A spending bill brawl or early recess?

Politico

10-03-2025

Presented by American Public Transportation Association
With help from Oriana Pawlyk
Quick Fix
— A possible government shutdown looms this week. Here's what House Republicans' funding patch would mean for DHS.
— The agency said it will cancel the collective bargaining agreement that covers baggage screeners at the Transportation Security Administration. Prepare for a legal battle.
— Marc Molinaro, the nominee to lead the Federal Transit Administration, pledged to stop consulting for Cornell University and a New York City private equity firm if he makes it through the Senate.
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 [e-mail], Chris at [e-mail] and Oriana at [e-mail] and follow us at @SamOgozalek, @ChrisMarquette_ and @Oriana0214.
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Driving the Week
IT'S A SHOWDOWN: House Republicans dropped their spending stopgap over the weekend as a potential government shutdown inches closer. With a deadline of midnight Friday, House Speaker Mike Johnson wants to hold a floor vote on the continuing resolution Tuesday evening. If he can muscle it through the chamber, GOP leaders are likely to cancel any further House votes this week and send members home early for the upcoming recess, which would pressure the Senate to not amend the bill, Meredith Lee Hill reports. President Donald Trump on Saturday endorsed the nearly seven-month funding patch, which would run through the end of fiscal 2025.
WHAT'S IN THE CR? The stopgap would boost defense spending by about $6 billion, while non-defense funding would drop by roughly $13 billion. (Earmarks would be stripped in the package.) Meredith and Jennifer Scholtes have the story. Your MT host noticed these tidbits in the legislation:
— The bill would extend existing counter-drone authorities for the Justice Department and DHS until late September.
— The Transportation Security Administration would see a rescission of about $15.8 million for operations and support.
Aviation
COURT FIGHT LIKELY: DHS announced Friday that it plans to terminate the collective bargaining agreement that covers about 45,000 workers at TSA, including baggage scanners, Nick Niedzwiadek and Oriana report. The move is expected to draw a lawsuit.
— The agency confirmed that it will immediately stop using its payroll system to collect union dues, and in a statement argued that the decision will 'strengthen workforce agility.' The American Federation of Government Employees, the union representing screeners, said the action disregards workers' rights and in a statement called it 'clearly retaliatory' for the organization's recent lawsuits against the Trump administration.
SEEKING DETAILS: A group of almost 50 House Democrats, including Rep. Rick Larsen (D-Wash.), ranking member of the Transportation Committee, wrote to acting FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau on Friday seeking clarity on whether the agency plans to cancel a $2.4 billion Verizon contract to upgrade an air traffic control communications system and award the work to Elon Musk's Starlink, a subsidiary of SpaceX. They asked for a response no later than Friday. (SpaceX has denied reports that Starlink could fully take over the contract.)
CANTWELL DRILLS DOWN: Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), ranking member of the Commerce Committee, sent a letter Friday to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth requesting information on how many military helicopters in the Washington region operate without ADS-B Out transmitting. (The technology broadcasts various details about an aircraft.) As MT readers will know, this has become a key issue for lawmakers in the wake of the regional jet-Black Hawk crash above the Potomac River.
MAKING THE ROUNDS: Duffy will be in Seattle on Thursday to tour Boeing and learn more about the company's processes and engineering, according to a DOT spokesperson. Reminder: Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg will appear before lawmakers in early April for a Commerce Committee hearing on what the planemaker has been doing to address safety and production issues.
NEW REVIEW: The FAA said Friday it will launch a safety-risk analysis of 'close encounters' between pilots flying visually and those under air traffic control. The action follows a meeting last week involving more than two dozen agency, industry and labor leaders. The FAA also plans to boost outreach about radio communication phrases and Notice to Airmen alerts around busy airports. And the agency said it will explore 'additional tools for pilots to assess operational risk and their own performance.'
Ethics
STEPPING ASIDE: Marc Molinaro, Trump's pick to head the Federal Transit Administration, says he will stop consulting for Cornell University and a New York City private equity firm focused on the aerospace and maritime industries, among other sectors, if he makes it through the Senate, according to his ethics agreement released Friday. Molinaro also pledges to not participate 'personally and substantially' in any matters involving the college or the firm, J.F. Lehman & Company LLC, in the year after he resigns from his roles — unless he first gets government authorization to do so.
— Molinaro in his financial disclosure, which was also published Friday, reported $75,000 and $4,000 in consulting fees from the company and the university, respectively. Cornell didn't respond to a request for clarification on what his work entailed. Molinaro, a former House Republican from New York who came up short in his reelection bid last year, also says he would stop consulting for other entities, too, such as Red Maverick Media, a Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, political consulting firm that touts its work as Sen. Susan Collins' (R-Maine) 2020 campaign mail vendor.
On The Hill
NOT AT THE FOREFRONT: Your MT host caught up with Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), who chair the Commerce Committee and Environment and Public Works Committee, respectively, to ask if they want to overturn any DOT regulations via a Congressional Review Act resolution:
— Cruz: 'None that come to mind immediately,' he said. 'We're systematically assessing rules from every agency and seeing which ones are appropriate for the CRA.'
— Capito: 'I mean, we are looking at it, but ... nothing comes to mind,' she said.
HEADED TO THE FLOOR: The Senate appears poised to consider a motion Tuesday to invoke cloture on Steven Bradbury's nomination to be deputy DOT secretary — and his full floor vote is expected to come about two hours later. Bradbury, the agency's former general counsel and a distinguished fellow at the Heritage Foundation, who contributed to Project 2025, is likely to be confirmed along party lines.
BATTER UP: Molinaro, the FTA administrator nominee, may appear before the Senate Banking Committee the week of March 24 (after the upcoming recess), a person close to the process told Chris on Friday.
Trucking
TAKING CHARGE: DOT said Friday that Adrienne Camire, who was FHWA's chief counsel during the first Trump term, will be the FMCSA's acting administrator. Duffy in a statement praised Camire and said he has 'no doubt' that the agency will 'continue to make our roads safer and keep America moving under her leadership.' Chris has the details.
At the Agencies
DRESS FOR SUCCESS: Chris obtained a recent memo from DOT to employees outlining a new dress code pilot that applies to those working out of the agency's headquarters in Navy Yard. It's called 'Dress for Your Day.' (Workers like inspectors, who wear uniforms outside of the office, must have attire that aligns with safety regulations.) Your MT team wants to hear from you! What are your thoughts on the policy? Reach Chris via Signal at: [phone].
— The announcement follows remarks that Duffy made at a virtual town hall last month, during which he said he was exploring a 'more casual environment' when it comes to the dress code at headquarters. 'I like to wear a suit when I have to wear a suit, but I like to dress down when I can dress down,' he said.
SO WHAT, EXACTLY, IS THE PILOT?: The policy is intended to give employees flexibility in how they dress based on their work activities. A few highlights that illustrate the idea:
— Business casual: This is for office work outside of a formal meeting. Expect shirts, blouses, trousers, skirts and professional footwear. (At the town hall, Duffy said no to shorts or flip flops.)
— Smart casual: I.e., 'less formal Fridays' — like when office hours change due to bad weather. In this case, you're free to rock dark or colored denim, polos, sweaters and casual (but still sleek) footwear.
The Autobahn
— 'The FAA's Troubles Are More Serious Than You Know.' Atlantic.
— 'Inside the Explosive Meeting Where Trump Officials Clashed With Elon Musk.' New York Times.
— 'Trump's Tariffs Could Help Tesla, by Hurting Its Rivals More.' New York Times.
— 'Rage Against Elon Musk Turns Tesla Into a Target.' New York Times.
— 'Teen with gun on plane disarmed and tackled by passengers.' Washington Post.
— 'Wi-Fi From Musk's Starlink Is Now Coming to a United Airlines Airplane Near You.' Bloomberg.
— 'Volkswagen to recall over 177,000 SUVs over loose engine cover, NHTSA says.' Reuters.
— 'Nissan board to discuss potential CEO successors at March 11 meeting, sources say.' Reuters.
— 'Pulitzer winner Gates retiring from Seattle Times.' Talking Biz News.
— ''I don't trust a word of it': Federal workers deeply skeptical that Trump will rein in Musk.' POLITICO Pro.
— 'Trucking, construction companies sue over California's diesel emissions rule.' POLITICO Pro.