Sam Graves Tapped Again for Key Infrastructure Role

The decision all but ensures Graves' continued leadership as chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

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A congressional Republican panel recently tapped Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.) to continue his tenure as chairman of the influential Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

The congressman received a green light from the House Steering Committee in the form of a waiver that allows him to extend his chairmanship beyond the traditional three-term limit for Republican committee chairs.

The decision all but ensures his continued leadership after Rep. Rick Crawford (R-Ark.), who had initially challenged Graves for the post, announced this month he would no longer seek the job. Crawford is already chairman of the high-profile Highways and Transit Subcommittee.

Graves’ upcoming tenure helps ensure President-elect Donald Trump will have a veteran transportation policymaker to work with as the incoming administration aims to undo Biden-era rules on emissions limits and emerging technologies such as electric-powered and fuel-cell-powered vehicles.

“I am honored and humbled to be selected by my Steering Committee colleagues to serve as Transportation and Infrastructure Committee chairman for the 119th Congress. Over the last two years, our committee has worked hard to pass a number of major infrastructure bills, including the [Federal Aviation Administration] Reauthorization Act and the Water Resources Development Act, and we have a golden opportunity to do much more in the next Congress,” Graves said Dec. 12.

In the upcoming session of Congress, set to begin in early January, the transportation committee will be tasked with updating comprehensive highway policy legislation. This so-called multiyear highway bill will be designed to improve commercial supply chain connectivity as well as enhance safety along connectivity corridors. Such highway bills traditionally garner bipartisan backing on Capitol Hill.

Specific to next year, the chairman added: “Our work will include working with President Trump to advance his infrastructure priorities, developing the next long-term surface transportation reauthorization, and reprioritizing policies that are consistent with the core purpose of infrastructure in the first place – moving people and goods safely and efficiently throughout our country.”

Graves continued, “T&I is a committee where members can roll up their sleeves and get things done for the American people, and I look forward to getting back to work with my committee colleagues and the Trump administration to do just that.”

During this session of Congress, Graves led dozens of hearings on issues related to freight rail safety, aviation connectivity and Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge. The Biden White House is requesting about $3 billion for rebuilding the bridge, which collapsed in March. Congress has yet to sign off on President Joe Biden’s request for the bridge project.

As a candidate, Trump pledged to advance policies meant to promote domestic energy production and enhance the traveling experience for commuters. Following his reelection, the President-elect tapped 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.