DeFazio Pushes DOT to Prioritize Critical Oil Spill Response Plans
Washington, D.C. -Today, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) pressed Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Anthony Foxx on the completion of a critical rule that would better protect communities and emergency responders after toxic crude-by-rail accidents. "Comprehensive oil spill response plans are crucial for adequately preparing Federal, state, local and regional response teams to respond to an accident or incident … Continue Reading
January 06, 2016
DeFazio, Norton Urge DOT to Let States Experiment with Alternative Funding Mechanisms for Highway Trust Fund
Washington, D.C. - Today, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Ranking Member of the Highways and Transit Subcommittee Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) urged U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Anthony Foxx to quickly make grant funds available to states so they can experiment with alternate ways to finance the Highway Trust Fund in a manner that will provide long-term certainty to state and local governments. In … Continue Reading
January 05, 2016
Top Democratic Transportation Leaders Urge STB to Reject Canadian Pacific Takeover of Norfolk Southern
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 strongly urging the Surface Transportation Board (STB) to reject a potential hostile takeover or acquisition of the Norfolk Southern Corporation (NS) by the Canadian Pacific Railway, Ltd. (CP). Since late 2015, CP has made several offers to buy NS, … Continue Reading
December 07, 2015
House Passes 5-Year FAST Act to Invest in America’s Surface Transportation Infrastructure
The House of Representatives today overwhelmingly approved the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, five-year legislation to improve America's roads, bridges, public transit, and rail transportation systems and reform federal surface transportation programs. The FAST Act is the bicameral, bipartisan agreement of the House-Senate Conference Committee that was tasked with resolving differences between the surface transportation bills passed earlier this year in the House and … Continue Reading
November 30, 2015
Shuster, Inhofe, DeFazio, Boxer Announce Agreement on Surface Transportation Legislation
The leaders of the House and Senate lead committees working to reach a bicameral, bipartisan agreement on surface transportation legislation released a joint statement today on the Conference Report for the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act. Statement of House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Bill Shuster (R-PA), who is also chairman of the surface transportation bill Conference Committee; Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chairman Jim Inhofe … Continue Reading
November 04, 2015
Democratic Conferees Named On Long-Term Surface Transportation Bill
The following members have been named conferees on the multi-year surface transportation bill overwhelmingly approved by the House today. U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR) U.S. Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) U.S. Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown (D-FL) U.S. Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD) U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen (D-WA) U.S. Rep. Michael Capuano (D-MA) U.S. Rep. Grace Napolitano (D-CA) U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-IL) U.S. … Continue Reading
November 04, 2015
Surface Transportation Reauthorization & Reform Act Receives Overwhelming House Support
Following three days of debate, during which over 100 amendments were considered, the U.S. House of Representatives today overwhelmingly approved a bipartisan, multi-year surface transportation bill to reauthorize and reform federal highway, transit, and highway safety programs. The Surface Transportation Reauthorization and Reform Act of 2015 (the STRR Act) helps improve the Nation's surface transportation infrastructure, refocuses programs on addressing national priorities, provides more … Continue Reading
October 19, 2015
DeFazio Urges ICAO to Ban Transport of Bulk Shipments of Lithium-Ion Batteries on Passenger Aircraft
Washington, 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 call for a ban on transport of bulk shipments of lithium-ion batteries on passenger aircraft at the October 19-30 meeting of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Dangerous Goods Panel. In the letter, DeFazio urged DOT to call for a temporary, but absolute ban … Continue Reading
September 29, 2015
HOUSE TRANSPORTATION LEADERS INTRODUCE PTC EXTENSION
Legislation extends deadline for PTC and sets a date certain for full implementation Washington, D.C. - Today, leaders of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure introduced bipartisan legislation to extend the deadline for implementing Positive Train Control (PTC) until 2018. The legislation comes after a U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) report found that most U.S. railroads will fail to meet the December 31, 2015 deadline to implement critical, life-saving PTC … Continue Reading
September 20, 2015
DeFazio To Host Earthquake Early Warning System Roundtable with Local, State and Federal Agencies, and Scientists TOMORROW
Washington, D.C. -- Ranking Member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) will host a roundtable policy discussion tomorrow, September 22, entitled "Earthquake Early Warning in the Pacific Northwest: Preparing for the Big One." The roundtable will take place at 10:30 a.m. in the HEDCO Education Building, Room 230T at the University of Oregon, 1655 Alder Street, Eugene, Oregon. The roundtable will be streamed live at: … Continue Reading
September 15, 2015
DeFazio Responds To Report Finding Railroads Will Fail To Meet Deadline to Implement PTC
Washington, D.C. -- Today, House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Ranking Member Peter DeFazio (D-OR) responded to a U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) report that most U.S. railroads will fail to meet the December 31, 2015 deadline to implement critical, life-saving Positive Train Control (PTC) technology. "Seven years ago, Congress passed legislation that set a deadline for the installation and implementation of Positive Train Control technology to improve safety … Continue Reading
July 27, 2015
DeFazio Introduces Bill to Fund Earthquake Early Warning System for Pacific Northwest
Washington, D.C. -- Today, House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Ranking Member Peter DeFazio (D-OR) introduced legislation to fund an earthquake early warning system that could save lives, reduce injuries, and mitigate infrastructure damage from the devastating effects of a major quake off the Oregon Coast. "A catastrophic earthquake is not hypothetical. It is a not a question of if an earthquake will happen. It is a question of when. My legislation is pretty simple. It … Continue Reading
May 26, 2015
Rep. Napolitano Praises Administration’s Release of Final Clean Water Act Rule
(Washington, DC) Today, the Ranking Member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment, Grace F. Napolitano (D-CA), praised the public release of the final Clean Water Protection rulemaking by the Obama administration. This rulemaking fulfils the requests of members of Congress, state and local officials, industry, agriculture, and environmental organizations to clarify the scope of Clean Water Act protections over our nation's rivers, … Continue Reading
May 18, 2015
Ranking Member DeFazio's Opening Statement at hearing on "Pacific Northwest Seismic Hazards: Planning and Preparing for the next disaster"
Statement 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
May 18, 2015
DeFazio, T&I Democrats Introduce GROW AMERICA Act to Set Robust Long-Term Surface Transportation Investment Levels
Washington, 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
May 10, 2015
DeFazio, Norton Push for Joint Committee Hearing on Revenue Options to Fund Long-Term Surface Transportation Bill
WASHINGTON, 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
May 06, 2015
DeFazio Reacts to DOT IG’s Audit of PHMSA’s Programs
Washington, 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
April 30, 2015
DeFazio Reacts to New Rail Tank Car Safety Rules
Washington, 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
April 23, 2015
DeFazio Asks DOT to Protect Travelling Public, Push ICAO to Address Lithium Ion Battery Transportation Risks
Washington, 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
April 13, 2015
DeFazio Reacts to GAO Report On FAA Exposure to Cyberattacks
Washington, 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