Sec. Chao; Sens. Barrasso and Carper; Reps. DeFazio and Graves; Discuss 2019 Priorities
The stakes could not be higher for hundreds of top officials from 45 state departments of transportation gathered this week in the nation’s capital for the annual American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials Washington Briefing. State DOT officials will hear directly from the nation’s top political leaders whose jurisdictions cover transportation and they will deliver an urgent message about the importance of passing transportation funding legislation this year, as they personally visit their congressional delegations as part of the Washington Briefing event.
“Once we get to 2020, you’re going to see Washington D.C. lock down pretty tight as presidential politics really comes to the forefront,” said Jim Tymon, AASHTO’s Executive Director, during an interview with AASHTO’s Transportation TV. “Congress has about seven or eight months to try to get some of their key pieces of legislation done. And I think getting something done on transportation is a priority for both parties – Democrats and Republicans – in the House of Representative and the Senate. And I think President Trump’s administration wants to get something done on infrastructure, as well.”
Today, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao delivered the luncheon keynote address and Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., chairman of the Senate’s Environment and Public Works Committee; Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del., ranking member on the Senate EPW Committee; Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee; and Rep. Sam Graves, R-Mo., ranking member on the House’s T&I Committee discussed their 2019 legislative priorities for transportation at AASHTO’s Washington Briefing event.
Tymon said that there’s a sense of both urgency and opportunity at this year’s conference.
“Given the fact that Congress may be gearing up for reauthorizing the FAST Act, this is the perfect time for our members to flex a little bit of muscle–go up to Capitol Hill and really let their congressional delegations know what their priorities are for this session of Congress.”
Video recordings of today’s speakers, including Secretary Chao’s address, are available on AASHTO’s YouTube Channel at https://goo.gl/tLNGgw. AASHTO’s Tymon also covers several important issues during an interview with Transportation TV, including the possible resurgence of earmarks, which will also be available on AASHTO’s YouTube Channel.
