Today, Chair of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio and Chair of the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit Eleanor Holmes Norton announced Rep. Greg Stanton will serve as Vice Chair of the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit in the 117th Congress.
As Vice Chair, Stanton takes on an elevated role on the subcommittee, which is responsible for the development of national surface transportation policy, construction and improvement of highway and transit facilities, implementation of highway and transit safety programs and research activities, and regulation of commercial motor vehicle operations.
“We have a real opportunity to make a transformative investment in our nation’s infrastructure, and I look forward to helping to lead the Subcommittee’s work to advance our highways and transit systems in this role,” Rep. Stanton said. “I know firsthand the economic outcomes good public transit and infrastructure projects can deliver to local communities—and as Vice Chair, I’m committed to working across the aisle and with our partners in cities, towns and Tribal communities to help make those projects a reality.”
“Given his experience serving as the mayor of America’s fifth-largest city—Phoenix, Arizona—Representative Stanton is the right person at the right time to take on this leadership role, especially as our Committee gets ready to introduce transformational surface transportation legislation in the coming weeks,” Chair DeFazio said. “I look forward to working closely with Representative Stanton as we move our nation’s infrastructure and transportation systems into the modern era and help communities of all sizes across the country.”
“I welcome my colleague from Arizona, Congressman Greg Stanton, as Vice Chair of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure subcommittee I lead, Highways and Transit,” Chair Norton said. “He brings years of expertise and service to the position and we share priorities for climate-friendly transportation ideas to move America forward.”
Stanton, the only Arizona member to serve on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, has made it a top priority to push for short and long-term investments in surface transportation projects that would benefit Arizonans and strengthen the state’s economy.
In his freshman term, Stanton fought for several provisions that were included in House-passed infrastructure packages, including funds to support transit projects in smaller communities such as Flagstaff, build and repair roads on tribal lands, foster sustainable construction, and create jobs. He has continued to advocate for federal funding for Light Rail in the Valley, one of his long-time priorities, and for construction of the critical Interstate 11—raising both issues to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in a hearing last month.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Stanton has repeatedly secured emergency relief dollars to ensure transit systems in the state remained safe and reliable, and to keep transit employees on payroll, as well as advocating for resources to support state Departments of Transportation.