Graves, Larsen to lead House T&I Committee

January 10, 2023

Land Line Staff

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U.S. Rep. Sam Graves, R-Mo., will serve as chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in the 118th Congress.

Graves, who has served as the committee’s ranking member the past four years, succeeds Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore.

“When I first came to Congress, I fought hard to serve on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee,” Graves said in a news release. “It’s now one of the greatest honors of my life to be chosen by my colleagues to chair what I believe is one of the most important and effective committees in Congress. America cannot prosper without a safe and efficient transportation network that meets the economic needs of our diverse states and communities.”

Graves said the T&I committee faces a lot of work ahead in regards to implementing the $1.2 trillion infrastructure law and considering packages to help alleviate ongoing energy and supply chain problems.

“I am also looking forward to working across the aisle to develop other key authorizations for our transportation and infrastructure systems, including a pipeline safety bill, a Coast Guard bill, and the next Water Resources Developmental Act.”

In 2021, Graves fought efforts to increase motor carriers’ minimum liability insurance from $750,000 to $2 million.

“It’s going to put some of these independent operators out of business, because the amount of money they’re going to have to put up for insurance,” Graves said. “It’s going to come down to one simple choice … you either choose those truck drivers who are trying to support their families, or you choose trial attorneys. That’s what it comes down to.”

Although the minimum insurance increase made it into the House bill, it was not included in the Senate version and never became law.

Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Wash., will become the T&I committee’s ranking member.

“I am honored by the confidence my Democratic colleagues have placed in me and my approach to the next ranking member of the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee,” Larsen said in a news release. “In the 118th Congress, Democrats will protect and build upon the success of the bipartisan infrastructure law and the transportation provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act to create more jobs, keep the economy moving and build a cleaner, greener, safer and more accessible transportation system.” LL