Rep. Sam Graves Eyes Re-election as House T&I Chair with Waiver Approval

In a somewhat surprising move, the Republican Steering Committee has granted Rep. Sam Graves (R-6th/Mo.), current chair of The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee (T&I), the opportunity to seek re-election for the position. Several sources indicated that they did not expect waivers to be granted for the new Congress.

Under House GOP rules, a waiver is required for a member to serve as the chairman or ranking member of a committee for more than six years, which House Democrats do not have such term limits.

While the waiver approval does not guarantee Graves will retain his position, it allows his campaign to continue.

While the waiver approval does not guarantee Graves will retain his position, it allows his campaign to continue. Graves must now appear before the Steering Committee to make his case for re-election, where he will face competition from Rep. Rick Crawford (R-1st/Ark.), chair of the subcommittee on highways and transit.

Crawford has lobbied for changes to the 2021 infrastructure law, including efforts to curb spending and explore new funding mechanisms for the Highway Trust Fund. These potential changes could involve introducing new fees on electric vehicles or replacing the gasoline tax with a vehicle-miles-traveled user fee.

The T&I Committee plays a crucial role in shaping policies and regulations governing freight movement, directly impacting the efficiency, cost and reliability of the logistics industry.

TIA will continue to monitor the developments within the committee. Additionally, Rep. Rick Larsen (D-2nd/Wash.), who has served on the committee since 2001, has been selected for a second term as ranking member.