Washington Update
On May 6, the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials will hold a hearing on discretionary grants titled, “America Builds: Improving the Efficiency and Effectiveness of Federal Rail Assistance.”
On April 30, the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee will mark up its piece of the House budget reconciliation bill. The committee is seeking $10 billion in savings in existing funding to help pay for the mammoth tax bill. The bill is also expected to create new fees that would pay into the Highway Trust Fund that would move away from the gas tax, including a $20 annual fee on all passenger vehicles, $100 for hybrids, and $200 on EVs.
On April 24, US DOT Secretary Sean Duffy released a letter directed, “To All Recipients of US DOT Funding.” The letter reads, in part, “As recipients of such DOT funds, you have entered into legally enforceable agreements with the United States Government and are obligated to comply fully with all applicable Federal laws and regulations. These laws and regulations include the United States Constitution, Federal statutes, applicable rules, and public policy requirements, including, among others, those protecting free speech and religious liberty and those prohibiting discrimination and enforcing controls on illegal immigration.” The letter states that recipients must cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other components of the Department of Homeland Security. On DEI programing, the letter states the following: "Whether or not described in neutral terms, any policy, program, or activity that is premised on a prohibited classification, including discriminatory policies or practices designed to achieve so-called 'diversity, equity, and inclusion,' or 'DEI,' goals, presumptively violates federal law."
On April 21, Drew Feeley started as FRA Deputy Administrator. He was previously Staff Director of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials.
On April 17, the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials held a hearing to discuss and receive testimony pertaining to, “Getting to Work: Examining Challenges and Solutions in the Commuter Rail Industry.”
On April 2, President Donald Trump announced a new tariff plan, via an Executive Order on “Liberation Day”, (Regulating Imports with a Reciprocal Tariff to Rectify Trade Practices that Contribute to large and Persistent Annual United States goods Trade Deficits) that consists of a new baseline tariff on goods from all countries plus reciprocal “discounted” tariffs on those countries that have high barriers to US imports. No new tariffs were placed on Mexico and Canada, the United States' two largest trading partners, sparing them from the minimum 10 percent baseline tariff added to most countries. Existing tariffs on their goods remain in place and new levies on automotive products are set to take effect. Overall, the across-the-board levies on all imports are to become effective April 5, 2025. Update on 4/9/25: President Trump indicated that he is pausing, for 90 days, reciprocal tariffs on more than 75 countries, but will increase tariffs on goods from China to 125 percent.
Also on April 2, the Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works held a Full Committee hearing to discuss and receive testimony pertaining to, “Constructing the Surface Transportation Reauthorization Bill: United States Secretary of Transportation’s Perspective.” The key witness was US DOT Secretary Sean Duffy.
On March 25, USDOT Office of the Secretary issued a memo to its staff urging them to finalize as many pending grants as possible by the end of March so long as they are aligned with “the Trump administration policies.”
On March 19, Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner announced that he is stepping down as CEO and leaving Amtrak, after 16 years of service to Amtrak. It was widely reported that Gardner was forced out by the Trump Administration.
On April 30, the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee will mark up its piece of the House budget reconciliation bill. The committee is seeking $10 billion in savings in existing funding to help pay for the mammoth tax bill. The bill is also expected to create new fees that would pay into the Highway Trust Fund that would move away from the gas tax, including a $20 annual fee on all passenger vehicles, $100 for hybrids, and $200 on EVs.
On April 24, US DOT Secretary Sean Duffy released a letter directed, “To All Recipients of US DOT Funding.” The letter reads, in part, “As recipients of such DOT funds, you have entered into legally enforceable agreements with the United States Government and are obligated to comply fully with all applicable Federal laws and regulations. These laws and regulations include the United States Constitution, Federal statutes, applicable rules, and public policy requirements, including, among others, those protecting free speech and religious liberty and those prohibiting discrimination and enforcing controls on illegal immigration.” The letter states that recipients must cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other components of the Department of Homeland Security. On DEI programing, the letter states the following: "Whether or not described in neutral terms, any policy, program, or activity that is premised on a prohibited classification, including discriminatory policies or practices designed to achieve so-called 'diversity, equity, and inclusion,' or 'DEI,' goals, presumptively violates federal law."
On April 21, Drew Feeley started as FRA Deputy Administrator. He was previously Staff Director of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials.
On April 17, the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials held a hearing to discuss and receive testimony pertaining to, “Getting to Work: Examining Challenges and Solutions in the Commuter Rail Industry.”
On April 2, President Donald Trump announced a new tariff plan, via an Executive Order on “Liberation Day”, (Regulating Imports with a Reciprocal Tariff to Rectify Trade Practices that Contribute to large and Persistent Annual United States goods Trade Deficits) that consists of a new baseline tariff on goods from all countries plus reciprocal “discounted” tariffs on those countries that have high barriers to US imports. No new tariffs were placed on Mexico and Canada, the United States' two largest trading partners, sparing them from the minimum 10 percent baseline tariff added to most countries. Existing tariffs on their goods remain in place and new levies on automotive products are set to take effect. Overall, the across-the-board levies on all imports are to become effective April 5, 2025. Update on 4/9/25: President Trump indicated that he is pausing, for 90 days, reciprocal tariffs on more than 75 countries, but will increase tariffs on goods from China to 125 percent.
Also on April 2, the Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works held a Full Committee hearing to discuss and receive testimony pertaining to, “Constructing the Surface Transportation Reauthorization Bill: United States Secretary of Transportation’s Perspective.” The key witness was US DOT Secretary Sean Duffy.
On March 25, USDOT Office of the Secretary issued a memo to its staff urging them to finalize as many pending grants as possible by the end of March so long as they are aligned with “the Trump administration policies.”
On March 19, Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner announced that he is stepping down as CEO and leaving Amtrak, after 16 years of service to Amtrak. It was widely reported that Gardner was forced out by the Trump Administration.
