Press Releases

January 03, 2018

Top Transportation Democrats Urge President Trump to Immediately Fill Long-Vacant Seats on the Surface Transportation Board

Top Transportation Democrats Urge President Trump to Immediately Fill Long-Vacant Seats on the Surface Transportation Board Washington, D.C. -- Today, 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) sent a letter to President Donald J. Trump, strongly urging him to immediately appoint qualified individuals to fill long-vacant … Continue Reading


January 02, 2018

DeFazio, Capuano Request PTC Status Update from Chao, Plan to Introduce PTC Legislation in January

DeFazio, Capuano Request PTC Status Update from Chao, Plan to Introduce PTC Legislation in January Washington, D.C. - 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) sent a letter to Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao requesting a detailed status update on where the railroads are in fully implementing critical Positive Train … Continue Reading


December 18, 2017

Top Transportation Democrats Push for Stronger Buy America Requirements, Request Copy of Buy America Report

Top Transportation Democrats Push for Stronger Buy America Requirements, Request Copy of Buy America Report Washington, D.C. -- Today, the Ranking Democrats on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure sent a letter to Secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) Wilbur Ross and Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Mick Mulvaney offering their strong support for strengthening Buy America and Buy American laws. In the letter, the Democrats applaud … Continue Reading


December 14, 2017

DeFazio Introduces Legislation to Strengthen Safety of Air Transportation of Lithium Batteries

DeFazio Introduces Legislation to Strengthen Safety of Air Transportation of Lithium Batteries Washington, D.C.—Today, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) introduced H.R. 4643, the Safe Air Transport of Hazardous Materials Act of 2017, legislation that provides the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) with authority to regulate hazardous materials transported onboard aircraft and eliminates barriers to the United States … Continue Reading


November 30, 2017

Committee Approves Disaster Recovery Reform and Human Trafficking Legislation at Markup

This morning, the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approved sweeping FEMA reform legislation, as well as two bills to address human trafficking on the Nation's highways. "This morning's markup demonstrated what our Committee can accomplish through bipartisan consensus," said Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Bill Shuster (R-PA). "We approved significant FEMA reform legislation that shifts our focus to predisaster mitigation in the wake of a historic hurricane … Continue Reading


November 09, 2017

DeFazio Demands PHMSA Implement Long-Delayed Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Mandates

DeFazio Demands PHMSA Implement Long-Delayed Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Mandates Washington, D.C.—Today, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) sent a letter to Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Elaine Chao highlighting PHMSA’s repeated failure to take action on outstanding safety-critical rulemakings. “We cannot afford to wait until another catastrophic accident occurs and lives are lost for PHMSA to take … Continue Reading


November 07, 2017

DeFazio Urges OMB Finalize Life-Saving, Connected Vehicle-to-Vehicle Rulemaking

DeFazio Urges OMB Finalize Life-Saving, Connected Vehicle-to-Vehicle Rulemaking Washington, D.C. -- Today, the Ranking Democrat on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) sent a letter to Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Mick Mulvaney urging him to act on a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to bring connected vehicle technology, known as Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC) to all vehicles. To date, the Trump Administration has … Continue Reading


October 30, 2017

DeFazio Urges DOT to Use $911 Million of Unused Highway Emergency Relief Funds

DeFazio 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


October 29, 2017

CRS: ATC PRIVATIZATION TRIGGERS BUDGET SEQUESTRATION

CRS: 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


October 27, 2017

Top Democrats Demand IG Investigation into Whitefish Energy No-Bid Contract in Puerto Rico

Top 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


October 25, 2017

DeFazio to Chao: It’s Time DOT Increases Transparency in Air Travel Fees

DeFazio 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


October 19, 2017

DeFazio Blasts DOT for Jeopardizing Aviation Safety, Replacing FAA with PHMSA on International Aviation Safety Board

DeFazio 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


October 19, 2017

ICYMI: Sully Makes the Case Against ATC Privatization

ICYMI: 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


October 12, 2017

Top Committee Democrats Request GAO Inquiry into EPA’s Misuse of Taxpayer Dollars to Undermine Clean Water Rule

Top 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


October 11, 2017

DeFazio: Let’s Stop Talking and Start Investing, It’s Time for This Committee To Take the Lead on Infrastructure

DeFazio: 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


October 10, 2017

Top Democrats Urge Immediate DOT Action on Drug Testing for Opioids

Top 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


October 04, 2017

ICYMI: Garmin CEO Makes the Case Against ATC Privatization

ICYMI: 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


October 03, 2017

Top Democrats Request IG Investigation of EPA Administrator Pruitt’s Wasteful Spending

For 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


September 28, 2017

DeFazio, Larsen Respond to House Passage of a Six-Month FAA Extension

DeFazio, 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


September 28, 2017

DeFazio Responds to Final Passage of a Six-Month FAA Extension

DeFazio 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

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