Meet the vulnerable R's who panned the infrastructure law, then praised its impact in their districts

Jun 10, 2024

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QUICK FIX

— Some Republicans have bashed the Biden administration for what they call profligate spending on infrastructure — but plenty in close races have also taken credit for projects in their districts.

— The Biden administration is taking weaker action than it initially proposed on fuel economy regulation.

— Mike Whitaker will face senators next week on how he’s holding Boeing accountable. Will there be any legislative action?

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Driving the day

THEY HATED IT... UNTIL THEY DIDN'T: Some of the more vulnerable House Republicans who opposed President Joe Biden's plan to spend billions on infrastructure are taking credit for the projects the law is funding in their districts.

That includes Rep. Marianette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa), who voted against the 2021 infrastructure law but thanked the Army Corps of Engineers for modernizing locks and dams on the Mississippi River; Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), who called the law a "socialist wish list" and then celebrated a transit grant it funded in her district; and Rep. Michelle Steel (R-Calif.), who voted against the law but praised the harbor dredging it funded.

— The election contests will be not only a referendum on each lawmaker, but also a test of how much voters care about that federal money and its ability to create local jobs and investments. It will also be a measure of how much people are even aware of the law and how much credit they give the federal government — and their elected officials.

Just 13 members of the House GOP conference voted for the 2021 infrastructure law that injected funds into roads, rails and bridges. Some of them have either left or been run out of Congress after facing criticism and blowback, stoked by former President Donald Trump.

Now, roughly three years after the law passed, the money is finally starting to be put to use. Katherine Tully-McManus has the story.

JOIN US ON 6/12 FOR A TALK ON THE AIRLINE INDUSTRY: As air travel soars again, policymakers and airlines are grappling with a series of contemporary challenges to the industry's future. Join POLITICO on June 12 for a topical and timely conversation with government leaders and aviation stakeholders about the state of the airline industry. From what passengers want to what airlines need amid the high demand for air traffic, workers and technology solutions. What can Washington do to ensure passengers and providers are equipped to fly right? REGISTER HERE.

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Automobiles

BIDEN GOES MILDER: The DOT's new standards for SUVs and pickup trucks fall short of what the White House had initially proposed, ostensibly to help spur increased electric vehicle adoption — but it could irritate climate activists, an influential bloc in Biden's reelection bid.

The rule, issued Friday and formally known as the Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards, requires automakers' pickup trucks and SUV fleets to meet an average of 45 miles per gallon by 2031. That's seven mpg less than what the White House proposed last year — and that gap will result in an estimated 200 million more metric tons of planet-warming carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere through 2050.

GREENS SPLIT: Some environmentalists said the new CAFE standard is a positive step: The standards "will improve gas mileage, ease the burden of high gas prices at the pump for American families, and slash our nation’s oil consumption," said Katherine García, director of the Sierra Club’s Clean Transportation for All campaign.

But others have been adamantly critical. Dan Becker, director of the Safe Climate Transport Campaign at the Center for Biological Diversity, alleged that NHTSA had "caved to automaker pressure" to relax the rule. Alex Guillén has more.

ALLIANCE FOR AUTOMOTIVE INNOVATION REACTION: “The administration appears to have landed on a CAFE rule that works with the other recent federal tailpipe rules,” John Bozzella, president and CEO of Alliance for Automotive Innovation, said in a statement. "It looks like the left hand knew what the right hand was doing. That’s the kind of coordination we recommended. So that’s good and appreciated."

WHAT ABOUT GM?: The car manufacturer said it is supportive of the goals of the final CAFE rule.

"The fleet efficiency steps we have taken and the groundwork we have laid on the path to an all-electric future will help us meet the more stringent requirements," a spokesperson said. "While we review the details, we believe continued coordination across the U.S. federal government and the California Air Resources Board will help ensure the auto industry can successfully transition to electrification.”

AND WHAT ABOUT THE GOP?: The rule is going to face opposition from Republicans. In fact, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) wants it stopped.

Cruz has said that he will introduce a Congressional Review Act resolution to block the new standards, saying the administration has "ignored the wishes of American consumers by declaring war against affordable gas-powered cars." (However, if it makes it through Congress, Biden is all but certain to veto it.)

OVER IN NEW YORK: The DOT's rule is the latest in a series of moves from Democrats to scale back climate ambitions that could hit Americans in the wallet. And it comes on the heels of New York Gov. Kathy Hochul's decision to indefinitely pause a proposed $15 "congestion pricing" toll, aimed at lessening traffic in Manhattan.

The pause could help shield vulnerable New York Democrats in tight races, but has environmentalists up in arms. The congestion pricing issue has been controversial since it was introduced in 2019, with polls showing people in the metro area weren't big fans.

Hochul said concerns about adverse effects on workers played factored into her decision to halt the proposed toll.

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Aviation

WHITAKER SLIDING ON THROUGH TO SENATE: Last week, FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker briefed House lawmakers on efforts to ensure Boeing's planes are safe. This week, he'll take it to the Senate — albeit it in a public setting.

— On Thursday, Whitaker will testify before the Senate Commerce Committee on Boeing’s 90-day improvement plan, where he'll no doubt get questioned about how the FAA is monitoring the company’s attempt to shore up its quality control issues. He’s likely to get some questions on recent whistleblower claims, too. (Reminder: In April, witnesses with experience working at Boeing alleged that the company sought to cover up vital information and threatened and intimidated those raising concerns.)

— Senate Commerce Chair Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) pledged a legislative response to Boeing's ongoing issues and the FAA's oversight of the planemaker. But chances are high that it won't get off the ground — at least not this year. We'll be listening for any clues about legislative action on the horizon.

MORE SPACE DATA TO INTEGRATE: The FAA on Friday announced it added two companies to its Space Data Integrator tool: Virgin Galactic and Sierra Space.

The extra data is intended to help the agency more efficiently manage air traffic during commercial space launches, which are on the rise. These launches often require the FAA to close off huge portions of airspace to other traffic, but the data tool seeks to pare that down while still maintaining safety.

— FAA can track those companies in near real time during their launch, and reentries via telemetry data including position, altitude and speed. This update lets the FAA reopen airspace as quickly as three minutes after the launch or reentry.

Virgin Galactic and Sierra Space join SpaceX in sending this kind of data to the agency.

MORE NEAR-COLLISIONS: During last week's detailed briefing into the 2023 near-collision in Austin, NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy said the agency is looking into several potential runway incursions that happened both last year and this year. Oriana tracked down what investigations remain open and what the agency just added to its to-do list.

Open investigations from 2023 include:

A Jan. 23 incident at Hawaii’s Daniel K. Inouye International Airport between a United Airlines plane and a Kamaka Air Cessna plane
A Feb. 16 incident at Sarasota Bradenton International Airport between an Air Canada plane and American Airlines plane
A Feb. 22 incident at Hollywood Burbank Airport in California between Mesa Airlines and a SkyWest plane
An Aug. 11 incident at San Diego International Airport between a Southwest Airlines plane and private jet

Close calls investigators are looking into for 2024 include:

An April 17 incident at John F. Kennedy International Airport that involved multiple aircraft crossing the same runway downfield while a Swiss Airlines flight headed for takeoff
An April 18 incident between a Southwest plane and JetBlue Airways plane at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
A May 29 possible incident at Reagan between an American plane and a Beechcraft King Air
A June 3 incident at Tucson International Airport between an American plane, a Southwest plane and a Cessna aircraft

JOIN US ON 6/13 FOR A TALK ON THE FUTURE OF HEALTH CARE: As Congress and the White House work to strengthen health care affordability and access, innovative technologies and treatments are increasingly important for patient health and lower costs. What barriers are appearing as new tech emerges? Is the Medicare payment process keeping up with new technologies and procedures? Join us on June 13 as POLITICO convenes a panel of lawmakers, officials and experts to discuss what policy solutions could expand access to innovative therapies and tech. REGISTER HERE.

Public Safety

YOU DRIVING A KIA TELLURIDE?: Kia America issued a “park outside” recall for over 460,000 Telluride vehicles spanning model years 2020-2024, due to a risk of them catching fire while parked or driving. The car company is telling its customers to park those vehicles outside and away from other cars until the recall repair is finished.

Shifting Gears

Nathan McDaniel is now director of government relations at the Texas Railroad Commission. He most recently was a manager at marketing firm Proscalar and previously served as campaign manager and district director for Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas).

The Autobahn

— “William Anders, Apollo 8 astronaut who shot ‘Earthrise,’ dies at 90." Washington Post.

— “Legacy Airlines Are Thriving With Ultracheap Fares, Crushing Budget Carriers." Bloomberg.

— “The Ads on Your United Airlines In-Flight Screen Are Getting a Lot More Specific.” Wall Street Journal.

— “Drone Delivery’s Next Challenge Is How to Clear Cost Hurdles.” Wall Street Journal.

— “Large chunk of Wyoming’s Teton Pass road collapses; unclear how quickly it can be rebuilt." AP.

— “The Age of the Drone Police Is Here." Wired.

On The Calendar

Nothing on our radar!

Know of an event we should have on our calendar? Let MT know at transpocalendar@politicopro.com.

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One big reason why air travel is still the safest mode of transportation in the U.S.? Two pilots on the flight deck. Research shows that one person cannot fly a commercial airliner safely, even with the latest advances in technology, navigation, communications and weather monitoring. Learn why this safety requirement should not be changed.