Rep. Rick Larsen: Bipartisan infrastructure key to safer transportation

Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Wash., the ranking member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said sustained bipartisan investment in transportation infrastructure is essential to economic growth, public safety and national resilience, while emphasizing that long-term planning must outlast political cycles.

Speaking at a June 10, 2026, Institute for Critical Infrastructure Technology (ICIT) event in Washington focused on critical infrastructure, Larsen said transportation policy should be viewed first as a quality-of-life issue, arguing that infrastructure succeeds when it moves people and goods safely rather than simply moving them efficiently. He pointed to his district in northwest Washington state, which includes the nation's largest ferry system, as an example of how transportation networks connect communities, jobs, schools and commerce.

Larsen discussed the proposed five-year Build America Act, a surface transportation reauthorization bill covering highways, bridges, transit, rail, freight, ferries and related infrastructure. While describing the legislation as a compromise, he said it builds on investments made under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and provides states, construction firms and workers with the funding certainty needed to plan long-term projects.

He said the committee's bipartisan approach reflects the practical nature of infrastructure policy, noting that transportation projects require broad support because they affect communities across the country.

Looking ahead, Larsen said emerging technologies, including autonomous vehicles, should be evaluated primarily through the lens of safety. He distinguished cybersecurity issues from the committee's transportation safety responsibilities but acknowledged that secure digital systems are essential to the safe operation of connected transportation technologies. He also highlighted provisions establishing a federal framework for autonomous commercial vehicles, including requirements for human operators in certain applications involving hazardous materials and passenger transportation.

Larsen also framed transportation as both economic and national security policy, citing lessons from pandemic-era supply chain disruptions and recent global shipping challenges. He said reliable infrastructure supports commerce while enabling military transportation when needed.

The congressman identified workforce shortages as another pressing challenge, pointing to aviation manufacturing, aircraft maintenance and air traffic control as areas facing significant staffing needs. He said apprenticeship programs, two-year degrees and sustained workforce investment will be necessary to replace retiring workers and support future infrastructure projects.

Closing the discussion, Larsen urged Americans to view infrastructure as a long-term investment. He cited a recently replaced bridge in his district that had remained in service for roughly 80 years, arguing that while construction projects create temporary inconvenience, they deliver decades of public benefit.