Surface Transportation, Freight, Pipelines, and Safety

The Subcommittee on Surface Transportation, Freight, Pipelines, and Safety is a specialized division of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. As a subcommittee, it conducts initial hearings and reviews legislation within its narrower jurisdiction before any bills can advance to the full committee for consideration. The subcommittee exists to provide focused expertise on the complex issues affecting ground-based transportation and pipeline infrastructure.

The subcommittee holds legislative and oversight jurisdiction over surface transportation policy and oversees multiple federal agencies including the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), Amtrak, the Surface Transportation Board, the Transportation Security Administration for surface transportation matters, and the National Transportation Safety Board for surface transportation issues. This broad mandate allows the subcommittee to address everything from trucking and rail safety to pipeline operations and hazardous materials transport.

The subcommittee is chaired by Senator Todd Young (R-IN), with Senator Gary Peters (D-MI) serving as Ranking Member. The 17-member panel includes both Republicans and Democrats. In 2025, the subcommittee has held several substantive hearings, including sessions on modernizing America's rail networks, pipeline safety reauthorization, cargo theft in the supply chain, and issues affecting the trucking and commercial bus industries. These hearings examine safety enhancements, regulatory reforms, workforce challenges, and infrastructure modernization in preparation for upcoming surface transportation reauthorization legislation.