Press Releases
Ranking Member DeFazio's Opening Statement on T&I Hearing:" Improving the Safety and Reliability of the Washington Metro"
May 24, 2016Statement of The Honorable Peter A. DeFazio Subcommittee on Highways and TransitHearing on "Improving the Safety and Reliability of the Washington Metro" May, 24, 2016 Today, we are examining the consequences of a failing public transportation infrastructure system in our nation's capital region. There are multiple reasons for this failure, but the single most important reason is our lack of commitment nationwide to rebuilding our infrastructure. We patch, we fill cracks, we … Continue Reading
Rep. Grace Napolitano's statement on H.R. 876, the Zika Vector Control Act
May 24, 2016Statement of The Honorable Grace F. Napolitano, Ranking Member Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment On H.R. 897, the Zika Vector Control Act May 24, 2016 Mr. Speaker, I rise, again, in strong opposition to H.R. 897. To be clear, H.R. 897 was not created to respond to the Zika. Up until two weeks ago, this so-called "Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act," was drafted to relax our laws protecting public health to reduce the paperwork burdens on commercial pesticide … Continue Reading
Ranking Member Carson's opening statement at hearing: “Border Station Construction: Minimizing Costs and Leveraging Private Dollars"
May 18, 2016Statement of the Honorable Andrè Carson Ranking Member , Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee "Border Station Construction: Minimizing Costs and Leveraging Private Dollars" May 18, 2016 Good morning. I'd like to thank Chairman Barletta for holding this important hearing. I'd also like to welcome each of our witnesses. The General Services Administration (GSA) … Continue Reading
DeFazio Blasts Republicans For Using Zika Crisis to Gut Clean Water Act
May 16, 2016Washington, D.C. - Today, Representative Peter DeFazio (D-OR) blasted House Republican leadership for attempting to pass legislation that exempts commercial pesticide application from Clean Water Act regulation under the guise of protecting public health from the threat of the Zika virus. The legislation, renamed last week the "Zika Vector Control Act" (H.R. 897), does not actually mention Zika in the legislative text and was first introduced in 2009. The fast-tracked legislation required a … Continue Reading
Ranking Member Carson's opening statement at hearing: “Controlling the Rising Cost of Federal Response to Disaster”
May 12, 2016Statement of The Honorable André Carson, Ranking Member Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure "Controlling the Rising Cost of Federal Response to Disaster" May 12, 2016 Good morning and welcome to today's hearing. While we have several prominent witnesses today, I would especially like to welcome Mr. Kevin Mickey from the great Hoosier State. Mr. Mickey is the Director … Continue Reading
Bipartisan Bill Introduced to Stop Short-Sighted DOT Decision to Allow Norwegian Air Operations in the U.S.
April 27, 2016Washington, D.C. - Today, Representatives Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ), Rick Larsen (D-WA), and Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA), introduced H.R. 5090, legislation that would prevent the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) from permitting a foreign air carrier to operate between European countries and the United States unless the carrier complies with basic, fair U.S. or European Union labor standards. The legislation was introduced in response to the DOT's tentative decision to … Continue Reading
Top Transportation Committee Leaders Urge DOT to Deny Norwegian Air Permit to Operate In United States
April 26, 2016Washington, D.C. - Today, Representatives Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ), and Rick Larsen (D-WA) sent a letter to the Secretary of the Department of Transportation (DOT) urging him to deny Norwegian Air International (NAI) a permit to operate in the United States in violation of our Open Skies Agreement with Norway and the European Union. "Norwegian Air's overt practice of labor forum-shopping gives it an unfair competitive advantage in the transatlantic market. U.S. and other … Continue Reading
S. 2276, the PIPES Act of 2016
April 19, 2016S,2276, THE "PROTECTING OUR INFRASTRUCTURE OF PIPELINES AND ENHANCING SAFETY ACT OF 2016" PIPES Act Short Summary PIPES Act, Section by Section PIPES Act, Fact … Continue Reading
Democrats Introduce Legislation to Help Communities Fund Clean Water Infrastructure Projects
April 14, 2016Washington, D.C. - Today, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment Grace Napolitano (D-CA) introduced legislation that will help communities finance critical clean water infrastructure projects. The "Water Quality Protection and Job Creation Act of 2016", would invest $20 billion over five years in wastewater infrastructure through the Clean Water State Revolving … Continue Reading
RANKING MEMBER ANDRÈ CARSON OPENING STATEMENT: “BLACKOUT! ARE WE PREPARED TO MANAGE THE AFTERMATH OF A CYBER-ATTACK
April 14, 2016Statement of the honorable Andrè Carson Ranking Member, Subcommittee on economic development, public buildings and emergency management house transportation and infrastructure committee "Blackout! Are We Prepared to Manage the Aftermath of a Cyber-Attack or Other Failure of the Electrical Grid?" April 14, 2016 Good morning. I want to thank Chairman Barletta for scheduling today's hearing and join him in welcoming today's witnesses. The electrical grid is … Continue Reading
DeFazio Fights Proposals That Would Significantly Delay Amtrak Train Travel in Oregon
April 12, 2016Washington, D.C. - Today, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) urged the Surface Transportation Board (STB) to reconsider two proposals that would significantly delay Amtrak train travel throughout Oregon and the United States. The STB recently proposed that freight railroads, not passenger rail service, should have priority on shared rail lines across the United States. This proposal ignores a federal law that clearly states Amtrak … Continue Reading
Ranking Member DeFazio and Congressman Cohen Seek Answers to TVA Pension Cuts
April 11, 2016[WASHINGTON, DC] - Congressman Peter DeFazio (OR-04), Ranking Member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, today sent a letter to Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) President and CEO Bill Johnson seeking answers to questions regarding TVA's historical contributions to its pension system, the pending TVA Retirement System modifications, and the impact that these changes would … Continue Reading
96 Democrats Request Increased Funding to Protect Drinking Water, Repair Failing Water Infrastructure
March 14, 2016Washington, D.C. - Today, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Ranking Member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) led nearly 100 Democrats on a letter sent to the House Appropriations Committee, requesting critical funding to protect drinking water and repair failing water infrastructure systems. The letter requests that the fiscal year 2017 Interior Appropriations bill includes a minimum of $2 … Continue Reading
Top Democrats Push to Hold Enbridge Responsible For Environmentally Disastrous Oil Spill
March 09, 2016Washington, D.C. - This week, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials Michael Capuano (D-MA) strongly urged the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to assess the highest possible penalty on Enbridge Incorporated for a massive 2010 oil spill that destroyed local communities, critical watersheds, and local wildlife. … Continue Reading
CBO: Air Traffic Control Privatization Plan Would Increase Deficit by $20 Billion
March 08, 2016Washington, D.C. - Today, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released its cost estimate of H.R. 4441, the "Aviation Innovation, Reform, and Reauthorization Act of 2016" (AIRR Act). It determined that the Republican plan to privatize the United States air traffic control (ATC) system would increase the deficit by nearly $20 billion over ten years. "Today, the Congressional Budget Office landed yet another blow to the flawed Republican plan to privatize our nation's air traffic … Continue Reading
Rep. Carson's Opening Statement: “Saving Taxpayer Dollars by Reducing Federal Office Space Costs”
March 01, 2016Statement of the honorable Andrè Carson Ranking Member , Subcommittee on economic development, public buildings and emergency management house transportation and infrastructure committee "Saving Taxpayer Dollars by Reducing Federal Office Space Costs" March 1, 2016 Welcome to today's hearing. I am pleased to see Minority Whip Hoyer at the witness table testifying on behalf of his constituents in Maryland. As the federal government's landlord, the General … Continue Reading
Rep. Napolitano's Opening Statement: “A Review of United States Army Corps of Engineers Reports to Congress on Future Water Resources Development and Chief’s Reports"
February 24, 2016Opening Statement The Honorable Grace F. Napolitano, Ranking Member Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment Hearing on "A Review of United States Army Corps of Engineers Reports to Congress on Future Water Resources Development and Chief's Reports" February 24, 2016 I would welcome our two witnesses to this hearing - the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, the Honorable Jo-Ellen Darcy, and the Chief of Engineers, Lieutenant General Bostick. They … Continue Reading
Larsen Opening Statement: “Review of ATC Reform Proposals”
February 10, 2016WASHINGTON, D.C.- Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02, the Ranking Member of the Aviation Subcommittee, delivered the following statement at the House Transportation and Infrastructure Aviation Subcommittee's hearing, "Review of ATC Reform Proposals." The remarks are as prepared for delivery. Mr. Chairman, thank you for agreeing to hold this hearing and for the opportunity to discuss your legislative proposal to privatize our nation's air traffic control (ATC) system. But before we talk … Continue Reading
DeFazio, Larsen Question Republican Plan To Privatize Critical Air Traffic Control Operations
February 09, 2016Washington, D.C. - Today, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Aviation Rick Larsen (D-WA) questioned a Republican plan that would completely dismantle the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and devolve Federal responsibility for the air traffic control system by handing it over to a private, not-for-profit board of industry interests and businesses. "We have invested tens of billions of … Continue Reading
GAO Report Confirms Air Traffic Control Privatization is High Risk
February 09, 2016Washington, D.C. - Today, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Aviation Rick Larsen (D-WA) responded to a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report that confirmed that a Republican proposal to privatize air traffic control operations would be a high-risk gamble. The report was released on the same day as a hearing on the controversial ATC privatization proposal. "This GAO report … Continue Reading