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Representative Sam Graves (R-Mo.), House Transportation andamp; Infrastructure (Tandamp;I) Committee chair, announced his retirement on Friday after 26 years in office.
"After considerable reflection, 2026 will be my final year in Congress," said Graves in his Facebook post. "This wasn't an easy decision, but it's the right one. I believe in making room for the next generation. It's time to pass the torch and allow a new guard of conservative leaders to step forward and chart a path forward for Missourians."
Graves was first voted into the House in 2000 and has represented Missouri's 6th Congressional District since 2001. In 2009, he led the establishment of the House General Aviation Caucus and was named caucus co-chair in 2011. He has also served as chair of the House Small Business Committee. He was elected chair of the Tandamp;I Committee in 2019 and pushed for legislation that encouraged both safety and progress in aviation. He supported the passage for multiple important aviation bills, including the 2024 reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration. The Tandamp;I Committee passed the ALERT Act on March 26, another important bill that would implement safety recommendations from the NTSB following the midair collision at the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) in Jan. 2025.
While Graves did initially file for re-election last month, he told KSHB 41 he was skeptical of running again. He claims that he wanted to leave the job at the peak of his career.
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"Sam Graves deserves to be considered one of the most effective and consequential chairs in the history of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee," said Ed Bolen, NBAA president and CEO. "Throughout his tenure, Chairman Graves has been a workhorse rather than a show horse. In an era characterized by partisanship, Sam Graves passed one bipartisan bill after another - not only during his tenure as House Tandamp;I Committee chair, but also during his service as chairman of the House Small Business Committee. In his 25 years representing Missouri's 6th district, Sam has reached across the aisle to make Congress and our country better," Bolen said. "We thank him for his dedication to public service, including his indelible contributions in preserving America's global leadership in aviation."
"Chairman Graves has been a passionate champion for general aviation since first coming to Congress," said James Viola, GAMA president and CEO. "GAMA is truly grateful for his over two decades of leadership and advocacy for the general aviation industry, which has brought about the first-ever general aviation title within an FAA reauthorization bill, the down payment for a new air traffic system, funding for workforce development initiatives and the advancement of aviation safety, infrastructure and innovation. Chairman Graves made bipartisanship a priority for the committee's work and has always had an incredible staff to help guide the direction of important aviation-related legislation. On behalf of the entire GAMA membership, I would like to thank and commend Chairman Graves for his service, hard work, vision, passion, expertise and willingness to dive deep into aviation issues. We wish him and his family all the best - blue skies and tailwinds."