Transportation & Infrastructure

The case against privatizing the nation's air traffic control system The Hill Reps. Peter DeFazio (D-ORE.) and Rick Larsen (D-WASH) 5/10/2017 On every domestic flight, passengers have a window-seat view of the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) work to modernize our aviation infrastructure through a set of technologies and procedures called NextGen. After a rocky… Read more »

Editorial: Back airline promises with consumer protections Everett Herald Herald Editorial Board 5/3/2017 Even though United Airlines chief executive Oscar Munoz botched his initial reaction to a United passenger being roughed up, knocked unconscious and dragged off a flight because he refused to give up his seat, the head of the airlines corrected his flight path and said the right… Read more »

Congressman to United Airlines CEO: ‘what happened on United Airlines flight 3411 cannot happen again’ Read more »

Congressman to United Airlines CEO: 'what happened on United Airlines flight 3411 cannot happen again' San Juan Islander 5/2/2017 Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02), the top-Ranking Democrat on the House Subcommittee on Aviation, May 2,  2017 helped lead a hearing examining customer service problems associated with US airlines. Today’s hearing follows the forcible removal of… Read more »

U.S. lawmakers grill airline executives after customer disasters Reuters David Shepardson and Alana Wise 5/2/2017 U.S. lawmakers threatened United Airlines (UAL.N) and other carriers on Tuesday with legislation aimed at improving customer service after a passenger was hauled down the aisle of a flight last month. Top airline executives testified to the House of Representatives… Read more »

Key Sound Transit deal back on track with budget agreement Everett Herald Jerry Cornfield 5/2/2017 LYNNWOOD — A compromise deal to fund the federal government provides Sound Transit and Community Transit with millions of dollars they’ve been counting on to expand light rail and bus service in Snohomish County. The agreement also maintains funding for Community… Read more »

Congress, Rick Larsen blast United Airlines KGMI News  5/1/2017 A congressman who represents parts of Whatcom County says United Airlines put its own needs above those of the its passengers’ when it forcibly removed a man. Democrat Rick Larsen says that’s not how the airline should have handled the doctor who refused to get off the flight to accommodate a crew… Read more »

Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02), the top-Ranking Democrat on the House Subcommittee on Aviation, along with Rep. Peter DeFazio (OR-04) and Republican Reps. Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) and Drew Ferguson (GA-03), have introduced bipartisan legislation that would preclude the Department of Transportation (DOT) from issuing a foreign air carrier permit for US operations to an airline that exploits… Read more »

Larsen tours state-of-the-art fishing trawler Go Anacortes Jacqueline Allison 4/26/2017 Sophisticated. That’s the word Capt. Bob Hezel uses to describe the fishing boat he will captain next winter. The boat, called America’s Finest, is a 262-foot commercial fishing trawler being built by Dakota Creek Industries, which is scheduled to complete construction in November. … Read more »

Dakota Creek working on state-of-the-art fishing vessel Skagit Valley Herald Brandon Stone 4/21/2017 ANACORTES — U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen met Thursday morning at Dakota Creek Industries with shipbuilders and commercial fishermen eager to show off a new, fuel-efficient fishing vessel. The ship, America’s Finest, is bigger, safer, more efficient and pollutes less than… Read more »