DURHAM, NC (January 29, 2025) — Today, Congresswoman Valerie Foushee (NC-04), a member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, joined Ranking Member Rick Larsen (WA-02) and Vice Ranking Member Emilia Sykes (OH-13) in sending a letter to the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) asking clarity on how the agency plans to implement Trump’s executive orders which freeze infrastructure funding and the Office of Management and Budget’s pause on all federal financial assistance.
Current communications from the agency do not adequately address the impacts that a pause on transportation projects, infrastructure spending, and air traffic controller hiring will have on transportation nationwide. The letter urges DOT to clearly outline how it plans to implement Trump’s directives and the effects that these actions will have on states, cities, counties, Indian Tribes, transit agencies, airports, ports, and railroads across the country.
“Unfortunately, the actions in the first week of this Administration show a fundamental miscalculation of the bipartisan support infrastructure investment enjoys in Congress and how much governors, mayors, county commissioners, city councilmembers, and state legislators across the country count on federal infrastructure dollars,” the lawmakers wrote. “Federal dollars support more than 50 percent of the average State DOT’s spending, with some states relying on federal funds for more than 80 percent. We urge you to stem the chaotic effect of these actions on states, cities, counties, Indian Tribes, transit agencies, airports, ports, and railroads by communicating what U.S. DOT is doing.”
The full text of the letter is included below:
Dear Secretary Duffy:
Congratulations on your confirmation as Secretary of Transportation. We look forward to working with you and the incoming team at the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT).
The President’s rapid-fire Executive Orders (EO) issued last week affecting infrastructure spending rules and air traffic controller staffing, doubled down on with this week’s guidance from the Office of Management and Budget pausing all federal financial assistance, are putting billions of dollars, hundreds of thousands of jobs, and tens of thousands of projects at risk. These actions are sowing chaos in an industry that counts on long-term certainty and will raise project costs. You have personally heard the bipartisan consternation this is causing Members and Senators, speaking on behalf of our constituents.
Democrats on the House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee stand ready to be strong partners in investing in infrastructure and creating jobs building, maintaining and operating the nation’s roads, bridges, transit, rail, ports, aviation system, maritime transportation system and waterways. We understand deeply how the work of this Committee affects the economy, supply chains, jobs, safety, mobility, opportunity and quality of life for the women and men we represent.
We have witnessed what happens when Congress does the right thing and funds our infrastructure—funds flow to projects and support local economies in every single Congressional district in the country. We want to keep it going by working across the aisle in the 119th Congress and continuing to solve transportation challenges, relieve chokepoints, and deliver results for America’s communities.
Congress has done its part and handed this Administration an unprecedented level of federal funds to build projects. Because of the long tail of infrastructure construction, your Administration will enjoy the ribbon cuttings and community praise from the $660 billion that Congress made available in 2021 to U.S. DOT through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).
Unfortunately, the actions in the first week of this Administration show a fundamental miscalculation of the bipartisan support infrastructure investment enjoys in Congress and how much governors, mayors, county commissioners, city councilmembers, and state legislators across the country count on federal infrastructure dollars. Federal dollars support more than 50 percent of the average State DOT’s spending, with some states relying on federal funds for more than 80 percent.
We urge you to stem the chaotic effect of these actions on states, cities, counties, Indian Tribes, transit agencies, airports, ports, and railroads by communicating what U.S. DOT is doing. This includes, at a minimum:
- provide clear guidance on DOT’s planned actions to implement the President’s objectives with respect to infrastructure spending and eligibilities;
- make publicly available, on DOT’s website, an up-to-date list of all grants subject to or under review pursuant to these EOs;
- communicate to Congress in advance of changes to grant solicitations or grant requirements, including reissuance of Notices of Funding Opportunity;
- and provide clarity to project sponsors on how to demonstrate compliance with the longstanding and routinely reauthorized DOT Disadvantaged Business Enterprise program in light of the EO that seeks to eliminate federal diversity initiatives.
Project sponsors, particularly those who have already been awarded grants, deserve to know which grants and policies you intend to target, eliminate, or change; the timeline for grant award reviews; and your desired changes to rules and requirements.
Ultimately, Congress has a strong say in whether the new rules and requirements the President prefers, and the process by which the Administration tries to impose them, withstand scrutiny and can proceed. Expect a full review of U.S DOT’s actions and proposals by this Committee as this process unfolds.
We look forward to a productive relationship to keep our transportation systems safe, moving, resilient and ready for the future, all while supporting American workers, businesses and industries.