Transportation and Infrastructure

I understand the importance of improving infrastructure in the US, and will continue to work on this while making sure our investments are fiscally responsible. Our infrastructure provides jobs for thousands, provides for the efficient movement of goods that keeps our economy growing, and ensures the safety of countless lives.

• Leveling the Playing Field for Transportation Contracts: I have been very engaged with Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) owners to ensure that they are being given fair consideration and treatment for projects at the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT). Over the years, I have sent letters to the Washington State Secretary of Transportation on behalf of DBE owners and brought their issues to the attention of officials at WSDOT, while ensuring that WSDOT is properly managing the federal funds that they are receiving.
• Improving Funding for Our Nation’s Critical Freight Infrastructure: Introduced the Freight Infrastructure Reinvestment Act (FIRA), which directs the Secretary of Transportation to establish a National Freight Mobility Infrastructure Improvement Program that awards competitive grants to states and designated entities to fund projects to improve the efficiency and capacity of freight mobility in the United States. FIRA will increase funding for freight infrastructure by creating a new National Freight Mobility Infrastructure Fund paid for through a one percent user fee on the shipment of freight cargo within the US.
• Rebuilding Our Vital Transportation Network: Recognizing the need to bring long-term certainty to the nation’s transportation system, I signed on to the GROW AMERICA Act. This is a six-year, long-term reauthorization of our nation’s transportation and infrastructure network that would provide robust funding of $478 billion, a 45 percent increase from the baseline. The GROW America act contains many beneficial provisions, such as the establishment of a national multi-modal freight program. It also provides $6 billion for vehicle safety under the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and $7.5 billion in competitive grants under the TIGER program.
• Modernizing Our Nation’s Railroads: Cosponsored the Short Line Railroad Rehabilitation and Investment Act of 2015, which expands the types of track maintenance expenditures eligible for the railroad maintenance tax credit. It would also extend the credit through 2016.
• Making Airports More Accessible to Nursing Mothers: Cosponsor of the Friendly Airports for Mothers Act of 2015. This bill allows large or medium hub airports to apply for grant applications for an airport development project if they can prove that the airport maintains stations for mothers to nurse their children.
• Expanding Our Nation’s Freight Network: Cosponsor of the MOVE Freight Act, which expands the definition of a “national freight network” by including highways, railways, navigable waterways, seaports, airports, freight intermodal connectors, and aerotropolis transportation systems, as critical components of the movement of freight. It directs the Secretary of Transportation to establish a national freight network for the efficient movement of freight on those surfaces, while requiring that states develop freight plans for short term and long term investments and it establishes a competitive grant program for capital investment projects.
• Keeping Our Roadways Rail System Safe: To keep our roadways safe from restricted vehicles carrying dangerous materials, I cosponsored the Safe Highways and Infrastructure Preservation Act. This bill prohibits a state from enforcing any regulation that allows a restricted property-carrying unit such as a trailer, semi-trailer, container, or other property-carrying unit longer than 53 feet, with the exception of a fire-fighting unit from operating on the National Highway System unless several exceptions and criteria are met. I am committed to ensuring that our rail and freight systems are as safe as possible, and have cosponsored H.R. 1763 the Safe Freight Act. This bill would prohibit the operation of a freight train or light locomotive unless it has a crew of at least two individuals, one of whom is Federal Rail Administration certified as a locomotive operator and the other as a train conductor.
• Studying Airplane Noise at the Fastest-Growing Airport Hub in the Country: The expansion and changes at SeaTac airport over the years have caused local communities have to endure increases in air traffic above their homes. I have remained active and engaged with these communities to bring their concerns to relevant officials at the Port of Seattle and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), organized meetings, and exploring the option of legislation at the federal level that would alleviate the noise burden that these communities are experiencing.

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