DeFazio named chairman of House transportation committee NEWSWIRE

WASHINGTON — With the new Democratic majority in the House of Representatives, Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., has taken the reins of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, succeeding Bill Shuster (R-Pa.), who served as chairman during the 115th Congress.  DeFazio has served as a member of the committee since 1987 and as ranking member since 2015.

“As Chairman, I will be a tireless advocate for the kind of infrastructure investment that results in job creation, increased economic growth, and decreased emissions,” DeFazio said in a statement. “I will fight for common sense, comprehensive solutions to address the major issues facing our aging, 20th-century infrastructure and champion a smarter, greener infrastructure that helps to reduce carbon pollution, and is more resilient and better equipped to handle the impacts of climate change.”

His immediate agenda includes an infrastructure bill and a six-year reauthorization of surface transportation programs. He pledged to move quickly on the infrastructure package. DeFazio told Politico that the Gateway Tunnel project is “certainly is very, very high on the list.” He wants to take committee members to tour the existing Hudson River tunnels to see “what would happen should those tunnels fail.”

DeFazio calls himself an advocate for freight and passenger rail. He notes that he has supported increased funding for Amtrak.

Rep. Sam Graves, R-Missouri, was selected by the House Republican Conference as ranking member of the transportation committee. “Infrastructure seems to be at the forefront of everyone’s to-do-list and I believe my experience as a professional pilot and legislator coupled with my policy depth and conservative values will serve the conference well as we begin discussions on an infrastructure bill,” Graves said in a press release. Graves has been a member of the committee for 18 years, serving most recently as chairman of the Highways and Transit subcommittee.