Press Releases
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
Top Democrats Demand Boehner Follow Rules of the House for Controversial Keystone Vote
January 05, 2015Washington, DC- Three leading House Democratic lawmakers called on Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH) to use regular order for consideration of controversial legislation to approve construction of TransCanada's Keystone XL pipeline. In a letter sent yesterday, Representatives Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Frank Pallone (D-NJ), and Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), ranking members-elect on the House Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, Energy and Commerce, and Natural Resources, respectively, … Continue Reading
IG Critical of Bridge Safety Implementation
August 26, 2014WASHINGTON, DC - Today, U.S. Rep. Nick J. Rahall, the top Democrat on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, took issue with the Obama Administration for continuing its slow implementation of critical bridge safety reforms. A new U.S. Department of Transportation (US DOT) Inspector General (IG) report released today in response to a request Rahall made in 2013 highlights serious concerns with the implementation of bridge safety changes contained in the "Moving Ahead for … Continue Reading
Rahall Votes to Advance Highway Trust Fund Fix
July 31, 2014WASHINGTON, DC - As the top Democrat on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, U.S. Rep. Nick J. Rahall (D-WV) worked with his colleagues today to complete House action on a bill that will keep workers on the job building America’s transportation network. “Two weeks ago, I stood in this exact spot and urged passage of a Highway Trust Fund patch as soon as possible to keep our surface transportation programs up and running,” said Rahall on the House floor today. “With a single … Continue Reading
House Passes Fix to Highway Trust Fund
July 15, 2014Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Rep. Nick J. Rahall (D-WV), the top Democrat on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, joined a bipartisan group of lawmakers in voting to pass a bill in the House that will help keep American workers on the job building the nation’s transportation network. “This is about far more than accounting, dollar signs, and trust funds. It’s about the men and women who work in these industries and have to face needless uncertainty about their futures. … Continue Reading
WRRDA Signed Into Law
June 10, 2014Washington, DC - Today the President signed into law the Conference Report to the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014 (WRRDA), bipartisan water resources legislation that cuts federal red tape and bureaucracy, streamlines the infrastructure project delivery process, fosters fiscal responsibility, and strengthens our water transportation networks to promote America’s competitiveness, prosperity, and economic growth. WRRDA is legislation that was introduced in the House of … Continue Reading
Rahall Praises Passage of Water Bill
May 20, 2014Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Rep. Nick J. Rahall (D-WV) announced that the House has passed the Conference Report for H.R. 3080, the Water Resources Reform and Development Act (WRRDA), which authorizes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to improve the nation’s water infrastructure, such as dams, locks, navigation channels and inland waterways. The bill was introduced by Rahall, who is the top Democrat on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee that negotiated the final measure, … Continue Reading
Rahall Statement on House Consideration of WRRDA Conference Report
May 19, 2014House Floor Remarks of U.S. Rep. Nick J. Rahall, II Conference Report on H.R. 3080 Water Resources Reform and Development Act Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the conference report. This legislation is a reminder, and unfortunately a stark reminder, that when given a chance working together in a bipartisan fashion can produce solid results for the American people. I salute the chairman of our Transportation & … Continue Reading
Committee Releases Water Resources Reform and Development Act Conference Report
May 15, 2014Washington, DC - The Conference Report to H.R. 3080, the Water Resources Reform and Development Act (WRRDA), was filed in the House of Representatives today. WRRDA was introduced in the House by Committee Chairman Bill Shuster (R-PA), Committee Ranking Member Nick J. Rahall, II (D-WV), Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee Chairman Bob Gibbs (R-OH), and Subcommittee Ranking Member Tim Bishop (D-NY). H.R. 3080 passed the House by a vote of 417 to 3 on October 23, 2013. House and … Continue Reading
Rep. Rahall Statement on the Passing of Former T&I Committee Chairman Jim Oberstar
May 02, 2014Washington, D.C. - U.S. Rep. Nick J. Rahall (D-WV), the Ranking Member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, issued the following statement today on the passing of Jim Oberstar, former Minnesota Congressman and Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee: “If ever there were a patron saint of transportation policy on Earth, it would have had to have been to be my longtime and dear friend, Jim Oberstar. “While his vast reservoir of knowledge and … Continue Reading
Rep. Rahall Reacts to DOT’s Surface Transportation Bill
April 29, 2014Washington, D.C. - U.S. Rep. Nick J. Rahall (D-WV), the Ranking Member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, issued the following statement today after the U.S. Department of Transportation put forward a multi-year proposal to fund the nation’s surface transportation programs: “There are some in this Congress that are happy with the status quo when it comes to investing in our nation’s infrastructure. I am not one of them. “I appreciate that Secretary Foxx has laid down a … Continue Reading
Rahall Statement on Transparent Airfares Act of 2014
April 08, 2014STATEMENT OF THE HONORABLE NICK J. RAHALL, II FULL COMMITTEE MARKUP H.R. 4156, THE TRANSPARENT AIRFARES ACT OF 2014 APRIL 9, 2014 Thank you, Chairman Shuster. This bill does a very important thing—it stops the government from playing a shell game with the taxes and fees it imposes on the flying public. Simply put, it restores truth in advertising when it comes to the cost of a flight, finally putting consumers back in the driver’s seat. Hiding the real cost of flying from … Continue Reading
RAHALL: Ryan Budget Takes Partisan Jackhammer to Our Transportation Infrastructure
April 02, 2014WASHINGTON, D.C. - As the House Budget Committee marks up the Fiscal Year 2015 budget resolution today, U.S. Rep. Nick J. Rahall (D-WV) slammed the proposal, saying it “would cripple the U.S. transportation system and leave millions of individuals and businesses stranded with little to no transportation options.” “This proposal takes a partisan jackhammer to our transportation infrastructure at a time when we need to be working together to find ways to rebuild it,” said Rahall, the senior … Continue Reading
Ranking Member Carson's Statement on Disaster Mitigation
April 02, 2014OPENING STATEMENT THE HONORABLE ANDRÉ CARSON, RANKING MEMBER SUBCOMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, PUBLIC BUILDINGS, AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OVERSIGHT HEARING ON DISASTER MITIGATION: REDUCING COSTS AND SAVING LIVES April 3, 2014 Good morning and welcome to our witnesses. Chairman Barletta, thank you for working with me to schedule today’s hearing on how Disaster Mitigation can save lives and reduce costs. Before we begin, I want to extend my thoughts and condolences to those … Continue Reading
Ranking Member Rahall’s Statement at Surface Transportation Reauthorization Roundtable
February 25, 2014STATEMENT OF THE HONORABLE NICK J. RAHALL SUBCOMMITTEE ON HIGHWAYS AND TRANSIT ROUNDTABLE ON “SURFACE TRANSPORTATION REAUTHORIZATION: STAKEHOLDER PERSPECTIVES” FEBRUARY 26, 2014 Thank you, Chairman Shuster and Chairman Petri, for holding this roundtable. Today we bring together business, labor, government, and transportation industry stakeholders - all in agreement about two things. We have an urgent transportation crisis on our hands, and Congress needs to work together to … Continue Reading
RAHALL: "In the close confines of the airplane, members of the flying public may as well be unwilling agents of the National Security Agency, forced to eavesdrop on the cell calls of other passengers, regardless of how annoying that may be to them."
February 10, 2014REMARKS OF U.S. REP. NICK J. RAHALL, II Ranking Member Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Mark Up of H.R. 3676 February 11, 2014 Last December when the Federal Communications Commission voted to consider lifting the ban on the use of cell phones to make voice calls in flight, a chill went through the flying public and flight attendants nationwide. The prospect of sitting among dozens of people all talking on their cell phones in a confined space raises serious safety, … Continue Reading
RAHALL: "People have a basic right to know whether or not their water supplies are safe"
February 09, 2014The Honorable Nick J. Rahall, II Ranking Member Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Field Hearing on "The Charleston West Virginia Chemical Spill" February 10, 2014 Thank you, Chairman Shuster, for your kind accommodation of my request to come to West Virginia to examine the recent spill of chemicals into the Elk River. We could have held this hearing in Washington, as other Committees have or are planning to do, but I felt, as … Continue Reading
Shuster, Rahall introduce The Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2014 (H.R. 4005)
February 06, 2014Shuster, Rahall introduce The Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2014 (H.R. 4005) Washington, DC - Committee leaders today introduced bipartisan legislation that authorizes the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) to carry out its vital missions, improves USCG mission effectiveness, helps replace and modernize aging Coast Guard assets in a cost effective manner, enhances oversight, and reduces inefficiencies to save taxpayer dollars. Additionally, the bill strengthens U.S. maritime … Continue Reading