Chair DeFazio and Ranking Member Graves Request GAO Study on Safety Implications of Opening Up 5.9 GHz Spectrum Band
Washington, 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
October 27, 2020
Chairs DeFazio and Napolitano Press Trump EPA on Rollback of Limits on Toxic Wastewater Discharges from Coal Power Plants
Members 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
October 14, 2020
Amid Allegations the Trump White House Intervened on CDC’s ‘No Sail Order’ for Cruise Industry, Chair Maloney Expands Records Request to CDC
Washington, 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
October 05, 2020
Support Builds for the “Aircraft Certification Reform and Accountability Act”
The 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
October 02, 2020
Chair DeFazio Statement on Bill to Extend Critical Worker Support Program
Washington, 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
October 02, 2020
Chairs DeFazio and Larsen to FAA: Before Ungrounding the Boeing 737 MAX, Release Your Documents Regarding Design Changes and Evaluations
From 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
October 01, 2020
Chair DeFazio’s Bill to Curb Sexual Assault and Harassment in Passenger Transportation Clears Full House
H.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
October 01, 2020
Chairs DeFazio and Napolitano Press Assistant Secretary of the Army for Documents Related to the Trump Administration’s Rollback of Clean Water Protections
Members 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
September 30, 2020
T&I Committee Advances Several Bills During Full Committee Markup, Including Bipartisan Legislation to Strengthen Aviation Safety
Washington, 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
September 30, 2020
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
The "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
September 29, 2020
Chair DeFazio Applauds Inclusion of T&I Provisions, Including Payroll Support Program Extension, in House Democrats’ Latest COVID-19 Relief Package
Washington, 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
September 28, 2020
T&I Leaders Unveil Bipartisan Legislation to Strengthen FAA’s Certification Process and Improve the Regulatory System
The 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
September 28, 2020
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee to hold Markup
Washington, 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
September 24, 2020
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
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), 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
September 23, 2020
Opening Statements from Chairs DeFazio, Norton and Larsen from Hearing on the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program
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), Chair of the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), and Chair of the Subcommittee on Aviation Rick Larsen (D-WA) during today's hearing titled: "Driving Equity: The U.S. Department of Transportation's Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program." Chair DeFazio: Today's hearing is focused on the … Continue Reading
September 21, 2020
Chair DeFazio and Ranking Member Graves Issue Statements on One-Year Surface Transportation Extension included in CR
Washington, D.C. - 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 Congressional leaders unveiled a Continuing Resolution (CR) for FY2021, which includes a one-year extension of current surface transportation authorization funding levels: "While we had hoped to reach an agreement between the House and the Senate this year on a modern, multi-year surface transportation … Continue Reading
September 18, 2020
Chairs DeFazio and Larsen: Newly Released Office of Inspector General Report Highlights Serious Concerns About Current Airplane Evacuation Standards
According to the OIG report, the most recent update to FAA standards was based on an accident that occurred nearly 30 years ago Washington, D.C. - Today, Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Chair of the Aviation Subcommittee Rick Larsen (D-WA) called attention to a new audit from the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General (OIG), which examined whether the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is effectively ensuring … Continue Reading
September 18, 2020
Chairs DeFazio and Napolitano Announce Subcommittee Hearing on the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan and Water Management in Florida
Washington, DC- Today, Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Chair of the Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee Grace Napolitano (D-CA) announced that the Subcommittee will hold a hearing titled, "The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan and Water Management in Florida." Members will appear by videoconference or in person in 2167 Rayburn House Office Building. Additional details, including witness lists, can be found here once … Continue Reading
September 18, 2020
Chair DeFazio Announces Hearing on the U.S. DOT’s Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program
Washington, DC- Today, Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) announced a Full Committee hearing titled, "Driving Equity: The U.S. Department of Transportation's Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program." Members will appear by videoconference or in person in 2167 Rayburn House Office Building. Additional details, including witness lists, can be found here once available. The hearing will be livestreamed through the House Transportation and … Continue Reading
September 16, 2020
After 18-Month Investigation, Chairs DeFazio and Larsen Release Final Committee Report on Boeing 737 MAX
From the Report: "The MAX crashes were… a horrific culmination of a series of faulty technical assumptions by Boeing's engineers, a lack of transparency on the part of Boeing's management, and grossly insufficient oversight by the FAA" Washington, D.C. - 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) released the Committee's final report on the Boeing 737 MAX. This report, … Continue Reading