Press Releases
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
House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Announces Markup
September 10, 2021Washington, DC - Today, the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure announced that it will hold a markup on Tuesday, September 14 at 10:00 AM EDT to consider the following measures: Legislative proposals to comply with the reconciliation directive included in section 2002 of the Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for Fiscal Year 2022, S. Con. Res. 14 Other matters cleared for consideration. Members will appear by videoconference or in person in 2167 Rayburn House Office … Continue Reading
Chair DeFazio Applauds Surface Transportation Board for Unanimously Rejecting the Proposed Canadian National and Kansas City Southern Trust
September 01, 2021Washington, D.C. - Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) issued the following statement after the Surface Transportation Board (STB) voted unanimously to reject a proposed trust as a precursor to the merger of the Canadian National (CN) and Kansas City Southern (KCS) railroads, citing concerns that the trust is not in the public interest. Chair DeFazio made the same point in a July 2021 letter he sent to the STB expressing his opposition to the … Continue Reading
Chairs DeFazio and Napolitano Statements on Federal Judge Overturning Trump-era Dirty Water Rule
August 31, 2021Washington, DC - 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) released the following statements after a federal judge in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona overturned the Trump-era Navigable Waters Protection Rule, more commonly known as the "Dirty Water Rule." "This ruling is a major win for the millions of Americans that rely on clean rivers, … Continue Reading
House Committee Chairs Release Statement on GAO Report on Keystone Pipeline Safety Concerns
August 23, 2021Washington, DC - Today, Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Chair of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Frank Pallone Jr. (D-NJ), Chair of the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials Donald M. Payne, Jr. (D-NJ), and Chair of the Subcommittee on Energy Bobby L. Rush (D-IL) released the following statement after the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report that examined the safety performance … Continue Reading
T&I Committee Leaders Ask GAO to Review Delays in Delivery of Critical Additions to Coast Guard Fleet
August 16, 2021WASHINGTON, DC-Today, House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Chair Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Ranking Member Sam Graves (R-MO) asked the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to review the significant delivery delays of the Offshore Patrol and Polar Security Cutters, as well as related budgetary issues. The Offshore Patrol Cutter fleet is the largest vessel procurement the Coast Guard has undertaken, and Polar Security Cutter acquisition is the most complex. In a pair of … Continue Reading
Chair DeFazio Statement on Senate Passage of Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill
August 10, 2021WASHINGTON, DC- Today, Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) issued the following statement after the Senate passed a bipartisan infrastructure bill: "Throughout my career, I have consistently advocated for increased federal investment in America's infrastructure. By investing in our infrastructure, we can create good-paying jobs, support American manufacturing, stop sending jobs to China and strengthen the economy. With today's passage of a … Continue Reading