WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Congressman John Garamendi (CA-08) led Congressional Labor Caucus leaders and 46 Democrats in demanding that Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Sean Duffy immediately reinstate several federal transportation advisory committees and restore terminated members, including key labor representatives and safety advocates, to ensure the safety of workers.
“For years, the decisions of these advisory committees meant life or death for thousands of workers,” said Congressman John Garamendi. “They played a critical role in protecting workers and ensuring public safety by bringing together experts from industry, labor, and safety organizations to provide recommendations that save lives and promote transparency. Despite the immense importance of these committees, the Trump Administration suspended them, putting the safety of workers and the general public at risk. For all the talk Trump has made about supporting workers, this action—among countless others—proves that he’s willing to play political games with the well-being of working people.”
“Workers must have a seat at the table when it comes to safety decisions regarding our country’s highways, railroads, and ports,” said Labor Caucus Co-Chairs Debbie Dingell and Steven Horsford. “The Trump Administration must immediately reconvene its transportation advisory committees and restore the membership of all labor representatives.”
“As the saying goes: if you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu,” said Congressman Chris Deluzio. “By cancelling transparency advisory committees and kicking union and safety advocates off the rosters, the Trump Administration is serving up a middle finger to the transportation workers who keep our country running. It’s anti-worker, and I’m proud to join my colleagues in calling for the immediate restoration of these committees and to return all terminated committee members to their positions.”
“Without these committees in place acting as intended, workers lose an important means to give direct feedback and assist in problem solving with the DOT and industry groups,” said Congresswoman Val Hoyle. “We must protect these venues to ensure that workers, and the unions that represent them, are able to advocate for their safety and wellbeing. I hope that Secretary Duffy will change course and will live up to his administration’s promise to stand up for American workers.”
“Federal agencies are responsible for setting a high bar for safety, and it’s crucial that the workers who are directly affected by safety issues have a voice on these advisory committees. As the eyes and ears of America’s transportation systems, skilled workers and their labor organizations know firsthand the safety improvements needed in rail, aviation, maritime, and other sectors. We urge the DOT to swiftly reconvene these committees and restore membership to all labor representatives,” said Greg Regan, President of the AFL-CIO’s Transportation Trades Department (TTD). TTD is the largest U.S. transportation labor federation, representing 39 labor unions and millions of skilled workers.
At least a dozen federal advisory committees have reportedly been impacted, including:
- Federal Aviation Administration’s Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee,
- Federal Aviation Administration’s Air Carrier Access Act Advisory Committee,
- Federal Railroad Administration’s Railroad Safety Advisory Committee,
- Maritime Administration’s Maritime Transportation System National Advisory Committee,
- Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee,
- Occupational Safety and Health Agency Maritime Advisory Committee for Occupational Safety and Health,
- Transportation Security Agency Surface Transportation Security Advisory Committee,
- Department of Transportation Advisory Committee on Human Trafficking,
- Department of Transportation Air Carrier Access Act Advisory Committee.
These committees serve as the only structured forum for engagement among agency officials, industry leaders, and labor representatives. Without them, constructive collaboration on safety issues, such as rail derailment prevention or modernization of air traffic control, becomes far more difficult.
Following the Norfolk Southern East Palestine derailment, for example, the Railroad Safety Advisory Committee (RSAC) provided critical working groups on wayside detectors, braking modernization, and the Confidential Close Call Reporting System (C3RS). RSAC’s work has been central to advancing rail safety nationwide.
The letter requests that the Department provide a timeline for reconstituting all suspended committees, restore membership to all terminated members, and ensure full labor representation in line with the committees’ original missions.
Read the full letter HERE.
In the letter, the lawmakers write: “Keeping Americans safe is the fundamental responsibility of the Department of Transportation. We urge Secretary Duffy to honor this responsibility and ensure that workers’ perspectives remain a central part of transportation policy and safety decisions.”
This letter is supported by the AFL-CIO’s Transportation Trades Department (TTD) and was led by Labor Caucus Chairs Debbie Dingell (MI-12), Steven Horsford (NV-04), Donald Norcross (NJ-01), and Mark Pocan (WI-02), and Vice Chairs John Garamendi (CA-08), Chris Deluzio (PA-17) and Val Hoyle (OR-04).
It was signed by Representatives Salud Carbajal (CA-24), Danny Davis (IL-07), Maggie Goodlander (NH-02), Jonathan Jackson (IL-01), Jerrold Nadler (NY-12), Eleanor Norton (DC), Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Mark Takano (CA-41), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Paul Tonko (NY-20), Frederica Wilson (FL-24). Julia Brownley (CA-26), Nikki Budzinski (IL-16), Kathy Castor (FL-11), Steve Cohen (TN-09), Diana DeGette (CO-01), Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Dwight Evans (PA-02), Laura Friedman (CA-30), Jesús García (IL-04), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Dan Goldman (NY-10), Maggie Goodlander (NH-02), Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Ro Khanna (CA-17), Summer Lee (PA-12), Stephen Lynch (MA-08), Seth Magaziner (RI-02), Seth Moulton (MA-06), Donald Norcross (NJ-01), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Chris Pappas (NH-01), Brittany Pettersen (CO-07), Nellie Pou (NJ-09), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), Andrea Salinas (OR-06) and Eric Swalwell (CA-14).
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