Former Rep. James Oberstar, a leader in transportation policymaking and chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, died on May 3. He was 79.

WASHINGTON — Rep. James Oberstar (D-Minn.), the outgoing chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said the failure to pass a new highway spending bill was perhaps his greatest regret in his nearly half-century working on transportation policy.

The Republicans’ recapturing of the House of Representatives Tuesday will mean a shift in power of transportation-related panels, and the Democratic casualties included long-time House Transportation Committee Chairman James Oberstar (D-Minn.), who lost the seat he has held since 1974.