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Valerie Yurk

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President Joe Biden has called for an electric vehicle transition that has caused unease for some autoworkers.

Biden, Trump visit Michigan in battle for union vote

By Valerie Yurk
Posted September 26, 2023 at 11:41am, Updated at 1:59pm
Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance is one of several Republicans telling auto workers that the Biden administration's push for electric vehicles isn't in the workers' interest.

As Democrats back auto workers, GOP spots a divide over EVs

By Valerie Yurk
Posted September 15, 2023 at 1:29pm, Updated at 4:28pm
The Federal Aviation Administration hasn't had a leader confirmed by the Senate in more than a year and a half.

Biden to nominate Whitaker to lead the FAA

By Valerie Yurk
Posted September 7, 2023 at 11:58am, Updated at 6:19pm
The Virginia and Maryland senators say Reagan National is already well above its capacity.

Virginia, Maryland senators dig in against more National flights

By Valerie Yurk
Posted August 24, 2023 at 5:02pm
House Energy and Commerce Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers says the proposed standards will add to the price of buying a car.

GOP readies fight against new fuel economy standards

By Valerie Yurk and Mike Magner
Posted August 1, 2023 at 1:51pm
Senate Commerce Chair Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., abruptly cancelled an FAA markup in June over a "miscommunication" about pilot training. Ranking member Ted Cruz, R-Texas, left, blamed it on Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y.

FAA extension on the horizon as legislative calendar shortens

By Valerie Yurk
Posted August 1, 2023 at 6:00am
Automakers contend the Biden administration’s goal of electric vehicles comprising 67 percent of new cars sold by 2032 is not reasonable or achievable.

Nervous automakers await rules pushing them toward EVs

By Mike Magner and Valerie Yurk
Posted July 25, 2023 at 5:30am
From left, Jack Potter, president and CEO of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., and Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., told reporters Monday they oppose changes to Reagan National Airport’s slot and perimeter rules.

Senators say adding flights to National could slow FAA bill

By Valerie Yurk
Posted July 10, 2023 at 7:48pm
A fire department drone equipped with a thermal imaging camera and loudspeaker flies over a German training area during a fire drill on June 24.

FAA bills would launch drones to fight wildfires

By Valerie Yurk
Posted July 10, 2023 at 3:43pm
Biden noted the support of Sen. Joe Manchin III, a Democrat from West Virginia, which is among the top states receiving the funds on a per capita basis.

Alaska to receive most per-capita aid in broadband funding rollout

By Valerie Yurk
Posted June 28, 2023 at 6:00am
A 2021 law allocated more $65 billion to improve internet access, particularly in remote and rural areas.

Biden to announce state breakdown of 2021 law’s broadband funding

By Valerie Yurk
Posted June 26, 2023 at 5:00am
Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., wants the Amtrak board to have more geographic diversity.

Tester says he and Biden progressing on Amtrak board diversity

By Valerie Yurk
Posted June 21, 2023 at 1:25pm
House Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Sam Graves, R-Mo., said he expects fewer differences between the parties on the House aviation reauthorization than there will be between the House and Senate bills.

Congress tees up FAA, pipeline safety, rail, supply chain bills

By Valerie Yurk
Posted June 6, 2023 at 5:30am
Ranking member Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Chair Sen. Maria Cantwell , D-Wash., conduct a Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee hearing.

Senate markup highlights tension in rail safety talks

By Valerie Yurk
Posted May 10, 2023 at 5:14pm
Southwest Airlines' schedule meltdown in December prompted a flurry of legislation.

Biden administration drafting airline passenger protection rules

By Valerie Yurk
Posted May 8, 2023 at 2:07pm, Updated at 3:58pm
An offshore wind development off Block Island, R.I., in 2016.

Offshore energy fight returns in Coast Guard authorization

By Valerie Yurk
Posted May 4, 2023 at 7:00am
"The irony is, the prices of newer vehicles will escalate, incentivizing truckers and businesses to hold onto their older, higher-emitting trucks,” said Sen. Deb Fischer, sponsor of the resolution.

Senate passes measure to roll back truck emissions rule

By Valerie Yurk
Posted April 26, 2023 at 6:07pm
The Biden administration hopes its new heavy-duty truck emission standards will encourage the deployment of cleaner rigs like this Tesla Semi, but a 100-year-old excise tax may discourage purchases.

Truckers and lawmakers pitch tax repeal to meet emission goals

By Valerie Yurk
Posted April 24, 2023 at 2:26pm
The EPA has proposed tighter restrictions on vehicle greenhouse gas emissions.

GOP sees Biden’s EV push as leverage for permitting

By Valerie Yurk
Posted April 19, 2023 at 6:00am
"This is what we mean when we say that tackling the climate crisis is about creating opportunity," said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan.

To boost EVs, EPA proposes stricter vehicle emissions standards

By David Jordan and Valerie Yurk
Posted April 12, 2023 at 8:34am
President Joe Biden visited a GM electric-vehicle assembly plant in 2021.

Lawmakers question ‘rushed’ US-Japan EV minerals deal

By Valerie Yurk
Posted April 10, 2023 at 11:37am
“The Senate deserves explanations; Americans and communities like East Palestine want answers," said Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer.

Safety board considering rail industry investigation

By Valerie Yurk
Posted March 23, 2023 at 2:31pm
“You cannot, on the one hand, beg the government to bail you out of a labor dispute three months ago and then say that it's ‘big government’ to have proper safety standards,” said Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio,

Vance: Rail safety legislation is not ‘big government’

By Valerie Yurk
Posted March 22, 2023 at 4:29pm
JetBlue and Spirit planes at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport last year.

DOJ files suit to block JetBlue-Spirit Airlines merger

By Valerie Yurk
Posted March 7, 2023 at 1:30pm, Updated at 1:57pm
Phil Washington, nominee to be administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, testifies during his Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee confirmation hearing in the Russell Building on Wednesday.

Biden’s FAA nominee faces military waiver challenge

By Valerie Yurk
Posted March 2, 2023 at 12:10pm, Updated at 4:52pm
A video screenshot released by the National Transportation Safety Board shows the site of a derailed freight train in East Palestine, Ohio.

Senate gets bipartisan rail safety bill after Ohio derailment

By Valerie Yurk
Posted March 1, 2023 at 4:47pm
A new rule has triggered an outcry from small-fleet truckers that echoes their response when the EPA last tightened emission standards for big trucks 12 years ago.

Truckers collide with EPA over big-rig emission standards

By Valerie Yurk
Posted February 28, 2023 at 1:17pm
Officials on Feb. 17 conduct operations and inspect the area after the train derailment in East Palestine on Feb. 3.

Federal safety board releases initial report on Ohio derailment

By Valerie Yurk
Posted February 23, 2023 at 12:55pm
A sign displayed information for residents to receive air quality tests from Norfolk Southern Railway on Thursday in East Palestine, Ohio.

Biden administration open to legislation after Ohio derailment

By Valerie Yurk
Posted February 17, 2023 at 6:17pm
Rep. Mary Peltola, Alaska, in her Cannon Building office last week.

Alaska Democrat: Environmentalism and oil need to ‘coexist’

By Valerie Yurk
Posted February 15, 2023 at 1:59pm
The FAA system outage in January and the so-called “Southwest meltdown” over the holidays has strengthened calls for FAA overhaul and more passenger protections, which Biden is likely to echo in his State of the Union address.

Biden may call out airlines, tout infrastructure funding at SOTU

By Valerie Yurk
Posted February 6, 2023 at 11:47am
President Joe Biden speaks at the Baltimore and Potomac Tunnel North Portal in Baltimore, Md.

‘Amtrak Joe’ touts transit funding for Northeast Corridor

By Valerie Yurk
Posted January 30, 2023 at 4:47pm
The impact of a severe drought can be seen in the Lake Mead behind the Hoover Dam.

Colorado River states still fractured over water cuts

By Valerie Yurk and David Jordan
Posted January 30, 2023 at 1:11pm
A tractor kicks up dust as it works a field near Parker, Ariz. Farms in the area rely on water drawn from the Colorado River.

Colorado River states attempt to reach water-use plan — again

By Valerie Yurk
Posted January 26, 2023 at 2:37pm
Sen. Joe Manchin III, D-W. Va., wants Treasury to speed up EV tax credit rules.

Manchin pushes stricter electric vehicle credit rules

By Laura Weiss and Valerie Yurk
Posted January 25, 2023 at 1:01pm
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson speaks during a Jan. 18 news conference to discuss the agency’s Sustainable Flight Demonstrator project with Boeing.

Aviation industry in crosshairs for next biofuel push

By Valerie Yurk
Posted January 23, 2023 at 7:00am
Travelers look at a flight information display listing canceled and delayed flights due to an FAA outage that grounded flights across the US at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Wednesday.

FAA outage sparks bipartisan concern in Congress

By Valerie Yurk
Posted January 11, 2023 at 10:58am, Updated at 3:10pm
Peter DeFazio leads a House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee meeting in September 2022.

‘Addicted’ to infrastructure, DeFazio returns to Oregon for good

By Valerie Yurk
Posted January 10, 2023 at 6:15am
Southwest Airlines passengers search for their luggage in baggage claim at Baltimore-Washington International Airport last month after the airline canceled more than 70 percent of flights over the holidays.

Capitol Hill promises even more scrutiny for Southwest Airlines

By Valerie Yurk
Posted January 5, 2023 at 1:02pm
President Joe Biden shakes hands with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell during an event Wednesday to tout the bipartisan infrastructure law in front of the Brent Spence Bridge in Covington, Ky.

Amid House GOP tussle, Biden and McConnell make nice

By Valerie Yurk
Posted January 4, 2023 at 3:17pm
“As we continue the work to recover our operation, we have made the decision to continue operating a reduced schedule by flying roughly one third of our schedule for the next several days,” Southwest said in a statement.

DOT to scrutinize Southwest after high rate of cancellations

By Valerie Yurk
Posted December 27, 2022 at 2:15pm
The "option is also really good for business," said the proposal's sponsor, Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore.

Senate adds breastfeeding worker protections to omnibus

By Valerie Yurk
Posted December 22, 2022 at 5:49pm
An Amtrak train pulls out of Union Station in Washington.

Missing Amtrak keys pose public safety risk, watchdog reports

By Valerie Yurk
Posted December 14, 2022 at 6:25pm
President Joe Biden signs a resolution to avert a nationwide rail shutdown Friday in the Roosevelt Room of the White House.

Rail unions look to next contract talks as Biden signs agreement

By Valerie Yurk
Posted December 2, 2022 at 1:34pm
President Joe Biden welcomed passage of the resolution putting in place a labor agreement reached by White House, railroads and unions in September.

Senate clears rail labor agreement, rejects sick leave

By Valerie Yurk
Posted December 1, 2022 at 6:10pm
Sen. Bernie Sanders speaks to reporters about the legislation to avert a rail workers strike on Wednesday.

House OKs rail labor agreement, sick leave measures

By Valerie Yurk
Posted November 30, 2022 at 3:05pm
The White House’s rail union agreement would avert a Dec. 9 work stoppage.

Congress poised to pass resolution to avoid rail strike

By Valerie Yurk
Posted November 29, 2022 at 6:05pm
Rep. Sam Graves, right, is expected to be the chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in the next Congress.

Graves plans aggressive oversight as transportation panel chairman

By Valerie Yurk
Posted November 28, 2022 at 3:18pm
A driver unloads raw crude oil from his tanker to process at a refinery in Utah.

Diesel shortage fears drive GOP swipes at Biden energy policy

By Valerie Yurk
Posted November 7, 2022 at 3:27pm
Beachgoers cool off in the waters of Lake Havasu, fed by the Colorado River, at the Rotary Community Park in Lake Havasu City, Ariz.

Tensions rise over drought-stricken Colorado River water use

By Valerie Yurk
Posted November 3, 2022 at 6:00am