Press Releases
As the FAA Works to Finalize New Rule to Streamline Commercial Space Transportation Regulations, Committee Leaders Urge the Agency to Maintain Airspace Safety, and Efficiency, and Aerospace Leadership
November 22, 2019Washington, DC- Today, Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Ranking Member Sam Graves (R-MO), Chair of the Subcommittee on Aviation Rick Larsen (D-WA), and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Aviation Garret Graves (R-LA) sent a letter to the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Stephen Dickson regarding the FAA's ongoing rulemaking to streamline current regulations to further … Continue Reading
Chair DeFazio Rails Against FCC Plans to Sell Off Spectrum to Commercial Interests at Expense of Transportation Safety
November 22, 2019Washington, D.C. - Chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) sent a letter to the Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Ajit Pai to express serious concern over the FCC's plans to sell off part of the 3.7-4.2 GHZ spectrum band and open the 5.9 GHz spectrum band to commercial and private interests. These decisions were made despite the objections of the aviation community, safety advocates, the U.S. Department of Transportation, … Continue Reading
Chair DeFazio Questions Army Corps Review of Pebble Mine Permit, Urges Corps to Revisit Environmental Impact Statement
November 21, 2019Washington, D.C. -Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) sent a letter to Lieutenant General Todd T. Semonite of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), expressing his concerns with the Corps' review of the Clean Water Act Permit for the development of an open pit mine to be constructed in the Bristol Bay watershed, Alaska. "Based on my review of the process undertaken by the Corps, thus far, as well as the testimony received before a hearing … Continue Reading
Citing Recent Incidents, Chair DeFazio Calls for Audit of FAA’s Ability to Oversee Aircraft Repair Stations Across the U.S.
November 20, 2019Washington, DC- Today, Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) called on the U.S. Department of Transportation's Inspector General to audit the effectiveness of the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) oversight of aeronautical repair stations. Air carriers are increasingly outsourcing maintenance work to the estimated 4,000 repair stations across the U.S., but with just over 700 FAA inspectors with dedicated responsibility for overseeing those … Continue Reading
Committee Approves Slate of Legislation to Reauthorize Pipeline Safety Programs, Create Transparency in GSA Leases, Prevent Sexual Assault and Harassment in Transportation, and Strengthen FAA Oversight of Foreign Repair Stations
November 20, 2019Washington, DC - Today, the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure approved a slate of measures including the SAFER Pipelines Act, the GSA Lease Transparency Act, the Stop Sexual Assault and Harassment in Transportation Act, and the Safe Aircraft Maintenance Standards Act. "The legislation passed through Committee today represents the kind of critical work to improve safety and improve transparency that T&I is known for getting done," said Transportation and Infrastructure … Continue Reading
Chairs DeFazio, Napolitano Statements from Hearing on Promoting Resiliency Through WRDA 2020
November 19, 2019Washington, 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 Water Resources and Environment Grace F. Napolitano (D-CA) during today's hearing titled: "Concepts for the Next Water Resources Development Act: Promoting Resiliency of our Nation's Water Resources Infrastructure." Chair DeFazio: Today's hearing deals with the resiliency of our water … Continue Reading
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee to hold Markup
November 19, 2019Washington, DC- The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will hold a Full Committee markup this Wednesday, November 20, 2019, at 10:00 am in 2167 Rayburn House Office Building to consider the following measures: H.R.5120, SAFER Pipelines Act of 2019; H.R. 5047, GSA Lease Transparency Act of 2019; H.R. 5139, Stop Sexual Assault and Harassment in Transportation Act; H.R. 5119, Safe Aircraft Maintenance Standards Act; and Approval of an updated Committee roster due to changes on the … Continue Reading
Chair DeFazio Introduces Legislation to Address Sexual Assault and Harassment in Passenger Transportation
November 18, 2019Washington, DC- Today, Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) introduced H.R. 5139 the "Stop Sexual Assault and Harassment in Transportation Act," legislation to help track and prevent sexual assault and harassment from occurring in different modes of transportation. This legislation aims to address incidents of sexual assault and harassment in multiple modes of transportation by requiring certain transportation carriers, including passenger … Continue Reading
Chair DeFazio and Ranking Member Graves Applaud Possible Path Forward on Repealing Rescission
November 18, 2019Washington, DC - Today, Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Ranking Member Sam Graves (R-MO) released the following statements after House lawmakers included a provision that would prevent a $7.6 billion cut to Federal highway funding, known as a rescission, in a stopgap spending bill. The House is expected to take up the bill tomorrow. "Transportation agencies in all 50 states and the District of Columbia are counting on Congress to … Continue Reading
Top House Democrats Urge GAO to Conduct Review After Third Major Keystone Pipeline Spill
November 18, 2019Washington, DC - Today, Chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Frank Pallone Jr. (D-NJ), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials Dan Lipinski (D-IL), and Chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy Bobby L. Rush (D-IL) officially requested the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) conduct a review of the operator of the Keystone Pipeline System as … Continue Reading
Chair DeFazio Statement on GSA’s Failure to Meet Deadline to Fully Comply with Subpoena for Records Related to Trump’s DC Hotel
November 18, 2019Washington, DC - Today, Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) issued the following statement after the General Services Administration (GSA) failed to fully comply with a subpoena regarding the federal lease with the Trump International Hotel in Washington D.C.: "It's highly disappointing, and frankly quite outrageous, that the Congressional committee tasked with conducting oversight of GSA would even have to issue a subpoena for records … Continue Reading
Top House Democrats Urge GAO to Conduct Review After Third Major Keystone Pipeline Spill
November 18, 2019Washington, DC - Today, Chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Frank Pallone Jr. (D-NJ), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials Dan Lipinski (D-IL), and Chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy Bobby L. Rush (D-IL) officially requested the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) conduct a review of the operator of the Keystone Pipeline System as … Continue Reading
Following Recent Hearing on the Boeing 737 MAX, Chair DeFazio Presses Boeing CEO for Additional Information About Decisions on MCAS, Grounding the Aircraft, CEO Pay, Boeing’s Legal Strategy and More
November 15, 2019Washington, DC- Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) has sent a series of follow-up questions to Boeing President and CEO Dennis Muilenburg, who testified before the Committee on Wednesday, October 30, 2019, about the decisions that were made before, during, and after the rollout of the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. The 737 MAX, which went into commercial service two years ago, was involved in two separate crashes within five months of each other in … Continue Reading
Committee Chairs DeFazio and Pallone Unveil Major Pipeline Bill That Will Help Combat Climate Change, Improve Public Safety, and Hold Operators Accountable for Egregious Violations
November 15, 2019Washington, DC - Today, Chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR), and Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Frank Pallone Jr. (D-NJ) introduced the "Safe, Accountable, Fair, and Environmentally Responsible (SAFER) Pipelines Act of 2019." This comprehensive pipeline safety legislation takes numerous steps to improve pipeline safety and address climate change by reducing emissions, preventing pipeline leaks, and holding pipeline … Continue Reading
Chair DeFazio Introduces Legislation to Strengthen Aviation Safety Standards at Foreign Repair Stations
November 15, 2019Washington, D.C. - Today, the Chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) introduced The Safe Aircraft Maintenance Standards Act, legislation that would strengthen the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) oversight of repair stations located outside the United States, particularly at a time when airlines are increasingly relying on outsourced maintenance work. "We're at an unfortunate moment in our aviation system's history where safety … Continue Reading
Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment to Hold Hearing on Promoting Resiliency Through WRDA 2020
November 15, 2019Washington, 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 the Subcommittee will hold a hearing titled, "Concepts for the Next Water Resources Development Act: Promoting Resiliency of our Nation's Water Resources Infrastructure." More information about the hearing, including witness testimony, additional background information, and live … Continue Reading
Chairs DeFazio, Larsen, Vice-Chair Davids Press Airlines on the Mishandling of Mobility Aids for Passengers with Disabilities
November 14, 2019Washington, DC- Yesterday, Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Chair of the Subcommittee on Aviation Rick Larsen (D-WA), and Vice-Chair of the Subcommittee on Aviation Sharice Davids (D-KS) sent a letter to President and CEO of Airlines for America Nicholas Calio, CEO of Delta Air Lines Ed Bastian, and President of the National Air Carriers Association George Novak requesting information on the largest U.S. airlines' current policies, … Continue Reading
Chairs DeFazio, Titus Statements from Hearing on Smithsonian Institution Facilities
November 13, 2019Washington, 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 Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management Dina Titus (D-NV) during today's hearing titled: "Review of Smithsonian Institution Current Facilities and Future Space Needs." Chair DeFazio: Thank you, Chairwoman Titus. Secretary Bunch, thank you for joining us today and … Continue Reading
Chairs DeFazio, Lipinski Statements from Hearing on Amtrak
November 13, 2019Washington, 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 Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials Daniel Lipinski (D-IL) during today's hearing titled: "Amtrak Now and Into the Future." Chair DeFazio: Thank you, Subcommittee Chairman Lipinski and Ranking Member Crawford, for holding this hearing. First, I'd like to welcome Oregon … Continue Reading
Chairs DeFazio, Titus Introduce Bill to Require GSA to Conduct Audits on Its Leases with Private Parties, Including the Lease for Trump’s DC Hotel
November 12, 2019Washington, DC - Today, Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Peter DeFazio (D-OR), and Chair of the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management, Dina Titus (D-NV), introduced new legislation that would require the General Services Administration (GSA) to conduct audits of Federal properties that have been leased to private parties. According to the "GSA Lease Transparency Act of 2019," the first audit would be required within … Continue Reading