Congressman Dan Lipinski Gains Key Transportation Subcommittee Seats
Slots Oversee Aviation, Rail, and Highway Transit

WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Congressman Dan Lipinski was selected for three subcommittees of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee that are critical to the Third District and all of northeastern Illinois.  Lipinski's three subcommittees are Aviation, Highways and Transit, and Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials.  These subcommittees oversee transportation issues that our top priorities for Illinois, including working to decrease rail, highway, and aviation congestion, and allowing the region to continue to function as a major transportation hub while preserving the quality of life for local residents. 

"As a leader on local transportation issues, it is a great honor to serve on three of the most coveted subcommittees on the Transportation Committee," said Congressman Lipinski.  "The Chicagoland area is a key national transportation hub for aviation, highway, and rail traffic, and this position will provide me with an even greater ability to improve both local and national transportation."

Beginning in his first term, Congressman Lipinski has put a tremendous emphasis on transportation improvements for the Chicago region.  He secured $126 million for local projects, including $100 million for the Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency program (CREATE) - a $1.5 billion public/private partnership to improve Chicago's rail infrastructure.  Lipinski then led the effort to reach an unprecedented cooperative agreement among congressional and administration officials, the State of Illinois, the City of Chicago, and the railroad industry, for a three-year, $330 million Phase I of CREATE.  This project includes numerous improvements to local railroad infrastructure and will benefit freight traffic, commuter rail traffic, and intercity rail passengers, along with easing local road congestion through the building of underpasses.

"Whether it's continuing my leadership on the CREATE rail modernization program, working on issues critical to the continued vitality of Midway Airport and O'Hare Airport, helping improve local transit, or looking forward to the next transportation funding bill, these subcommittee seats will allow me to further pursue the interests of the Third District and northern Illinois," said Lipinski.

The Aviation Subcommittee has jurisdiction over civil aviation safety, security, infrastructure, and labor, and exercises oversight over the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).  The Highways and Transit subcommittee has jurisdiction over the work of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).  The Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials oversees railroad safety and economic issues, Amtrak, railroad infrastructure programs, and railroad retirement, unemployment and labor laws, as well as the Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA).