House targets FAA vote as soon as Tuesday
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Quick Fix
— The Senate finally got the FAA bill done without any substantial amendments. Will the House send it to the president without hassle?
— We caught up with House Appropriations Chair Tom Cole on next steps for Baltimore bridge funding.
— It’s infrastructure week, and the White House wants to make sure you know about it.
IT’S MONDAY: You’re reading Morning Transportation, your Washington policy guide to everything that moves. We’re glad you’re here. Send tips, feedback and song lyrics to Chris at [email protected] and Oriana at [email protected] and follow us at, @oriana0214 and @ChrisMarquette.
Driving the day
HOUSE WILL HANDLE: The House is poised to vote on the full FAA bill, H.R. 3935 (118), this week, after the Senate cleared it on Thursday, wrapping up months (and months) of negotiations, compromises and a last-minute fight over refund language for airline passengers and extra flights out of Congress’ favorite airport. The House could take up the bill as soon as Tuesday, according to a floor schedule released on Friday.
— The House, at this moment, seems likely to clear the bill (perhaps against our better judgment — knowing how Congress works). There has been a sense of optimism from lawmakers who want to get the bill done and allow the FAA to move forward with provisions in the bill intended to improve safety, ease the gridlock on air traffic controller hiring and training, and more. The usual caveats apply in a Congress that's increasingly difficult to predict.
— House Transportation Committee Ranking Member Rick Larsen (D-Wash.) told your MT host last week that the bill is solid and should pass the House. “There's a lot of good stuff in this bill that a lot of our members fought for when we put it together in the House,” he said. Others seem to agree that it's too important to let the perfect be the enemy of the good, including Rep. Rick Crawford (R-Ark.), who called it a "fair compromise." He continued: “I look forward to supporting this bill."
TOP APPROPRIATOR ON BALTIMORE BRIDGE: Your MT host caught up with Appropriations Committee Chair Tom Cole (R-Okla.) last week to see what appropriators will do about the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. Cole, Rep. Steve Womack (R-Ark.), Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) and other members met with Maryland Gov. Wes Moore earlier this month to discuss funding the bridge repair efforts. Cole said the meeting was “terrific” and “very bipartisan.”
What’s next: The first order of business, Cole said, is to make sure the emergency funding for the cleanup of debris and other recovery efforts “continues to flow.” There are a lot of Coast Guard, Navy and Army Corps of Engineers assets deployed to help with the effort, which Cole said Congress may have to make whole. He noted that would be a White House request and that “we would certainly be supportive of that.”
A standalone bill: “It might be,” Cole said. “Again, the administration needs to figure that out, but we want to be helpful. I mean, this should never be partisan, and I’m so impressed with Gov. Moore. He’s a great guy to work with. Very impressed with the mayor and the county executive there.”
Cole said it’s too early to know how much Congress needs to give out. “Probably the next action would be a request from the administration to fill up the funds if they're running short,” Cole said. He added his panel is willing to look at "forgoing" the traditional requirement of a 10 percent state cost share. “Nobody in Baltimore had anything to do with this.”
BIDEN CELEBRATES INFRASTRUCTURE WEEK: President Joe Biden is trotting out his top aides and Cabinet members to remind Americans about what his signature spending bills — including the 2021 infrastructure law, the Inflation Reduction Act, CHIPS and pandemic relief laws — have done for them. This includes, the administration notes, progress on high-speed rail, improved roadways and cleaner drinking water to communities that lacked it.
— It's not the easiest sell. A recent POLITICO-Morning Consult poll showed that voters don't know much about the laws or how they're affecting their lives — and perhaps even worse, that Biden only has a very slim edge over former President Donald Trump when it comes to perceptions about who did more for infrastructure. Chris has more here.
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Aviation
DID YOU CATCH THAT: Nearly 60 airplanes cruised over the Potomac River and the National Mall this weekend for the “National Celebration of General Aviation” D.C. flyover, which showcased a range of aircraft throughout history. The planes took off from Maryland’s Frederick Municipal Airport and flew into Washington’s highly restricted airspace (with the FAA’s permission, of course). The event was coordinated by the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, which also marked its 85th anniversary. Oriana checked it out and snapped some pics.
MARKUP, MWAA: The Senate Commerce Committee will hold a markup Thursday on the nomination of Samuel Slater to be a member of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority’s board. As MT readers remember, Slater had his nomination hearing back in November, which was contentious because some Commerce Republicans thought his resume was light on transportation experience.
Automobiles
BIG EV TARIFF: President Joe Biden is planning to quadruple the tariff former President Donald Trump put on Chinese electric vehicles to 100 percent, a move that's part of a larger effort to raise tariffs on Chinese goods that includes batteries, critical minerals and steel, a person familiar with the decision said. The White House is planning on announcing the decision Tuesday at an event to promote American jobs and investment. Doug has more here.
Shifting Gears
Chair Martin J. Oberman of the Surface Transportation Board retired. President Joe Biden intends to designate Board Member Robert Primus as STB chair.
The Autobahn
— “Guns are being stolen from cars at triple the rate they were 10 years ago, a report finds.” AP.
— “Their batteries hurt the environment, but EVs still beat gas cars. Here's why.” NPR.
— “TSA fought proposal to require facial recognition opt-outs at airports.” POLITICO.
— “Biden Set to Hit China EVs, Strategic Sectors With Tariffs.” Bloomberg.
— “Musk Says Tesla Will Spend $500 Million on Charging Network, Following Layoffs.” Wall Street Journal.
— “Boeing’s Safety Claims Probed by SEC After Panel Blew Off Plane.” Bloomberg.
— “Vehicle Miles Traveled Taxes Rollout across States.” Tax Foundation.
— “Crews prepare for controlled demolition as cleanup continues at Baltimore bridge collapse site." AP.
On The Calendar
Nothing on our radar!
Know of an event we should have on our calendar? Let MT know at [email protected].