Press Releases
Ranking Member Larsen, T&I Member Pappas Applaud EPA for Announcing Plan to Address “Forever Chemicals”
January 20, 2023Washington, D.C. - Ranking Member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Rick Larsen (D-WA) and Representative Chris Pappas (D-NH) applaud the Environmental Protection Agency for releasing the Effluent Guidelines Program Plan 15 (Plan 15), which will help protect the nation's waterways from "forever chemicals" such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Specifically, Plan 15 lays out how the agency will develop technology-based pollution limits to stop these … Continue Reading
Chairman Sam Graves & Ranking Member Rick Larsen Promise Vigorous Oversight of DOT Plans to Prevent Another FAA System Failure
January 13, 2023Washington, D.C. - Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO), the Committee's Ranking Member Rick Larsen (D-WA), and 120 other Members of Congress today wrote Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg seeking answers about this week's meltdown of a key aviation safety notification system. The Members wrote, "Over the past year, there have been a series of flight delays and mass cancellations that have caused considerable harm to passengers. While not … Continue Reading
ICYMI: In Interviews, Larsen Addresses FAA NOTAM System Outage and Flight Cancellations
January 11, 2023“This is a major disruption to the traveling public” Ranking Member Larsen joins CNN’s Kaitlan Collins to discuss preventing a future FAA system outage Washington, D.C. — Today, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Rick Larsen (D-WA), joined Kaitlan Collins on CNN’s This Morning and Hallie Jackson on MSNBC’s Hallie Jackson Reports to address the disruption to the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) … Continue Reading
Ranking Member Larsen Statement on FAA System Outage
January 11, 2023Washington, D.C. - Ranking Member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Rick Larsen (D-WA) issued the following statement after the Federal Aviation Administration announced a disruption to the Notice to Air Missions system halting all domestic flights until 9 a.m. Eastern time on January 11, 2023. "This morning, the Federal Aviation Administration issued an order pausing all domestic flight traffic due to a disruption to their Notice to Air Missions system," Ranking … Continue Reading
Ranking Member Rick Larsen Congratulates Rep. Sam Graves on Becoming Chair of the T&I Committee
January 10, 2023Washington, DC - Ranking Member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Rick Larsen (D-WA), released the following statement after Rep. Sam Graves (R-MO) was selected as Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure for the 118th Congress: "Sam Graves and I came to Congress in the same class twenty-two years ago, and now I offer my congratulations to him on becoming the 20th Chair of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee," Ranking Member Larsen … Continue Reading
Ranking Member Larsen and 25 T&I Members Urge Secretary Buttigieg to Hold Airlines Accountable for Mass Holiday Cancellations
January 05, 2023Washington, D.C. - Today, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Rick Larsen (D-WA) and 25 colleagues sent a letter to the Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg expressing their concerns regarding the growing problem of mass flight cancellations and urging the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to hold airlines accountable. The members pointed to the failures of Southwest Airlines in particular, which had 16,000 flight cancellations this past … Continue Reading
Chair DeFazio Applauds Biden Administration for Restoring the Rule of Law to Protect Clean Water
December 30, 2022Washington, DC - Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) released the following statement after the Biden Administration announced its final rule defining the Waters of the Unites States (WOTUS), which would formally remove the illegal Trump-era Dirty Water Rule from federal regulations and replace it with familiar, bipartisan regulations that have dictated the protection of clean water for decades. "Stewarding our nation's lakes, rivers, … Continue Reading
Chairs DeFazio, Carbajal Applaud President Biden for Signing the Coast Guard Authorization Act and Safer Seas Act Into Law
December 23, 2022Washington, 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) released the following statements after President Biden signed the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 into law, which included the Don Young Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2022 and the Safer Seas Act of 2022: "I thank President Biden for signing the Don … Continue Reading
Chairs DeFazio, Napolitano Celebrate President Biden Signing WRDA 2022 into Law
December 23, 2022Washington, 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 President Biden signed the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 into law, which included the Water Resources Development Act of 2022: "I applaud President Biden for signing the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2022 … Continue Reading
Chairs DeFazio, Napolitano Applaud President Biden for Signing Clean Water Programs in the NDAA Into Law
December 23, 2022Washington, 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) applaud President Biden for signing clean water programs included in the National Defense Authorization Act of 2022 into law. The programs will help support restoration efforts at San Francisco Bay, California; Puget Sound, Washington; and the Lake Pontchartrain Basin in Louisiana and Mississippi; … Continue Reading
Chair DeFazio Congratulates Rep. Larsen on Becoming Ranking Member of the T&I Committee
December 22, 2022Washington, DC - Today, Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) released the following statement after Rep. Rick Larsen (D-WA) was selected as Ranking Member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure for the 118th Congress:"After eight years of leading the Democratic members of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I proudly pass the baton to my colleague and friend, Representative Rick Larsen, who has been an … Continue Reading
Congress Passes the Don Young Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2022 as Part of the NDAA
December 15, 2022Washington D.C. Today, leaders of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure applauded final passage of the Don Young Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2022 as part of the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023. The bill was named in honor of Rep. Don Young, Chair of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure from 2001 to 2007, and a longtime member of the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation before sadly passing away in … Continue Reading
House Passes T&I Legislation, Including Bill to Improve Ridesharing Safety
December 14, 2022Washington, DC- Today, Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) applauded the House passage of three bills under the jurisdiction of the committee, including a bill to strengthen ridesharing safety. "I applaud the House for passing three bipartisan Transportation and Infrastructure Committee bills this week," Chair DeFazio said. "In particular, I'm pleased to see the House pass H.R. 1082, Sami's Law, which will honor the life of Sami Josephson, … Continue Reading
Chairs DeFazio, Carbajal Statements from Hearing on U.S. Coast Guard’s Arctic Strategy
December 07, 2022Washington, 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 Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Salud Carbajal (D-CA) during today's hearing titled, "U.S. Coast Guard's Leadership on Arctic Safety, Security, and Environmental Responsibility." Video of DeFazio and Carbajal's opening statements can be found here and here. More information on … Continue Reading
DeFazio, Carper, Capito, and Graves Announce Negotiated Water Resources Development Act of 2022
December 06, 2022WASHINGTON, D.C. - Representative Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.), Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I), U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW), Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Ranking Member of the EPW Committee, and Representative Sam Graves (R-Mo.), Ranking Member of the T&I Committee, today announced a final agreement on the Water Resources Development Act of 2022 (WRDA 2022). The … Continue Reading
Chairs DeFazio, Carbajal Announce Hearing on U.S. Coast Guard’s Arctic Strategy
December 02, 2022Washington, 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, "U.S. Coast Guard's Leadership on Arctic Safety, Security, and Environmental Responsibility." The purpose of this hearing is to examine the implementation of the U.S. Coast Guard's Arctic Strategy. More information about the hearing, … Continue Reading
Chairs DeFazio and Payne, Jr. Commend House Vote to Avert a Catastrophic Rail Shutdown
November 30, 2022Washington, D.C. - 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 Donald M. Payne, Jr. (D-NJ) issued the following statements after the House passed H.J. Res. 100 to impose the Railway Labor Tentative Agreement and also voted to add seven days of sick leave for railroaders to the agreement. "I commend the House for making the difficult choice today to pass H.J. Res. … Continue Reading
Chairs DeFazio and Payne, Jr. Statements on Legislation to Prevent a Catastrophic Railroad Shutdown
November 30, 2022Washington, D.C. - 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 Donald M. Payne, Jr. (D-NJ) issued the following statements during House Floor debate on H.J. Res. 100, imposing the Railway Labor Tentative Agreements: Chair DeFazio: We're here today to end three years of contract negotiations between the freight railroads and their workforce. For three years, more … Continue Reading
Chairs DeFazio, Larsen Express Concern Over Remote Airline Dispatching, Demand Answers from FAA on Extensions of Pandemic-era Policy
November 29, 2022Washington, 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) sent a letter to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Acting Administrator Nolen expressing their concern over the FAA's decision to allow certain airline dispatchers to continue to work remotely. "Together with air traffic controllers, airline pilots, and other aviation safety professionals, dispatchers maintain the safe … Continue Reading
House Passes The “Disaster Survivors Fairness Act”—Legislation to Streamline Access to Relief for Victims of Disasters
November 17, 2022Washington, 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) applauded House passage of the Disaster Survivors Fairness Act, legislation approved by the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee to ease survivor's access to federal relief in the wake of disasters. The House also approved the FEMA Improvement, Reform, and … Continue Reading