The leadership of the U.S. House last week officially appointed Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Oregon) chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee in the 116th Congress. DeFazio takes the reins after serving as the ranking Democrat on the committee since 2015 and as a member since 1987.
During the past three decades, he has either chaired or served as the ranking member of four of the six T&I subcommittees: Aviation, Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, Highways and Transit, and Water Resources and Environment. As chairman, he will work with Rep. Sam Graves (Missouri), now the ranking Republican. Rep Rick Larsen (D-Washington) will head up the Aviation subcommittee.
DeFazio steps in at a time when the committee just wrapped up a five-year aviation reauthorization package, but also at a time when the focus is shifting to infrastructure funding. “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,” he said.
The National Air Transportation Association praised the appointment, releasing a joint statement from president Gary Dempsey and COO Tim Obitts saying, “DeFazio’s commitment to the general aviation community has been critical to our goal of promoting the safety and success of the aeronautical service industry.” DeFazio has an understanding of the economic role general aviation plays in rural communities, they added.
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