Rahall Calls for Retention of Strong Federal Role in Job-Creating Infrastructure Investments
Washington, DC - U.S. Representative Nick J. Rahall, top Democrat on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, today urged his colleagues to retain a strong Federal role for development of critical, job-creating infrastructure. At a hearing before Rahall’s Committee to examine the Federal role in infrastructure, business and labor leaders offered testimony on the economic and job creation benefits that investment in modern infrastructure yields. “For generations, investments in … Continue Reading
February 12, 2013
Transportation and Infrastructure Leaders Statement on Boeing Dreamliner Incidents
Washington, DC - Following a briefing today from Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Michael Huerta on the status of the agency’s ongoing review related to the Boeing Dreamliner battery incidents, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Bill Shuster (R-PA), Committee Ranking Member Nick J. Rahall, II (D-WV), Subcommittee on Aviation Chairman Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ), and Subcommittee Ranking Member Rick Larsen (D-WA) released the following joint statement: “We have … Continue Reading
January 29, 2013
Rahall Statement on the Departure of Secretary of Transportation LaHood
Washington, DC - U.S. Representative Nick J. Rahall (D-WV), top Democrat on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, released the following statement after Secretary LaHood announced that he will not serve a second term as Transportation Secretary. “Four years ago my good friend Ray LaHood put party politics aside in order to help modernize our transportation infrastructure and speed our economic recovery,” said Rahall. “During his incredibly successful tenure, Secretary LaHood … Continue Reading
January 29, 2013
Rahall Legislation Updating FEMA Guidelines in Response to West Virginia Storms to Become Law
Washington, DC - The Congress has sent legislation sponsored by U.S. Rep. Nick J. Rahall (D-W.Va.) to be signed into law by the President that will require FEMA to reassess the guidelines used to evaluate requests for Individual Assistance following disasters such as last year’s Derecho. “The sensible review of FEMA’s guidelines that both Houses of Congress have now supported and sent to the President will help to ensure that our federal disaster assistance programs are reaching those they … Continue Reading
January 29, 2013
Rahall Legislation to Reinforce Indian Tribal Sovereignty During Major Disasters to Become Law
Washington, D.C. - Legislation authored by U.S. Representative Nick J. Rahall (D-WV), top Democrat on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, that solidifies Indian Country’s tribal sovereignty during disasters and emergency situations is expected to be signed into law by the President in the coming days. Rahall’s language was included as part of H.R. 152 which was approved by the Senate last night after being passed in the House earlier this month. “For more than a decade … Continue Reading
January 22, 2013
Rahall Announces Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee Ranking Members
Washington, D.C.- U.S. Representative Nick J. Rahall (D-WV), Democratic Leader of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, today announced that the Committee Democratic Caucus has selected Subcommittee Ranking Members for each of its six panels. “Our Committee Caucus has elected an outstanding group of Subcommittee Ranking Members who will bring to the table their experience, expertise and energy in addressing our Nation’s transportation needs,” said Rahall. “I have had the … Continue Reading
January 15, 2013
Rahall Legislation to Reinforce Indian Tribal Sovereignty During Disasters Approved Again by U.S. House
Washington, D.C. - Legislation authored by U.S. Representative Nick J. Rahall (D-WV), top Democrat on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, to solidify Indian Country’s tribal sovereignty during major disasters has been approved as part of one of the first acts of the new Congress. Rahall’s language was included as part of H.R. 219 which the House passed yesterday evening and which would allow tribes to directly petition the federal government for disaster assistance. “For … Continue Reading
January 15, 2013
Rahall Proposal to Update FEMA Guidelines in Response to West Virginia Storms Approved Again by U.S. House
Washington, DC - Following the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) recent denial of West Virginia’s request for Individual Assistance for victims of Superstorm Sandy, the House has again passed legislation sponsored by U.S. Rep. Nick J. Rahall (D-W.Va.) that will require FEMA to reassess the guidelines the agency uses to evaluate such requests in the future. Rahall originally introduced the legislation in the last Congress in response to the June 2012 Derecho which devastated large … Continue Reading
December 20, 2012
Rahall Announces Democrat Members of Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for the 113th Congress
Washington, DC - U.S. Rep. Nick J. Rahall, top Democrat on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, today released the roster of Committee Democrats for the 113th Congress which includes 10 new members compared to the current Congress. Democrats are gaining an additional seat on the Committee in the new Congress which will bring the ratio of Republicans to Democrats to 33-27. “I would like to welcome a dynamic, regionally balanced, group of new Members of the Committee who are well … Continue Reading
December 05, 2012
Rahall Reelected as Top Democrat on House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Rep. Nick J. Rahall (D-WV) was selected by the House Democratic Caucus this morning to serve as the Ranking Member on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for the new Congress starting January 2013. Rahall has been a Member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for his entire tenure in Congress and served as the Committee’s top Democrat during the current Congress. “I am deeply grateful for the trust that my colleagues have again placed in … Continue Reading
December 04, 2012
Rahall Presses FEMA to Expedite West Virginia Disaster Assistance
Says Mountain State Residents ‘Deserve Answers’ from Agency Washington, DC - With thousands of West Virginia residents still waiting to hear if they will be eligible for individual disaster assistance following Superstorm Sandy, U.S. Rep. Nick J. Rahall, top Democrat on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, today pressed the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to ensure that West Virginians affected by the Storm receive the full range of Federal assistance. At a hearing … Continue Reading
November 29, 2012
Rahall Applauds Shuster for Responsible Approach to Addressing Highway Fund
Boehner Sharply Critical of Rahall for Similar Stance Washington, D.C. - U.S. Rep. Nick J. Rahall, top Democrat on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, today applauded incoming Committee Chairman Bill Shuster for his recent comments that the Committee “look at all the options that are out there” in order to generate sustainable revenue for the Highway Trust Fund. Nearly identical comments from Mr. Rahall on the need to consider all options to bring the Trust Fund into balance drew … Continue Reading
September 20, 2012
Rahall Legislation to Reinforce Indian Tribal Sovereignty During Major Disasters Approved by House
Washington, D.C.- The House of Representatives has approved legislation authored by U.S. Representative Nick J. Rahall (D-WV), top Democrat on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, that solidifies Indian Country’s tribal sovereignty during major disasters and emergency situations. Rahall’s legislation was included as part of a larger bill to reauthorize the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) which was approved by voice vote on Wednesday evening. “Passage of this … Continue Reading
September 20, 2012
House Approves Rahall Language to Update FEMA Guidelines in Response to Derecho Storm
Washington, DC - Following yesterday’s announcement that the President approved West Virginia’s appeal for Individual Assistance for those hardest hit by the June 29 Derecho storm, the House of Representatives has approved legislation sponsored by U.S. Rep. Nick Rahall (D-W.Va.) that would require FEMA to reassess how it evaluates requests for Individual Assistance following future disasters. “West Virginia’s successful appeal for disaster assistance was welcome news for residents, but it was … Continue Reading
August 01, 2012
Committee Republicans Vote Down Needed Clean Water Infrastructure Investment for States
Leave Hunting and Fishing Grounds Exposed to Potential Destruction Washington, D.C. - House Transportation Infrastructure Committee Republicans today voted down legislation that would have provided desperately needed state funding for clean water infrastructure and created hundreds of thousands of family-wage jobs. During a Committee markup, Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment Ranking Democratic Member Tim Bishop offered an amendment to H.R. 4278 to ensure that States had … Continue Reading
July 19, 2012
LATEST GSA FIASCO UNCOVERED BY NEW AGENCY CHIEF
LATEST GSA FIASCO UNCOVERED BY NEW AGENCY CHIEFRahall and Norton Applaud His Whistle Blowing Washington, D.C. - Two top ranking Democratic Members of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee today commended Acting GSA Administrator Dan Tangerlini for blowing the whistle on additional abuses of taxpayer money at the agency. Earlier this month Tangerlini called upon the GSA’s Inspector General to investigate lavish spending at a November 2010 agency performance award ceremony. The … Continue Reading
May 18, 2012
Rahall Fights to Create American Transportation Jobs
Washington, D.C. - Continuing his efforts to protect and grow American jobs, U.S. Representative Nick J. Rahall (D-WV), top Democrat on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, last night moved to strengthen “Buy America” requirements in long-term surface transportation legislation being considered by a House-Senate conference committee. Today, the House voted 245 to 169 to adopt Rahall’s effort to close loopholes in current law that are being exploited to send transportation … Continue Reading
March 21, 2012
Senior House Transportation Leaders Introduce Senate Transportation Bill, Urge Immediate Consideration
- Bill Creates or Saves More than 2 Million American Jobs - Washington, D.C. - Senior Members of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee today joined with more than 80 Members of the House of Representatives to introduce the bipartisan job-creating Senate transportation bill that passed last week by a vote of 74 to 22 and called on House Republicans to abandon their partisan transportation bill and bring the Senate bill up for immediate consideration. “With more than 2.7 million … Continue Reading
February 13, 2012
BREAKING NEWS – CBO: Republican Surface Transportation Proposal Bankrupts Highway Trust Fund
- Republican Leadership’s Bill Falls $78 Billion Short Over Ten-Year Period - Washington, D.C. - According to a new analysis released this afternoon by the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the Republican Leadership’s surface transportation bill that the House is expected to act on later this week would bankrupt the Highway Trust Fund by 2016 and create a $78 billion funding shortfall over a ten-year period. “The Republican Leadership’s partisan signature ‘jobs’ bill is not … Continue Reading
February 13, 2012
Rahall Statement on Administration’s Budget
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Representative Nick J. Rahall (D-WV), top Democrat on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, today released the following statement after the Administration unveiled its Fiscal Year 2013 budget: “It was predictable that the arrival of the President’s budget on Capitol Hill would be met with partisan rhetoric and finger-pointing. But given that it comes at a time when the Congress is poised to consider major legislation that could hold vast job-growing … Continue Reading