Press Releases
In the Wake of the Boeing 737 MAX Tragedies, T&I Leaders Applaud House Passage of Bipartisan Legislation to Strengthen FAA’s Certification Process and Improve the Aviation Regulatory System
November 17, 2020The comprehensive bill, which was approved by the full Committee in September, includes nearly 30 provisions to strengthen the aircraft certification process, ensure transparency and accountability, address issues related to pilot training and cockpit automation, and lock in new requirements on the disclosure of safety-critical information Washington, DC - Today, Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Ranking Member Sam Graves (R-MO) … Continue Reading
DeFazio-Led Bill to Reduce Financial Burdens on States and Communities Facing Disasters amid the COVID-19 Pandemic, including Wildfires and Hurricanes, Passes the House
November 17, 2020Washington, DC - Today, Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Representative Mike Thompson (D-CA), Chair of the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management Dina Titus (D-NV), Chair of the House Committee on Appropriations Nita Lowey (D-NY), and Chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA) applauded House passage of H.R. 8266, the FEMA Assistance Relief Act … Continue Reading
Chairs DeFazio and Lipinski Announce Subcommittee Hearing on Examining the Surface Transportation Board’s Role in Ensuring a Robust Passenger Rail System
November 13, 2020Washington, DC- Today, Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Chair of the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials Daniel Lipinski (D-IL) announced the Subcommittee will hold a hearing titled, "Examining the Surface Transportation Board's Role in Ensuring a Robust Passenger Rail System." Members will appear by videoconference or in person in 2167 Rayburn House Office Building. Additional details, including witness … Continue Reading
New GAO Report Reinforces Bipartisan Concerns over Multi-Billion Dollar Coast Guard Shipbuilding Contract
November 12, 2020Washington, DC - The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) has issued a new report that reinforces the bipartisan concerns of Transportation and Infrastructure Committee leaders related to the U.S. Coast Guard's (USCG) $12 billion plan and initial contract to build a new class of cutter, the Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC). GAO undertook the study at the request of the Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Full Committee Ranking Member Sam … Continue Reading
House Committee Chairs Send Dozens of Letters Directing White House and Federal Agencies to Preserve Documents
November 10, 2020Washington, D.C. (Nov. 10, 2020) - Today, Committee Chairs across the House of Representatives sent letters directing the White House and more than 50 federal agencies within their jurisdictions to comply with federal record-keeping laws and preserve information responsive to congressional subpoenas and investigations. "As the Trump Administration prepares for the transition of power to the new Biden Administration, we write to remind you that all Executive Office of the President employees … Continue Reading
After Four Years of Empty Promises from President Trump, Chair DeFazio Looks Forward to a Real ‘Infrastructure Week’ under a Biden Administration
November 08, 2020Springfield, OR - Today, Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) released the following statement: "Despite all his talking and tweeting about investing in our Nation's crumbling infrastructure, President Donald Trump's most significant contribution to the conversation on infrastructure was turning Infrastructure Week into a running joke. As a result, the American people got four years of worsening congestion, increased carbon pollution, and … Continue Reading
Chair DeFazio and Ranking Member Graves Request GAO Study on Safety Implications of Opening Up 5.9 GHz Spectrum Band
October 30, 2020Washington, D.C. - Today, Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Ranking Member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Sam Graves (R-MO) sent a letter to U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) Comptroller General Gene Dodaro requesting the agency conduct a study into the safety implications of sharing more than half of the 5.9 gigahertz (GHz) spectrum band. Currently, the entire 5.9 GHz band is reserved exclusively … Continue Reading
Chairs DeFazio and Napolitano Press Trump EPA on Rollback of Limits on Toxic Wastewater Discharges from Coal Power Plants
October 27, 2020Members to EPA Administrator Wheeler: "Your proposal once again shows that the Trump administration prioritizes polluters over people, needlessly endangering our water sources and human life" Washington, D.C. - 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) sent a letter to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler, a former coal … Continue Reading
Amid Allegations the Trump White House Intervened on CDC’s ‘No Sail Order’ for Cruise Industry, Chair Maloney Expands Records Request to CDC
October 14, 2020Washington, D.C. – The Chair of the House Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY) officially requested additional documents from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) amid new reporting that the Trump administration intervened in a decision on when cruise ships can safely resume sailings. Multiple press reports allege the CDC attempted to extend the ‘No Sail Order’ to February 15, 2021, but following White … Continue Reading
Support Builds for the “Aircraft Certification Reform and Accountability Act”
October 05, 2020The bipartisan legislation, which advanced out of Committee last week, would strengthen the FAA's certification process and improve the regulatory process in the wake of the two deadly Boeing 737 MAX crashes Washington, DC- The list of groups coming out in support of the bipartisan "Aircraft Certification and Accountability Act" continues to grow. The bill, introduced last week by Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Ranking Member Sam Graves … Continue Reading
Chair DeFazio Statement on Bill to Extend Critical Worker Support Program
October 02, 2020Washington, DC- Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) issued the following statement after Republicans blocked H.R. 8504, the Payroll Support Program Extension Act, from moving forward. H.R. 8504 would extend the highly successful Payroll Support program to keep hundreds of thousands of workers employed, with benefits, through March 31, 2021. Bill text can be found here. "Millions of Americans are out of work through no fault of their own, and … Continue Reading
Chairs DeFazio and Larsen to FAA: Before Ungrounding the Boeing 737 MAX, Release Your Documents Regarding Design Changes and Evaluations
October 02, 2020From their letter: “To assure the flying public...the FAA will need to do more than merely certify that the plane is now compliant” Washington, DC- Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Chair of the Subcommittee on Aviation Rick Larsen (D-WA) are calling on the head of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to publicly release all documents related to design revisions or evaluations concerning the return to service of … Continue Reading
Chair DeFazio’s Bill to Curb Sexual Assault and Harassment in Passenger Transportation Clears Full House
October 01, 2020H.R. 5139 addresses incidents on airplanes, commuter and intercity passenger railroads, subways, buses, cruise ships, taxis, and ridesharing vehicles Washington, DC- Today, the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously adopted legislation introduced by Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) that would help track and prevent sexual assault and harassment from occurring in different modes of transportation. H.R. 5139, the "Stop Sexual Assault … Continue Reading
Chairs DeFazio and Napolitano Press Assistant Secretary of the Army for Documents Related to the Trump Administration’s Rollback of Clean Water Protections
October 01, 2020Members to Assistant Secretary James: “The [Trump administration’s] Dirty Water Rule ignores the fact that Americans depend on clean water for our health and the health of our communities and economy. We need clean water upstream to have healthy communities downstream” Washington, D.C. – 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. … Continue Reading
T&I Committee Advances Several Bills During Full Committee Markup, Including Bipartisan Legislation to Strengthen Aviation Safety
September 30, 2020Washington, DC - Today, the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure approved a slate of bipartisan measures during a Full Committee markup, including legislation to strengthen the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) certification process and ease financial burdens on states and local governments during emergencies and major disasters. “For the past 18 months, the Boeing 737 MAX has been synonymous with the tragic loss of 346 innocent people, a broken safety … Continue Reading
Opening Statements from Chairs DeFazio and Larsen During Full T&I Committee Markup that Includes Bipartisan Legislation to Strengthen Aviation Safety Following Two Deadly Crashes Involving the Boeing 737 MAX
September 30, 2020The "Aircraft Certification Reform and Accountability Act" addresses recommendations included in the Committee's 238-page report, prepared by Majority Staff, that lays out the serious flaws and missteps in the design, development, and certification of the Boeing 737 MAX Washington, 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 … Continue Reading
Chair DeFazio Applauds Inclusion of T&I Provisions, Including Payroll Support Program Extension, in House Democrats’ Latest COVID-19 Relief Package
September 29, 2020Washington, DC – Today, Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) applauded the House Democrats’ newly-released COVID-19 relief package for including multiple provisions offered by the Committee, including critical relief for aviation workers. The relief package also includes much-needed aid to sustain public transit, Amtrak, and airports, all of which have seen passenger traffic drop precipitously amid the COVID-19 … Continue Reading
T&I Leaders Unveil Bipartisan Legislation to Strengthen FAA’s Certification Process and Improve the Regulatory System
September 28, 2020The comprehensive bill, which includes nearly 30 different sections, locks in new requirements on the disclosure of safety-critical information, increases civil penalties for violations, provides resources to FAA to recruit and retain highly-qualified staff, strengthens whistleblower protections, requires focused reviews of pilot training standards, and more Bill Text| Section-by-Section Washington, DC- Today, Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio … Continue Reading
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee to hold Markup
September 28, 2020Washington, DC- The House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure will hold a Full Committee markup Wednesday, September 30, at 10:00AM EDT to consider the following measures: H.R.____ (introduction pending), Aircraft Certification Reform and Accountability Act Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute (ANS) to H.R. 8266, FEMA Assistance Relief Act of 2020 Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute (ANS) to H.R. 4358, Preliminary Damage Assessment Improvement Act of 2019 H.R. 8326, CED … Continue Reading
Opening Remarks from Chairs DeFazio and Napolitano and Vice Chair Mucarsel-Powell During Subcommittee Hearing on the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan and Water Management in Florida
September 24, 2020Washington, 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), Chair of the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment Grace F. Napolitano (D-CA), and Vice Chair of the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (D-FL) during today's hearing titled, "The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan and Water Management in Florida." Chair DeFazio: Thank … Continue Reading