September 24, 2021Washington, DC- Today, Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Chair of the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) announced the subcommittee will hold a hearing titled, "Examining the Role of Ferries in Improving Mobility." This hearing will explore the role of ferry transportation in reducing congestion and contributing to clean mobility alternatives, and the federal programs that support this mode of … Continue Reading
Chairs DeFazio, Larsen Statements from Subcommittee Hearing on the Surge in Air Rage and its Effects on Workers, Airlines, and Airports
September 23, 2021Washington, D.C. - The following are opening remarks, as prepared for delivery, from Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Chair of the Subcommittee on Aviation Rick Larsen (D-WA) during today's hearing titled, "Disruption in the Skies: The Surge in Air Rage and its Effects on Workers, Airlines, and Airports." Videos of DeFazio and Larsen's opening statements are here and here. More information on the hearing can be found here. Chair … Continue Reading
Chairs DeFazio, Larsen Announce Subcommittee Hearing on the Surge in Air Rage and its Effects on Workers, Airlines, and Airports
September 17, 2021Washington, DC - Today, Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Chair of the Subcommittee on Aviation Rick Larsen (D-WA) announced the subcommittee will hold a hearing titled, "Disruption in the Skies: The Surge in Air Rage and its Effects on Workers, Airlines, and Airports." The hearing will examine the alarming increase in disruptive and unruly airline passengers, the causes, the effect on passenger and crew safety, and the enforcement of … Continue Reading
After a More Than 15-Hour Markup, Committee Advances Legislation to Invest in More Equitable and Sustainable Transportation Systems and Infrastructure
September 15, 2021Washington, DC - The House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, led by Chair Peter DeFazio (D-OR), today advanced legislation in a vote of 37-29 to invest nearly $60 billion to make America's infrastructure more sustainable, resilient, and equitable, and to reduce carbon pollution from the transportation sector-the number one source of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. "From tackling climate change, to addressing racial and environmental injustices, to building back … Continue Reading
Chair DeFazio Opening Statement from Committee Markup of the Build Back Better Act
September 14, 2021Washington, D.C. - The following are opening remarks, as prepared for delivery, from Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) during today's committee markup to consider the committee's portion of the Build Back Better Act. Video of DeFazio's opening statement is here. More information on the markup can be found here. Chair DeFazio: Today, we are here to deliver for the American people. We are here to Build Back Better with critical investments … Continue Reading
DeFazio, Napolitano, and Pappas Applaud the EPA’s Plans to Limit Discharge of “Forever Chemicals” While Calling for the Agency to Go Further to Protect Public Health
September 10, 2021Washington, D.C. - On Wednesday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced it will begin rewriting safeguards against polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), commonly known as "forever chemicals," in wastewater pollution to better protect public health and the environment. Specifically, the agency plans to revise its effluent limitations guidelines (ELGs) and pretreatment standards in the organic chemicals, plastics and synthetic fibers category to address PFAS from industrial … Continue Reading
DeFazio, Huffman Applaud the EPA for Taking New Action to Protect Bristol Bay from the Pebble Mine Project
September 10, 2021Washington, D.C. - Representatives Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and Jared Huffman (D-CA), Chair of the Natural Resources Water, Oceans, and Wildlife Subcommittee released the following statements in response to yesterday's EPA action on Bristol Bay. "The Pebble Mine proposal was always a bad idea, and I am relieved the Biden EPA is finally taking steps to protect the indigenous and fishing communities that rely on the world's largest … Continue Reading
Chairs DeFazio, Napolitano, and Beyer Lead 130+ House Colleagues in Applauding the EPA & Corps for Withdrawing the Trump Dirty Water Rule, Call New Rulemaking Urgent
September 10, 2021In a new letter, representatives call for the swift replacement of the Dirty Water Rule: "Now that the Court has thrown out this blatant giveaway to polluters, we call upon you to take immediate action to protect our nation's waterways for future generations." Washington, DC - Today, Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Chair of the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment Grace F. Napolitano (D-CA), Chair of the Joint Economic … Continue Reading