Press Releases
DeFazio Urges DOT to Use $911 Million of Unused Highway Emergency Relief Funds
October 30, 2017DeFazio Urges DOT to Use $911 Million of Unused Highway Emergency Relief Funds Will Reduce Backlog of $1.76 Billion in Pending Emergency Relief Requests Washington, D.C. -- Today, the Ranking Democrat of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) sent a letter to Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao urging immediate action to address the backlog under the Federal-aid Highway Emergency Relief (ER) program. Currently, the U.S. Department of … Continue Reading
CRS: ATC PRIVATIZATION TRIGGERS BUDGET SEQUESTRATION
October 29, 2017CRS: ATC PRIVATIZATION TRIGGERS BUDGET SEQUESTRATION AIRR Act causes across-the-board cuts to Medicare, Military Retirement Fund payments, FEMA Flood Insurance, and more Washington, D.C.—Today, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Aviation Rick Larsen (D-WA) publicly released a written memorandum from the non-partisan Congressional Research Service (CRS) that states a … Continue Reading
Top Democrats Demand IG Investigation into Whitefish Energy No-Bid Contract in Puerto Rico
October 27, 2017Top Democrats Demand IG Investigation into Whitefish Energy No-Bid Contract in Puerto Rico Washington, 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 Natural Resources Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ) sent a letter to U.S. Department of Homeland Security Inspector General (IG) John Roth requesting a comprehensive audit and investigation of a $300 million no-bid contract between the Puerto Rico … Continue Reading
DeFazio to Chao: It’s Time DOT Increases Transparency in Air Travel Fees
October 25, 2017DeFazio to Chao: It’s Time DOT Increases Transparency in Air Travel Fees Washington, D.C.—Today, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) sent a letter to Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao urging for more transparency in the cost of U.S. air travel. In 2016, U.S. airlines took home $7.1 billion from baggage and change or cancellation fees alone. However, due to airlines’ inconsistent fee revenue reporting practices and U.S. … Continue Reading
DeFazio Blasts DOT for Jeopardizing Aviation Safety, Replacing FAA with PHMSA on International Aviation Safety Board
October 19, 2017DeFazio Blasts DOT for Jeopardizing Aviation Safety, Replacing FAA with PHMSA on International Aviation Safety Board Washington, D.C. -- Today, the Ranking Democrat on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) sent a letter to Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao, blasting her for a decision to replace the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) with the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) as the U.S. Department of … Continue Reading
ICYMI: Sully Makes the Case Against ATC Privatization
October 19, 2017ICYMI: Sully Makes the Case Against ATC Privatization Washington, DC- Captain Chelsey (“Sully”) Sullenberger, best known as the pilot of the “Miracle on the Hudson”, made a strong case against H.R. 2997, the “21st Century AIRR Act”, which includes a controversial plan to privatize the Nation’s air traffic control system and hand control of our public airspace to major U.S. airlines. In an opinion editorial in USA Today, he writes, “The airlines, as a business, have their own agenda, but it … Continue Reading
Top Committee Democrats Request GAO Inquiry into EPA’s Misuse of Taxpayer Dollars to Undermine Clean Water Rule
October 12, 2017Top Committee Democrats Request GAO Inquiry into EPA’s Misuse of Taxpayer Dollars to Undermine Clean Water Rule Washington, D.C. - Today, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Betty McCollum (D-MN), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), and Ranking Member of the House Committee on … Continue Reading
DeFazio: Let’s Stop Talking and Start Investing, It’s Time for This Committee To Take the Lead on Infrastructure
October 11, 2017DeFazio: Let’s Stop Talking and Start Investing, It’s Time for This Committee To Take the Lead on Infrastructure In a hearing, DeFazio blasts Republicans for gutting transportation funds by $254 billion Washington, D.C. -- Today, the Ranking Democrat of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Peter DeFazio (D-OR), delivered a fiery statement at a hearing of the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit titled “Building a 21st Century Infrastructure for … Continue Reading
Top Democrats Urge Immediate DOT Action on Drug Testing for Opioids
October 10, 2017Top Democrats Urge Immediate DOT Action on Drug Testing for Opioids Trump Administration has failed to add opioids to drug-testing panel for certain transportation workers Washington, D.C. -- Today, the Ranking Democrats on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure sent a letter to Secretary of the Department of Transportation (DOT) Elaine Chao urging immediate action on a stalled rulemaking that would add four prescription opioids to the drug-testing for safety-sensitive … Continue Reading
ICYMI: Garmin CEO Makes the Case Against ATC Privatization
October 04, 2017ICYMI: Garmin CEO Makes the Case Against ATC Privatization Washington, DC- Cliff Pemble, who has served as the president and CEO of avionics and GPS manufacturer Garmin Ltd. since January 2013, makes a strong case against H.R. 2997, the “21st Century AIRR Act”, which includes a controversial plan to privatize the Nation’s air traffic control system and hand control of our public airspace to major U.S. airlines. In an opinion editorial in The Hill newspaper, Pemble writes, “Dismantling our … Continue Reading
Top Democrats Request IG Investigation of EPA Administrator Pruitt’s Wasteful Spending
October 03, 2017For Immediate Release: October 4, 2017 Contact:Jen Adler (DeFazio), 202-225-4472 Washington, D.C. -- Today, House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Ranking Member Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Water Resources and the Environment Grace Napolitano (D-CA) sent a letter to the Inspector General of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Arthur A. Elkins, Jr. requesting an immediate investigation into the potential waste or abuse of … Continue Reading
DeFazio, Larsen Respond to House Passage of a Six-Month FAA Extension
September 28, 2017DeFazio, Larsen Respond to House Passage of a Six-Month FAA Extension Washington, D.C. - Today, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Aviation Rick Larsen (D-WA) reacted after the U.S. House of Representatives passed a short-term, six-month Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) extension. “Here we are again. Yet another short-term extension to keep the lights on at the FAA while … Continue Reading
DeFazio Responds to Final Passage of a Six-Month FAA Extension
September 28, 2017DeFazio Responds to Final Passage of a Six-Month FAA Extension Washington, D.C. - Today, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) reacted after the final passage of a short-term, six-month Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) extension. “While I'm glad the House has accepted the Senate changes to the FAA Extension and the FAA will not shut down, we should not be in this situation. This is the fourth short-term FAA extension Congress … Continue Reading
GAO Report Finds FAA’s Implementation of NextGen is On Budget, ATC Privatization May Jeopardize Modernization Efforts
September 07, 2017GAO Report Finds FAA’s Implementation of NextGen is On Budget, ATC Privatization May Jeopardize Modernization Efforts Washington, D.C. -Today, Ranking Member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Aviation Rick Larsen (D-WA) reacted to a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report finding the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) work to modernize the Nation’s aviation infrastructure and air traffic control … Continue Reading
Top Committee Democrats Request CBO Score of Revised AIRR Act
August 07, 2017Top Committee Democrats Request CBO Score of Revised AIRR Act Significant changes made to Rules Print will add tens of billions to the cost of the bill Washington, D.C. -Today, Ranking Members of four United States House of Representatives Committees sent a letter to Keith Hall, Director of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), requesting a revised cost estimate for H.R. 2997, the “21st Century AIRR Act”, as posted by the Committee on Rules. The letter was signed by Ranking Member of … Continue Reading
Top Transportation and Appropriations Democrats Request Investigation Into Improper DOT Lobbying
August 02, 2017Top Transportation and Appropriations Democrats Request Investigation Into Improper DOT Lobbying DOT lobbied stakeholders to support air traffic control privatization plan Washington, D.C. -Today, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Appropriations Nita Lowey (D-NY), and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development David Price (D-NC), sent a … Continue Reading
Transportation Democrats Urge Secretary Chao to Reconsider Controversial Changes to INFRA Grant Program
July 27, 2017Transportation Democrats Urge Secretary Chao to Reconsider Controversial Changes to INFRA Grant Program Washington, D.C. -Today, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on the Highways and Transit Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) led a letter to Secretary of the Department of Transportation (DOT) Elaine Chao urging DOT to reconsider changes made to the Nationally Significant Freight and Highway … Continue Reading
CRS Finds Air Traffic Control Privatization Plan Likely Violates U.S. Constitution
July 25, 2017CRS Finds Air Traffic Control Privatization Plan Likely Violates U.S. Constitution Washington, D.C. -Today, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) released a 36-page constitutional analysis from the non-partisan Congressional Research Service (CRS) that found a controversial plan to privatize air traffic control likely violates the Constitution. DeFazio also sent a letter with Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Aviation Rick … Continue Reading
DeFazio Presses GSA Administrator Over Trump Conflicts of Interest, Failure to Respond to Oversight
July 12, 2017DeFazio Presses GSA Administrator Over Trump Conflicts of Interest, Failure to Respond to Oversight Committee Democrats release a report detailing major conflicts of interest; introduce Resolution to force GSA to respond to oversight request Washington, D.C. - Today, House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Ranking Member Peter DeFazio (D-OR) repeatedly asked Acting Administrator of the General Services Administration (GSA) Timothy Horne to answer questions about the … Continue Reading
DeFazio Makes the Case Against Air Traffic Control Privatization
June 27, 2017ICYMI: DeFazio Makes the Case Against Air Traffic Control Privatization In case you missed it, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) delivered the following remarks at the June 27, 2017 markup of H.R. 2997, the “21st Century AIRR Act”. A video of his remarks can be found here. Remarks as prepared for delivery are below. Slideshow referenced in the statement is attached to the email. Privatization background prepared by … Continue Reading