Investing in transportation creates jobs and keeps our economy moving. Every $1 billion we spend on highways and road projects creates 47,000 jobs in our community. As a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I strongly support investing in transportation to relieve congestion, improve safety and spur economic growth in our communities. To that end, I am pleased that Congress passed an 18 month transportation bill that will invest in our roads, bridges, transit, and freight infrastructure.  But I am continuing to push for a long-term, multi-year reauthorization that meets the needs our industries and economy face.

I am honored to have been selected by my colleagues to be the Ranking Member, the most senior Democratic member, of the Aviation Subcommittee. The work of the Subcommittee is critical to jobs and the economy in Washington state and the Second District. The Pacific Northwest is the aerospace capital of the world, and I will work hard to make sure the United States invests in our aviation future. Aviation means jobs in Northwest Washington. Anything I can do to support the growth and safety of air travel will bring good jobs to our communities.

Accomplishments

• Championed funding increases for Washington state’s ferry program in the recent transportation reauthorization through legislation that would foster investment in ferries, and letters of support of ferry funding to the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
• Pushed for final passage of the recently enacted 18 month transportation bill.
• Appointed Ranking Member of the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation subcommittee for the Transportation and Infrastructure committee in the 112^th Congress.
• Fought hard to pass a bill to strengthen our pipeline safety regulations after a deadly pipeline explosion occurred in Bellingham in 2002, and passed updates to strengthen the 2006 bill in 2006 and 2011.
• Supported federal transportation grant applications by Island Transit and Sound Transit to expand service.
• Co-sponsored legislation to make maritime training programs affordable for all students by allowing students at maritime training institutions to take out student loans and creating maritime training institution scholarships. The Maritime Workforce Development Act passed the House of Representatives.
• Supported small shipyards like Dakota Creek Industries in Anacortes by championing grants to help increase productivity and create jobs.