▶ 0:01:19Open so it doesn't really morning. The subcommittee will come to order.
▶ 0:01:46Today we welcome testimony from the Honorable Shawn Duffy, Secretary of the Department of Transportation on the fiscal 26 budget. Thank you, Secretary Duffy, for appearing before us today. It's always good to see you. For those who don't know, Sean and I were classmates together back in 2010, and I'd like to think that we'd surprise ourselves in knowing we'd be in these seats some 15 years later. But here we are.
▶ 0:02:15The Department of Transportation is requesting 26.7 billion in discretionary budget authority for fiscal 26. This request includes a $1.2 billion increase for air traffic modernization operations, 596 million to ramp up our port and shipyard infrastructure, a $400 million boost for freight rail safety, and 770 million for multimodal freight While
▶ 0:02:45the skinny budget request demonstrates your commitment to making some critical investments to modernize our transportation systems, there's still much about this request that remains unknown as we await the full fiscal 26 budget. We do not know your total of 1.4 billion in cuts at DOT to afford these programmatic increases at the 26.7 billion topline level.
▶ 0:03:11We're also lacking detail in what the proposed $4.1 billion reduction to the IIGJ FY26 advance appropriations. We'd like to get more from you on that today. I'd be remiss not to mention that the skinny budget reveals a topline for the Department of Housing and Urban Development that will be challenging for this subcommittee to say the least. Given the jurisdiction of the subcommittee, we cannot look at the DOT budget request in a vacuum.
▶ 0:03:42We'll have to make some tough choices when reviewing the proposed investments of the Department of Transportation while maintaining necessary support for housing our nation's most vulnerable. I'd also like to make sure we address a bit of an elephant in the room. The administration has undertaken efforts to seriously overhaul the federal bureaucracy while also taking a hard look at where our taxpayer dollars are being spent. It's a valued effort that our House majority supports. I want to make something clear.
▶ 0:04:11Efforts to restructure the Department of Transportation without congressional approval, to not execute programs appropriated by this committee, or to not give proper congressional notification when awarding or amending grants concerns me. Article one of the Constitution is clear. It gives Congress through this committee the power of the purse. I know that you, as a former member of this body, understand this.
▶ 0:04:39We want to have a partnership with you to ensure we're providing DOT with necessary resources. It's a reciprocal relationship. We provide what you need. You get us what we need. Maintaining open lines of communication between this committee and your staff is essential for us to execute on our shared mission of maintaining our worldclass transportation system. Safety will remain a top priority for this subcommittee as we prepare the 26 bill.
▶ 0:05:06I know you share this goal as your second night on the job was the horrific DCA collision. You've taken swift action to ensure the safety of our airspace. And I know the NTSB appreciates your partnership as they continue their investigation into that accident and others. Additionally, our nation's air traffic control system is showing signs of age.
▶ 0:05:32The telecommunications issues that have been plaguing Newark and routinely interrupting operations over the past month are unacceptable. and the fact that they were allowed to get to this point over the past several years is beyond frustrating. Mr. Secretary, I look forward to working with you to prioritize our nation's vital infrastructure and transportation needs in Arkansas's third district and across the country while safeguarding hard-earned taxpayer dollars.
▶ 0:05:58I know our work on this subcommittee affects the safety, economic opportunity, and quality of life of every American, a duty I take seriously. The jurisdiction of this committee is one of the most unique of the appropriations committee as it impacts are its impacts are seen in every single congressional district around the country. As such, we have a spirit of bipartisanship here that I look forward to continuing as we begin the FY26 process.
▶ 0:06:29And it's in that spirit of bipartisanship that I'd now like to recognize my dear friend and the ranking member from South Carolina, Mr. Klyber for any opening remarks he'd like to make. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I'm pleased to be here today as we begin to assess the budget request for fiscal year 2026. I too want to welcome Secretary Duffy to his first official hearing before the subcommittee.
▶ 0:06:58Today we will examine the Department of Transportation's budget which I expect will cover cover current year operations and the proposed use of funds included in the so-called skinny budget for 2026. DOT's primary mission is to invest in solutions that improve transportation safety.
▶ 0:07:18This includes safer transportation in our skies, on our rails, in our ports, and over and under our bridges, among other modes of transportation. It is hard to ignore the disturbing incursions and devastating crashes that have disrupted the lives and livelihoods of too many uh at our airports just this year following the tragic Francis Scott Key bridge collapse in Baltimore last year.
▶ 0:07:48The bipartisan infrastructure law makes a significant 5-year investment in our nation's transportation systems. Whether it's helping to build new runways, repair deficient uh bridges, or improve our ports, these historic investments are intended to enhance safety, employ American businesses, put more people to work, and create new public private partnerships.
▶ 0:08:14This law combined with targeted investments through the annual THUD bill was supposed to serve as a catalyst for our economy and quality of life. However, I am deeply concerned that this administration's deliberate withholding of more than 40 billion provided by laws approved by this subcommittee and reductions to DO's workforce halt any meaningful progress in transportation safety.
▶ 0:08:42Instead, we see thousands of qualified federal workers and contractors, including air traffic controllers made up of women, people of color, and veterans pushed out of highly skilled jobs.
▶ 0:08:57While I strongly support the need for robust investments in aviation safety, we have yet to see the full potential of existing resources being used to address our most immediate threats to brought forward uh by aging technology and staffing shortfalls at the FAA.
▶ 0:09:18Last week's air traffic control modernization plan released by the administration is a great start, but it ignores the realities of cuts to FAA staff, fair competition and overall cost and most importantly how we pay for it. Americans are afraid of flying, controllers are walking off their jobs and aviation businesses are hurting.
▶ 0:09:47This plan seemed to ignore the realities of the AA FAA losing more than 2,000 employees this year and assumes project timelines not yet defined by costs, access to materials, or feasibility.
▶ 0:10:04But we need to know that it is backed by action and by an administration that will deploy congressionally directed funding for America's transportation in an expeditious manner consistent with congressional intent. Now, Mr. Secretary, I would be derelicking my duties to my constituents and children were I not to address the significant issue you raised in your submitted statement during World War II.
▶ 0:10:34The DEI program that created the Tuskegee airmen who became who because of existing laws were all black was not a waste of money. They made the skies safer for those all white fighter pilots they escorted and we won that war.
▶ 0:10:55The DEI program that created the women of the 68 who because of existing laws were all black was not a waste of money. And they made the war experiences more palatable for those all white fighting units that they efficiently and effectively supported during World War II.
▶ 0:11:18Both these groups were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal by this body for their service to this country. Mr. Mr. Chairman, in two weeks I will be hosting several of our colleagues during Memorial Day weekend down in Charleston, South Carolina, where that sacred holiday was first celebrated back in n 1865 by the all black 54th
▶ 0:11:49and 55th Massachusetts regiment who were commanded by Colonel Robert Ghoul Shaw and Colonel General Charles Fox, both of whom were white because of existing law. Mr. Secretary, I believe this subcommittee can work in a bipartisan fashion to deliver safer transportation networks for the American people.
▶ 0:12:16and I look forward to hearing from you about how we can best serve America's resources and talents to build a safer and more secure country. And I give back. Thank you, Mr. Clber. Before I recognize the chairman of the full committee, uh, let me acknowledge the presence here in this hearing room of the parents of first officer of flight 5342, Sam Lily.
▶ 0:12:47Tim and Sherry, we share our deepest condolences for your loss. Want to thank you for being here. Sam's legacy lives on in your efforts here in advocating for safer skies. Please know this work is not in vain. We hear you and we will make sure to do right by you and your son in our work to invest in our aviation system. We welcome you to the proceedings here this morning.
▶ 0:13:16And now the full chair the full committee chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, my good friend from the great state of Oklahoma, Mr. Cole. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Before I begin my formal remarks, I want to associate myself with your remarks about our guests here and we want to thank you very much. Uh we share your grief and your loss, terrible situation.
▶ 0:13:38We appreciate you turning it to such a positive message and and advocacy to try and make the s the sky safer. I know Tim would have been enormously proud of what you're doing right now. So, thank you again for being here. It's an honor to have you in this uh committee room with all the rest of us. And again, before my formal remarks, I got to tell you, Mr. Secretary, and I say that with great pleasure, it is wonderful to have you there.
▶ 0:14:04It's wonderful to see the energy you're approaching your job with, the commitment. Uh I'm just I'm very proud of you as a former colleague and look forward to working with you uh in the months and years ahead. Thank you, Chairman Warmwak, and thank you, Ranking Member Klyurn. Again, I want to welcome the secretary. It's very good to have him back even if it's on the other side of the chambers disas and thank you for appearing before us today.
▶ 0:14:32We're focused here today on ensuring that the FAA and our other safety agencies have the resources necessary to present future tragedies. It's one of the most significant duties we have and we do not take it lightly on either side of the aisle. As we advance the fiscal year into the 2026 process, effective investments in our nation's transportation systems are a priority.
▶ 0:14:56Secretary Duffy's team at DOT has already made great efforts to ensure we are directing taxpayer dollars to infrastructure and safety improvements that are worthwhile, taking a fine tooth comb to thousands of funding decisions made by the previous administration. This subcommittee will further these efforts as we look at the FY26 bill, making sure we support programs and improve infrastructure while taking a hard look at those programs that are wasteful and duplicative.
▶ 0:15:26Uh but make no mistake, the fiscal discipline will not come at the price of safety. And we will continue to ensure safety is an utmost priority in the FY26 thud bill. In my opinion, there's no greater example of carrying out that mission than at the Mike Monrroni Aeronautical Center. In our final FY25 appropriations, uh we provided funding to train an additional 2,000 air traffic controllers. I want to work with you, Mr.
▶ 0:15:53Secretary, to ensure that we sustain this training surge in Oklahoma City. We have the land, the facilities, and the world-class staff at the Monron Center to ensure the controllers receive in-person focused state-of-the-art training. I also believe the center provides terrific value to the taxpayer. We'll continue to support the FAA's modernization efforts and oppose any attempt to decentralize or weaken control of training.
▶ 0:16:20I'll also reiterate my steadfast commitment to ensure that the 2026 stud bill prioritizes investments in tribal and rural areas. Nearly 70% of America's road miles are in rural areas and about 145,000 miles of roads pass through tribal lands. These communities face notable challenges and have different needs from urban areas.
▶ 0:16:43As we begin the appropriations process, I'm resolute in my commitment to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to fund the critical safety missions and transportation infrastructure needs of the country. Thank you, Chairman Warmarmac. And with that, I yield back. Thank you, Mr. Cole. The ranking member of the full committee will probably participate at some point in time today. We do have other hearings going on.
▶ 0:17:08uh I don't think that she is wishing to give an opening statement, but we'll inject her into the Q&A uh when she arrives. And with that, Mr. Secretary, welcome once again to the subcommittee. Uh we're going to accept your written testimony for the record and we'll yield the floor to you. Thank Chairman Wack, Ranking Member Clurn, uh Chairman Cole. Uh thank you all for inviting me uh to this subcommittee as well as all the subcommittee members.
▶ 0:17:36I think it's been about six years since I've been uh back to the house. It's a pleasure uh to see you all. I'm not sure if there was some plan to bring the greatest voices of the house together in Wulac and Clayburn, but you guys uh great voices made for media.
▶ 0:17:53I think uh my aim over the course of this hearing is to provide you with a sense of how building big beautiful infrastructure is a top priority of President Trump's priorities and how we can all work together in a bipartisan effort to make that a reality. The infrastructure that connects our people, our states, moves our products is a priority of the president. Our department over uh the course of the last 100 days have saved taxpayers uh roughly $9.5 billion.
▶ 0:18:23Those savings include monies pulled from projects tied to social justice to climate requirements also boondoggle projects as well as uh bringing efficiencies to the department. Now many of you as have asked me about grants and grant agreements and grant announcements.
▶ 0:18:42So, just to be clear on this point, we have inherited an unprecedented backlog of 3,200 uh awards for grants that were announced by the last administration. However, those 3,200 were left to me to do the grant agreements on. So, the announcement is fun, but the work is really the grant agreement. So, there's 3,200 that have been passed off to me. Those are the ones that all of you uh uh love to call me on.
▶ 0:19:12And by the way, we're working through that backlog. Uh many of these projects of the 3,200 date back to 2022. The last administration, they were unorganized. They're unfocused as projects around the country were stalled by inaction and inefficiencies. No one is more frustrated with the inefficiencies of this process than I am. Currently, there are 10 to 14 different systems to track the status of grants across the Department of Transportation.
▶ 0:19:42There's not one system. There's 10 to 14 systems that are used to track grants. I'm committed to consolidating all of this information into one dashboard so grantees can see how money is being spent. All of you can see the progress of grants. I want to bring you that transparency, but that's also consolidating the system in which the DOT uses to provide that information to all of you and to the American people.
▶ 0:20:08I promise to ensure uh that transparency uh as we move through uh this uh process. The Department of Transportation is one of the few non-defense federal agencies to receive an increase in funding under President Trump's uh fiscal year 26 budget. The reason is simple. the president. Uh, he's a builder. He loves to build and he wants to build at DOT.
▶ 0:20:34Our budget carefully focuses taxpayer resources on items critical to our most fundamental mission of safety and in and investing in transportation infrastructure. We have pushed forward with the approval of 405 grants totaling $4.9 billion in the president's 100 plus days in office.
▶ 0:20:55The president's budget of $26.7 billion in new discretionary funding for 2026 is a $1.5 billion increase over 2025 or it's 5.8% uh as an increase uh which I'm proud to see that we have uh we do not want to take additional funds from hardworking taxpayers for granted in this era of government where it's become too big, too inefficient and too wasteful.
▶ 0:21:23We have carefully planned for these dollars to fund urgent projects that once built will serve uh future generations for decades. And um I think uh build and make this country stronger. And so uh I'm sure you're going to ask me questions as Mr. Mr. Klyurn uh indicated uh what's going on with staffing cuts. Uh we are going to try to uh make the Department of Transportation more efficient, do more with less. I'm happy to talk about that. Uh also um want to discuss uh new work.
▶ 0:21:53Um we are working through the telecom infrastructure upgrade uh to take care of the delays. As we speak right now, the FAA has brought in together all of the airlines who serve uh Newark to have a conversation about uh how there can be a a delayed uh reduction. So if you book your uh flight, that flight's going to fly. you don't have people at the airport for, you know, two, four, six hours, then a flight canceled. So, we're we're working through that now.
▶ 0:22:22Hopefully, in the next uh week or two, we'll have additional really good news about the telecom progress that we've made. Um, and happy to talk about the air traffic control system uh that uh we announced last week. And finally, I know my time is uh is over, but I do want to uh uh say thank you to Tim and Cherry for coming. Um, I've appreciated their support. I've gotten to know them since uh January 29th uh and the loss of their son Sam.
▶ 0:22:49Um and they have uh they have been a force for good. Uh and I'm grateful for their partnership. I'm grateful uh they've been they're coming here today and I think this is a moment where we're trying to pay what happened in late January. We're trying to pay it forward to make sure we don't have another uh another set of families of uh 67 people that have to fight uh to make sure they have a system that's going to work. So, thank you for being here.
▶ 0:23:15Uh and to the committee, thank you for having me and I'm happy to take the committee's questions. Thank you, Mr. Secretary. Uh we're going to begin the Q&A portion. Members, we'll have five minutes and it won't surprise anybody in this room to know that I'm kind of lenient on that. Um, as long as you don't use four and a half of your to to lecture or uh editorialize and only live 30 seconds for a answer to a question.
▶ 0:23:46But we're going to be very tolerant of the people here because at the end of the day, we all share the same goal and that is uh to ensure that we're doing the very best we can by the people who utilize the transportation modes in this great country. Um you'll be recognized in the order of seniority based on who was seated at the beginning of the hearing as is typical going back and forth between parties.
▶ 0:24:11One other note at around 10:30 because there is another subcommittee hearing going on today. Our colleague uh David Joyce is chairing the financial services and general government subcommittee. He will come in and I will seek a unanimous consent request to allow him to get to his five minutes of questions so that he can return back to his subcommittee. So at this time I'm going to recognize myself, Secretary Duffy.
▶ 0:24:37One of the president's first actions was to undo burdensome regulations relating to climate equity brought by the prior administration. You followed suit. You've discussed this in your opening statement today, revoking Biden era policies and requirements pertaining to social and environmental justice.
▶ 0:24:54You also talked are tasked the modal administrations to review grant applications and awards to ensure funds are implemented in accordance with statute and not extraneous Biden era policies unrelated to transportation. Uh you mentioned 3,200 grant awards. So far according to our records you've cleared just over 480 of those about 15%.
▶ 0:25:21Can you give us a status update and help us understand the steps you're taking to review and how the grantee is notified as we move through this process? Yeah, I appreciate the uh question, Mr. Chairman. Uh we are um all hands on deck right now uh working through these uh these grant agreements. Um and uh again, I think you're going to see progress ramp up.
▶ 0:25:46But as if we look uh over the past four years, there's a few months where the last administration was able to get more grant agreements out the door than we have. But by and large, we are moving at uh a near record pace and we're going to continue to move at that pace. I know how important these projects uh are to all of your states and your districts and especially as we come into the spring building season or we're in the spring building season, how important it is to get those agreements signed. What are your limitations?
▶ 0:26:15Well, it just takes it takes time, right? It takes time to to go through and think through these grant agreements. Um, I will say there's there's a a level of bureaucracy, not just at DOT, but I think throughout government, uh, we need to streamline that bureaucracy. Uh, again, we have to do it right, but uh, we're looking for efficiencies. How can we do it faster?
▶ 0:26:34Um, we're looking at using uh uh AI tools as well as other technological tools that we could deploy that could help us move faster uh on these grant agreements. Uh we're in that ex exploration phase right now. Want to talk a bit about staffing for a moment. Long-standing language in our bill that requires notification prior to any program elimination or major reorganization.
▶ 0:27:00Over the past few months, we've seen a series of efforts by the administration to reduce the size of the federal workforce. And uh I think a lot of us up here would agree that the federal bureaucracy has become bloated. But I think we need to be a little bit more precise um in downsizing a department with a mission as critical as DOS. The dismissal of probationary employees has brought a reduction to the workforce of 3,000.
▶ 0:27:27When you add two rounds of buyouts, DOT will see a 12% reduction in staffing since January of 20. I also understand that OM requested a reduction in force plan to be submitted by mid-March. So the question is pretty simple. How many departures can you handle without eroding the ability to carry out a safe and effective mission? So, first off, you mentioned the reprogramming and I know there's requirements to report to Congress if there's are there is going to be reprogramming.
▶ 0:27:57Uh we are working through some ideas right now on how we can streamline the department. Uh when we've uh completed those ideas, we will no doubt share them with you for uh your consideration. Um listen, I we can do more with less, Mr. Chairman. Um, and if we do more with less, that means uh that uh we'll have additional money, I think, through this committee to put back into the infrastructure that so many of us dearly want in our communities.
▶ 0:28:28And so the the DRP is maybe not the uh it's not it's not a scalpel. People are willing uh to take a uh uh an opportunity to retire, to resign. We should take them up on that. And if we have shortfalls, uh, I am missiondriven. The president loves this department, loves the work that we do. You all care about the work that we do. Uh, if I have to hire people back in, I'll do that, uh, to make sure we can do the work.
▶ 0:28:58But, um, if I have people who don't want to be there, that want to take the take the offer, well, let's get some people in who are hungry to do the work. Uh, that's what I'm looking for. And so, um, we're going to we're going to make it work. It's not a scalpel, but it's an opportunity for us to reduce the force, get the work done, and save the American people money. I thank the gentleman. Mr. Kleberg, thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I notice, Mr.
▶ 0:29:23Secretary, uh, I made reference in my opening statement to your submitted statement uh, where the term DEI was used. In your oral statement, you use the term social justice uh, which is fine with me. Uh I would call your attention to the fact however uh that that also raises an issue with me. We know what social justice admin in this country. I'm a native of South Carolina.
▶ 0:29:50My parents, grandparents, all South Carolinians, where the Civil War began, where enslavement in this country uh really uh became the number one economy that made South Carolina the biggest economy in the country. all because of enslavement. Now, we have done some things in this country to overcome all of that.
▶ 0:30:16And one of the things we've done uh is to make special investments. My late wife, to whom I was married for 58 years, had to walk two and a half miles to school every morning right past the white school where there where the white kids had buses. That was social injustice. in this country has made a big investment to get beyond that and now all of a sudden we see this as wasteful government spending.
▶ 0:30:46I don't think so. I think this is wise investment in a country that has uh challenges that we need all people involved in. And in the Department of Transportation, where I spent a lot of my time here in the Congress, uh we've had some rules and regulations about how to build highways, where to build highways, where to put those bridges, and we have done some things to stop that
▶ 0:31:17injustice. That's not wasteful spending. And so I would like to know uh exactly when you make these decisions uh what kind of decision- making goes into the fact that if I raise the issue that this bridge uh or this highway is busting up a neighborhood uh putting the children on one side of the highway and the schools on the other side of the highway. I'm not telling you what I think. I'm telling you what happened in my neighborhood.
▶ 0:31:47These are social injustices that I think we as a government has got a responsibility to make sure that does not happen going forward. So I love builders. I'm a bridge builder myself. Not trying to get from one side of the lake to the other, but a bridge builder to the future for my children and grandchildren.
▶ 0:32:11And I think social justice is an area that we need need to pay attention to and I would like to know how do you make decisions about that. So uh Mr. Clurn, uh Congressman, I'm I'm well aware of your history and uh I I think America should be proud of uh your history and all that you've done. Uh I'm talking about something very specific in regard to DOT. Okay? I'm not talking about the broader uh political conversation.
▶ 0:32:37Uh so there are requirements in the last administration like a racial equity impact analysis has been completed for the project or the recipient or a project partner has adopted an equity and inclusion program plan or has otherwise instituted equity focused policies related to project procurement, material sourcing, construction, inspection, hiring or other activities.
▶ 0:33:02And so what I see with the climate and the social justice requirements in the projects that you so dearly want built that it's adding costs on. It's costing more money and if we take out you know 5 to 10% on climate or social justice um that's money we don't have for additional projects and that's my concern.
▶ 0:33:24And then the final point is the Supreme Court in the Harvard decision said we are not going to divide people and make decisions based on race or sex. We're going to make it based on the the people and and and Harvard the the quality of their applications to the school. And so here these were specific instances where the costs were going up and um I I I don't know that this was adding to the safety or the quality of the project.
▶ 0:33:52Well, I would ask you to have your staff look at the Aderan decision that deals with this issue and the Aderan decision has not been overturned by the courts and I maintain that a lot of what we're doing at the Department of Administration today is in violation of the Hataran decision. I'll give back. Chair seeks unanimous consent to recognize Mr.
▶ 0:34:20Joyce out of order since he has some other duties he needs to fulfill. Hearing no objection, Mr. Joyce, you're recognized for 5 minutes. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, and welcome, Secretary Duffy. Mr. Joyce, um, Mr. Secretary, in FY19, the Department of Transportation launched a port infrastructure development program to increase port capacity and resiliency while modernizing and aging port infrastructure. Since then, the department has distributed more than $2 billion to port authorities, tribal, state, and local governments, and private companies.
▶ 0:34:49While 70% of these funds went to the west coast and east coast ports last year, only 2% of these funds were awarded to the Great Lakes uh ports. I'm concerned that under the previous administration, these funds were not being distributed fairly ac across all regions. In your testimony, you mentioned your budget request provides the maritime administration with $596 million more than FY25 and acted.
▶ 0:35:11How will your request How will your request help ensure ports in all regions of the country have access to needed funding so they are able to operate at full capacity? So, I I thought you might ask me that question. So, I asked Mayor Ad, what is there a disparity in the money that goes to the Great Lakes? Uh, and they're telling me no, but I'm going to investigate that a little bit further. As you know, I'm from Northern Wisconsin and um we care about uh Lake Lake like Lake Michigan and Lake Superior and uh equal access to resources is important.
▶ 0:35:39and it's a it's a driving force in the economy in our region. So, I understand that. I will uh I'll continue to uh have this discussion with Marad and would look forward to getting back to you and uh getting uh getting you the information that I find. Thank you. I've been open about going for all the Great Lakes. I I haven't just pushed Lake Erie.
▶ 0:35:57Uh but can you describe any plans your department has to ensure and improve that regional distribution of federal assistance under the port infrastructure grant or is that something that you need to we're we're working through uh our plans right now and would be happy to partner with you as as we review that and look at it. Uh many aviation stakeholders are still concerned about the challenges the FAA faces in reviewing medical c certificate applications as well as the steps is proposing to streamline that process.
▶ 0:36:22According to stakeholders, two of the main issues causing delays in the FAA medical certification process are first, the outdated paperbased system used to submit and process medical records, and second, the limited availability of specialist review panels, which only meet every couple of months and can only review a small number of cases at a time. These challenges create long wait times before a physician can even begin reviewing a case, leaving both the pilots and the aviation medical examiner stuck in a stressful and often frustr frustrating holding pattern.
▶ 0:36:50Uh would you secretary would you describe any actions your department has taken or plans to take to streamline this process reduce cost to taxpayers ensure pilots could safely return to the air in a timely manner? So this is an issue that I too have heard a lot about. Um a lot of uh pilots have reached out. It is too slow. It's too laborious. Uh complicated uh and so uh I've had conversations with the FAA on how we can improve this process.
▶ 0:37:15Um, and I'd be happy to again circle back with you and and talk about uh how we're going to navigate making uh this process more responsive and quicker. And I understand and fully appreciate the fact that you've inherited a lot of problems in a small period of time and I've known seen you work that you'll be able to work through this process.
▶ 0:37:34I'll throw out one last thing is I had an opportunity under former chairman Schuster and Secretary Chow to go to Canada to see the system that they have in place up there for the uh the aviation control. And I know that there's some issues with it, but there's better systems that exist than what we have in place and then been in the towers to watch the people have to transfer paper. I can't believe that in this day and age, this is an American system, but I know under your leadership, we'll get that problem fixed. Thank you, sir. I yield back.
▶ 0:38:04Thank you, Mr. Joyce. I'm going to recognize now the full committee chairman, Mr. Cole and Mr. Miss Torres will be on deck. Mr. Cole, thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Um, first to my friend from Arkansas and certainly the secretary, I had the privilege many years ago or a number of years ago actually chairing this subcommittee.
▶ 0:38:25I had a pretty simple philosophy on anything that was safety related that an administration proposed and it was that we would match or exceed anything that that related directly to safety. I didn't want that issue to ever become a partisan if you had funded or not funded it uh kind of discussion. And uh again, we'll wait and see what we have to work with, but we certainly hope we can work with you on that.
▶ 0:38:48I don't think there's any partisan division about making sure the railroads are safe, the airways are safe, the roads are safe, and uh uh you're probably in a better position to tell us what you need to do that we are to tell you uh what needs to happen. Uh so we'll try and make fulfill that same commitment to you.
▶ 0:39:06Um, our air traffic control system, as you know, uh, is facing uh, a lot of strain, particularly at our busiest towers, and I want to thank you for your visit to the Mike Monrron Aeronautical Center in February. And your decision to announce a hiring surge immediately after afterward was a clear signal of your leadership and commitment to addressing the shortage of controllers that we've seen grow over many years.
▶ 0:39:32Uh the FY26 skinny budget reflects the department's commitment to accelerate air traffic controller hiring, requesting increases in FAA operations for hiring surge uh the air traffic control academy. So we appreciate that and we're going to try and work and uh and meet your requests there. Uh as you know the uh the FAA academy itself is actually a worldclass facility. train generations of controllers to the highest standards.
▶ 0:40:00And in my view, the complexity and precision required for this safety critical workforce demands a centralized hands-on training environment and not a patchwork of remote or decentralized approaches. So, uh again, we appreciate your efforts. Um, I was very pleased last week, just to update you, to have the opportunity to deal with the acting administrator, and I hope I don't butcher his name, but Rasheloo, uh, about bringing additional teaching resources to the academy.
▶ 0:40:30Can you update us on the progress FAA has made toward addressing the air traffic controller shortfall and how many candidates did we actually hire last year? Yeah, I appreciate the question. Um, and I I appreciate the engagement from the Oklahoma delegation. You guys have been wonderful to work with and have given the uh the support uh to the academy that's necessary. So, uh, what you think would be a very simple set of solutions to get more butts and seats at the academy is far more complicated than that.
▶ 0:40:59And we've been working through streamlining testing, getting the best test scores uh, uh, through the process and and in the academy. Um what we've done is uh we have air traffic controllers who are teaching the classes in the academy but not all of the classes are specifically air traffic control specific. So we're going to bring in professors to teach the non-specific air traffic control classes.
▶ 0:41:24That'll free up air traffic controllers to teach additional classes which means we get more instructors in the academy which means we can get more kids kids young people through the academy. Uh so there was a target of 2,000 for this fiscal year of controllers to get out of the academy or to to get into the academy. Uh that was not going to be met but after this supercharge uh uh announcement that we made I think we're going to hit the 2.
▶ 0:41:51One of the problems that we have as you know uh congressman is there's a 35% wash out rate at the academy. When I was there, uh, some of the young people said, "If if you could just give us some help, if there's some tutors that could assist us with just a little extra help we may need, uh, a lot of these wash out students in the academy are actually going to make it. They're going to be good controllers, but just give us some extra support. So, we've now stood that up as well. If we could get the wash out rate from 35% to 25%.
▶ 0:42:18Um, we're starting to talk, you know, real numbers, another couple hundred, uh, a year. So, uh, my hope is we're going to we're going to get above 1,200 this year with, uh, next year hopefully getting 2,200 2,300 into the academy. Um, and then we've offered a bonus to to controllers who are actually experienced. They can retire after 25 years.
▶ 0:42:44And so to get them to stay on with that experience, we've offered to pay them a 20% upfront bonus to their salaries if they'll stay. and for every year they'll stay, we're going to give them 20% of their bonus up front. Again, you got to pay people to stick around and we're in an emergency situation and I think we're going to see a lot of controllers uh take us up on that.
▶ 0:43:03I would say I know of them are a lot of them are looking at their retirements that the Congress is talking about right now that could force some of them out uh uh rather than stay because they're looking at long-term funding. I know that that's come up with the controllers, but um that's the work of the Congress, but just full uh transparency on what they're considering. Congressman, well, we're going to have time for a second round. There's some other issues, but I want to commend you on the efforts you've already taken. I think it's exactly the right approach. Uh we've done this in the military before to make sure we didn't lose recruits.
▶ 0:43:33We helped them get to where they wanted to go. I think you're you're absolutely on the the right track on that. And I appreciate you raising the retirement issue. Some of us are having very direct talks with our own leadership about that. And we could lose some very valuable people. You're talking about the the ones here. I can give you a whole list of valuable technicians at Tinker Air Force Base and places like that that uh uh you can't change the rules in the middle of the game. You've made some commitments. You need to follow through on those commitments and we'll see where we end up at the end of this process.
▶ 0:44:03But again, thank you for your service, Mr. Chairman. I yield back. I I wouldn't object if there's not a second round. I'll be okay with that if you guys don't want it. Mr. Rich, uh thank you, Chairman and uh Secretary Duffy. uh welcome to the committee and I look forward to welcoming you in the Inland Empire sometime in the fall. Um I want to give you a little uh background on the district that I represent, California's uh 35th Congressional District.
▶ 0:44:32We refer to it as the Inland Empire. Uh infrastructure is our lifeline. Our region is a logistics hub where trucks, trains, and airplanes deliver goods to massive warehouses. The bipartisan infrastructure law and this committee's appropriations uh gave my constituents hope investing in public transit transit uh safety and more reliable transportation uh network.
▶ 0:45:01But I'm very concerned that the ability of my cities to build these projects is being undermined by the layoffs um the workforce layoffs. The cuts have made it almost impossible to get funds out the door and only 12% of federal grants are just being distributed.
▶ 0:45:20Delays combined with lumber uh and steel tariffs have threatened vital programs and it's resulted in one major rail uh public transportation program to be completely cancelled, no longer affordable. I also represent the Ontario airport and I'm concerned about the recent actions taken that undermine our air travel uh safety.
▶ 0:45:44bipartisan efforts in Congress uh as you have recognized increased funding for air traffic controllers. But the administration undermined that by offering deferred uh resignations uh to controllers and at least 400 of them um responsible for maintaining air traffic control systems were fired resulting in delays to much needed upgrades.
▶ 0:46:08I agree and I'm so happy to hear what you've just told uh the chairman of the full committee and I want to make sure that you are successful in hiring those 2,000 people in addressing the attrition rates in addressing the training needs of of this uh workforce. I'd like to ask for unanimous consent to enter into the record an email that I received from United Airlines this week about air traffic safety.
▶ 0:46:36This is an email that was sent to me as a passenger on a flight on a future flight uh that will be um flying through New York airport. Uh without objection, so order. Secretary uh Duffy, planes are falling from the sky, some crashing into each other. Air traffic controller systems are unexpectedly shutting down and resetting themselves.
▶ 0:47:03traffic controllers are too nervous to continue in many cases. Um, praying for a safe landing isn't enough. I'm glad that you recognize that um the flying public though needs to hear more reassurances that you and the department and all of us working together are doing everything in our power to ensure that no more lives will be put at risk and that we can continue
▶ 0:47:33um to fly safely and be uh delivered to our destination in a safe I also want to address the planned closure of the pipeline and hazardous material safety administration regional office in Ontario. It's a big mouth name for an office that does such critical work.
▶ 0:47:57This office um plays a critical role in overseeing the safe movement of hazardous materials like dangerous gases and corrosive materials directly impacting the safety of my constituents in the entire region. The Alama corridor splits my district in two. Hazardous materials travel through the heart of my cities every single day. And this office is supposed to stop problems before they happen.
▶ 0:48:26I sent a letter to raise concerns about this closure. And frankly, the May 8th response I received reads like it was written by someone who doesn't give a about the consequences of closing this office. It provided zero assurance that this office would be restored and blame the lease termination on another agency within this administration. We can't be blaming each other.
▶ 0:48:56We have to take accountability for what has happened and we have to reverse course. It is clear that the safety of my constituents and the region at large is being completely ignored by bureaucrats looking to justify savings on a website. Just last year, inspectors from our region identified 15 probable violations.
▶ 0:49:19And it only takes one safety violation um to result in a catastrophic incident like the one in East Palestine, Ohio. Uh Secretary Duffy, how can DOT justify this closure? And um I know that my time is almost running out, but how can we justify this closure? And and can I count on you to uh review um the process of this other agency of closing this office?
▶ 0:49:48I'll give him a few seconds to respond. Thank you. Thank you. Mr. Chairman, there's there's a lot of falsehoods that were uh dislodged. If you'd give me a moment to respond to the five minutes of misinformation, I would be happy to do that. So, we have not fired. Haven't let any one air traffic controller go. You said that we let 400 go. No one in air traffic control has been allowed to take a deferred resignation offer. We have preserved all of our safety critical mission positions including air traffic controllers.
▶ 0:50:19Not one has been allowed to retire um by any of the programs that we've offered. Not one, not 400, zero. We're in this situation because the last administration didn't see to take uh initiative on the three uh 3,000 controllers short that we were under CO. They didn't stand up the school fast enough to get more kids through Oklahoma so we would have uh more controllers in the airspace today.
▶ 0:50:47The infrastructure didn't rot in the last 100 days. We didn't have 3,000 controller shortages in the last 100 days. There was four years that came before nothing was done and the and and and watchdog groups have warned the DOT that the infrastructure was failing and nothing was done. So, we're going to do something about it. We're going to try to fix it. By the way, if I could just talk about grants. If I could, Mr. Chairman, can I say one grace moment? There'll be 30 seconds.
▶ 0:51:17So, the LA between Obama and 2,000 positions were funded in the last administration. say between Obama and Trump, election day and inauguration day, in that time frame, Obama announced 50 grants in that time frame. Between Trump and Biden, the Trump administration announced between an uh election day and inauguration day grants. This time between Biden and Trump.
▶ 0:51:47Pete Buddha Judge announced a grants, a massive increase. And you all say, "Where are my grant agreements?" So they announce all these grants and I have to do the work and I'm going to do the work. But offer some grace to the DOT. There's 3,200 backlogs here. We're going to work through it. I want to get you your money. But to blame it on us, I think is is rich. Thank you, Mr. Secretary.
▶ 0:52:11And once again, to my colleagues, as I said uh in announcing the Q&A, if you're going to spend most of your time editorializing, giving your opinion, that's okay. It's your time. But don't ask the committee to be terribly lenient if you're going to do that. Uh and then expect um a response from the secretary. Mr. Rogers. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Secretary, home.
▶ 0:52:42You had a distinguished record of service in this body and uh so one of us has done good and it's you. Thank you for serving uh in this capacity. We predict that your uh record will be enhanced even more in this job than in your previous one. Let me ask you about rural highways, roadways.
▶ 0:53:09Um 20% of Americans live in rural areas, but they account for 43% of all deaths from 07 to 21. Uh over 83,000 fatalities, investments uh in rural highways are critical to improve safety, accessibility, and economic growth.
▶ 0:53:36What is what are your plans for especially for the rural road system in the country? Yep. Mr. Chairman, uh I I appreciate the question. We have 40 plus thousand deaths a year on our roads. It's way too many. Um and I think in rural America where I'm from, uh sometimes those roads get really long and uh people cannot pay attention. That could be a problem. There's some who um may become tired on those trips.
▶ 0:54:05Uh, but I do I I do think some of the technology that comes uh on board right now that can warn people when they're tired, I do think autonomous technology um is going to enhance the safety uh of everyone on our roads. And we haven't really seen substantial movements in the numbers of death over the course of the last decade.
▶ 0:54:25And I think this is this technology truly will uh will will save lives and uh and prohibit families from going through the pain of uh of losing a loved one. Uh but uh again this is a problem that the department has grappled with and I do think the answer is going to come through um uh through technology and the same u language applies to airports, rural What do you see
▶ 0:54:55for their future given the fact that the proposal is to zero out the EAS system for rural America? So, so first off, uh I had ES airports in my district, understand the importance of the central air service uh for rural America. Um I don't know how many on the committee have a EIS airport, but I know a lot of people in this body and in the body across the capital do as well.
▶ 0:55:23Um, so we are going to we're going to work through a plan to try to make this efficient um and provide the service to communities um uh that that depend on it. And I'll partner with this committee uh bipartisan uh to as we work through that and uh navigate um service but doing it more cost-effectively. I hope I'm able to make that happen and uh I'll partner with you in that process. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you. yield back, Mr.
▶ 0:55:53Quigley. Thank you, Mr. Secretary. Uh, I appreciate what the chairman is saying and I think he'll tell you that we he and I have a very solid history of bipartisan pragmatic ways of trying to get things done. So, I want you to know this is pragmatic. If it rolls, floats, or flies, it comes through Chicago. This is too important.
▶ 0:56:14O'Hare, you know, Lake Michigan, one in four freight trains goes through So the criteria we talk about with these population, existing infrastructure, age and quality, economic activity, traffic volume, that's all I want to talk about. Great. So you can appreciate a little concern I'd have just from a pragmatic point of view.
▶ 0:56:38Putting aside personal feelings, quote, give preference to communities with marriage and birth rates higher than the national average. I'm just not sure what the heck that has to do with the pragmatic issues we're trying to solve. Very quickly, numerous studies, urban institute analysis, census tracks with higher marriage and birth rates have more households with access to a car.
▶ 0:57:01They also feature a much higher share of residents who commute to Kurt while driving alone, who also a lower share of people who walk, bike, or take transit. we're actually, if you follow that, going to add to congestion issues and com uh traffic volume and therefore pollution. It it's sort of contra to the pragmatic aspects that we're trying to get done here. So, a lot of uh transportation activity in Chicago.
▶ 0:57:30I think you now have a pope from Chicago, too, that you guys don't stop. Um but he's a Socks fan, so I digress. I hope he's not a Bears fan. That's all I I can say. Uh I mean you but but I do think this is one factor to look at and the reason I'm looking at I mean Mr. Scalis is 50th Louisiana I suspect he might be concerned about this too. So it's bipartisan. So I and I app listen by the way I think infrastructure is bipartisan.
▶ 0:57:56This is probably one of the more bi most bipartisan jobs you could get in uh in the government because tell me why marriage matters. Because I I think if you look at marriage and birth rates, that's going to lead to future needs. Where you have families developing and where you have kids being born is where you're going to have population. And then when you have population, that's going to mean you're going to need infrastructure needs. But it's not the end- all beall. I'm not making decisions at the DOT based only on marriage and birth rates. I said that's a factor that we should consider for future growth.
▶ 0:58:26back to the studies that show it does just the opposite. That those census tracks tend to be wealthier, frankly, more white, and in less need of public transportation. So, you're you're actually working against the need. They're they're more likely to drive in a car by themselves. I'm sorry. I mean, you explain that to us. I'll give you the studies and the footnotes, but we'll start with the Urban Institute analysis. But but so the more kids you have in an area, the less transportation needs you'll have.
▶ 0:58:56Is that the study? No. The census tracks that have the numbers that you're talking about are wealthier. They're more likely to drive the drive where they're going with a single person in the car. A whole bunch of factors that add to greater congestion. They they are wealthier. So there are communities that need public transportation less. Those are all statistical. I'm I'm just saying putting aside the personalities, it's a factor that moves us in the opposite direction.
▶ 0:59:25I I would love I'd love to I'll look at the study and I'd love to talk to you about it, but I of the from just my what I've seen with with with the data, it's not white families that are having more kids. It's other families uh that look like mine that are are having a lot of kids. Population and population trends is a criteria that makes sense. It's what we're already used. But you're talking about something that works in the opposite direction and it doesn't help the situation.
▶ 0:59:53Well, again, where we have where we have children, we have families, we have population growth, and we'll need infrastructure. I think that's I think that's pretty simple. If the notion is that you want to help families with kids, you I mean, generally, you want to you want to help families. You want to help families with kids. Well, I think families are great and I think kids are great. But I also think that you want to support families with children. Well, no. I want to I want to support infrastructure needs of the future and where we have families and kids is where we're going to need infrastructure. Where I think we're going to see growth.
▶ 1:00:23I think that's I think that's fair to say. But what you're going to have with more kids and you're going to have poorer census tracks, they're going to need more public transportation. This is going to skew us toward highway projects, road projects, and fewer projects for mass transit. That's just statistically true. If we need more freight to bring in uh more goods, more diapers into these communities, we can talk about that.
▶ 1:00:45If we need to uh second uh transportation in these areas where we're having more more kids, we should talk about that as well. This is this was not oneoff highways. We'll look at the whole department and all the modes and how we can serve the future of population. Appreciate this is the pragmatic personal feelings aside. We'll do that in the second round. I appreciate that. Thank you. Yeah, we'll uh we'll take up the diaper dandies in round two. Okay, Mr. Quickly, Miss Bice. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you, Mr. Secretary, for being with us.
▶ 1:01:15And I want to take a moment to reiterate uh Chairman Wilmac and Chairman Kohl's, um condolences to the Lily family. Thank you for being here and working with us to ensure that uh we continue to have the safest guys in the world. Um, I, as Chairman Cole, also represent portions of the Oklahoma City area and I'm proud to represent thousands of FAA employees in my district who work at the Mike Monron Aeronautical Center.
▶ 1:01:40I want to thank you for your recent visit uh, in February, and I'm glad you're able to see the critical facility and the great work that's being done there. Um, I want to share with you a quick story because I think it um, is an example of how broken things have been. Uh after I was elected, I tried to get into CFA uh Mike Manini Aeronautical Center for quite some time and uh the former secretary of transportation made it very difficult for the staff to allow me in. I finally got in in October of 22.
▶ 1:02:11Uh and keep in mind the White House was open in August of 22 for visits again. Uh but it was when I arrived to the facility, I was required to answer COVID protocol questions. Secretary Buddha Judge still had these protocols for um certain facilities in place and it was pretty shocking uh to to to have to answer those questions. So, it's refreshing to have someone come in uh and focus on the mission and actually what needs to be done uh to improve the safety of our skies.
▶ 1:02:40The FAA workforce in Oklahoma is crucial and the academy is a national asset that prepares our air traffic controllers for the rigors of a very difficult job. U Mr. Secretary, as you know, the academy relies on timely medical and security screenings as well as capacity in field training facilities to move candidates through that pipeline in a timely fashion.
▶ 1:03:02Uh I have a particular concern with the lengthy delays of the medical screening process and the field training, but I was excited on your recent actions to address the factors as part of the supercharge initiative. And I'd like you to talk a little bit more about that and how we can u move these folks through the pipeline faster. I appreciate the question. Yeah. So, and by the way, if if you all haven't been to the to the academy, it is amazing. You should all go. It's really remarkable how we train up air traffic controllers.
▶ 1:03:28But yeah, we were having this issue where it was taken up to a year and a half uh once you apply to become a controller to actually get a spot in the academy. And uh the issue with that is if you're 25 years old and you're waiting a year and a half, you're going to go find a different job. You can't wait for a a potential seat at the academy. And so, one of the holdups was the medicals, the medical exams. And so, um, we've worked with our doctors, which by the way, it was it seems like it would be easier than it actually was.
▶ 1:03:55We, uh, we've, uh, incentivized them with additional pay to take our applicants, uh, uh, earlier so we get our appointments scheduled faster. And then it was taking, you know, months to get the reports back. And so, we're going to give them a bonus to get those reports back in in to us in two weeks. And sometimes this comes down to money.
▶ 1:04:17By the way, we have that in the current we're moving uh dollars around at the FAA that uh you've given us uh the the the grace to do, but we're moving dollars around to pay for it with the existing uh uh money that the FAA has. But uh again, that is allowing us to get these students who take the test, get the medical, um do the background check, and we're taking those top scores and putting them into the academy of first. So it's it's moving faster, which is merit based, which is incredibly important because that hasn't been the case in the past.
▶ 1:04:47Correct. Yes. Right. So we So if you get a 90 98 on your on your test, we're going to put you in before someone who got an 82. Like I just think that makes sense and the the opportunity to to to not have that student wash out is is way better. So I think because the wash out rate becomes a real issue and the best qualified students will give us a lower wash out rate. But so thank you for recognizing the hard work it took to try to figure this out. Well, I appreciate the focus on that. And I do want to touch on technology, but I also want to make one quick note.
▶ 1:05:18You mentioned in your testimony testimony grants and the number of grant programs that um and and processes that you're having to deal with. And that's a focus for me because it's obvious to me if it's happening at your agency, it's happening across government. And so many grants are being um duplicated in many ways to the same entities. So, I want to work with you um to streamline that in any way that we can. Last, I just want to quickly ask you to touch on the technology upgrades.
▶ 1:05:44Uh you had a great visual when you did your press conference showing floppy discs. Uh I'm of the of the age that I know what a floppy disc is, but my 24 year old does not. Um what are we going to do to invest in technology to get our um air traffic infrastructure up to really snuff up to the 21st century quickly? Yeah, I appreciate the question. It's a it's we have a whole problem and and if you look at the infrastructure around air traffic control, I don't think there's anything there to save.
▶ 1:06:11If there's some scraps you could offer a junkyard, that's possible. But really, this is this is, you know, 80s 80s. Our our radar is from the 70s. We have a couple new new ones from from early 80s. I mean, that's how old the stuff is. The the but if I'm really honest with you, I don't think it's been done because it is really hard. you're we're going to update the the telecom moving from from copper to fiber. By the way, that's really fast.
▶ 1:06:39We actually have to slow down the fast speed of fiber to then make the equipment that we use in the in the facilities make it think it's as slow as copper otherwise because it can't take the high speed. It's so old. Um, and so as we think about how we're going to do that with with with fiber, slowing it down, and then at the same time building the infrastructure inside the tracons or the towers or the or the centers and also keep planes in the air and doing it safely.
▶ 1:07:09It's not an it's not going to be an easy task. We're going to new work has to be addressed. It has to be addressed first. My preference would be that we start at lower volume airports and we we we go through that process and learn as we go how we how we choreograph the the the build. But again, if we can put a man on the moon, we can we can actually uh build this and build it well and and truly have a the state-ofthe-art best in the world system.
▶ 1:07:36My airport manager back home may not uh like this, but I'm happy to let you experiment on the Oklahoma City Will Rogers International Airport on that project because I think it's crucial to uh ensuring safety across the nation moving forward. So with that, Mr. Chairman, I yield. Nice attempt to get to the front of the line. We hear you. Miss Watson Coleman, Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I apologize. I was at the other hearing. Mr.
▶ 1:08:06Duffy, good morning to you. I come from New Jersey, so you know, I'm going to ask you about the Newark airport. Yeah. Because it's very frightening what we've been experiencing. And I even know that your you diverted your wife from New York airport to LaGuardia out of a sense of security. So in general and in specific, that's not true. No. up. Maybe we, you know, we're so used to false information coming out and about this administration.
▶ 1:08:36This is partially true. Partially true. But I'll I'll explain that. I want to know specifically what are you proposing to do to eliminate those problems that have that have impacted safety, security, and landing in New York? Yeah.
▶ 1:08:55What are you proposing as it relates to ensuring that the appropriate staffing exists in addition to the uh issues with infrastructure and how do you see the time frame taking place? Thank you for the question. So I know I did with all the delays at Newark, my my wife had a had to do an event and she was in the city of New York and so I did I moved her from from Newark to LaGuardia not for safety but because I needed her flight to fly. She had to get there.
▶ 1:09:23Now, someone had clipped some audio of that and made it seem like I was talking about safety. I fly out of Newark all the time. My family does. So, I I accept that. Thank you. I appreciate that. Uh, it was breaking the round. So, and it was not an acc I know where that came from. But, so here's what I'm doing. So, first the Newark, Tedboroough, and Morristown used to be controlled by N90, which was uh the in in New York, right? That had uh LaGuardia and and JFK controlling uh all that airspace. It was the N90 TCON.
▶ 1:09:53Last summer, the last administration moved uh the Newark airspace from N90 down to the Philadelphia TCON. And I I think two issues happened. They didn't test and make sure the the lines were hardened, the communication was hardened when they did that. And the second is they didn't move the stars system, which helps interpret the radar from uh N90 down to Philadelphia as well. So, those are the two problems. There were outages in October and November as well in Newark.
▶ 1:10:24So, here's what we've done. Um, we've we had we had fiber laid at the airports. That's being you can't just deploy it. We want to test it right now. So, the at the airports that's being tested today. We're working with Verizon who have been great partners with us to get us all fiber going from the airports down to the Philly Treycon from New York to Philly. Um, I I don't want to overpromise and underdel for you. That was going to be done actually next year, I believe. Then it was going to be done in the fall, then the summer.
▶ 1:10:54I hope to have even better news for you. But we're we're working at lightning speed in pace to get this uh to get this resolved in New York. Again, today we're having the FAA is having a conversation about how all the airlines can come together to reduce uh the flights at Newark. So, if you book your flight, you know, it's going to fly.
▶ 1:11:14And I do think it's important that we we we slow the flights because we don't want to have more flights than can be controlled in the airspace and then uh makes make this uh uh less safe. So I want this to be safe and do it at a speed that we can we can we can control. That speaks to infrastructure issues. Yes. Technology issues. What about staffing issues?
▶ 1:11:36What about um tower control uh staffers and the people that need to have eyes and ears and you know responsibility for the safety and security at the airport. So what the I think the last administration moved it because they were having staffing issues at N90 and they thought they could better staff it at Philadelphia. That was one of the rationale just to to be clear.
▶ 1:11:59So if if you have a 20-year controller, well experienced working in the Denver airspace or the Chicago airspace and I go, "Hey, let's move them over to the Philly Treycon and let them control Newark." So I'm asking you, what are you going to do about it? Well, so I'm trying to So just, you know, let me make this point. You can't It takes a year even for an experienced controller to get trained up in the New York new in the New York Airspace. They don't you just can't move them around because they have experience as controllers.
▶ 1:12:26So, uh, what I've done is I've offered, I mentioned this earlier, but I've offered to pay a bonus to air traffic controllers to not retire after 25 years, but to stay on the job. We're going to pay them 20% upfront cash, and every year they stay, we're going to pay them. And we're supercharging, you know, young people coming into the academy. But you can't fix this overnight. I can't fix this in a couple months. This is going to take us, you know, a year, two years, three years. Thank you.
▶ 1:12:52So um so on one hand I see that there is a a there are cuts that are proposed to the FAA budget. On the other hand I see or the IIJA budget is being cut or the access to that money is being cut. Is one trying to offset the other?
▶ 1:13:08Um, when we look at what seems to be a need for an increase, something that Secretary Buddhaj uh responded to, we're now trying to figure out is are we robbing Peter to pay Paul or are we going to add to Peter and Paul? Oh, I think the the budget is we're adding to Peter and Paul. The only IA money that was reduced was the Nevi money. That was the the $7 billion for chargers. Then you didn't get charges for the money that was spent.
▶ 1:13:37So that's that was in the budget to be taken away. Um but no, we're adding to the IIGJ by by $1.5 billion. Um and your I forgot your your question was something specific. We're we're but we've added money to it and um uh yes. So I and again we we haven't let any controllers go. We've pres we've protected safety critical missions in the department as which are air traffic controllers. So we're trying to hire more air traffic. We actually have hired more air traffic controllers.
▶ 1:14:07We're not letting them go. We're trying to bring more on online. That's such an important airport for us, for our economy, for our traveling public. Um safety and security is first and foremost. And I thank you, Mr. um chairman, for giving me the additional time and for acknowledgement when I came in. It's even more important because I fly out of there too all the time. So, I want to make sure it works. Sheriff, Mr. Rutherford, thank you, Mr. Chairman, and uh Chairman Cole and ranking member. Thank you all, Mr.
▶ 1:14:37Secretary. It's great to see you here this morning or this afternoon, I guess. Uh, but I want to talk a little bit about I saw where you had a trip to the United States Maritime uh Academy. Yeah. And uh that's a particular interest to me and so I believe we share that interest with President Trump actually uh in revitalizing the US maritime uh situation u because it's not only critical to our economy, it's also critical to our national
▶ 1:15:07defense. And um, I I want to talk about the Merchant Marine Academy and how it contributes to both of those missions and, uh, with your with your recent trip. Uh, I saw some comments, I think, uh, that you had about about that. I'd I'd love to hear your your take on that.
▶ 1:15:30And also um you know I see a real commitment here to to MARAD uh through the 596 plus up uh billion. So uh could you talk to us a little bit about your vision and your visit to the the Merchant Marine Academy and where you think we ought to be going with that?
▶ 1:15:52So, if if you guys all go to uh to Oklahoma City uh for to tour the academy, but also if you all went to Kings Point, uh this these kids here are some of the most amazing young men and women that I and I've have a lot of kids and met a lot of kids. These are some of the most amazing kids I've met. Um and they are this academy is is unworthy to have the name America associated with it. It is dilapitated. The kids went four months without hot water.
▶ 1:16:19They didn't they had to cold showers for four months at at an American Maritime Academy. Um they're eating off of paper paper plates if they even get a plate because the dishwasher is broken. I mean that we would allow that to happen for young people in this country who want to serve their country that the and they're smart and they're strong and they're dedicated. And so uh I I've committed to them. I want to I want to fight for them.
▶ 1:16:44And I and I think all of you if you saw the kind of young people that are there and the kind of heart that they have, you too would want to fight for them. And it's important because one, if if if we're going to build ships in America, which I hope we do, we need young mariners to sail those ships and these kids are amazing that come out.
▶ 1:17:03But also if if we have time of conflict, they're they're the mariners that support the military moving uh moving moving goods and and actually people as well to support the military. So we need them. Um and by the way, a lot of them also will then finish the academy and enlist in the armed services too. So um if you go there's mold, there's just it's just it's it's it has been it's been forgotten.
▶ 1:17:32And my commitment is, and I don't I maybe I shouldn't say this publicly, but I will. I wanna I want to keep uh the Merchant Marine Academy at DOT. I think we can serve them very well. I think this committee can serve them well. Uh if we can't serve them, I think we should give them up. We should give them uh to the Marines. I don't want to do that, but they deserve they deserve better than what they're getting. And it's an America it's an American priority. Thank you. I I'm really glad to hear that.
▶ 1:17:59And uh I also want to acknowledge the 105 million additional for upgrading some of our uh because we absolutely have to improve on that. I'd like to switch gears here and ask you uh about another issue in in Jacksonville, Florida, which I represent. U the transportation authority there is become a leader in autonomous vehicle uh circulators.
▶ 1:18:26the uh program there the the ultimate it's called the ultimate urban circulator and uh autonomous vehicles play a big role in that and and I know as we look to our highway systems even um autonomous vehicles are are going to start to play a part I think even in our dre situations.
▶ 1:18:50Uh, so can you talk just a little bit about DO's how do you see DOT playing into the the nationwide plan for autonomous vehicles? So some some people think of us at DOT as hard hats and the orange vests. Uh, I think we are one of the most innovative places in all of government right now with autonomous vehicles, Evatolls or the Ubers in the air in drone technology.
▶ 1:19:14So if if we don't have the right rules in place allowing this uh this technology to advance at the right speed, you can't let them go too fast. Uh you can't have them go too slow. But if we don't do it here, China's going to do it. And as this technology develops, we're going to use Chinese products in the US for autonomous vehicles, which by the way, I think poses a a grave national security risk to the country.
▶ 1:19:36And so we are uh we are working uh to to get the right information um with those who are making autonomous vehicles and um want to allow them to deploy those vehicles um and test those vehicles uh as the technology advances. And I don't I do think we need one national standard. You can't have, you know, 50 states with 50 different standards. We need to let them develop to one standard. And um that's what we're doing at DOT.
▶ 1:20:04And by the way, they've been they've been the uh the the innovators have been very cooperative with us, giving us the information that we asked for so we can make the right rules around the vehicles. Perfect. Thank you, Mr. Secretary. And my time is up. I yield back, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Aguular. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Appreciate the opportunity. Uh welcome, Mr. Secretary. Um thank you for being here. Mr. Mrs. Lily is as well. Uh is is Mr.
▶ 1:20:29Secretary, as the chairman mentioned, chairman of the full committee and and chairman of the subcommittee, uh, safety is of primary concern to to all of us. You see that in the questions that are that are being asked by both sides. I can't help but but, you know, ask you to to reflect. You know, it's been reported that you've pushed back against some um Doge efforts um, you know, with respect to staffing. I want to ensure you you've said sta that safety is first.
▶ 1:20:58Um as the chairman mentioned, notification of Congress is also an important authority and a responsibility that you have. Um implementing these grants. I agree it is a timehonored tradition to uh point the fingers at your predecessor. It's something we do quite often, you know, here up on this dis and in and in this dome.
▶ 1:21:19Um but the importance of doing all of those jobs, safety, notification, um grant awards, uh is is the responsibility of your department and with fewer people, I hope you can continue to execute that important those important missions. Um in January, California experienced horrific wildfires and the devastation was so uh uh huge it was it's tough to comprehend.
▶ 1:21:48Pictures don't do it justice. The in February, the governor of California requested $101 million under the Department of Transportation's emergency relief program to help rebuild federal highways, bridges, and roads. Congress is waiting for the president to request uh of Congress to pass a disaster supplemental uh that includes uh funding for Southern California. It's been months since the wildfires occurred. We haven't seen anything um from a formal request of Congress.
▶ 1:22:17Do you have any updates on the status of a request, Mr. Secretary? And uh have you seen some of the the damage? Um is it is it a tour that you are open to uh to seeing um with your own eyes in Southern California? Yeah, I'm absolutely open to a tour. My son lives in the area and actually had to evacuate with a new baby. I was well aware of it on a personal level how devastating the fires were. Uh I could I could get some additional information and circle back with you. Um I I don't have it for you right now though.
▶ 1:22:47Specific to the specific to that line item though, um you're confident in um uh the DO's ability to to implement uh that that funding if Congress uh adds the additional the additional dollars for the emergency relief program. So I would I'm confident that I'm going to have the staffing levels to accomplish the mission of the department. Um and again, that's responsive to all of you. that's responsive to a president who wants me to uh to be able to uh support the builds in America. So, yes.
▶ 1:23:17H do you know how committed the administration is to uh executing uh disaster assistance without preconditions? Um we wouldn't put preconditions on uh tornadoes and floods, hurricanes. Um why would we do it in this case? I I haven't I haven't had that conversation with the administration. Okay. Thank you. Over the next couple years, uh, Southern California will also be host to the World Cup in 2026, Super Bowl in 2027, and the Olympics and Parolympic Games in 2028. Uh, you yourself have called these America's games.
▶ 1:23:48Um, LA Metro estimates that the region will need over $3 billion in federal funding over the next three years to ensure public transportation network can support the athletes, the staff, the ticket holders, um, and residents just for the Olympics alone. Uh last year uh the Senate included 200 million in transportation funding for the Olympics. Um President Trump signed a CR. That funding was not included in the final funding package.
▶ 1:24:14Earlier this month, the California delegation and a couple of us here in the DAS uh joined in sending a letter to the president asking for a budget request that included 500 million in dedicated infrastructure funding for the Olympics. Um, can you comment on the the status um of how you view the Olympics from a from a dollars and cents perspective? And uh will you commit to work with the California delegation as we as we work through FY26 and prepare for the 28 Olympics and these other events?
▶ 1:24:44They're going to be great. And so uh uh our department is uh working with the White House. They have a task force for uh the World Cup as well as for the Olympics uh and and transportation is a key part of moving people uh where we have these massive events. And so uh we are no doubt going to partner with California and your needs and with the administration and uh again you guys have the power of the purse. Uh I would look forward to all of us thinking through what those needs are because again this is our presentation to the world.
▶ 1:25:14The world's going to come uh for both the World Cup and the Olympics. And I know the president wants to have a great showing uh a seamless showing and you know I think we want to invite the world for even for this summer uh for the for the club games and and to have them come in and by the way spend a lot of their money would be wonderful but they have to have a wonderful experience with it. So, we're going to support the communities across the country um uh with their transportation. And you would support a funding level of around that 500? I don't know.
▶ 1:25:42I don't I don't I haven't I haven't looked at the funding levels and what's appropriate from from the department's perspective, but I want to make sure we have enough resources to uh to make sure it's seamless. And I'd love to work with you if you have some ideas. Uh, I mean, I appreciate the comment that it's going to be great, but you know, this body works with with funding formulas and tables and and real dollars out on the street to to implement um all the all the happy top. So, of course, we have a skinny budget we were talking about today. So, I you know, I'm happy to talk to you about it, but that was not on on the calendar for today.
▶ 1:26:12And so, if you want me to look at the numbers, I'll look at them and we can partner up together. Happy to work with you. Thank you, Mr. Secretary. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. You bet. Mr. Gonzalez. Uh, thank you, Chairman. Thank you, Mr. Secretary. Uh, welcome back to the House. Uh, your testimony has been a breath of fresh air. I think one of the things that the last administration failed to do, the secret sauce was transparency. That's all the American people want. Good, bad, ugly, just give us the truth. Uh, I want to start, I'm an optimistic person. I want to start with the future.
▶ 1:26:40And in my eyes, the future is commercial space travel. Um, and and I view the world sometimes the answer is not more money. Sometimes the answer is the government getting out of the way and allowing industries to just take hold. And so in particular, you know, SpaceX has launched successfully nearly 500 rockets. Uh, you know, this isn't a what if. We're already there.
▶ 1:27:02And so my question is what what can do DOT do in particular to ensure that the United States of America is the leader and the winner in this commercial space uh battle, if you will. Yeah, that's a that's a great question. And I know the FAA had thought through um you know it was this was in the last administration but to think through how they could streamline the process for permits with space travel. And I've just met with a very prominent um company um not SpaceX but a different one.
▶ 1:27:33And they uh they're like this is this is a war. It got worse. It didn't get better. And so we have to make sure we have we need we need to have a permitting process. We need to have rules and regulations in place. But it has become so complicated and so redundant and different agencies making these companies do the same thing over again taking years as opposed to a couple months is a huge problem. So uh this meeting that took place yesterday I've tked the FAA to go back and look at how we're going through the permitting process and the approval process.
▶ 1:28:00Um because again this is by we are leading right now. how you look at SpaceX and Blue Origin and others. Um we're leading, but we want to make sure we stay in the lead and and you can't have government getting in the way of um of needlessly in the way of this advancement. I I'd welcome hosting you in Texas. Blue Origin is in my district there. You know, we're literally launching rockets from West Texas and South Texas as well. Once again, I think this is an area that's worth talking about. I'm a retired, you know, professional cryptologologist.
▶ 1:28:30when you have big problems, oftentimes the answer is look towards technology. It's a it's an equalizer. I want to now I want to bring it back to kind of home base a little bit and I want to u you know uh uh piggyback off of of chair what chairman Rogers said it earlier about rural uh rural infrastructure. One of my counties uh Reeves County produces more natural gas than anywhere else in the country. Okay. And in that area the infrastructure is just completely worn down.
▶ 1:28:58There's a a highway from Reeves to to Loving County that we call Death Highway. And if you've ever been on that highway, you know why it's Death Highway. I mean, when I'm on there, I'm telling my my team, put your phones down, 10 and two, you know, it's it's a very scary situation. Uh my my question is what what does infrastructure near critical resources like oil and gas industries? We've talked about, you know, energy independence. Where does that fall in your priority list?
▶ 1:29:26So, well, first of all, for the president as well, he cares about uh oil and gas uh and making sure we're leading the world and if we have extra to be able to export uh especially LNG. Um, but one of the one of the problems I think we have is up to 40% of the money that's spent from all of you on these projects goes to consultants and permitting 40%. I mean, if we could get that to 15%. That means you guys all get to build more projects.
▶ 1:29:55we get more grant money out the door and I I think we do have to spend smarter and spend better. And again, that doesn't mean we don't do things right. We don't do you don't you say, "Hey, should we look out for the environment? Should we look out for the right permits?" Of course, we but we can do that with less money. Um and the consulting class that is built up almost seems to be bigger than the construction class around these projects. So, that's we're looking at permitting reform right now.
▶ 1:30:18How can we delegate more authority to states to do some of the work uh because we think they can move faster and more efficiently than than the than the federal government. Excellent. I mean I and I look forward to working together. I bring that up because often times rural America gets forgotten in this equation one when they produce off a lot of these very uh critical resources.
▶ 1:30:38You know, I met with a a woman there in in Pacis County who she her number one ask was, "Son, she she said," Tony, my son is terrified to start driving. He's 15 years old. It's a reasonable ask to have, you know, our children not be terrified to drive on our highways." So, u the last thing, and we could take this back once again, I'd like to build build upon this. I'm almost out of time, but the Del Rio airport is very important to me. We have not had an airlines in there since 2022.
▶ 1:31:07The reason why I mentioned Del Rio, Texas, it's along the border. It's critical infrastructure. When you talk about border security, Laughlin Air Force Base, it has a lot of nodes in there. As we look towards that, I look forward to working together on how we can, you know, restart this rural uh kind of airlines in there. I appreciate that. Look forward to Thank you, Chairman. I yield back. Mr. Espay, thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Secretary Duffy, for being here. I also want to thank the family, the Lily family, for being here.
▶ 1:31:36uh our prayers and our hearts uh go out to you and the memory of your son uh that tragic accident and uh Reagan airport. I myself was on a on a plane with four of my other colleagues that witnessed uh uh the wing being clipped by another flight as uh we stood in the runway at the airport. So air traffic uh safety is critical.
▶ 1:32:00Uh my district which has Harlem, East Harlem, Washington Heist in the northwest Bronx stands sort of like in the center of uh LaGuardia, New York, Teter Borough, Westchester, and even uh JFK. So all of that air traffic flies right above my district. uh and secretary.
▶ 1:32:22Um recently, uh staffing delays and system malfunctions at New York airport have caused obviously significant delays and and safety concerns. Uh to adequately address this issue and general air traffic control modernization initiatives, industry experts believe that at minimum at minimum we need to invest $30 billion.
▶ 1:32:46Now, we've seen the the president's discretionary skinny budget call for $18 billion. Now, you yourself have uh uh explained uh the arcade condition of equipment. Newark is going through a reconstruction. Uh the system uh the operation was moved to Philadelphia. That's going to require additional dollars and and of course we need to train air traffic controllers and that's not going to be able to be done in it in it overnight.
▶ 1:33:17So I if the experts are saying that we need 30 billion uh how do you expect to do all of this uh with with the proposed skinny budget $18 billion? So thank you for that question. Um, and so as we go through the budget process, we're going to have to have a conversation uh because I think this is very special uh what uh we need to do here.
▶ 1:33:42And um I would hope that we could have that conversation before uh uh uh October 1st. So you recognize that the skinny budget falls short of where we need to be to well this so so so the skinny budget isn't the asset I'm going to have of all of you to rebuild this whole system. By the way we had 55 different groups, unions, industry, airlines, all they don't sit on the same side of the table. They all came together and said this is this is an American moment. And so yeah, it's not it's not in the skinny budget.
▶ 1:34:11I'm going to need you all to take this up as a as a special priority. This is not a cheap endeavor. If you you're saying that there's radars that are from the 70s and 80s that you have copper lines and then you you have uh of course the training the major task of training air traffic controllers uh at the level that we need to ensure that their safety uh we're going to have to have deep pockets for this. But we're not hearing that from the White House.
▶ 1:34:38They're not their commitment has not been shown to be there. their skinny budget is at $18 billion dollars and that compromises if we were to stay at that level. It would compromise the safety of Americans and so um I would hope uh and look forward to working with you and making sure that we come up with a real ask that will lead to to that kind of uh improvement.
▶ 1:35:06On another end, Congressman, I say you you guys all spent $1.2 2 trillion dollars and this was known known problem and virtually none of it went to go towards this infrastructure and so the president has talked about this can I talked to him this morning from he called me from uh from Saudi Arabia he cares about this but yeah you're right it's not here uh we're going to have to have another conversation about how we do it I'm glad you acknowledged that this uh uh the skinny budget falls short and I'm glad you brought up it doesn't the infrastructure bill because my next question is uh localities
▶ 1:35:36across the nation are expecting federal transit grants to complete capital projects. Can you confirm for the record that you will honor the department's existing full funding grant agreements? I mean, people across the country are waiting for these agreements to be honored. Yeah. So, yeah. Yeah. There's there's been a a couple of grant agreements uh that uh I'm I'm not going to uh honor. Right.
▶ 1:36:05There's there's some with some some studies that we're going to do in certain universities that I I I I I don't think that um they provide good use of the federal taxpayer, but I I can't I haven't come across a slew of of issues that I wouldn't fund. Again, I might not fully agree with them, but the last administration announced them and you expect them and I by and large these are all going to get grant agreements, but just so you know, there is this massive backlog. I wish it would have been done before I got there, but I'm gonna work with the whole Congress.
▶ 1:36:33I mean, in many ways, this is like, you know, you're you're I'm a baseball fan, so you can sit on the stands in the legend seats and say that hit that hitter, that batter should have hit the ball to left field and move the runner to second base. But when you stand there at the plate, secretary, you see that the ball is coming at you 100 miles an hour and it turns the size of an aspirate, you got to hit it. You're at the plate. Oh, I know I'm at the plate. Okay.
▶ 1:36:59But I just what I just don't want to see is you try to say that in 100 days these issues came my way. Let's not say that we're getting through them. I was left 3,200. So recognize that and then go good for you for you already got almost 10 billion out the door and you've you've done almost over over 400 of them. Good speed. Go faster. But try to blame it like I'm trying to hold things up freeze things is not it's not accurate. So let's not do that. I look forward to working with you. Thank you. You too. Now betting Ryan Zinci.
▶ 1:37:30Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and Secretary Duff. It's a pleasure to see you again, and I want to thank you for stepping up to service once again. Um, we've served together in the House. I look forward to serving together here. I guess, you know, you're from Wisconsin, you're from Northern Wisconsin, and I'm sure you're attuned to the problems of rural America. Yes. And in the news, we we see that, you know, a lot of times urban America gets all the news because we're close to Washington DC.
▶ 1:37:58Uh but in rural America, I can tell you our bridges and roads are falling apart. Uh in Montana, for instance, we have a little bridge called Knox Bridge, the only bridge to a to a wonderful little little city that was built in 1922 over the Clark Clark Fork River. Uh and over over about a hundred years, that bridge is going to fall in. The bridge itself is not it can't sustain a full load of kids in a bus.
▶ 1:38:25Uh and then of course in Montana we have the saying that whisy's for drinking, water's for fighting. And a lot of our infrastructure on water, uh which is the headarters of the Missouri River, uh which feeds in the in the Mississippi. Uh it's it's a nice thing to have a lot of water flowing. So I would just ask for your commitment. I am all about slashing bureaucracy, but I want your commitment that we're going to slash bureaucracy and not urban projects that are important.
▶ 1:38:55So I am not about slashing projects. I'm about we want to build. So and I do care like you about rural America 100%. But I mean I do think at some point we have to ask the question remember uh I don't know when you ran for in 2009 was it 2010 they passed the uh the the stimulus bill under the Obama era and then you had 1.2 two trillion uh in the last Congress. And so that's $2 trillion over 10 years.
▶ 1:39:22And sometimes you look around the country and go, where did $2 trillion go? Where is all the infrastructure? Why don't we have more? And I think it does. A lot of this money gets eaten up in in again the permitting and and the consultants. And I I want to see more of the money go, you know, to turn dirt. That's what we have to focus on. And if we do that, I think there should be money for all of our projects. But but if it gets eaten up just by the consultant class, um all of us lose.
▶ 1:39:53All of our all of our communities lose because they don't have the resources to build your bridge that can't take a a busload of kids. I I appreciate that. I appreciate your commitment to rural America. Sometimes we're fly over and our voice isn't heard. And uh UAVs. Uh you know, I was a Navy Seal. I've been dealing with UAVs for 2004. And by and large, the FAA has not moved on airspace uh in two decades. Well, the rest of the world is.
▶ 1:40:21And as as you know, UAVs are incredibly important for efficiency on pipeline surveys, on wildlife surveys, on agriculture, and precision. And yet, and yet we're still line of sight. I understand that complicated. I understand that there's complications in safety, but if you don't fly, there's no risk. and and that's more or less where the FAA has been for years and years and years. Uh are you committed to looking at technology and integrating UAVs into the NAS? I I'm excited about this.
▶ 1:40:50I would just say stay tuned, very short order, you're going to uh see uh our uh the work that we've been doing. So uh that's going to happen. But absolutely, this is new technology. We actually have to have rules that allow it to be deployed um and deployed safely. By the way, this gets to be I mean again we see what's going on in in in Russia and Ukraine. These are these are tools for commerce or tools for industry, but they also can be tools of war.
▶ 1:41:15And so thinking through how we do it with the military, what's the military side and what's the commerce side and navigating that uh effectively is is really important. But again, if we don't if we don't allow this technology here, it'll be developed in the rest of the world and then used here. and you don't want drone technology from somewhere else flying in American airspace. So, I'm with you on that. And by the way, and beyond visual line of sight, I mean, people are getting coffees now by drone or their Amazon packages delivered by drone.
▶ 1:41:44Um, we want to have again one national standard on how uh uh these companies can deploy across the country. And just on the air traffic control upgrade that we're going to do, it's going to bring more efficiency to the airspace. Uh so you can integrate uh these evatals and you can integrate um drone technology as well. So it's the airspace is going to get more complicated. You can't navigate it with what we have today. But what we're going to build we can accommodate what you're talking about.
▶ 1:42:10And I just add a comment if you are going to move the merchant marines I think is a magnificent experience. It's the highest paid highest paid undergraduate degree in this country is merchant marines. And by the way, you graduate the academy, you can cross deck to any other commission source. It's a great academy. But if you are going to move it, I would suggest the United States Navy, not State, not not the United States Marine Corps. With that, I yield back.
▶ 1:42:32Julie, not but just your head not if if you have a young person that wants to consider going, they're get the kids are are graduating are making 150 to $180,000 working six months a year or maybe a month on, month off, but it's really good money um because they're highly skilled. Good point. I don't want to give them up, by the way. I want to I want to keep them. So, but and if Mr. Chairman, if you could just allow me another second. And also in the Merchant Marine Academy, because they do rotate four on, four off, four weeks on, four off. They're in Montana.
▶ 1:43:01The kids that do it, uh, best hunting season, best fishing season, best summer. It's the greatest job ever. I'd like to be a merchant marine. That's right. Right after Wisconsin. Preceding paid for by the visitors bureau of the great state Montana. Mr. Franciscomani. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and uh thank you, Secretary Duffy, for for being here. I also want to welcome um Mr. Tim and Sher and Cherry Lily for being here, and sorry for your loss.
▶ 1:43:31Um something we want to address and make sure that none of that happens ever again. Mr. Secretary, I um remember the first conversation we had. Uh this is back when I was considering this job and you called and you said, "From a father of six when I took this job to another father of six, you can do it." And um you even said that you had more kids when you were on the job. I didn't follow that example. I stayed at six, but uh it was great knowing you then and meeting you and and understanding your passion for families and for our country and and what drives you.
▶ 1:44:00I think drives many of us in this committee as well. So I want to thank you for that. Um and I want to start by addressing an issue that is a top priority for everyone here in the subcommittee obviously, which is aviation safety. And we've been talking about that quite a bit. Um, I really appreciate the uh prioritation you priorit prioritization you give this issue in your budget request and want to highlight a a tragic incident that happened in in one of in my district. You may be aware of it.
▶ 1:44:26On February 19th of this year, two small aircraft crashed midair uh resulting in the death of two individuals in Morirana, Arizona. It is uh critical that the federal government works to ensure that something like this never occurs again. I know that's that's your focus and passion. So can you talk a little bit about um u provide an update on on how um your budget proposal will ensure incidents like this do not occur again especially in smaller rural um airports that are regional and with less resources. That that was tragic.
▶ 1:44:56Um this was in an uncontrolled airspace. So controllers don't control every aspect of the airspace. A lot of the small airports like in Hayward, Wisconsin, uh where I'm from, often times it's uh it's done by pilots and visually and staying away from each other. And so uh and by the way, I don't think general aviation would like uh air traffic controllers to control every aspect of the airspace. They do like the freedom of of movement, but it then creates risks like uh we saw in your community where uh two planes collided midair.
▶ 1:45:26Um but that's a conversation of what should that role be? Should it be expanded? I'm happy to have that. Um, and I don't know what the the resources part of it of of how and the budget how it addresses some of this. Well, this well the the resources are this is this is all inclusive and again it's the infrastructure and it's the manpower of air traffic controllers. Um, and this is what we've been talking about and uh we want to work with all of you to pressure test the numbers that we're thinking about. It's important but can it's also what we're seeing. I mean in as Mr.
▶ 1:45:55quickly noted in Chicago, we had a near miss with uh with the Southwest airplane uh and it was I would think it would be the next uh the the Flexjet wasn't paying attention to the air traffic controller. But I I do think we need our pilots to pay attention. This is this can be very dangerous and a lot of the pilots uh who fly commercially um uh take people's lives in their hands and it is a serious business and we want to make sure that uh all of them are taking it that way.
▶ 1:46:24Uh, another thing that we need in that in part part of rural America, we got to think through how we're building out the infrastructure of towers and traycons. If uh we on average we build one a year, it's going to take us 400 years to replace all of the towers and traycons in this country. Uh, we want to up that. We'd like to do four or five a year. I mean, up the speed uh to to update the old infrastructure. And a lot of you have those facilities around your districts that that need work.
▶ 1:46:50And so if we could start the process every year getting four or five of them done, I think would be well on the way. Thank you. On on the same line of resources, the another incident that happened in Arizona, the New Mexico border, as well as a train carrying cars of hazardous materials fell off the tracks. This was back in last April of last year. It caught fire in several Arizona New Mexico residents as well as Navajo Nation um tribal members had to be evacuated from their homes.
▶ 1:47:15not only was this um impactful and negatively to the economy but also to just posing major health concerns and issues here. So also on the on the on the budget and resources side in terms of um freight and rail u can you speak a little bit on on that aspect as well? Yeah.
▶ 1:47:33So um again I'm not familiar exactly with the one uh incident that you're referencing but I think all of us heard of East Palestine and uh again I do think as we think through uh uh uh FRA uh and FIMSA and looking at how uh uh products that um can be dangerous are moving across the rail, how we how we navigate the rail, what safety uh policies and procedures
▶ 1:48:03we have in place. Uh you're seeing some very exciting advancement in technology around rail. Um that again what we might miss by the human eye these the technology is picking up and we're actually able to deploy resources and deploy fixes before a derailment could happen and I think that's critical using the uh the manpower along with the technology is going to I think bring us more safety. Thank you so much.
▶ 1:48:29I I do want to just also thank you for the I 10 uh completion and process that we want to be sure that we complete here on the on the widening and the grants. That's a very important highway for not only Arizona but um the entire nation and uh look forward to hosting you in Arizona soon. Maybe it's not as uh cool in the summer as Montana, but uh any other time of the year would be great to see you. It's pretty awesome in January. Yes, it is. We'll see you then. Thanks, Mr. Strong. Thank you, Chairman Wulmach and Ranking Member Klyber for holding this important hearing today.
▶ 1:48:58It's an honor to serve with each of you. Also want to thank our subcommittee staff for all of their hard work. Secretary Duffy, thank you for being here today and for your work and dedication uh to our nation and for making yourself available to members of Congress. As you know, my district, Huntsville, Alabama, is home to Redstone Arsenal uh which is the premier aerospace, ballistic missile, law enforcement, and mil military asset located in North Alabama.
▶ 1:49:25More than 50,000 military members, contractors, and public servants commute to Redstone Arsenal and the uh second largest research park in the country every day. Secretary Duffy, can you tell us how your agency plans to invest in the projects surrounding key national security installations such as Redstone Arsenal? Are we talking uh ports uh red roads, airports, ports?
▶ 1:49:50I I can't tell you specifically around uh that uh that facility, but I'd be happy to discuss what the needs are with you uh to um again calculate those needs and and resources and further the conversation. Alabama's fifth congressional district is also home to Huntsville International Airport, which I'm proud to say was just named the number one best small airport for the second year in a row.
▶ 1:50:15It serves 1.47 47 million passengers annually and has the second longest runway in the southeast United States and is the only FAA licensed commercial space re-entry site in the United States. Small hub airports such as Huntsville International Airport are a vital link in the national air transportation system and their success is crucial for connectivity and regional economic development.
▶ 1:50:39Secretary Duffy, can you share with us how your agency is working with small hub airports to better understand uh their specific regulatory and operational challenges? Yeah, listen, I think we we we look across uh the country at what facilities we have in place and what needs uh each of those facilities have uh based on um the number of people, the number of flights they serve. And so specifically in in Huntsville, we'll be happy to discuss that further with you.
▶ 1:51:06Uh but again we have to go through a priority list of of uh what are what are what are what are what are the oldest uh uh infrastructure uh that we have in regard to airports and and how do we effectively use the money that you give us to do the appropriate upgrades and and and think long term what project uh comes at what time. So if you have special needs in in uh your community be I'd be happy to discuss those with you. Thank you.
▶ 1:51:32Do you have the resources needed to help ensure that small hub airports can effectively access uh and utilize federal funding? Well, I think we can always use more money. I don't know that you guys all want to give, but you know what? I I we are going to do more with less. And again, I have to just if I'm honest with you, um uh I'm sure the FAA has done this.
▶ 1:51:52I have been uh with in the 106 days or five days that I've been here uh we have been focused on a couple of big issues with regard to what's wrong with the national airspace. How do we control it? What's happening with controllers? Uh we dealt with uh multiple incidents from what happened at DCA to uh uh what happened in Alaska and Toronto. Um the mid-air collision that Mr.
▶ 1:52:16Franciscomani mentioned um I think it was the Mley crew plane also crashed in in uh in Arizona. So there's been a lot of aviation. I'll go back and talk to uh the FAA about um about uh specific needs across the country. Thank you. As you know, timing and predictability are critical uh to efficient airport capital planning.
▶ 1:52:39Could you talk a little bit about the department uh what the department is doing to provide consistency and transparency and the timing of funding uh funding awards especially for small to midsize airports? Yeah, I I know that we just got uh a big trunch of uh grants out from the FAA again across the country for uh airport improvements. Uh but again the as I've mentioned throughout the hearing the backlog is substantial that was passed off to me.
▶ 1:53:07a lot of announcements, a lot of celebration with the announcements, but that's the easy part. The work is actually getting the grant agreements done and and we're going through that now and we're going to we're going to um we're going to get there. We're working we're working at it and we're going to get more announcements as each month goes by, but um it's taking time just because of the volume that was left for me. Thank you. In addition to commercial aviation, my district is also home to the Port of Huntsville.
▶ 1:53:34This is a multim modal hub that integrates air cargo, rail and industrial development around the jetplex industrial park. The jetplex industrial park supports hundreds of aerospace, automotive and advanced manufacturing industries. Over 400 companies rely on this port to provide timely and efficient service to their operations and supply chain. How is your department prioritizing investing in projects that will strengthen and safeguard key domestic supply chain and logistic hubs?
▶ 1:54:03Yeah, this this body I believe gave us the flow initiative. So, we're able to uh get companies to coordinate uh shippers um uh with uh with the industry to to coordinate what kind of needs are going to be in the system and uh it's multimodal and again th those tools actually have been working very well that the Congress gave us and we're trying to expand that but industry loves it and again planning for uh uh the the the the
▶ 1:54:34needs that we have throughout the country and the capacity uh excess and shortfalls uh is I think critical and the tool that again this body has given the department I think has been working very very well and and again we want to grow it. Thank you chairman Wack I yield back. Thank you Dale. That uh completes our first round of questions and and I did say earlier in the hearing that we'd have a second round if somebody wanted to.
▶ 1:55:01I'm going to wave any any opportunity that I might take to ask another question. But if there is anybody on the dis that does uh have a desire to ask another question or get a quick response, I' I'd be willing to recognize them. I'd yield first to Mr. Klyber to rec. Okay. All right. U the full committee chairman, Mr. Cole.
▶ 1:55:27One quick point we didn't have a chance to cover, but I would just ask you as you put things together, you take a strong look at. We made a lot of progress here in FY24 on tribal roads, and we actually went back and there had been no hearings on tribal roads or tribal housing for 20 years. Uh, and we'd seen how tribal roads and tribal housing had fallen behind in that period. I've spent a lot of time on uh Native American reservations. I know in Wisconsin you know a lot about Native Americans.
▶ 1:55:58Uh but we the federal obligation here and it's a relatively small part of your budget. It's around 1%. So we're not talking about something massive but some money here makes a difference. Uh and this committee and frankly administrations on bipartisan basis have overlooked this area for a generation. Uh and believe me it is really bad in some of these places. You're thinking you're not in a third world country. you're in the wilderness.
▶ 1:56:25So, I would just ask you uh I know you got to make some tough funding decisions and we're going to try and be supportive of those and we're going to try and help you in other ways, but uh please take a a special look at that. Don't let it get lost over there because that's what tends to happen. It's sort of out of sight, out of mind. And I've watched generations of uh politicians on both sides of the aisle and administrations do that. This committee made a big step forward in 24 and would have again in 25 had the bill happened.
▶ 1:56:55Uh uh and so I don't want to lose that momentum. So if you just consider that as you go about all the many decisions you have to make, I'd be very grateful. I I appreciate you bringing that up. I I I understood the housing needs and the infrastructure um across the tribal lands in the country. Senator Benry Luhan mentioned it as well and I think uh we should work together on thinking how we can spend money well and where the where the most needs are because you're right it's not third world oftentimes it it is wilderness.
▶ 1:57:24Um and I think again a lot of some some some places you may not need the investments but there's other places that that truly need the investment and they haven't received it. So I'll work with you on that. Thank you very much Mr. Secretary Mr. Sage. Uh thank you. Thank you, chairman. Oops. Um, seems like all the equipment is faulty um around here.
▶ 1:57:49Um, once again, I I would like to go back to our conversation over the closure of the FISMA or it has not been closed. Uh, the lease is supposed to expired in August.
▶ 1:58:02Um but I would like to have more information about um the assessment that was done um to come up with a decision that it would be a good decision to close this facility given the fact that the nearest facility is a thousand miles away.
▶ 1:58:21Um I also uh for the record um chairman I'd like to include this AP um dated February uh 19th of 2025 without objection um that um talks about uh the 400 personnel. I'm going to give it to you. I'm going to hand this over to you uh Mr. Secretary just so so you know I'm not here to fight with you. I'm here to ask the tough questions.
▶ 1:58:50Um, no one wants to see planes crashing. No one wants to be that person who receives that call. Um, no one wants to be in this position when 200 or 60 or you know whatever number of people either perish or planes continue to crash. So all I am asking is for us to take a step back and look at the massive work that you have ahead of you.
▶ 1:59:20And I want to recognize that you have massive job ahead of you. Um but given the fact that Doge has come in and made decisions probably without even communicating those decisions with you, um I want to believe that we are in all of this.
▶ 1:59:38All of us are in this together and it's going to take all of us to push back to ensure that positions, whether they're air traffic controllers or the people fixing um the equipment behind the scenes. Just because we don't see them or hear from them doesn't mean that they're not critical positions. So, with that, I'm going to yield back and I I look forward to continuing this conversation with you on on your facility. I I will I will get briefed on that and coordinate with you and get back to you.
▶ 2:00:08Uh I so I don't have a good answer for you right now. No, I understand. And in regard to the to the 400 again, I think you maybe I misunderstood. I thought you were saying they were air traffic co controllers and they're they're not. I don't know what the reference was. And if I could just make one, there are uh 46,000 employees at the FAA. There's it's it's a huge agency. Um a lot of them do good work. But if I can do things more efficiently in some spaces, I want to do that.
▶ 2:00:34But there's there are critical safety missions that we have and I'm going to make sure those folks not only stay, but we build upon that. And I just to your point, this is this is not partisan. The air traffic control, what we have to do, it's an American problem. I everyone I've talked to on both sides of the aisle um are like, how do we work together?
▶ 2:00:54And I think that's the that's the mentality we're going to have to have to to uh embrace each other and serve everyone who flies, our families, uh our neighbors, our communities, and and uh I look forward to working with all of you on on how we do that together because it is this is not a partisan, it's an American moment. We need we want you to succeed. Thank you. Thank you. I yield back. Great u great hearing this morning. Thank you, Mr. Secretary, for being here.
▶ 2:01:22We look forward to your continued leadership and a partnership as we continue to achieve the shared goals that we all have and that is for the u to be the gold standard of a of a transportation network um throughout and uh your leadership will be vital uh to that end. Um, the lady to my left, uh, who keeps the clock and takes all the required notes and keeps me pointed in the right direction is Avery Pearson.
▶ 2:01:53She is typical of the professional staff members that you saw behind us here today scattered throughout this room and I am eternally grateful for them. They, as you know, Mr. Duffy, they are the unsung heroes of the Congress because they do such remarkable work and uh with no expectation of anything in return except you know a regular paycheck. So uh thank you Avery and uh to all of those who are behind me that uh do do this great work.
▶ 2:02:22Tim Sherry, we are grateful you are here. You've honored us with your presence and um your loss is unimaginable and uh we and the American public grieve with you and uh again we recommmit ourselves to making sure that what happened never happens again.
▶ 2:02:48and uh your participation in this hearing this morning says a lot about you and your family and about your son. So, thank you from the bottom of our hearts uh for being here today. Mr. Klyber, any closing remarks? Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I too wish to thank the little family for being here today.
▶ 2:03:13On that particular day, I think it was 67 people in both aircraft lost their lives. One of whom, and I've heard from several of those families, one of whom was a young lady who was landing in Washington to accept a job, a new job. It's a law professor at Howard University. Um, her story I think about a lot. Mr. Secretary, thank you so much for being here.
▶ 2:03:42Uh, as you know, I represent the entire peninsula of Charleston. Uh, when I came to Congress, uh, the primary economy in South Carolina was driven by two T's, textiles tobacco.
▶ 2:04:01Today, it is still driven by two T's, but now is tourism and And I would hope that as we work together toward the future uh that we would take into stock that the Department of Transportation is very important to this country, very important to us in South Carolina, but it does not operate in a silo.
▶ 2:04:30uh it operates hopefully in conjunction with our trade representatives, with our department of commerce because we are suffering in South Carolina. Just recently, Volvo just announced a layoff uh at that facility.
▶ 2:04:51Uh it's the only Volvo facility in this country, but they're laying off because they can't get their parts they need from other countries because of tariffs.
▶ 2:05:09Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-Benz met all uh of their uh popular H.B.CU, PCUs, whatever we call it, uh, in North Charleston, South Carolina, in my district.
▶ 2:05:24So this is very very important for us to make sure the department of transportation is functioning uh in a way that would benefit the future of our great country uh and do so in such a way that we all of our resources and our talents to make this country greater. Thank you. Mr. Ranking member, I would welcome your invitation to come to Charleston.
▶ 2:05:52We could even invite uh former chairman Trey Gaudy to join us as well. I look forward to it. Well, Trey is a good buddy. Uh we don't agree on much politically. In fact, I guess I'm as close uh to the governor of South Carolina uh as one could possibly be.
▶ 2:06:10and we don't agree on anything uh politically, but we are good friends uh because we believe in the future of South Carolina and all South Carolinians. Are you back? And on that note, uh staff members are reminded that questions for the record should be submitted to subcommittee staff within 7 days. Thanks again to everybody for your participation in this hearing. This subcommittee stands adjourned.