| | | | |  | | By Sam Ogozalek, Chris Marquette and Oriana Pawlyk | | | — As the year draws to a close, Francis Scott Key Bridge funding and Sean Duffy’s barnstorming of Capitol Hill will be front and center. — The Republican Steering Committee is set to fill out new spots for GOP members on the House Transportation panel. We break it down. — Despite assurances from federal officials, the mystery — and frustration — continues as lawmakers try to figure out if drones are swarming over New Jersey. Trump has some thoughts, too. IT’S MONDAY: You’re reading Morning Transportation, your Washington policy guide to everything that moves. We’re glad you’re here. Send tips, feedback and song lyrics to Sam at sogozalek@politico.com, Chris at cmarquette@politico.com and Oriana at opawlyk@politico.com and follow us at @SamOgozalek, @ChrisMarquette_ and @Oriana0214. Our amazing intern Cassandra Dumay is headed back to Boston University for her final semester. Her last day on the team was Friday. We’ll miss her! You can continue to follow her work at @cassandra_dumay. “You keep the ship moving forward/ You make it easy to try/ You make my crazy feel normal every time.” Want to receive this newsletter every weekday? Subscribe to POLITICO Pro. You’ll also receive daily policy news and other intelligence you need to act on the day’s biggest stories.
| | WRAPPING UP THE 118TH: Congress is back this week, with major legislative items outstanding a few days before the holiday recess, including a disaster aid package — and questions over to what extent the measure will address the rebuild of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge. Here’s what your MT team is monitoring: ANOTHER STOPGAP: Dec. 20 is the government shutdown deadline, and stopgap text is expected imminently. Congressional leaders, as of Sunday afternoon, were still trading offers following an impasse over billions in farm aid, Jennifer Scholtes reports. Disaster relief is anticipated to be in the legislation, with the White House requesting a 100 percent federal cost share, instead of the typical 90 percent, for the rebuild of the Baltimore bridge, which collapsed in March after a container ship struck it. (The Biden administration, overall, wants $8 billion for DOT to complete road and bridge work across the U.S. following various catastrophes.) The request can be found here. — Whether the rebuild of the Francis Scott Key Bridge is fully funded by the federal government is “still under negotiation,” House Appropriations Chair Tom Cole (R-Okla.) recently told Chris. VISITS CONTINUE: Sean Duffy, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for DOT secretary, is scheduled to meet this week with the following Senate Commerce Committee members, a spokesperson for Duffy confirmed Friday: Sens. Todd Young (R-Ind.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) and Peter Welch (D-Vt.). He is also set to meet with Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), vice chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee. — Lawmakers on Commerce, which will vet Duffy, have so far been supportive of the nominee. He has already met with: Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), John Thune (R-S.D.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.). Baldwin, a Democrat who represents Duffy’s home state, is backing him. Additionally, Rep. Sam Graves, chair of the House Transportation Committee, told your MT host he’s been “talking a lot about transportation stuff” with Duffy. NEW FACES ON T&I: The Republican Steering Committee is scheduled to meet at 8:30 a.m. today to fill out the more than 10 new spots for GOP members on T&I. (Steering will vote on who makes the cut.) Graves will have input, but not a vote.
| | | | Billions in spending. Critical foreign aid. Immigration reform. The final weeks of 2024 could bring major policy changes. Inside Congress provides daily insights into how Congressional leaders are navigating these high-stakes issues. Subscribe today. | | | | | | | | FEELING LIKE 'THE X-FILES': A joint statement last week from the FBI and Department of Homeland Security, saying that many reported drone sightings over New Jersey were actually crewed aircraft flying lawfully, has done little to alleviate concerns and speculation as lawmakers and residents continue to fret over strange lights in the night sky. Trump on Friday suggested that officials shoot them down. Sam and Oriana have the details here. — A drone industry official, granted anonymity to discuss the events, called it a “very troubling showcase of the lack of airspace awareness, and just how challenging this problem set is.” The official compared the situation to the incident last year near Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, in which drones flew over the military installation — but the source behind the flights was never revealed. AND BLUMENTHAL WANTS DETAILS: Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), who chairs the Senate Homeland Security’s investigations panel, sent a letter Friday to the heads of the FAA, FBI, DHS and Defense Department requesting that the aviation safety agency host a briefing no later than Wednesday on how to address the concerns. He wrote that it should cover “all details available regarding these drones as to ownership, operation, impacts on aviation, national security, and privacy.” — The FAA, FBI and Defense didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on Blumenthal’s correspondence. DHS in a statement said it will respond to the lawmaker directly and will continue to respond “appropriately to Congressional oversight.” SCHUMER BACKS LEGISLATION: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Sunday he will co-sponsor Peters’ S. 1631, which would expand who could use counter-drone authorities, along with where they can be deployed, including state or local law enforcement agencies with the right approvals.
| | WHAT DOES DUFFY THINK ABOUT AVs?: Your MT host caught up with Lummis, asking about her meeting last week with Duffy (she previously said they discussed driverless vehicles). Lummis told POLITICO that she explained to the former Wisconsin lawmaker how safe she thinks they are and how she’s “becoming more convinced” that they will “actually keep jobs, and keep them in the transportation sector.” “I think we should embrace ‘em,” she said. Asked about Duffy’s position on the topic, Lummis replied: “He didn’t, you know, he just kind of was listening to my carryings on.” — NHTSA crash reporting requirements for such vehicles could be a target of the Trump administration, which is friendly with Tesla CEO Elon Musk. (Driverless car companies say they are onerous.) Cassandra has the story.
| | LABOR EXPRESSES ALARM: The American Federation of Government Employees unit that represents TSA employees is renewing its concerns about a Project 2025 proposal to privatize baggage screening, Cassandra reports. The Heritage Foundation declined to comment. (So far, the idea hasn’t gained much traction among Republicans on Capitol Hill.) GRANT DOLLARS FLOW: The FAA is awarding $20.5 million across 14 states and Puerto Rico to modernize airports via a program funded by the 2021 infrastructure law. The 25 grants can be used for infrastructure improvements such as terminal expansions, baggage system upgrades, runway safety enhancements and more. Details can be found here.
| | — Mike Friedman is now chief communications officer for Holcim’s North American spin-off. He most recently was vice president of media relations and global communications at Boeing. — Leslie Riegle recently left Boom Supersonic to become vice president of policy and strategic partnerships at EOS, a company designing and manufacturing regional electric aircraft.
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