When Peter DeFazio retires after an Oregon record for U.S. House service, he will have achieved one policy goal — but a second eluded him — during his 36 years representing southwest Oregon's 4th District.

As chair of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, he secured congressional approval of a $1 trillion-plus spending plan for public works that President Joe Biden signed last year — although the evenly split Senate ended up dictating its details.