5 minutes

Dennis Katsnelson

T&I Chairman Graves Cites Energy, Supply Chain, Aviation

The autumn schedule of the newly elected speaker of the US House of Representatives is full of important matters. All of Speaker Mike Johnson's (R-La.) legislative responsibilities, from deciding how much help to provide for foreign wars in Europe and the Middle East to prevent a partial government shutdown, will occupy him.

"As a speaker, I will make sure the House accomplishes goals and spurs reform for the benefit of the American people. We're going to rebuild faith in this body. Shortly after taking the speakership, Johnson declared, "We will advance a comprehensive conservative policy agenda."

We took this video from PBS NewsHour YouTube Channel.

Numerous policy ideas that impact the aviation sector and water resource operations, among other things, are also being monitored by the chamber. Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.), the chairman of the House Transportation Committee, outlined the policy issues up for discussion.

Congratulations to Mike Johnson on his successful election as the newly appointed Speaker of the House of Representatives. Speaker Johnson has always demonstrated unwavering support for conservative principles during his tenure in Congress. On October 25, Graves emphasized his anticipation of collaborating with Speaker Johnson and other House Republicans to fulfill the commitments made to the American people. Our commitment remains steadfast in advancing a proactive agenda within the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. This agenda encompasses the resolution of enduring challenges pertaining to energy and supply chains, alongside the enduring reauthorizations of the Federal Aviation Administration, the Coast Guard, and pipeline safety programs.

Regarding aviation, the Senate has approved Michael Whitaker as the head of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and legislative leaders have stated that they want to reauthorize an updated FAA policy by the end of the year. Graves also plans to go on with the panel's analysis of the bipartisan infrastructure package that is expected to be passed in 2021. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, worth $1.2 trillion, has allocated billions of dollars for national connectivity initiatives.

For Graves, keeping a meticulous record of those monies is paramount. Alternatively, he stated that "as the Infrastructure [Investment] and Jobs Act is implemented, guarding against waste, fraud, and abuse."

"The House needs to get back to work," he said, "and that means passing important legislation that is essential to the nation's infrastructure."

Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), on the other hand, is giving attention to foreign policy concerns and supplementary spending requests for disaster assistance a higher priority. On October 26, Schumer stated, "Democrats are working with the administration on a domestic supplemental to support the needs of American families." "Bipartisan priorities for Americans like disaster relief, maintaining American energy independence, combating the scourge of fentanyl, increasing access to reasonably priced high-speed internet, and so much more will be funded by our domestic supplemental."

This week, the Senate is expected to vote on transportation legislation for the fiscal year 2024. The goal is to get appropriations measures forward in time for the federal funding deadline of November 17.

The Senate's fiscal 2024 plan would provide the Transportation and Housing and Urban Development departments $98.9 billion. $20.2 billion, $16.8 billion, and $3.4 billion would be set aside for the Federal Railroad Administration, Federal Transit Administration, and Federal Aviation Administration, respectively. Additionally, the plan would grant roughly $1 billion to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Nearly $1 billion would also be allocated to FMCSA by the House's $90.2 billion fiscal 2024 measure. According to the House version, the FAA would get $19.5 billion, the FTA would receive $14.6 billion, and the FRA would receive $1.4 billion.

The Week Ahead (All time Eastern)

Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing on "The Science of Extreme Event Attribution: How Climate Change Is Fueling Severe Weather Events" is scheduled for November 1 at 10 a.m. Michael Wehner, a senior scientist at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's Applied Mathematics and Computational Research Division, and Jennifer Jurado, the chief resilience officer and deputy head of the Resilient Environment Department in Broward County, Florida, are among the witnesses.

Legislative Docket

Michael Whitaker was confirmed by the Senate on October 24 to become the helm of the Federal Aviation Administration. The previous week, Whitaker's nomination had moved to the chamber floor for discussion.

Committee Chairwoman Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) stated, "Mr. Whitaker is highly qualified with more than 30 years of aviation experience in both the public and private sectors." In response to Whitaker's confirmation, House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves (R-Mo.) and Aviation Subcommittee Chairman Garret Graves (R-La.) released a joint statement.

"We would like to extend our congratulations to Michael Whitaker on his confirmation as the new FAA administrator. The FAA has been operating without an administrator for far too long at a crucial juncture in the history of aviation. The confirmation of Mr. Whitaker will give the agency and the aviation sector as a whole the much-needed stability and predictability.

Buzz

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg recently emphasized the US Department of Transportation's continuous dedication to enhancing safety at a gathering that was centered on infrastructure-related issues. "A lot has changed so fast. However, our fundamental goal remains constant and unwavering. The surroundings are not easy.

The task is not easy. However, the priorities are clear: to increase safety in transit. to boost economic growth through the utilization of transportation. to guarantee the equitable development of transportation. to guarantee that transportation plays a role in mitigating climate change. Additionally, the secretary wants to guarantee that transportation innovation advances the four key themes of safety, employment, equity, and climate change. She made this statement on October 19 at the Palm Beaches Forum Club. According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 42,795 people lost their lives in auto accidents in 2022.