GOP Leaders Give Graves Runway to T&I Panel Chairmanship
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House Republican leaders have facilitated Rep. Sam Graves’ chances of keeping his gavel on the influential transportation policy panel.
Graves (R-Mo.), chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, was recently granted a procedural waiver to pursue another term in his current role. Under Republican caucus rules, the longtime congressman was term-limited as chairman.
However, the procedural move by the House Steering Committee has officially set up a competition for the T&I chairmanship between Graves and Rep. Rick Crawford (R-Ark.), chairman of the Highways and Transit Subcommittee. Aides with knowledge of the intraparty transportation leadership contest told Transport Topics they anticipate both senior lawmakers to continue to lobby their colleagues on the selection.
Despite the Capitol Hill intrigue, the competition centers on just one of many committee chairmanships up for grabs. Caucus leaders are expected to be announcing leaders for the next session of Congress relatively soon, and front-and-center for those leadership candidates is the implementation of President-elect Donald Trump’s agenda.
Crawford
During his tenure as T&I chairman, Graves has emphasized his aviation and infrastructure project management expertise. Industry stakeholders have touted Graves’ role in advancing aviation reform measures and careful oversight of Biden-era emissions regulations.
In March, Crawford told TT that his leadership strategy centered on “fixing the areas where we have fallen short, working to address the needs of a modern economy, and protecting this improved system from foreign threats.”
On the other side of the Capitol, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) is in line to lead the Senate Commerce Committee, which oversees freight policy. As the panel’s ranking member, Cruz has played a central role in considering nominees for top roles at the U.S. Department of Transportation as well as the independent National Transportation Safety Board. His leadership on the committee also has been marked by in-depth analyses of national aviation and freight rail safety concerns.
Capito (left) and Cruz. (left by Bloomberg/right by AP)
During President Joe Biden’s tenure, Cruz was highly critical of administration policies specific to electric vehicles and the adoption of alternative fuels. Cruz did not support 2021’s bipartisan infrastructure law, but he has championed freight connectivity improvements and called for safety enhancements for the nation’s mobility networks. In September he said, “Roadway safety is an important priority — according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration there were almost 41,000 motor vehicle traffic fatalities last year.”
Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), already selected for a top role next year as part of Leader-elect John Thune’s leadership team, is the likely choice for the chairmanship on the Environment and Public Works Committee on highway policy. In January, the senator will serve as Senate GOP Policy Committee chairwoman.
Like Cruz, Capito has joined colleagues in formally pushing back on Biden administration rules specific to emissions targets. Shortly after the November election, Capito argued, “American voters firmly have said ‘enough,’ and rejected Democrats’ destructive energy policies last week.” Next year, the EPW panel will be tasked with drafting an update of comprehensive highway policies.
Duffy
As a candidate, Trump said he would advance policies associated with emissions reduction programs and domestic energy production. During the post-election lame-duck session, the president-elect has selected a team expected to implement such policies. They include Chris Wright and Sean Duffy, nominees for the departments of Energy and Transportation, respectively. Wright is a fracking executive and Duffy a former Republican congressman from Wisconsin. If confirmed, they will be in positions to amend or halt certain federal programs related to emerging technologies and electric vehicles.
Former Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-N.Y.) was tapped by Trump to lead operations at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. While in Congress, Zeldin raised questions about emissions standards and the efficiency of alternative fuel technologies.
And Trump’s choice for budget director is Russell Vought, a contributor to the Heritage Foundation’s “Project 2025” GOP policy proposal. The GOP document advocates for federal transportation policy updates, such as privatizing aspects of the Transportation Security Administration. It also proposes re-evaluating emissions reduction programs linked to the freight sector as well as reinforcing supply chain connectivity corridors for small businesses.
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