Press Releases
Ranking Member DeFazio's Opening Statement at hearing on "Pacific Northwest Seismic Hazards: Planning and Preparing for the next disaster"
May 18, 2015Statement of The Honorable Peter DeFazio Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management Hearing on “Pacific Northwest Seismic Hazards: Planning and Preparing for the next disaster" May 19, 2015 Thank you, Chairman. I want to welcome all of today’s witnesses and thank them for their testimony. Given recent earthquakes in Nepal and the ensuing catastrophe, this is a very timely and important hearing. In particular, I would like to welcome … Continue Reading
DeFazio, T&I Democrats Introduce GROW AMERICA Act to Set Robust Long-Term Surface Transportation Investment Levels
May 18, 2015Washington, D.C. -- Today, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR), together with 19 Committee Democrats, introduced H.R. 2410, the Administration's GROW AMERICA Act, a long-term surface transportation reauthorization bill that provides robust funding and sustainable solutions to our Nation's infrastructure crisis. Democrats offered the six-year, $478 billion bill as a framework, to provide Congress with robust investment … Continue Reading
DeFazio, Norton Push for Joint Committee Hearing on Revenue Options to Fund Long-Term Surface Transportation Bill
May 10, 2015WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Ranking Member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) pushed for a Joint Hearing of the Committee on Ways and Means and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on revenue options to fund a long-term surface transportation bill. The letter was sent to Chairman of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Bill Shuster … Continue Reading
DeFazio Reacts to DOT IG’s Audit of PHMSA’s Programs
May 06, 2015Washington, D.C. - Today, Ranking Member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) issued the following statement in response to the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General's announcement that it is moving forward with an audit of PHMSA's pipeline and hazardous materials safety program: "I'm pleased that the IG is moving forward on my request for an audit of PHMSA's pipeline and hazardous materials safety programs. As I wrote in my … Continue Reading
DeFazio Reacts to New Rail Tank Car Safety Rules
April 30, 2015Washington, D.C. - Today, Ranking Member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) issued the following statement in response to the long-awaited rail tank car safety rule released today. "I want to congratulate Secretary Foxx for issuing a Final Rule on rail tank cars transporting flammable materials, including crude oil and ethanol. The National Transportation Safety Board first recommended replacing and retrofitting these cars more than 20 years ago. I am … Continue Reading
DeFazio Asks DOT to Protect Travelling Public, Push ICAO to Address Lithium Ion Battery Transportation Risks
April 23, 2015Washington, D.C. - In a letter to Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx, Ranking Member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) pressed the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to address risks associated with the transport of lithium batteries by air at an international aviation working group meeting scheduled for April 27 in Montreal, Canada. The meeting, held by the Dangerous Goods Panel of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), will … Continue Reading
DeFazio Reacts to GAO Report On FAA Exposure to Cyberattacks
April 13, 2015Washington, D.C. - Today, Ranking Member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) issued the following statement after the GAO issued three recommendations to protect the flying public against cyberattacks on our aviation system. "This report exposed a real and serious threat-cyberattacks on an aircraft in flight. FAA must focus on aircraft certification standards that would prevent a terrorist with a laptop in the cabin or on the ground from taking … Continue Reading
DeFazio Commends NTSB for Common Sense Rail Tank Car Safety Recommendations
April 05, 2015Washington, D.C. - Today, Ranking Member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) issued the following statement after the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) issued urgent recommendations that would improve safety of rail tank cars transporting hazardous materials. “For nearly 25 years, NTSB has been pushing to increase safety standards for rail tank cars carrying hazardous materials. The recommendations issued today to replace the outdated, … Continue Reading
Ranking Member Peter DeFazio's statement on the Administration's GROW AMERICA Act
March 29, 2015Today, Ranking Member Peter DeFazio's released the following statement on the Administration's GROW AMERICA Act: “I commend Secretary Foxx and President Obama for putting forth a comprehensive, long-term proposal that includes a much needed increase in investments for road, bridge, and transit projects. There are some issues with the legislation. For instance, allowing tolling on roads that are currently free is dead on arrival as far as I’m concerned. Overall, this is a serious … Continue Reading
DeFazio Requests Investigation into Crude Oil Transportation and Emergency Response Capabilities
March 11, 2015Washington, D.C. - Today, Ranking Member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) sent a letter to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) requesting an examination of emergency response capabilities to handle crude oil transportation by rail. "As trains travel from oil production areas such as the Bakken in North Dakota to refineries along the Gulf, East and West Coasts, they pass through a number of states, including very rural areas. I have … Continue Reading
DeFazio Urges Administration to Curb Anti-Competitive Practices By Gulf Carriers
March 08, 2015WASHINGTON, D.C.-- Today, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR), sent letters to Secretaries Anthony Foxx and John Kerry, urging them to protect U.S. jobs and immediately act to restore a fair, competitive balance between U.S. air carriers and Gulf state subsidized airlines. The letters were sent after a recent report uncovered anti-competitive practices of the three largest airlines of the Gulf states of Qatar and the United Arab … Continue Reading
DeFazio, Garamendi to GOP Leadership: Don’t Hold Coast Guard Funding Hostage to Push Political Agenda
February 24, 2015Washington, D.C. - Today, Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and Rep. John Garamendi (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, blasted House Republican leadership for holding critical Coast Guard funding hostage to score political points. Funding for the Coast Guard will run out on Saturday, putting 41,000 active-duty military personnel in harm's way without pay unless Speaker … Continue Reading
DeFazio Requests Audit of Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Programs
February 02, 2015Washington, D.C. - Today, Ranking Member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) sent a letter to U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Inspector General Calvin L. Scovel, III requesting a full audit of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration's (PHMSA) pipeline and hazardous materials safety programs. The request comes on the same day that DeFazio highlighted PHMSA's failure to address longstanding pipeline and hazardous materials safety … Continue Reading
DeFazio Announces Democratic Subcommittee Ranking Members for Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
January 21, 2015Washington, D.C. - Today, Ranking Member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) announced the Democratic Subcommittee Ranking Members of the Committee for the 114th Congress. Full subcommittee rosters will be announced next week. The entire list of Democratic Ranking Members is below. Subcommittee on AviationRep. Rick Larsen (D-WA) Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime TransportationRep. John Garamendi (D-CA) Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public … Continue Reading
DeFazio Blasts U.S. DOT for Failing to Address Rail Tank Car Safety
January 21, 2015Washington, D.C. - Today, Ranking Member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) sent a letter to U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Anthony Foxx, urging him to take immediate action to address rail tank car safety and other significant pipeline and hazardous materials safety hazards. "Despite numerous incidents involving the transportation of crude oil and other flammable materials by rail, subsequent NTSB safety recommendations, and an … Continue Reading
DeFazio, Larsen, Garamendi Applaud Administration’s Efforts to Coordinate Federal Action in the Arctic
January 21, 2015Washington, D.C. - Today, Ranking Member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Ranking Member of the Aviation Subcommittee Rick Larsen (D-WA), and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation John Garamendi (D-CA), applauded efforts by the Obama Administration to coordinate a government wide approach to addressing U.S. interests in the Arctic. The Representatives offered the following statements in support: "I want to … Continue Reading
DeFazio Announces Democratic Roster for Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
January 14, 2015WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Ranking Member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) announced the 25 Democratic Members of the Committee for the 114th Congress. Twenty-three of the Members served on the Committee in the previous Congress. The Democrats welcome two Members new to the Committee, Representatives Jared Huffman and Julia Brownley, who both represent districts in California. Subcommittee Ranking Members will be elected next week. The entire list of … Continue Reading
Ranking Member DeFazio's Statement on H.R. 3, The Keystone XL Pipeline Act
January 11, 2015Statement of The Honorable Peter DeFazio H.R. 3, the Keystone XL Pipeline Act January 9, 2015 Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the bill.Here we go again. For the tenth time in the last four years, we will vote on short-circuiting the review process for the Keystone XL pipeline, a pipeline that is owned and operated by a foreign entity, which will ship tar sands across the Canadian border more than 1,900 miles through the United States. Not only is the Republican Leadership … Continue Reading
DeFazio Fights Administration's Decision to Open Border to Mexican Trucks Starting Monday
January 11, 2015Washington, D.C. -Today, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) pushed back on a decision by the Department of Transportation (DOT) to open the United States border to Mexican-domiciled trucking companies. "Today, the Obama Administration notified me that as of Monday, the U.S. border will be open for Mexican-domiciled trucking companies to apply for long-haul operating authority. I am deeply disappointed," DeFazio said. … Continue Reading
DeFazio Blasts Republican Passage of Controversial Keystone XL Bill
January 08, 2015Washington, D.C.--Today, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) blasted the House Republican Leadership for passing legislation that bypasses federal agencies to allow construction on the controversial Keystone XL pipeline. DeFazio helped lead Democratic opposition to the controversial legislation, which has been considered by the House ten times. "Under this legislation, TransCanada gets the profits; they pay nothing into the spill … Continue Reading