Press Releases
Committee Approves Bills to Provide Veterans with Transportation Jobs, Enact Public Buildings Reforms, Improve Program Oversight, and MoreThe Transportation and Infrastructure Committee today approved 10 bills, including seven bills introduced by T&I Committee freshman Republican Members that will provide more paths to transportation jobs for veterans, make reforms in federal building space utilization and construction, increase oversight related to water resources programs, address aviation safety materials storage needs, and more. The Committee approved the following measures:
“I’m proud of the work done and leadership shown by many of our committee’s freshman Republican Members,” said Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO). “Congressman Barrett’s bill helps our nation’s veterans find jobs in the transportation sector. Congressman Wied’s bill more reliably assists airports in storing important safety equipment. Congressman Taylor’s bill ensures that rural communities are getting the technical assistance they need for water resources projects. Congressman Bresnahan’s good government bill ensures that federal commissions are properly using their resources. Congressman Onder’s bill attacks the problem of underutilized federal office space and reduces the federal footprint. Congressman Kennedy’s bill improves safety at our federal buildings. Congressman Shreve’s bill prevents the chronic overbuilding and waste of taxpayer dollars in federal courthouse construction. I want to again thank them for their leadership in introducing these bills, and to all the Members of the Committee for their work in today’s bipartisan markup.” H.R. 3055, the Transitioning Retiring And New Service Members to Port Ocean Rail and Truck (TRANSPORT) Jobs Act – introduced by Rep. Tom Barrett (R-MI). This bill addresses labor shortage challenges in the freight and logistics industries and ongoing supply chain issues through the creation of a United States Department of Transportation led “Veteran to Supply Chain Jobs Action Plan.” This plan will involve a comprehensive examination of specific barriers that may impede the transition of service members to supply chain occupations, including common challenges faced by former service members and their spouses; challenges faced by employers, including regulatory burdens; and industry trends that may discourage a veteran’s pursuit of supply chain occupations. H.R. 3423, the Facility for Runway Operations and Safe Transportation (FROST) Act – introduced by Rep. Tony Wied (R-WI). This bill ensures that storage facilities for aircraft deicing fluids and equipment – critical to aviation safety in cold weather – can be acquired with Airport Improvement Program (AIP) funds. Under the current structure, AIP funds can be used to acquire aircraft deicing equipment, but not the storage facilities to house that safety-critical equipment. H.R. 3427, the Water Resources Technical Assistance Review Act – introduced by Rep. Dave Taylor (R-OH). This bill directs the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to review the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) clean water-related technical assistance authorities – in particular the Water Technical Assistance (WaterTA) initiative – to evaluate the program’s effectiveness and ensure it is meeting the needs of rural communities. These programs are typically tailored to support small, rural, and distressed communities who may not have the capacity to access EPA resources otherwise. The Biden Administration established the WaterTA initiative in March 2023 in an effort to connect more communities with available water infrastructure resources at the EPA. However, it is unclear if this initiative is reaching these communities. H.R. 3428, the Mid-Atlantic River Basin Commissions Review Act – introduced by Rep. Rob Bresnahan (R-PA). This bill increases accountability and Congressional oversight of the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC), Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC), and the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin (ICPRB). This federal-level review will ensure these commissions implement the necessary practices to serve as good stewards of taxpayer resources. Specifically, this GAO review will focus on ethics practices, communication with the public, and how each commission carries out federal responsibilities. A state level audit of the SRBC raised concerns about compliance with ethics and appropriate use of funds. H.R. 3424, the Shared Property Agency Collaboration and Engagement (SPACE) Act of 2025 – introduced by Rep. Bob Onder (R-MO). This bill expands on public buildings reforms that were included in the Thomas R. Carper Water Resources Development Act of 2024 by directing the General Services Administration (GSA) to collaborate with federal tenants on shared-space arrangements, develop criteria for expanded space-sharing, and identify special-use spaces that can improve space sharing. This bill continues the Committee’s work to reduce the federal real estate footprint and ensure taxpayer dollars are only supporting necessary work space – not unused or empty buildings. H.R. 3425, the Personnel Oversight and Shift Tracking (POST) Act of 2025 – introduced by Rep. Mike Kennedy (R-UT). This bill improves safety at federal buildings by addressing security failures, improving training for contract guards, and making critical improvements to the Federal Protective Service’s (FPS) shift tracking system. The bill improves safety by linking contract guard training to demonstrated security failures and requiring updates to the personnel tracking system to ensure adequate staffing at security posts and better communication with tenant agencies. H.R. 3426, the Courthouse Affordability and Space Efficiency (CASE) Act of 2025 – introduced by Rep. Jefferson Shreve (R-IN). This bill optimizes courthouse space usage and informs future construction through a policy of courtroom sharing, ensuring good stewardship of taxpayer resources and preventing unnecessary expansion of the federal real estate portfolio. The language prohibits GSA from constructing any new courthouses without complying with courtroom sharing requirements set out in the bill, and ensures that before constructing any new courthouses within an existing courthouse complex, GSA must ensure that all other courthouses on campus are fully utilized or relinquished from GSA’s inventory. This bill follows a recent Committee hearing on the ongoing issue of waste in federal courthouse design and construction. H.R. 3477, the Ensuring Airline Resiliency to Reduce Delays and Cancellations Act – introduced by T&I Ranking Member Rick Larsen (D-WA). This bill directs the Secretary of Transportation to require certificated air carriers to develop an operational resiliency plan to prevent or limit the impact of future flight disruptions on passengers. H.R. 2591, the Mental Health in Aviation Act of 2025 – introduced by Rep. Sean Casten (D-IL). This bill directs the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to revise existing regulations to encourage pilots, air traffic controllers, and other aviation professionals to disclose and seek help for mental health conditions. H.R. 3331, the Mariner Exam Modernization Act – introduced by Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-CA). This bill improves the accuracy, relevance, transparency, and oversight of the Merchant Mariner Credentialing Examination. The Committee also approved a package of General Services Administration (GSA) Capital Investment and Leasing Program (CILP) lease resolutions, most of which are for the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). These leases are for various purposes, including outpatient clinics, community living centers, mental health clinics, and hospitals which will improve access to care for our nation’s veterans. Also approved were leases for a consolidation of the National Transportation Safety Board headquarters once its current lease expires and a lease for the Department of Defense’s Washington Headquarters Services. More information from today’s markup, including bill text and amendments approved, can be found here. |