Document KRZEZp52J0enOX8yvMRLzjqXX

To: Jackson, Ryan[jackson.ryan@epa.gov] From: Morning Transportation Sent: Thur 9/7/2017 2:05:35 PM Subject: POLITICO'S Morning Transportation, presented by Citizens for On Time Flights: FAA could be on House floor next week -- Eyes turn to the Senate on self-driving cars -- NY, NJ pols to talk Gateway with Trump today By Brianna Gurciullo | 09/07/2017 10:00 AM EDT With help from Tanya Snyder and Kathryn A. Wolfe MARK YOUR CALENDARS: The House's FAA bill is currently scheduled to hit the floor Sept. 13, but that date could slip depending on how negotiations on appropriations and an aid package for Hurricane Harvey go. Next Wednesday "was what the original schedule was. So hopefully we'll stick to that," Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.) told us. No matter what, lawmakers will have to clear an extension before the end of the month, and Graves said his preference would be to extend the FAA's authorization through the end of the year. Asked about the length of an extension, Rep. Bill Shuster (R-Pa) would only say: "Whatever makes sense." Senate Commerce Chairman Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), meanwhile, said he preferred something more like six months. Hitching a ride? Thune indicated that an FAA extension could be attached to the continuing resolution Congress is expected to pass this month. But Shuster and Graves said they didn't think the House would go that route. Working vacation: Graves told MT that some of his colleagues asked him to discuss Shuster's bill (H.R. 2997 (.115)) with members of their general aviation communities over the August recess. He said he made about 20 calls while Congress was out. At an impasse: We also checked in with Thune on the provision he championed in the Senate's FAA bill (S. .1405 (115)) to tweak co-pilot training requirements. "Not making any headway at the moment," he said. IT'S THE DAY BEFORE FRIDAY: Thanks for tuning in to POLITICO'S Morning Transportation, your daily tipsheet on all things trains, planes, automobiles and ports. Be sure to send tips, feedback and lyrics to bgurciullo@politico.com or @brigurciullo. "But the girl on the car in the parking lot / Says, "Man you should try to take a shot / Can't you see my walls are crumbling?" GET LISTENING: Follow MT's playlist on Spotify. What better way to start your day than with songs (picked by us and readers) that are all about flying, driving, commuting and sailing? HOUSE SPENDING BILL MOVING: Late Wednesday evening, the House began considering the fiscal 2018 bill that funds transportation programs (H.R. 3354 (115)). The eight-billed hydra, of which the THUD spending bill is one, wasn't completed Wednesday, but lawmakers effectively concluded consideration of the DOT portion. That includes adopting an amendment Sierra Club v. EPA, 1:17-cv-01906 ED_001523_00002145-00001 that would "reduce and restore" cuts to transit formula grant programs. Other amendments that attempted to hew to President Donald Trump's proposed fiscal 2018 budget cuts to Amtrak and the Essential Air Service program were defeated. Final passage of the bill could come Thursday. Mary Lee has more for Pros. The Homeland Security-related section of the broader bill will be up Thursday. IATA CHIEF IN SHUSTER'S CORNER: The head of the International Air Transport Association backs Shuster's air traffic control proposal, which he said would "eliminate one of the primary roadblocks to ATC modernization: the unpredictable annual federal budget process." Alexandre de Juniac, the director general and CEO of IATA, made his comments in a blog post Wednesday. WHO SAYS NOTHING GETS DONE IN WASHINGTON? The House passed a bill (H.R. 3388 (.1.15)) to create a regulatory framework for self-driving cars Wednesday, a first-of-its kind effort. The Senate hasn't quite moved as quickly. Thune said he hopes to release the text of the Senate's self-driving car bill "maybe by the end of this week." Thune's committee also announced a hearing on the topic for next week. Haggling over trucks: One reason the Senate is lagging may have to do with an ongoing spat over whether a driverless car bill should exempt commercial trucks. The House's bill deals primarily with passenger cars. Democrats insist that trucks should be kept out of the bill over concerns about safety and effects on the workforce. But Thune told reporters Wednesday, "at some point we have to address trucks." Thune, like many people, thinks trucking could be one of the earliest sectors to adopt self-driving technology. TRUMP AND NY, NJ POLS TO TALK GATEWAY: Trump will sit down today with New York and New Jersey leaders to discuss the multibillion-dollar project, The New York Times' Shane Goldmacher and Emma G. Fitzsimmons report. The invitees: Gov. Andrew Cuomo (DN.Y.), Gov. Chris Christie (R-N.J.), Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Sen. Kirst brand (D-N.Y.), Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and House lawmakers representing parts of New York and New Jersey. (Note: Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) is out of town because of his trial for alleged corruption.) TBT: Cuomo visited Washington in late July to speak with Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao about Gateway. NO FINES FOR UNITED: After a customer was dragged off a United Airlines flight, DOT has chosen not to fine the carrier over the incident, Reuters reports. Consumer group Flyers Rights blasted DOT, telling Reuters that for the government "to conclude that United Airlines' conduct did not warrant an enforcement action is a dereliction of duty." In a letter to United, DOT said the airline failed give David Dao or his wife an over-sales notice in writing. ** A message from Citizens for On Time Flights: America invented aviation, yet our Air Traffic Control System is a World War II relic. This costs you time and money. After decades of falling behind, Congress must lead us forward. Tell your Member of Congress to seize this chance to modernize America's ATC system. Visit OnTimeFlights.org to be heard. ** Sierra Club v. EPA, 1:17-cv-01906 ED_001523_00002145-00002 RISING UP, BACK ON THE STREET: State and local officials have until Oct. 16 to apply for $500 million in TIGER grants, DOT said Wednesday. "The selection criteria remain fundamentally the same as previous rounds of the TIGER grants program, but the description of each criterion was updated," DOT said in a release. "Additionally, the FY 2017 TIGER program will give special consideration to projects which emphasize improved access to reliable, safe, and affordable transportation for communities in rural areas." The White House proposed killing TIGER in its fiscal 2018 budget request. POINT: A little bird sent MT a copy of a "Dear Colleague" letter by Rep. Jason Lewis (R Minn.) panning the passenger facility charge cap hike included in the Senate's THUD spending bill. "If an airport has valid infrastructure needs, each individual airport has revenue streams in their control that can be used to fund projects while remaining accountable to the traveling public," the letter reads. "There is no need for Congress to authorize a tax increase." The letter asks that Senate Appropriations Committee leaders strip the hike from the THUD bill before it reaches the floor. Counterpoint: In a letter to Lewis responding to his appeal to colleagues, the Transportation Construction Coalition wrote: "Given the drastic needs of our nation's airports, it is long-overdue that we lift the restrictions imposed at the federal level on local officials to collect necessary revenues to make much-needed improvements." MT MAILBAG: The Senate Democratic duo we have dubbed "Blumenarkey" wants DOT to look into alleged airfare price gouging amid Hurricane Irma. In a letter to Chao, Sens. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut and arkey of Massachusetts write that "a number of troubling reports ... have surfaced that detail exorbitantly high airfares on a number of airlines." SHIFTING GEARS: Lyft brought on Jake Swanton as a senior federal public policy manager, Pro Technology's Li Zhou reports. Swanton was a legislative director for former Sen. Mark Udall and a director of government relations at the Pew Charitable Trusts. Lyft also hired Tommy Leander to be a federal public policy associate. Leander served as a legislative assistant to Rep. David Schweikert (R-Ariz.). Meanwhile, Lauren Belive was promoted to director of federal government relations at the ridesharing company. Bonus shift: Emily Feenstra has left the US Water Alliance, where she served as deputy director, to once again be the American Society of Civil Engineers' director of public affairs and infrastructure initiatives, (h/t POLITICO Influence) MEMBER UP: Lyft, Third Way, the American Council of the Blind, the R Street Institute and the Competitive Enterprise Institute have joined the Coalition for Future Mobility, which advocates on legislation related to self-driving cars. THE AUTOBAHN: - "Appropriators prepare 'anomalies' list for spending stopgap." Pro Budget & Appropriations Brief. ........ Sierra Club v. EPA, 1:17-cv-01906 ED_001523_00002145-00003 - "Pruitt tightens political reins on key operations." E&E News. - "This Delta flight raced Irma and won." The Washington Post. - "JetBlue, American capping fares at $99 ahead of Irma." The Miami Herald. - "Alarm didn't ring at Waymo before Uber was sued for theft." Bloomberg. - "No shortage of drama as Menendez trial kicks off." POLITICO New Jersey. - "JetBlue: help wanted. Pilots can be paid as instructors while training to join airline." USA Today. THE COUNTDOWN: DOT appropriations run out in 24 days. The FAA reauthorization expires in 24 days. Highway and transit policy is up for renewal in 1,120 days. ** A message from Citizens for On Time Flights: Flying shouldn't be us vs. them. Yet it's hard to look past the fact that the millions of Americans flying commercial every day are subsidizing the .01 percent flying private jets. Their sweetheart deal is surely why private jet owners oppose Air Traffic Control reform. The status quo has been good to them. But the ATC reform bill before Congress would make air travel better for everyone: shorter flights, lower emissions, and fewer cancellations and delays. That's time, and that's money. A modem system benefits all Americans. Visit OnTimeFlights.org and tell Congress it's time to leave the status quo behind. ** To view online'. http://www.politico.com/tipsheets/morning-transportation/2017/09/07/faa-could-be-on-housefloor-next- week-222164 To change your alert settings, please go to https://secure.politico.com/settings This email was sent tojackson.ryan@epa.gov by: POLITICO, LLC 1000 Wilson Blvd. Arlington, VA, 22209, USA Please click here and follow the steps to unsubscribe. Sierra Club v. EPA, 1:17-cv-01906 ED_O01523_00002145-00004