“The responsibility entrusted to me is not something I have ever taken for granted,” Sam Graves (R-Mo.) says of his 26-year congressional career. (Al Drago/Bloomberg)
March 27, 2026 12:50 PM, EDT
Key Takeaways:
- Sam Graves announced he will not seek re-election, ending a congressional career that began in 2001.
- Ranking Member Rick Larsen praised Graves’ bipartisan leadership on transportation and infrastructure legislation.
- The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee plans to consider a multiyear highway bill as early as April.
House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves will not seek re-election, ending a congressional career that began in 2001 and included leading the panel responsible for aviation, highways, rail and water infrastructure policy.
The Missouri Republican announced his decision on social media, noting his two-plus decades in Congress and his tenure as chairman.
When I first ran for State Representative back in 1992, my aspiration was to represent my hometown of Tarkio, Missouri. I was a twenty-seven year old farmer who just wanted to stand up for a way of life and his community. I never could have imagined where that decision would…
— Rep. Sam Graves (@RepSamGraves) March 27, 2026
“For 26 years, I have had the privilege of serving, culminating in becoming the chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and passing some of the most significant legislation in our nation’s history,” he wrote. “The responsibility entrusted to me is not something I have ever taken for granted.”
Committee Ranking Member Rick Larsen (D-Wash.) said March 27 that Graves’ departure will leave a significant void on the panel, citing the chairman’s bipartisan approach to infrastructure investment and transportation safety.
Larsen said he worked closely with Graves on major legislative efforts, including updates to Federal Aviation Administration programs, water infrastructure policy and a range of surface transportation and rail initiatives. He said Graves’ leadership helped move bipartisan legislation during a period of sharp partisan divisions in Congress.
“With Sam Graves’ announcement that he will not run again, the House of Representatives — and the T&I Committee — are losing a fierce advocate for infrastructure investment and transportation safety,” Larsen said. “Only Sam’s steady, good-faith leadership could have notched these wins.”
The committee is expected to remain focused on surface transportation policy in the coming months. As early as April, the panel plans to consider a multiyear highway bill.
Speaking earlier this year to state transportation officials, Graves said the Republican-led committee anticipates debating a “traditional” highway package totaling about $550 billion. He said the proposal would prioritize highways, roads and bridges while seeking to streamline federal environmental permitting and potentially restructure highway funding mechanisms.
Graves was first elected to Congress in 2000 and began serving in January 2001.
Exclusive: Missouri Republican Rep. Sam Graves, chairman of the House Committee on Transportation, is pulling his plans to seek re-election https://t.co/DCSN4Bgeyu
— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) March 27, 2026
