▶ 0:04:38When that thing hits 10, the subcommittee will come to order. Good morning. Welcome to this year's member day hearing. Today we welcome our colleagues to testify on their priorities for the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Transportation for fiscal 26.
▶ 0:05:04Member engagement is key to the appropriations process and especially important for our bill because every district has housing and transportation assets and as a result of that they have needs. As a former mayor, I value the local perspective from districts nationwide. That's why I'm looking forward to hearing from our colleagues this morning. So before we get into the testimony, I'd like to recognize the ranking member, gentleman from South Carolina, Mr. Klyurn.
▶ 0:05:34uh if he has any comments he'd like to offer before we get into member testimony. Well, thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Just hit that button over there. There you go. Uh that one. Okay. Thank Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. As you have stated, this subcommittee uh provides funding for vital programs that impact every district across this country.
▶ 0:06:01Programs throughout this bill create opportunities for everyday Americans include stable housing for seniors and growing families, pathways for home ownership and wealth building, job growth and transportation and air safety.
▶ 0:06:22We welcome feedback on how we can work on a bipartisan basis to support uh the work of members of this body, Department Transportation, Housing and Development, and the other independent agencies. I look forward to hearing from our colleagues today, and I thank you for your leadership. Thank you, Mr. Clber. Today, we kick off with the gentle lady from Illinois, Dia Ramirez. Welcome to subcommittee.
▶ 0:06:51Every member will have the standard five minutes to testify. Your full written remarks will be included in the record. And we want you to remember to turn the microphone on when you speak and when you leave, turn it off. Uh and things will go just great here this morning. So, Congresswoman Ramirez going to recognize you for five minutes.
▶ 0:07:15Thank you, Chairman Wamck and Ranking Member Klyurn uh and our vice chair who's also here with us today uh for creating a space uh for members to provide input into the appropriation process and to also be able to provide the written testimony on the agencies and the programs under the jurisdiction of the transportation housing and urban development and related program subcommittee.
▶ 0:07:37I'd like to start uh by by stating that I am deeply concerned about the state of housing in our country, particularly in light of the recent ongoing actions of the administration that feel like they're weakening the housing workforce and abandoning some of our most vulnerable residents. Since January 20th, we've witnessed the dismantling of the Department of Housing and Development. And the administration has rolled out some executive orders and others that we have seen already have reduced staff at HUD.
▶ 0:08:06We've seen freezes and delays in federal funding to housing programs and the release guidance that severely undermines housing protections for some of the most underserved communities in our in our country. And that includes veterans and individuals with disabilities. As members of Congress, it is our responsibility to ensure that the funds we appropriate are honored by the executive branch.
▶ 0:08:28And that in this moment feels like we're not seating congressional power to the whims and interest of billionaires at the expense of working families. I want to tell you why I think this. In the state of Illinois, almost $400,000 people rely on subsidized housing. 400,000. This there has been at least $60 million in funding have been thrown into limbo due the due to the directives of the Trump administration.
▶ 0:08:54Funding uncertainties and contract cancellations delay install necessary housing developments that our communities have desperately needed for so many years. And it feels unconscionable that at a time where we need housing so much, we would be stalling these projects. The attacks on HUD and its programs are not just on attacks on our working families, but there are attacks on the infrastructure of our country.
▶ 0:09:18The attacks on HUD are intentional attacks on civil rights, on legal protections, particularly for historically marginalized communities. Constituents and stakeholders have shared their fear and their uncertainty regarding the future of housing opportunities, especially for persons with AIDS through the Hapwa program and their fair housing initiative programs. The HAPWA program has established was established to provide housing assistance and related supportive services for low-income persons living with HIV AIDS and their families.
▶ 0:09:48And as a proud supporter of AIDS Chicago and AIDS United, it is imperative that our neighbors living with HIV AIDS continue to receive the life-saving support including housing. Any attack on Hapwa is an attack on the black and brown communities that are disproportionately impacted by HIV AIDS epidemic. Furthermore, I learned that in February, this administration canceled 78 fair housing initiative program grants. The programs contribute to the creation of equitable and fair access to housing.
▶ 0:10:19The services provided by fair housing centers are indispensable to a large and diverse set of Americans, including but not limited to African-Americans, Latinos, Asian-Americans, and other racial and ethnic minorities who have historically faced systemic discrimination in Chicago and in housing as a whole. Persons with disabilities seeking accessibility and reasonable accommodation and housing under the Americans with Disability Act, ADA, and families who've been denied access to housing because they have children.
▶ 0:10:48Our investments in fair housing and housing opportunities for underserved populations are not wasteful. They provide essential foundational stability that enables our neighbors across the nation to fully engage in their lives and in their communities. What is wasteful is tax breaks for billionaires, billions spent criminalizing immigrants, and millions spent on ad campaigns to televise authoritarian agendas.
▶ 0:11:14We cannot put Americans first while also cutting housing opportun programs that are critical to our Americans. Instead, we are here talking about cuts that would actually critically impact so many people, not just in Chicago, but across the country.
▶ 0:11:32It is why I wanted to testify here today and tell you as someone that ran a homeless shelter, as someone that worked really hard in providing permanent stable housing, we have a moral responsibility to save these programs to provide permanent stable housing. And I want to urge this subcommittee to fight for adequate and sustained funding for these housing programs while also defining congressional intent for the funds to ensure that they are protected from further misguided action by this administration. Thank you, chairman.
▶ 0:12:02Thank you, uh, ranking member. And with that, I yield back. We thank you for your testimony this morning. Uh, many times when, u members are offering testimony, there aren't any questions, but I am always going to yield to my colleagues that are here today. If they have any questions, uh, you can feel free to ask away. So, you good? You good? I don't have any questions.
▶ 0:12:27I would like to say to the gentle lady that I uh I applaud her stand for stance on disabilities. I I ran such an agency in my former life for 18 years in South Carolina and I am the uh creator of the South Carolina bill for handicapped citizens and I understand Mr. Mr.
▶ 0:12:50Chairman, that less than 5% of all the housing in this country is accessible uh to uh the disabled. Uh and I applaud your concern for this and I just want to say, Mr. Chairman, that I am a big proponent of us not cutting back on funds uh that will allow disabled people uh in wheelchairs.
▶ 0:13:18And I can remember when we would not even lower buttons on the elevator for dwarfs. These kinds of things I think well work to get beyond. Thank you. Now you're back. Thank you. Our next witness this morning
▶ 0:13:49is the member representing the fourth district of New York, the Honorable Laura A. Gillan. Rep. Gillan, your comments, your prepared testimony will be included in the record. You'll have five minutes. Uh just turn the mic on when you start and off when you leave. And uh the floor is yours. Well, thank you, uh, Chairman Wulmak and Ranking Member Klyber and other members of the subcommittee.
▶ 0:14:12Uh, I'm grateful for the opportunity to appear before you today to highlight several important issues affecting my constituents in New York's fourth congressional district, which is on the southshore of Nassau County on Long Island. Mr. Chairman, we face a major crisis on our roads on Long Island with an alarming and unacceptable rise in fatal crashes in recent years.
▶ 0:14:35In fact, every seven minutes on Long Island, there is another car accident involving death, injury, or serious property damage. According to our local paper, News Day, more than 2100 people have been killed and 16,000 have been severely injured in traffic accidents on Long Island's dangerous roads over the past 10 years. We can and we must do more to prevent these terrible tragedies and save lives.
▶ 0:15:01That is why I strongly urge members of this subcommittee to increase funding for road safety, including the bridge investment program, safe streets and roads for all program and the highway safety improvement program. Earlier this year, the New York State Department of Transportation released data finding that 10 bridges on Long Island are in poor condition, including a bridge in the village of Huelet Harbor, which is in my district.
▶ 0:15:26We need to increase bridge investment program funding over under the infrastructure investment and jobs act in FY26 and I will be leading a letter with my colleagues urging this committee to do just that. In addition, programs like safe streets and highway safety improvement program have helped improved and modernize our transportation network and I am committed to working in a bipartisan manner to continue successful initiatives to prevent fatal accidents and keep Americans safe on our roadways.
▶ 0:15:56I also request your support for vital community project funding in FY26, which provides direct federal assistance to towns and villages across my district to invest in critical infrastructure upgrades that increase the safety and the reliability of our transportation system. I'd also like to highlight the critical importance of HUD economic development initiative grants, which fall under this sub subcommittee's jurisdiction.
▶ 0:16:23EDI grants fund a wide range of projects that benefit our communities and help grow our economy. Last year, the House Appropriations Committee passed an FY25 Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development Appropriations Bill, which included more than 21 million for eight projects in the fourth congressional district.
▶ 0:16:42Unfortunately, this funding and 30 million in direct funding slated to go to my district was ultimately stripped from the fullear FY25 continuing resolution that was passed by Congress last month. For FY26, I urge the committee and all my colleagues in Congress to support vital projects in my district and across our country. I know there is strong support for this effort on both sides of the aisle.
▶ 0:17:06I will work with anyone in any party who's serious about bringing their necessary resources back to my district on Long Island and throughout the United States to fund these important projects. Mr. Chairman and ranking member, I thank you so much for your time today for your work on this committee to help serve the American people and I look forward to working with all of you to make the communities that we represent more vibrant and safer places to live. Thank you. I yield back. We're grateful for your testimony, questions, comments, Mr.
▶ 0:17:36I don't have any questions. I want to thank the gentle lady for being here today and I looking at your testimony, I see why your son is now living in the sixth congressional district of South Carolina. Uh, and be that shameless to let him come back. Very privileged to have that honor. It's a great intern. Thank you so much. In my office in Columbia. You got anything, Stephanie? Thank you for the testimony. And as someone who has driven on the roads of Ly Island, my father used to live in uh in the area, I agree with you.
▶ 0:18:04And I would also say that safety is incredibly important across the country. I have a great relationship with my folks back home in the transportation um industry and it is uh I think somewhat surprising to folks when they hear the number of deaths uh of construction workers who are actually working on road and bridge projects across the country. So, not only should we be focusing on making sure that transportation safety is important, but also that we're protecting our construction workers as they're working to improve roads and bridges across the country.
▶ 0:18:34With that, Mr. Chairman, thank you. Thank you. Grateful for your testimony. Before you leave, let me just say, I'd be remiss if I didn't acknowledge, totally unrelated to the hearing today, the tremendous sportsmanship, the credible sportsmanship given the Washington Capitals and Oedkin um for the breaking of the record, which he did in in New York and delayed the completion of that game.
▶ 0:19:00I I'm not a huge hockey fan, but I was glued to the television watching that. And throughout the entire process, I thought what a great display of sportsmanship um that was was given by the people uh at that hockey arena on Sunday. And that was a credit and I'm sure a lot of your constituents I don't know who represents that area. I I represent that district. The the arena is in my district. I was at the game. It was very exciting.
▶ 0:19:29uh and when he when Ovuchetkin scored that goal, everybody in the arena was a Capitals fan and just really impressed and it was it was a wonderful thing to behold. America needs more of that. I agree. Thank you very much. Thank you, Our next witness is the Honorable Maxine Waters.
▶ 0:19:53and um as she takes her position at the table, your your um your prepared comments will be inserted into the record. You'll have five minutes. Uh so turn that mic on when you start and off when you're finished. And uh Rep. Waters, you are recognized.
▶ 0:20:24There it is. Thank you. Good morning, Chair Wulmarmac, Ranking Member Klyurn, and members of the subcommittee. I want to thank you for the opportunity to testify today on one of the most important issues facing our country. As ranking member and former chairwoman of the House Financial Services Committee, I've come to know all too well the struggles families are uh facing in today's housing market.
▶ 0:20:55Americans are spending more of their paychecks on their rent and mortgage than ever before. Homelessness is rising and our nation's housing is increasingly being purchased not by families but private equity funds with all cash efforts and offers.
▶ 0:21:15For decades, the US under produced housing for hardworking families while making it easier for corporations and flippers to scoop up more single family homes than ever. We haven't built enough housing since President Roosevelt's New Deal. And uh we certainly haven't built enough since 2008 Great Recession.
▶ 0:21:40It's no wonder since the federal housing budget has represented less than 2% of all federal outlays since fiscal year 1986 and fiscal year 2024. housing budget hasn't even been 1%.
▶ 0:22:01This lack of investment has directly resulted in our nation's public housing failing to disre repair people waiting years to get housing assistance uh they are owed under the law and first time and often first generation home buyers having insurmountable obstacles to achieving the American dream.
▶ 0:22:27And so, while I know that every member of this subcommittee is concerned about this and is looking for solutions, I'm concerned that the situation will only get much worse as this president's reckless tariff plan goes into effect. The president's tariffs on the world, but in particular Mexico and Canada, are going to significantly increase the cost of building and repairing homes.
▶ 0:22:56Trump's gutting of consumer protections and civil rights enforcement and housing will allow landlords and banks to lock more people out of housing and increase rents without federal oversight.
▶ 0:23:12Meanwhile, Elon Mus's doge uh has infiltrated our nation's housing agencies, stealing funding Congress provided to communities illegally terminating staff, including in all of our districts and accessing confidential data about people living in assisted housing, including sexual assault survivors.
▶ 0:23:37I'm concerned that all of this makes it possible for Elon Musk and the other billionaires in the Trump's uh cabinet uh to achieve their goal to help their billionaire boys club get rich off of America's housing. The recently passed appropriations bill has the potential to make this a reality.
▶ 0:23:58The funding year 25 continuing resolution slashed 500 million from the federal housing budget and is expected to put at least 32,000 families at risk of eviction and homelessness. and the housing that they vacate will be right for the picking by private equity, hedge funds, and others who don't believe that everyone in America should have a right to affordable housing.
▶ 0:24:28So, I'm here today to request that the committee increase all housing accounts well beyond funding year 2024 funding levels so that we can meet the growing needs of this country. For a start, the committee could consider my housing crisis response act, which provides more than 150 billion dollars in investments for fair and affordable housing.
▶ 0:24:56My bill outlines a plan for which Congress should fund housing so we can build more affordable homes, bring down the cost of rent, and revive the dream of home ownership for all. So in addition to funding above funding year 24 levels, I specifically request the following.
▶ 0:25:17Number one, 10 billion for the home program and 500 million for each of the section 202 and section 811 program accounts to help increase the supply of homes that are accessible and affordable to families, including seniors and people with disabilities. 24 billion for the housing choice voucher program to help Americans afford their rent and avoid eviction.
▶ 0:25:45Uh 65 billion to address capital backlog needs in public housing that put the health and safety of residents at risk on a daily basis and $8 billion for emergency housing vouchers to help house people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Together, we can secure fair and affordable housing in every community across this great country.
▶ 0:26:12With that, I want to thank you for holding today's hearing, and I yield back my time. Thank you very much, uh, Representative Waters. Anybody comments, questions? Well, I want to thank you so much for being here. Yes, Congresswoman Waters.
▶ 0:26:28Um, you and I have talked about this for years and I want you to know that I share your concern for affordable, accessible housing for all and I'm particularly interested in what is happening now as it relates to housing in Colombia.
▶ 0:26:50I live in a community uh where um it was the first uh quote unquote subdivision uh that blocks were allowed uh access to housing and I've been in there ever since I've been in Colombia. Uh and what has happened there now, Mr.
▶ 0:27:11Chairman, is that a lot of those public school teachers, postal workers, uh who have retired and now living basically on small retirements and social security. Every time I go home, there are at least two letters in my mailbox from hedge funds wanting to purchase my house. And all the people in the neighborhood are getting those letters.
▶ 0:27:40They aren't buying these houses to live in. They're buying these houses, in my not so humble opinion, is to deprive these senior citizens living in retirement dependent upon social security when they find themselves in need of resources, they're going to sell.
▶ 0:28:02And I think that that is very, very unfair and there's something sinister about that. And so I want to work with you and with this committee because you've had hearings on uh evictions and this kind of thing and this is something I think we need to focus on because that is a shame but it's taking place throughout I'm sure it's more than my community and I thank you for your testimony. You're so welcome. Thank you Mr.
▶ 0:28:32Clber. Miss Pice. Thank you Mr. Chairman. Um thank you for your testimony this morning. I think it we would be remiss if we didn't also talk about the other factors in purchasing a home. Uh I have been considering whether or not to move from the home that my husband and I have had for 18 years and raised our two daughters in. And uh the two factors that have changed in the last few years that have made it, in my opinion, much more unaffordable to uh purchase a new home are interest rates of course at 7%.
▶ 0:29:04and insurance. Uh, you know, that my homeowners insurance has increased extraordinarily over the last couple of years. Yes, I live in tornado alley. Uh, but unfortunately that also has a factor in whether or not individuals can afford to purchase a home. So, I hope if we're going to have a conversation that those two factors are also part of that discussion. So, with that, Mr. Chairman, I yield. Yeah. Thank you, M. Waters. Thank you so much for your testimony this morning. You're welcome. Thank you.
▶ 0:29:36Our next witness is the atlarge member from the great state of Wyoming, Representative Harriet Hegman. And uh Rep. Hegelman, you are recognized for five minutes knowing that your prepared remarks will be included into the record. And uh the floor is yours. Thank you. Thank you. And thank you for this opportunity.
▶ 0:29:56Chairman WAC, Ranking Member Klyborn, and members of the subcommittee, I am grateful for the opportunity to testify before you today for the subcommittee's member day hearing regarding issues of great importance pertaining to the success of W of Wyoming's air service. Despite Wyoming being one of the most rural states in the United States, our air service actually dates back nearly 100 years to when the city of Cheyenne became a principal stop on the new US air mail service route.
▶ 0:30:26Since then, air service in Wyoming has flourished and remains a major contributor to the statewide and local economies. According to the Wyoming Department of Transportation, or Y DOT, total Wyoming passengers numbered over 1.6 6 million 2024. Commercial air services annual economic impacts exceed 1.5 billion and support over 17,000 step jobs statewide.
▶ 0:30:53To accommodate this increasing level of demand, Wyoming boasts nine commercial service airports, including one international airport and the only airport in the entire country that is located within a national park. Advocating for meaningful investment in federal programs that seek to build upon this momentum and not only preserve but expand rural air service should always remain a priority as we craft our appropriations bills.
▶ 0:31:21Last year, in a bipartisan fashion, Congress passed the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, which among other valuable provisions increased the authorization of the airport improvement program or AIP from 3.35 to to$4 billion.
▶ 0:31:39The importance of the AIP funding in Wyoming cannot be overstated as it has repeatedly supported essential airport infrastructure projects including expanding terminal buildings, rehabilitating aprons, taxiways, and runway lighting, and acquiring snow removal and firefighting equipment. All of which are essential to increasing air traffic capacity and mitigating hazards caused by unpredictable weather, which is simply a fact of life throughout Wyoming and the greater inner mountain west.
▶ 0:32:10Failure to adequately fund this program will make it far more difficult for rural airports to maintain their existing infrastructure and accommodate future growth, which will inevitably trickle down to all communities and local businesses that rely upon air service for revenue generated through tourism, freight, and other means.
▶ 0:32:29Just as important as our airport infrastructure is the ability to grow and retain a pipeline of aviation professionals to carry out the critical functions necessary for the continuation of air service. It is no secret that we continue to struggle with nationwide aviation workforce shortages, particularly when it comes to pilots and aviation maintenance technicians.
▶ 0:32:52Unfortunately, these deficiencies are uniquely amplified in a state as rural as Wyoming, where the lack of a stable workforce can detrimentally impact the timeliness and quality of our air service, if not resulting in its loss altogether. As of 2020, there were a total of 2,254 aviation employees in Wyoming.
▶ 0:33:15Initiatives such as the FAA's aviation workforce development programs can go a long way to helping fill employment gaps while recruiting and educating the next generation of aviation professionals. Wyoming is a prime example of these objectives as there continues to be a growing interest in my state for expanding aviation career technical education opportunities including through new K12 internship programs and post-secondary pathways to obtain applied sciences
▶ 0:33:45degrees in aviation and aeronautics and commercial pilot certificates. Finally, I'd like to briefly touch on the issue of assisting smaller communities who are actively seeking to attract increased commercial air service and minimize higher airfares through the small community air service development program.
▶ 0:34:04Multiple communities across my state are actively competing with other locations nationwide to obtain commercial air service routes, which are almost always in short supply and can be financially burdensome to maintain over a longer period. Initiatives such as the small community air service development program are integral in allowing smaller communities to compete in the rural air service market through revenue guarantees, marketing agreements, and the completion of necessary studies.
▶ 0:34:34As previously stated, these are just a few of the many programs and resources that contribute to the success of Wyoming's air service. Ensuring that we are not only fully funding, but also reverting program management back to the core principles laid out under the laws as opposed to unrelated political objectives is crucial to achieving this intended success.
▶ 0:34:55Once again, thank you for allowing me the opportunity to testify and I look forward to working with each of you as we give the we begin the ever important process of drafting our appropriation bills for fiscal year 26. Thank you. We appreciate uh your comments this morning and recognizing the rural nature of your state. Uh curious, do do you recall right off the bat how many of your commercial service airports get essential air service funding?
▶ 0:35:24I don't know the answer to that, but I could get back to you on it. The um uh because that was one of the anomalies that we had in in the FY25 or the FY24 continuing resolution uh to make sure that we had uh funds flowing to the airports that are serving a very rural population. I have couple in our state. I think three or four in our state, but I figure some of the ones in that you're referring to also are essential air service beneficiaries.
▶ 0:35:55I think so. And uh all of pretty much all of my airports are pretty rural. Yeah. Yes. Questions, comments, Mr. Clber? Any? Yes, sir. Thank you, gentle lady, for your testimony. You good? All right. Thank you, Harriet. We appreciate it. Our last witness. if I'm not mistaken, is Jeff Andrew, who represents the second district in the state of New Jersey.
▶ 0:36:25Jeff, the um your official comments will be included into the record. U just hit the microphone and for five minutes, the floor is yours. Thank you, chairman. Thank you, ranking member. Thank you, members of the committee for having this hearing today. You know, the FAA reauthorization of 2024 codified New Jerseys William J. Hughes FAA Technical Center for Advanced Aerospace in Title 49, section 106 of the US Code.
▶ 0:36:54Last year, the committee drafted an FY25 bill that included 62 million for the technical centers, laboratories, and infrastructure sustainment. This year, I'm requesting that the committee continue this momentum by investing the same amount from the facilities and equipment account.
▶ 0:37:13This includes six million for disaster resiliency of critical national aerospace systems to upgrade priority one infrastructure to enhance critical power distribution providing cooling for essential equipment and ensure resilient transmission. 29 million for William J. Hughes Technical Center Civil Service systems sustainment.
▶ 0:37:40These funds will design and construct a water supply system and underground utility for all tenants at the technical center, including the Atlantic City Airport. 27 million for William J. Hughes Technical Center electrical system sustainment.
▶ 0:37:55These funds will design and construct a replacement electrical system to supply power to the airport operations area, covering all airfield lighting and navigational aids, which obviously are These investments very importantly will also benefit the many technical center tenants which includes but not only but includes the Coast Guard, the Air National Guard, the Department of Homeland Security, the Federal
▶ 0:38:26Air Marshals, and the Atlantic City Airport itself. I also request that the committee provide 10 million for the research, engineering, and development account for an emerging technologies accelerator. This provides a pathway for development, demonstration and transfer of technology that can lead to a tangible operational improvement to the aviation infrastructure.
▶ 0:38:50And my final request on this is related to the technical center for increased technical personnel levels and I will provide staff with additional information on that as well on community pro. And by the way, all this sounds very dry, but basically it's important for our homeland security, for navigational airspace, and obviously for the future that we want to be better and safer. Community project funding.
▶ 0:39:16The first request is three million to construct the dental hygiene school. I don't want to hear any jokes. Yes, I'm a dentist, but this is really important. At the Atlantic Cape Community College from the EDI account, there's a serious need for dental hygienists in my area. We're critically short. number one.
▶ 0:39:34Secondly, um the part of the state that I represent, some of it is some of the least fiscally um sound area, has the most financial economic challenges of any part of the state in New Jersey. And this is a wonderful career for people where they can frankly make a good income. It's very much needed.
▶ 0:39:55Uh, it allows people if they are going to be doing it full-time or whether they do it part-time to also have a family and make a decent income. It's a good thing. U and as you know, I spent a good good part of my career being a dentist. The more sane part of my career, I might add, was being a dentist.
▶ 0:40:14Um, and so we uh have a non-federal match on this of over two million from the Atlantic County government which is very willing to contribute additional construction costs and equipment for this. It's my top request and is an FY25 reubmission. Unfortunately, it has to be a reubmission.
▶ 0:40:36The second request is $3.5 million for EDI funds to the Buna Vista Township Municipal Utility Authority to fund emergency shelter water infrastructure. This project will design and build an expanded water and sewer connection into a local school auditorium. It indeed is also important. Uh, this project needs economic development funds because this is the type of water service that does not align with either the interior or USDA accounts.
▶ 0:41:06The third request is for 2.5 million to the design and preparation of a site for an aviation maintenance training academy. Again, speaking to what I did to before, we need some good jobs in our area very much. This is a good job. It's a very much it's a job that is needed in high demand and we're short of people that can do this work. Um, this was be from the EDI count as well. This project will train generations of muchneeded aviation maintenance workers.
▶ 0:41:35The project is supported importantly by the United States Air Force and also has matching non-federal funds, private sector partners that we've already lined up on this as well. They're interested in recruiting from this facility. And again, I'm going to say unfortunately, it's a resubmission from 25. I really thank you all for the work you do and the time you take. Thank you. Thank you.
▶ 0:42:00You know, Congressman, you recognize that the appropriations process, at least for the last several years, has been kind of a broken system. So, I'm I'm asking you as a dentist, does this process need a cap, a filling, a root canal, or an extraction? or a combination of all the above. Uh on a bipartisan way, I I think sometimes Congress and this is I'm only this my seventh year.
▶ 0:42:30I've been involved in public service for a lot of years. I was 16 years in the New Jersey legislature and as you know clearly and I'm going be very frank. You asked me a candid question. I'm going to give you a candid answer. I've served as a Democrat and a Republican. I've always been a conservative but I was in both parties. our system is broken to a great degree. Um, and I would say we share in the responsibility for that on both sides of the aisle. I do look forward to a time where we are more functional and more focused.
▶ 0:43:00Um, we run around in circles like crazy sometimes, but all the running around doesn't necessarily always count. It's what you accomplish and what you get done for the people of this great country. So I think we need a root canals, extractions and caps. And in dentistry that's called a full rehab where you do the whole deal. Thank you. I think he just told us to floss more. Mr.
▶ 0:43:26Klyber, I thank the gentleman for I would like to say, Mr. chairman that uh I agree that uh there needs to be overhaul to the system and this is going to come real strange uh you're going to think strangely but if we just stick to that document that we call the constitution of the United States and its dictates as to how
▶ 0:43:56all this is to be done we'll be fine we'll be fine but we have yielded too much of article one power to the executive. If we just reign in what the constitution tells us, we'll uh postpone that root canal. Believe me, you ought to postpone as long as you can. Respectfully, ranking member, I think there are people on both sides of the aisle that would agree with you. Yeah, I'm not going to disagree.
▶ 0:44:26Miss Spice, thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um, Rep. Vander, can you share with me if you know what does it cost to go to dental hygienist school? It depends whether you go to a university college or a community college.
▶ 0:44:42things have been so expensive lately uh in our colleges and universities which is another again I really don't want to digress but it amazes me compared to when I went to dental school the folks coming out if you're going to go into dentistry before you even get to your residency they're 300,000 400,000 in debt if you even factor in inflation which you need to do that's still way beyond that inflationary number compared to when I went uh and it's the same with hygiene school but the good opportunity there.
▶ 0:45:12You can't go to community college to become a a dentist or a physician, but you can be a nurse or a hygienist. So, it can be very affordable, and that's the affordable way to do it. If you choose to go to university or college, you're making that choice, but it is going to be what a university or college costs today. Well, I would concur with your uh assessment of the cost of college being expensive.
▶ 0:45:35I had individuals from the OU College of Dentistry in my office not that long ago who asked me to support an initiative that would allow for them to not have to pay interest on the loans while they're doing a residency. We're working on that specialty. Yeah. Um and it was shocking to me how expensive it actually is uh to to attend uh the medical school. But thank you for your testimony and for your advocacy of your uh constituents in your district. Without yield, Jeff, thank you so much. Thank you so much, Steve. I want to thank all the uh witnesses who testified this morning.
▶ 0:46:06All five, as I said earlier, their comments, their prepared comments will be inserted into the record. And u with that, unless there is any further questions or comments, this hearing stands adjourned.
▶ 0:46:42Good to see you, sir. Oh, this is my