▶ 0:07:55And we're pops up.
▶ 0:26:05The Command on Transportation Infrastructure will now come to order. I'd ask unanimous consent that the chairman be authorized to declare a recess at any time during today's hearing without objection. That is so ordered. As a reminder, if members wish to insert a document into the record, please also email it to documents I now recognize myself for the purpose of an opening statement.
▶ 0:26:29Um, before delivering uh my statement, I do want to take a moment to honor uh our colleague and friend uh Congressman Doug Lumafa. For nearly a decade, Congressman Lamoff has served on this committee as a valued and very thoughtful uh member. He made this committee a better place to serve. He was a tireless advocate for rural Americans and his voice will be missed as we continue our work to address the needs of our transportation infrastructure.
▶ 0:26:57We continue to pray for his wife, his children, and family as they face um this very unexpected tragedy. If we can, I'd like to pause for just a moment of silence uh to honor our friend Doug. Thank you.
▶ 0:27:22Moving on to today's business, I look forward to hearing members share their transportation infrastructure priorities uh for the second session of the 119th Congress. The TNI committee is coming off a very busy uh 2025. Our work started with reconciliation which included the historic uh investments in the Coast Guard and the 12.5 billion down payment to modernize our nation's air traffic control system. The committee also passed on a bipartisan basis a pipeline safety reauthorization.
▶ 0:27:49Um the FEMA act of 2025 which reforms our approach to emergency management and the Coast Guard Authorization Act which was signed into law last month as part of the National Defense Authorization. Finally, we closed out the year um with the House passage of the Permit Act legislation that would greatly improve permitting under the Clean Water Act. Looking ahead to this year, we have multiple legislative priorities that that the committee must reauthorize, including our surface transportation programs.
▶ 0:28:18The committee has already been hard at work on the surface uh bill, which we plan to mark up early this year. In addition to the year surface bill, we also began work on the next water resource development act or word. The portal for members word priorities was opened on Monday and is going to remain open throughout the rest of this month. So, I encourage members to work with their staff and get those priorities submitted.
▶ 0:28:41Again, thank you all for being here today to testify um on the transportation infrastructure needs of your districts. And I now recognize uh Rick for an opening statement. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um first, welcome to the TNI committee's 2026 member day hearing. Uh before I start, too, I want to take a moment to remember Doug. Uh I knew Doug as a fierce advocate for his constituents. you always did know where he stood on issues and that earned him my respect and respect of the members of this committee.
▶ 0:29:11We're going to miss his presence uh his bipartisan efforts to help rural Americans and uh my condolences as well are with his family. This hearing is an important opportunity for our colleagues who aren't on who aren't on the committee to advocate for the specific needs of their own districts and to share the priorities that are most pressing to their constituents. Over 30 members uh from both sides of the aisle have signed up to speak before the committee today.
▶ 0:29:36As Chair Graves and I have often noted, the work of this committee transcends the red team versus blue team mentality that permeates much of Washington DC. We're here to solve problems and to create economic opportunities for every American and the high level of participation from members from both parties is a testament to that shared The enthusiasm of members seeking to testify today is not surprising.
▶ 0:29:59Thanks to the bipartisan infrastructure law, sustained investments are rebuilding roads, bridges, rail, transit, and water systems in every corner of the country. These investments have resulted in the American Society of Civil Engineers raising the nation's overall infrastructure grade, to you ready for this, to a C from a C minus four years ago. As I noted in previous testimony, um you get a C, like my son got a C minus in an engineering class and he wasn't able to advance.
▶ 0:30:27So moving to a C is something something else. No sector this time received a D minus for the first time since the first report card issued in 1998. But clearly there's a lot more work to do. And while the progress is encouraging, a C is not the final goal and we shouldn't be satisfied with it for our national infrastructure. That's why the committee is committed to passing a bipartisan surface transportation bill that will continue to improve our infrastructure and transportation systems.
▶ 0:30:54Committee will also take up the water resources development act this year to continue to invest in nation's waterways, flood mitigation infrastructure and ecosystem restoration efforts. We have started receiving proposals for the bill through our member submission portal which opened earlier this week. The testimony our colleagues delivered today will no doubt aid us in crafting legislation that creates jobs, improves safety and accessibility, and benefits the communities that we represent.
▶ 0:31:19So, I want to thank the chair for holding this hearing and for his continued commitment to working in a bipartisan manner. Making sure members can directly advocate for the districts is an important part of this process. And I want to thank all the members ahead of time who made the time to come to uh come before the committee today and I'm eager to hear your testimony. With that, I yield back.
▶ 0:31:39Thanks, Rick. Um, I don't have to explain the lighting system uh to you all. I think you all got it figured out. Um, I would ask unanimous consent that the witness's full statements be included in the record. And without objection, that is so ordered. Um, your written testimony has been made a part of the record. So, I would please ask that you try to limit your oral remarks to five minutes.
▶ 0:32:00Given the number of members that are appearing before the committee today, out of consideration for our colleagues time, I'd ask unanimous consent that members of the committee be given two minutes to question each member following their statements. And without objection, uh that is so ordered. And with that, uh Representative Selenus, you are
▶ 0:32:17Well, thank you, Chairman Graves, Ranking Member Larson, and to the committee for all your good work. And um I'm excited to be here to be able to share Oregon's sixth district priorities. As I know, ranking member Larson is quite aware, the I5 quarter is the most important transportation artery across the Pacific Northwest. Access to I-5 is essential for economic development, allowing businesses to get their goods to market. In my district, one of the most important projects undertaken in recent years is the Newberg Dundee bypass.
▶ 0:32:44This highway improvement is a critical link to bring existing and anticipated economic development to this rural region by creating a safer, more efficient connection between these rural communities and I-5. My local stakeholders estimate that finishing this project could create over 6,000 new manufacturing jobs alone by improving the movement of goods on the west side of the Wamment Valley to the heart of my district um through Interstate 5.
▶ 0:33:09It will also provide significant safety improvements by imu moving freight traffic off of our local roads. The corridor is part of Oregon's critical rural freight network used by more than 3,000 trucks a day from 2018 to 22. this quarter experienced 141 crashes, including 11 fatal or serious injury crashes, highlighting the urgent need for these safety improvements. While increasing the capacity to transport goods to I5 was critical, it is not the sole goal.
▶ 0:33:38The highway itself also needs upgrades to improve capacity and seismic resiliency. We have those earthquakes out in the west. The I5 Boon Bridge crosses the Wamtt River in Wilsonville just south of Portland and is a critical link for freight moving up and down the West Coast. The bridge is part of Oregon's designate designated seismic lifeline route and is at serious risk of um failure in a Cascadia subduction zone earthquake.
▶ 0:34:03More than 126,000 vehicles, including an average of 17,000 trucks, cross the bridge each day. We must replace the bridge to adapt to economic growth in the region and ensure the safety of our communities from natural disasters. We also desperately need to improve the junction of Highway 51 and Oregon 22, which is the primary route for tourism and freight to the Oregon coast and for people to access that amazing pino noir wine that everyone loves.
▶ 0:34:29According to Oregon Department of Transportation statistics, this junction saw 154 crashes between 2016 and 2022 with 10 resulting in fatalities. Not only is the junction itself dangerous, it provides critical access to Salem's regional trauma center for residents of Pulk and Yamhill counties who deserve that those safe and accessible roadways with when every second really matters. All of these projects have strong financial support from local and state governments, but they cannot get over the finish line without federal support.
▶ 0:34:58As your committee prepares to advance the multi-year surface transportation rioff, I urge you to consider the impact on projects just like these and offer your strong support for the federal partnerships that actually make them possible. Federal competitive grant programs are essential tools for projects like these, but they are often overs subscribed and underfunded. Programs like build and mega can help make these projects pencil out.
▶ 0:35:20I encourage you to consider providing as much flexibility as possible for these funding opportunities to allow the Department of Transportation to tailor its support to the specific needs of the project. Rural grants are especially important. This program is designed to help projects in rural areas that are also often overlooked. Importantly, rural grants can cover up to 100% of the project cost. This flexibility allows large projects to move forward in underresourced communities like mine.
▶ 0:35:47Unfortunately, the rural program has seen significantly more demand than it can support. I urge you to consider drastically expanding this program to maximize investments in the communities that need the most. I look forward to offering my help as the committee moves forward with the surface transportation rioth and I appreciate the opportunity to share some of my projects. I'm happy to take questions. Thank you.
▶ 0:36:08Moving on, uh, Representative Budinski. Thank you, Chairman Graves, and thank you to Ranking Member Larson for this opportunity today in front of the TNI committee. Um, as we look toward the 2026 reauthorization of the Waters Resources Development Act or WERA, I want to take this opportunity to highlight the life-changing impact this legislation has on the Metro East region in Illinois. First, I want to thank the committee for developing a strong bipartisan word in 2024. The Thomas R.
▶ 0:36:39Harper Water Resources Development Act included several of my requests to rehabilitate the infrastructure and communities that have suffered from devastating flooding, sewage backups, and storm water overflows for far too long. The 2024 WERA laid a vital foundation for the Metro East in three key areas. First, increased capacity.
▶ 0:37:01The 2024 award boost boasted boosted the Army Corps of Engineers authorization of their work in the Metro East from a hundred million to $150 million ensuring that Army Corps had the resources needed to make generational investments in our most vulnerable communities including Cahokia Heights and East St. Louis. Second, modernize scope. The 2024 package included storm water management as an eligible activity for the core in St.
▶ 0:37:30Clair and Madison counties aligning federal law with the actual needs of our region. Third, strategic planning. The 2024 Wa authorized a general re-evaluation report or GRR for the KOR's activity in Metro East in a feasibility study for the Spring Lake detention pond, a project first recommended in 2029 that is essential for flood resilience and protecting local homes. The House of Representatives built on this foundation just last week.
▶ 0:38:00In fiscal year 2026, energy and water appropriations bill. I worked with Senator Duckworth to secure a $7.3 million um of investment to rebuild Cahokia Heights East Interceptor sewer. This interceptor um sewer is the spine of the community's wastewater system. When an interceptor of this scale fails, as it has for years in Cahokia Heights, the entire system backs up into streets, yards, and homes.
▶ 0:38:29The project was made possible specifically because of the increased authorizations we secured in the 2024 Wera. Additionally, I partnered with Senator Durban to secure $500,000 to begin the first phase of the general re-evaluation report for East St. Louis in the vicinity. This study is the roadmap we need to accurately chart our path toward total infrastructure renewal across the metro east.
▶ 0:38:55The general re-evaluation report was specifically o authorized and expedited in Wera 2024. While we made significant strides on our work in the Metro East, it's far from finished. Just last week, the Associated Press documented the ongoing crisis in Cahokia Heights, where persistent storm water and sewer backups have buckled floors, cracked walls, and destroyed belongings in homes.
▶ 0:39:19Beyond the property damage, residents of the community face the public health risks of living with raw sewage and untreated runoff in their own homes. At the same time, we are seeing the administration pull back on promises that were made by the federal government to our most vulnerable communities. It is more important than ever for Congress and this committee to honor our responsibilities to these communities.
▶ 0:39:43As we move forward, I am committing to continuing to unify federal, state, and local partners to ensure that the people of the Metro East are no longer left behind. Thank you again for your commitment to developing a strong bipartisan word in 2026. I appreciate this opportunity to testify before you today.
▶ 0:40:03I look forward to continuing our work together on these important issues, and I stand ready to work alongside this committee, the Army Corps, and the local communities I represent to ensure we continue on a strong path forward. Thank you very much, and I yield back.
▶ 0:40:18Thank you, uh, Representative Ramirez. Thank you, Chair Graves and Ranking Member Larson for convening today's member hearing day. I grew up in Humbled Park community of Chicago, where I witnessed the struggles of communities, especially among Latino and black residents to secure stable housing, access to reliable transportation, engage essential services, and raise a family with rising cost of living.
▶ 0:40:44It was actually in my community that I first understood the power of infrastructure to shape our lived experiences and positively and when we don't invest in it negatively. You see, I know that investing in our infrastructure is an investment in the safety and well-being of our communities, in the economic development of our region, and the thriving futures of our families. To give you a couple of positive examples, we know just how essential public transportation is in our districts.
▶ 0:41:12In Illinois 3, public transit connects residents to highquality jobs, public an amenities, and local businesses from DuPage County to downtown Chicago and beyond. When public transportation provides reliable, affordable, and accessible service, the benefits go beyond economic development and opportunity. We can achieve cleaner environments, better family health outcomes, and safer communities.
▶ 0:41:35This is why I'm proud to have secured $8 million in federal funds for the from the Department of Transportation's rail crossing elimination program to support the separation of train traffic from pedestrians and cars in Franklin Park community in my district. A project that will improve the safety and mobility for local residents in my district. When we invest in public transportation, chairman, we have the opportunity to strengthen green, resilient infrastructure and expand choice and equity in transportation systems.
▶ 0:42:05And yet, despite concrete evidence of the benefits of our investment in communities, the list of critical infrastructure projects in Illinois that require our support remain pretty extensive. We have over a million dollars in lead water service lines that must be replaced to protect the health of Illinois communities. 400,000 of those are in the city of Chicago alone. 9% of our bridges located mainly in rural communities are in dire need of repairs.
▶ 0:42:32And my district is desperately in need of additional funding to address rail and road security concerns to protect our families and our infrastructure. Our investments in transportation and in infrastructure yield manifold benefits. We know this. They provide essential foundational stability that enables our neighbors across the nation to fully engage in the life of their communities. They fortify our structural and economic resilience in changing and often volatile times.
▶ 0:43:01They safeguard our health and well-being and prevent disasters and catastrophes that claim precious lives. And they also support workforce development across our districts. That's why today I'm I'm just so concerned about the state of our infrastructure in our country, particularly in light of some of the recent ongoing actions to attack infrastructure projects and abandon our most vulnerable communities.
▶ 0:43:24Tax break for billionaires, billions spent on criminalizing immigrants, and millions spent on ad campaigns that televise agendas instead of investments is not what we need. reckless and irresponsible cuts to transportation and infrastructure aren't saving American people money in the long run. They're actually making opportunity more access. They're actually taking away from opportunity to be more accessible, to make us safer, and to lower cost of living.
▶ 0:43:51Again, chairman, infrastructure shapes our lived experiences positively and negatively. It shapes the possibilities for our families. It shapes economic access. We have the responsibility to ensure working people have what they need to thrive. And so I reject I urge that we reject the idea that transportation and infrastructure programs and investments should be subject to partisan games or political rep retribution.
▶ 0:44:15Instead, I think we have an opportunity to do the bipartisan work to embrace the benefit of community investments that protect the possibilities available to districts like mine, our districts around the country. With that, Chairman, I thank you for your time and I yield back. Representative Kiggins.
▶ 0:44:36Mr. Chair, ranking member, and members of the committee, thank you for holding this members day and for the opportunity to raise issues that are inherently local to my district and Virginia's second congressional district down in Hampton Roads, but also national in consequence. The work of this committee directly affects whether communities can build housing, modernize infrastructure, move people safely, and support our national defense. I want to highlight several examples from Virginia's second congressional district that show why federal policy decisions made here matter across the country.
▶ 0:45:04First, I want to address the role of the United States Army Corps of Engineers and the continued regulatory uncertainty surrounding waters the United States or WOUS in my district. Housing development and critical infrastructure projects were significantly delayed under the prior wotus rule. Although the Supreme Court's decision in the Sacket versus EPA case was intended to restore clarity and limit federal jurisdiction, that clarity did not trickle down to the folks on the ground.
▶ 0:45:32Instead, land owners, local governments, and developers in my district and across the country experienced continued uncertainty, overly broad assertions of federal authority, inconsistent application, and insufficient guidance from federal agencies. The result has been delayed housing, stalled infrastructure projects, and increased cost in a region already facing housing affordability challenges and workforce Permitting requires predictability.
▶ 0:45:59When communities cannot determine whether a project will trigger federal jurisdiction, projects stall, costs rise, and communities suffer. That is not an environmental stewardship. It is regulatory paralysis. And this challenge is not unique to Virginia. States and localities across the country are dealing with the same uncertainty. I appreciate that the current administration has been laying the groundwork for new rulemaking to update and replace the prior wotus framework.
▶ 0:46:25A rule that faithfully reflects sacket respect statutory limits and restores a clear partnership with states is essential. But Congress's role does not end when a new rule is issued. We must ensure that the revised ROUS rule is implemented properly, consistently, and in good faith by the core and the EPA so that communities can finally receive the certainty they've been promised. Second, I want to address aviation safety and the air traffic control workforce.
▶ 0:46:51Virginia's second congressional district is home to Naval Air Station Oceanana, the East Coast Master Jet Base. As a former naval aviator, I understand firsthand how critical safe, reliable airspace operations are, not only for commercial aviation, but for military readiness and training.
▶ 0:47:06Over the course of this Congress, I've worked alongside my colleagues on the House Armed Services Committee to advance legislative efforts focusing on improving airspace safety, strengthening coordination between military and civilian aviation, and ensuring our aviation infrastructure can safely support both readiness and commercial operations.
▶ 0:47:24I appreciate the committee's work along with the president's call to action to advance a $ 122.5 billion in investment through the work working families tax cut to begin modernizing aging air traffic control systems and support controller staffing and training. However, I was disappointed to see that funding specifically dedicated to air traffic control tower replacement and improvements was removed prior to final passage. This past year, I had the privilege to meet with and visit the local FA Norfolk air traffic control tower.
▶ 0:47:52I was astonished to see the poor conditions of an aging tower that our controller workforce currently perform their duties on a daily basis and I respectfully urge the committee to continue examining this issue as we move forward because modernizing our air traffic control system including our towers and supporting the controller workforce is essential to aviation safety, economic activity and national defense. Finally, I want to highlight the Coast Guard Parody Act. As a Navy veteran, I deeply understand the value and sacrifice of military service.
▶ 0:48:22Yet today, the Coast Guard remains the only branch of our armed forces without full parody and separation policies. This legislation would ensure that enlisted Coast Guard members with 18 or more years of service are not involuntarily separated before qualifying for retirement, aligning Coast Guard standards with those of every other service branch. This strengthens morale, improves readiness and retention, and honors long-erving Coast Guardsmen who perform critical missions in maritime safety, border security, and disaster response.
▶ 0:48:50For coastal districts like mine, this is a local issue, but it's also a national issue of fairness and readiness. Across all these issues, per permitting certainty, aviation safety, and military parody, the common theme is the importance of ensuring that federal policies work effectively for the communities they are intended to serve. I appreciate the committee's leadership in these areas and I look forward to continuing to work together to promote certainty, safety, and fairness for communities in Virginia and across the nation. Thank you and I yield back.
▶ 0:49:18Thank you uh Representative Costa.
▶ 0:49:22Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman and ranking member for holding this uh members day uh meeting. U I think it's important members truly I think have a better idea about best investments for infrastructure in their district. I'd like unanimous consent to submit a memo that I addressed to the committee reflecting the priorities uh for my congressional district in the Sanw King Valley as well as a separate letter that I sent to the chair and the ranking member involving air traffic control
▶ 0:49:53Without objection.
▶ 0:49:54All right. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I want to confine my comments uh uh to a couple of areas in infrastructure, water and And under uh the jurisdiction of this committee, obviously there's important opportunities to in fact improve the qualities from uh a grade C to hopefully someday a B and an A as the ranking member alluded to in terms of the fact that we all believe that investments in America's infrastructure uh
▶ 0:50:24are are the best investments that we can possibly make uh for long-term economic benefits. Um on the transportation is area I'd like to focus on state route 152 as a component project not only for transportation but also for water. Uh funding the u the improvement of 152 will allow us to increase the uh reservoir uh St.
▶ 0:50:50Louis reservoir BFISK to an additional 130,000 acre feet. That would be important in terms of water supply for the people of California and the people of the valley. In addition to that, I support additional efforts to ensure uh that we re reauthorize uh ride fast act which reauthorizes inner city passenger rail grant program to fund construction for ready projects that involve inner city rail service around the country whether it's on the east coast,
▶ 0:51:20the west coast or somewhere in between. Uh let me also then uh focus on the WRA uh funding. Um with one exception here, let me walk back here to the air traffic control tower. As this committee knows, there are two kinds of control towers in this country. Those owned by the FAA and those owned by uh usually uh municipalities or air district, airport districts.
▶ 0:51:48Um I uh have a air control tower in uh our district that not only supports commercial aviation but the air guards unit uh on the 144th. The air traffic controllers tell me that we should donate this uh to the Smithsonian Museum because it's a part of air transportation of the 1950s. But the fact is is we need to make the improvements for TCON system and air traffic control that are over 50 years old.
▶ 0:52:15So, I would like to have the committee focus on the prioritization for non FAA owned air traffic control tower so that we can move those along and I'm not the only one in this category. Let me now move over to water projects. We talked about uh uh increasing storage for water systems in California.
▶ 0:52:36Pine flat dam spillway if we are able to raise that by 12 feet would increase 120,000 acre feet of storage capacity the u uh approval of this water project on the list I think is um has a great deal of merit the red bank and fer creek projects would advance managed aquifer recharge this not only reduces flood risks for downstream communities but also provides us to uh recharge our underground aquifer
▶ 0:53:06similar with a project uh on raising Buchanan Dam. Uh that will also provide up to 50,000 acre feet of recharge for uh an area that we need to focus on. And in addition to that, we have a updated water control manual for Terminus Dam which was last updated 2005. When we update these manuals, we increase the ability to manage flood control risk as well as effectually water supply.
▶ 0:53:34All important goals as we look at the water needs of the people of the Sanwaqing Valley. As we say, where water flows, food grows. And this is a part of an effort to increase uh our water supply and our flexibility uh with a lot of other challenges that we face there.
▶ 0:53:51So the important effort in terms of investing in our infrastructure and water for the long-term needs as well as our transportation needs whether they be air rail are simply providing more money to increase the efficiency and the effectiveness of moving goods and services throughout our con congressional districts I think are what we're all here about and I think there's strong bipartisan support for.
▶ 0:54:16I yield back the balance of my time and I thank the committee and we'll continue to work with both staff's minority and majority staff to uh hopefully be successful. Thank you.
▶ 0:54:30We'll now hear from Representative
▶ 0:54:32Thank you, Mr. Chairman, ranking member. Good to see you all this morning. And I I want to echo the comments made by my colleagues. Really thank you all for taking time to hear from the committee, non-members of the committee about these needs that we have around the country. Um, I represent the 14th district in western North Carolina. Uh, our region was one of the areas that was significantly impacted by Hurricane Helen back in 2024.
▶ 0:54:54A little bit of good news we just got out of uh the White House just a little bit ago is that today $34.7 million uh is has been released to deal with um the DOT for bridge repair, fixing a lot of that that was that was destroyed. So, that's some really great news uh that we can that we're that we're celebrating today to help us recover in that.
▶ 0:55:16You know, my district like so much of the United States is is a fast growing area which is which is indeed a blessing, but also with that come challenges and transportation and infrastructure are one of those key things. You have to have water, sewer, roads. I can tell you that our state has invested billions and billions of dollars to make sure that we're doing all that we can as a state to keep up with this growth, to expand it. Um, and I I appreciate this administration. I appreciate this Congress, Mr.
▶ 0:55:43Chairman, for continuing those efforts to make sure that federal funds are coming to North Carolina and the other 49 states to ensure that we continue to have a a growing, strong economy and we have the infrastructure to support it. Uh, one of the first things that uh that I did when I came into office this uh last year was to file a bill to designate the stretch of US74 as a future interstate. Now, there's a lot of things that come before this committee that cost money. This one doesn't cost much.
▶ 0:56:12It's basically a designation and some road signs. Chairman Taylor, you and I could probably go out there one weekend, rent some equipment, put these signs up if we need to. I mean, it's that it's that cheap. Probably couldn't do it as well as the other guys, but but that's what we're talking about. So, I have a map right here. Uh because I'm not going to assume that everybody in here knows where Kings Mountain, North Carolina is. That's my hometown.
▶ 0:56:30But we're talking about a stretch off of Interstate 85 as it crosses into South Carolina of US Highway 74 that goes all the way around the the city of Kings Mountain and goes all the way over to a town called Columbus in PK County. And so this is up in in the mountains of North Carolina as you get here. And it ties back into Interstate 26. Uh right now this road is not designated as an interstate uh even though most of it is built to interstate standards.
▶ 0:56:59There are a few portions that need to be finished. There's about a four mile stretch right here that you can see in Cleveland County known as the Shelbypass that is presently under construction. And then there's a stretch right here around the uh town of Latimore uh which is which is about probably three or four miles as well that has to be finished up but it's it's just has to have controlled access. It's already four lane.
▶ 0:57:21Uh but the reason this needs to be designated as an interstate is principally for economic development purposes and really to give better information to the motoring public because this is by all accounts there and there interstate quality. Why this is important? We have one county right here, Rutherford County. If when they're when they have site selection or other companies that are looking to locate there, they want to know how close are you to an interstate.
▶ 0:57:44Well, there's not a single interstate that shows up through that county, but as you can see, there's an interstate quality road, same as you get in over in Pulk County. So, for little to no funds, uh, this Congress had designated this as a future interstate, which would allow it to show up on your map, functions and all that as essentially an interstate. It helps these rural communities uh which you know which are always you know trying to recruit more and more industry and to have that advantage where the folks realize when they locate a business that there's actually access to an interstate road.
▶ 0:58:14And so we don't care what number you put on it. We don't care what it's called. Uh but we we we have asked that Congress change the law to designate this as a as a future interstate. And then of course once this little piece there and this little piece there are finished which should be in the next couple years as fully as an interstate at that point as a spur however they're designated.
▶ 0:58:35Um it may seem like a trivial matter in the big scheme of things of the things that we in Congress deal with but I promise you in in our region of the state this is a big deal uh because it will open this area up to a tremendous amount of additional economic development. So, I I know my understanding is that's going to be included in the provision that's going through and I wanted you to see exactly what I was talking about and thank in advance this committee's work on that.
▶ 0:59:02Uh, and I will just say as moving forward, western North Carolina does continue to recover from Hurricane Helen. This was an absolutely uh just just generational disaster that I hope we never see repeated. Uh, but it is it our our communities are resilient. Our folks are working hard and and I appreciate the efforts of this administration and this Congress to help western North Carolina as we rebuild and I appreciate the great work of this committee to help further that as well. And with that, Mr.
▶ 0:59:32Chairman, I yield
▶ 0:59:34Thank you, Representative Moore. Next, we'll hear from Representative Talib.
▶ 0:59:38Yep. Thank you so much, Chairman Taylor and Ranking Member Larson for this opportunity. Um, it is so incredibly important to always bring our districts into this work. And so I I appreciate again uh your uh ability to accept this testimony and request for help. Uh we all know there's no safe level of lead exposure. Millions of Americans across our nation are still drinking water with significant lead levels and our children are particularly vulnerable.
▶ 1:00:05Our state and local governments do not have the resources and capacity to address this lead crisis without significant federal support. Our work to rapidly replace every lead service line in America is reaching a critical moment. Updated estimates put uh the total cost of full lead service line replacement nearly $75 billion. And while we have some progress, at least 60 billion more is urgently needed to finish the job.
▶ 1:00:30But instead of surging fund, congressional appropriations actually just cut $125 million in lead service line replacement funding in the interior appropriations package recently. This of course is an insult to so many of us that have been again trying to sound the alarms about the access to clean water and the importance of it.
▶ 1:00:48Of course, you all know I founded the Get the Let Out Caucus where I have 65 members in 2025 that um all supported again not only um removal of service line removal but doubling the previous year's support. So, I'm asking again for us to really truly move in bipartisan support. Everyone deserves access to clean water. Next, Mr.
▶ 1:01:09uh chair and and ranking member, we all know the lowincome household water assistance program, LAWAP, created in 2021 was a lifeline for many of our families that kept water flowing during the worst of the pandemic. But its funding has run out and the and families face increasingly unaffordable water bills have few places to turn for help. The cost of water we know has continued to increase.
▶ 1:01:34We have federal assistance, as you both know, um, for gas and electricity, but no permanent program for water. Our families can't live without access to water. I still remember a couple in their 70s using a recycled white bucket, putting snow in it to melt so they can use it to flush their toilet. We know millions of neighbors across our nation again who are facing water sh simply because they just cannot afford their rising bills.
▶ 1:02:03Safe, accessible, and affordable drinking water is essential to our public health, and many water utilities cannot afford to maintain this infrastructure without the federal Next, Mr. Chair, uh, and ranking member, in 2024, after years of lobbying, including, uh, ghostridding letters of support from lawmakers accepting campaign donation, the state of Michigan, unfortunately, with the Ambassador Bridge in Detroit, I don't know if all of you know, it's privately owned. It is one of the most critical trade corridors in the nation.
▶ 1:02:33But what folks don't realize, state of Michigan regrettably made a decision to loosen restrictions on hazmat transportation across the bridge over community objections in both Detroit and in Windsor, Ontario. If the aftermath of East Palestine, Ohio rail disaster, there's rightfully a lot of community concern about loosening those restrictions. What I'm asking the committee is to please look at federal agencies in charge of enforcing hazardous materials regulation which include customs and border patrol in FIMSA.
▶ 1:03:02Lack of resources of aggressive enforcement that safeguards our public health. U again I think is a uh it's a disregard disregard to the community's concern. So, I encourage the committee to support the highest possible funding for FIMSA's hazardous materials field operations so that it can provide proper and timely compliance inspections on Ambassador Bridge and others like it. Please know that one of my residents said there's always enforcement for people but not companies. So, let's try to change that. Next, uh Mr. Mr.
▶ 1:03:32Chair would like to talk about the fact that Detroit Metro Airport desperately needs us uh to support the highest level of funding for Federal Aviation Administration's airport no noise capability planning referred to as part 150. I know you've heard it. You've heard it from your residents if you have an airport. So I know that there's Republicans and Democrats and independents and others who have heard.
▶ 1:03:54So why not come together and do a robust funding for part 150 to allow not only Detroit Metro and airports like it across the country to really update their noise mitigation plans more frequently to adjust to the changing weather weather patterns as we know airline trends and in Detroit Metro's case uh the Cleveland Detroit Metro Plex project we need again an updated noise mitigation plan and we need some support for that.
▶ 1:04:20Uh again, we know this will in turn protect our residents from pollution and um any disruptions uh to every uh day lives that again and also help government uh local governments respond to the resident's concern. With that, Mr. uh chair, ranking member, thank you so much for listening to concern of my constituents.
▶ 1:04:39Thank you, Representative Tib. We'll now hear from Representative Molen. Chairman Taylor and Ranking Member Larson, thank you for having me today to talk about two critical issues that impact my constituents from Guam. Affordability is at top of my agenda here in Congress. And I have two measures of great concern.
▶ 1:04:58And when I talk about them, for example, the Jones Act exemption and also air capabotage exemption, there's a perception that I do not want to protect American industries and that is not the case. So, first let's discuss about air cabotage. It greatly impacts Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marana Islands. This is a big problem.
▶ 1:05:23Our residents, our military service members and their families all feel the financial strain. It's extremely expensive. It cost sever several of thousands of dollars for us to travel to the mainland. And this has been going on for quite some long a long time. And our military buildup with our military buildup and the families that are coming on over, they're going to feel the impact as well.
▶ 1:05:50And there was a time when Guam hosted multiple American Competition kept prices down and ultimately gave consumers flexibility. Unfortunately, that's not the case today. The reality of our market do not allow that to happen. But there's a solution.
▶ 1:06:09Together with my friend from CNMI, we introduced HR536, the Pacific Island Flights Alternatives Act or PIFA to allow foreign carriers, foreign carriers, which are our allies in the Indo-Pacific from Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines a limited a limited air capital exemption to help relieve tremendous financial burden on our constituents.
▶ 1:06:37FIFA would allow foreign carriers from these countries or allies, for example, to service Guam and the CNMI in their international journeys elsewhere in the US. Allowing this limited exception would bring competition back to our markets and lower prices for consumers. The second issue I want to raise with you is the high cost of energy in Guam.
▶ 1:07:05For a typical consumer on the island, the average util utility bill ranges from 300 to over $700 monthly. Guam's newly constructed Ukodo power plant has outfitted pipes and infrastructure for LNG, but to date still relies on oil imports for energy. The United States is the largest LG exporter in the world.
▶ 1:07:31Yet there is not a single Americanmade vessel that can transport LG because of the Jones Act rule for US vessels. It is not economically feasible for Hawaii, Guam, or other non-ontiguous areas to use American LNG. There's a solution.
▶ 1:07:51And this is why I'm co-leading HR 3167, the Non-ontinuous Energy Relief and Access Act of 2025 with President Commissioner Hernandez to open American LG markets to non-ontiguous areas of the United States. America LG vessels will not be on the water for another 8 years. We cannot afford to wait that long while the military buildup on Guam is happening right now.
▶ 1:08:20Addressing the lack of LG in Guam should be the starting point for tracking a host of shipping challenges caused by the Jones Act. Together with Congressman Casease of Hawaii, we have introduced HR665, the Non-ontinuous Shipping Competition Act, HR 666, the Non-ontinuous Shipping Reasonable Rate Act, and HR667, Non-ontinuous Shipping Relief Act.
▶ 1:08:47This slate of bills lowers shipping costs, improves reliability, and makes our supply chains resilient. Mr. Chairman, Guam has been advocating for these issues for years, and an increasingly strategic part of the United States. Guam needs the resources to grow and develop while ensuring affordability is not lost in that effort.
▶ 1:09:08I want to thank you for your leadership on the committee and I'm looking forward to working with you to address these critical issues impacting everyday Americans in all corners of the United States. I yield
▶ 1:09:22Thank you, Representative Moland. And now I hear from the great state of Ohio and Representative Captor.
▶ 1:09:29Thank you, Chairman Taylor and Ranking Member Larson. It's a great pleasure to be re with you. I represent the largest watershed uh in the entire Great Lakes in western Ohio uh Ohio's ninth district along Lake Erie from Defiance through Toledo to Sunduski and surrounding rural counties across Ohio's northwest quadrant. These are port communities, manufacturing and agricultural communities, both urban and rural.
▶ 1:09:56And for us, transportation infrastructure is not an abstract. It determines whether freight moves, whether multimotal tra um transport is available so workers can get to their jobs safely, and whether our region can compete and prosper against penny wage foreign industrial competition. And frankly, coastal competition from our Atlantic, Pacific, and Gulf Coasts.
▶ 1:10:19Critical discretionary grant programs like RAYS are designed to ensure midsize cities and rural communities can compete for infrastructure investments that would otherwise be out of reach. Funded by Congress, these great opportunities are awarded through competitive merit-based processes. But since May of 2025, serious concerns have emerged about how the raise program is being executed after awards were already announced.
▶ 1:10:45In Toledo, for example, delayed raise fundings has adversely impacted development with rising costs impacting projects for freight movement, rail, port access, safety, and multimodal connectivity. For example, the reconnect junction and downtown communities project was awarded $20 million in the raise program to safely reconnect neighborhoods divided by interstate infrastructure. Yet, it has been placed on hold.
▶ 1:11:12Once a project is competitively selected, it ought to be awarded. And therefore, I urge the committee to continue its oversight of raise implementation, including the status of unobligated awards and the reasons for these administrative delays. I want to go through several specific issues in addition that are important to us in terms of infra in infrastructure priorities.
▶ 1:11:35Asking the committee to address the plight of midsize city airport service which has lost significant business to gigantic hubs. We have to find solutions for medium-sized cities. Also, our Great Lakes region faces uh challenges with massive a massive overground volume shift with the opening of the $6 billion Gordy How Bridge uh in Canada that meets Detroit. In that vein, investment in the Great Lakes St.
▶ 1:12:04Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation may be a portal your committee can consider to meet these new complex multimmodal challenges along the I75 I90 corridors to catch the future all the way from Canada down to opening up shipments from the Miami Valley. I know that uh Chairman Taylor knows exactly where that is. Please let me support a strong word bill.
▶ 1:12:31Uh the Army Corps of Engineers does such a great job as well to meet our nation's needs for harbor maintenance, port development, flood control, and environmental restoration across our landlocked heartland. For those of us in Northwest Ohio, these challenges are not abstract. Communities in our district within the western Lake Erie Basin see firsthand how aging water and wastewater systems, eroding coastlines, and recurring flood risks affect our families.
▶ 1:12:58and we will be preparing several proposals dealing with critical infrastructure, reinforcing seaw walls, shoreline stabilization, other flood control elements while improving water quality, wildlife habitat, and recreational opportunities. And I respectfully urge the committee's careful consideration of these forthcoming requests in the word of bill. Finally, I implore your committee to please work on upgrading both passenger and freight rail service and freight rail safety across northern Ohio and Indiana.
▶ 1:13:29Many across our nation have seen troubling headlines in recent years about serious rail accidents. And boy, have we had them in Sanduski, in Fremont, and East Palestine, Ohio. And while these accidents drew headlines, and those are main lines, it is policy solutions that will help us to lessen the frequency of these incidents and protect the communities I represent.
▶ 1:13:50Serious consideration also should be given to extending Indiana's and Illinois's southshore line from Chicago uh through Indiana all the way eastward through Cleveland, Ohio in that northern corridor. Um, that's just a magnificent system that avoids the main line and all of the problems the main lines call us. So, finally, rail, federal highways, and federally dredge ports are the spine of our multim modal northern Ohio economy.
▶ 1:14:20I look forward to working with all of you. Thank you for receiving all these members. This bill is so important to our present and future. Thank you.
▶ 1:14:29Thank you, Representative Captor. We'll now hear from Representative Manion. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you to ranking member as well for holding today's hearing and giving me the opportunity to testify before you. I'd also like to thank my home state colleagues, Congressman Jerry Nadler, Congressman Pat Ryan, Congresswoman Laura Gillan for their hard work on this committee on behalf of New Yorkers.
▶ 1:14:51I represent the 22nd Congressional District, which includes the city of Udica and also the city of Syracuse, a city that I've lived in and loved my entire life. Syracuse and communities across central New York and the Mohawk Valley are expecting a real surge in population growth and economic activity driven in part by historic private sector investments like Micron Technologies decision to locate in our region.
▶ 1:15:18This is the largest private investment in the history of our country and continues the legacy of Central New York as it relates to innovation and research and technology. As our reason grows, federal infrastructure investments will be critical to ensuring our transportation networks can keep pace with growing demand and unlock the full potential of that economic One reason why Micron selected the region is because our of
▶ 1:15:49our extensive transportation systems along with our fantastic workforce, educational institutions, and the generation of clean energy. Traveling across the district, I've heard clearly from local leaders about the importance of cutting red tape so that projects can begin and be completed.
▶ 1:16:09Um, however, I've also heard of deep concerns about the reliability or lack thereof of federal infrastructure investment in meeting the challenge of moving people and goods efficiently. It is through that prism that we view the Trump administration's $30 million clawback of federal funding previously awarded to the city of Syracuse for the I81 corridor project.
▶ 1:16:35Like many other projects around this country, funding was terminated by the administration after being appropriated by Congress to support a project with strong bipartisan support and backing. I remind all of us that these dollars that were appropriated in a previous Congress came with a Republican majority.
▶ 1:17:00So, the reimagining of Interstate I 81 is one of the largest and most consequential infrastructure projects currently underway in the United States and extremely important to my region and my state. Yet, those dollars were stripped away, taking away the power of the purse from Congress.
▶ 1:17:20These funds were intended to rebuild aging roads, reconnect critical utilities, and restore opportunity in a community long divided by an elevated highway that cut through an AfricanAmerican neighborhood that was thriving in the late 50s and early 60s. Reversing decades of disinvestment required certainty, partnership, and followthrough.
▶ 1:17:44Abruptly withdrawing federal support undermines local planning efforts and erodess public trust that the federal government can be relied upon as a good partner to keep its commitments. It also sets a dangerous precedent that projects can unilaterally be terminated simply because they were signed into law by a previous administration or terminated for purely political purposes.
▶ 1:18:11As we discuss the future of these surface transportation programs, I also urge the committee to protect coste effective project labor agreements. When we invest billions of taxpayer dollars, we must ensure we are getting the best possible product. PLA projects protect that federal investment by ensuring that we have top-notch, highly skilled labor on the job, minimizing costly errors, and ensuring our infrastructure is built to last.
▶ 1:18:42As the members of this committee know, transportation is an extremely local issue. I urge you to reaffirm your commitment to projects like I1 and ensure that state and local flexibility is maintained to address the unique needs of communities across this country. I look forward to working with the committee to ensure federal transportation policy continues to reflect those values and I thank you again for the opportunity to appear before you today. I yield back.
▶ 1:19:11Gentleman yields. Chair recognizes my friend Representative Davis from North Carolina. Thank you so much, Mr. Chair. Um, and also to our ranking member for allowing me to come and speak about Eastern North Carolina, the issues that impact us. Since I entered Congress, my top priorities for highway infrastructure development include I 87, I 587, and I 42.
▶ 1:19:38These require federal funding and will help transform eastern North Carolina and prepare one of our nation's most economically distressed areas for a brighter and more prosperous future. I want to work with this committee to accomplish this and put the American dream back within reach for our Much of Eastern North Carolina is rural and has significant infrastructure Broadband will significantly enhance the lives of
▶ 1:20:08families and businesses across East North Carolina while also ensuring our healthc care system can continue operating. We cannot have a situation where our emergency services, first responders, and telecommunicators cannot contact each other due to a lack of broadband service on rural roads.
▶ 1:20:28I strongly desired to work with this committee to find ways to expand rural access and ensure rural infrastructure projects, factor in broadband needs in our local communities. An essential part of that deployment is ensuring that economic development grants are usable for those needs. Further, our local mayors and county officials need to be able to access these funds by simplifying the burdensome, overly complicated application process.
▶ 1:20:57And we must also not lose sight of an opportunity um to take care of our United States Coast Guard. Spanning the jurisdiction of three committees, the Coast Guard is a vital armed force that supports our armed services in safeguarding our national security in performing essential search and rescue operations.
▶ 1:21:21North Carolina's first congressional district is home of United States Coast Guard Base Elizabeth City, an installation that hosts an aviation logistics and technical training center along with over 2,000 active duty and civilian personnel. While towns and cities hosting installations all thrive uh to provide um most welcoming environments for our Coast Guard personnel.
▶ 1:21:48Only a select few have been named a great American defense community and that's including Elizabeth City which earned the title in 2024. But we cannot rest on our laurels infrastructure at Coast Guard base Elizabeth City and other installations.
▶ 1:22:04It's aging, which is why I supported the work of this committee to help pass the Coast Guard Reauthorization Act of 2025, which funds Coast Guard operations and makes critical investments in US build requirements, helping to bolster our domestic ship building industry, an essential part of northeastern North Carolina's economy.
▶ 1:22:25The legislation also includes a study on Coast Guard training facility infrastructure, including the training center, the Coast Guard base at Coast Guard base Elizabeth City to ensure that shoride and landbased facilities are meeting high standards beyond addressing top priorities for our Coast Guard. Other significant issues for eastern North Carolina include hurricanes, tropical storms, and flooding. I last testified before this committee uh for its members day hearing in April 18, 2023.
▶ 1:22:56Since then, North Carolina has experienced destructive impacts of Hurricane Helen. As you heard from my colleague earlier, we saw devastation across western North Carolina communities, homes, businesses, roads, and more washed away in the blink of an eye. We still have a long way to go in rebuilding after the hurricane, but North Carolinians have rebuilt before and we'll do it again.
▶ 1:23:21Hurricane Helen and the aftermath showed us that FEMA has an important role to play and there are important changes that need to be made. We need to move upstream and not downstream for solutions. That's why I'm proud to support and co-sponsor HR 4669, the FEMA act of 2025. I want to thank Chairman Graves, the ranking member for working together in a bipartisan way introducing this legislation. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
▶ 1:23:51And y I yield back.
▶ 1:23:53Gentleman yields back. Chair recognized M. Representative J Paulal. Five minutes. Thank you.
▶ 1:23:59Thank you, Chairman Eisel and Ranking Member Carson. Uh thank you for this opportunity to share the concerns of Washington State 7th Congressional District. I would like to raise three key priorities for the remainder of the 119th Congress. First, supporting our air traffic controller workforce. Second, reauthorization and robust funding for rail, ferry, and bridge infrastructure programs. And third, fighting the dissolution of the resilient Colombia basin agreement.
▶ 1:24:28First, this last year has laid bare how urgently investments are needed in the nation's air traffic controller workforce, both to achieve full staffing levels and to ensure their health and well-being. There are 25 certified professional controllers and two in training at the SeaTac airport tower. And as in many places across the country, it's simply not enough. These jobs are already incredibly stressful and demanding.
▶ 1:24:54And all of this is undermined and exacerbated by underst staffing and mandatory overtime. More than 41% of controllers nationwide work 10-hour days, 6 days a week. These are impossible conditions to do any job well, let alone one that is important for public safety.
▶ 1:25:12The 2024 FAA reauthorization bill did include many provisions aimed at improving controller hiring, training, and staffing to help reduce the strain on our controller workforce and reduce fatigue. However, as the FAA works to implement these provisions, the vast majority of the air traffic control facilities remain critically understaffed.
▶ 1:25:34I urge the committee to continue to address air traffic controller fatigue, reduce burdens on controllers in underststaffed air traffic controllers, address insufficient pay for those that are in the training pipeline, and prioritize the well-being of our aviation workforce. Second, ensuring strong infrastructure remains a top priority as the greater Seattle area continues to grow.
▶ 1:25:56Sound Transit has been the nation's largest recipient of lowinterest US infrastructure loans to build mass transit and is in the midst of the largest transit system expansion in the country. For over 30 years, the capital investment grant program has been the backbone of the federal government's commitment towards transit investment. This is true for Sound Transit's capital projects in my district in West Seattle and Ballard, which will soon enter the CIG pipeline.
▶ 1:26:25Investing in robust rail and transit infrastructure is essential to reducing congestion and improving traffic conditions in Seattle. In particular, as we prepare to host the 2026 World Cup, I strongly urge the committee to ensure our public transit agencies receive the necessary funding to meet the demands of our constituents, to prioritize programs that improve our rail system, and remove unnecessary restrictions that are limiting our funding.
▶ 1:26:53In addition, I urge you to increase support for bridge infrastructure improvements. In my district, Seattle's Ship Canal Bridge is a strong example of the need for federal bridge investments. Nearly 200,000 vehicles use the double-deck 12 lane bridge daily, and it's part of a major T1 freight route carrying over 45 million tons of freight per year. In 2022, the state closed parks under the bridge as chunks of concrete literally fell off of it.
▶ 1:27:22The nearby university bridge was stuck upright for two days due to mechanical issues. Investing in bridge funding in communities like ours that have bridges all over the district is absolutely critical to safety, earthquake resilience, and the regional economy in my district. I also urge the committee to support increased funding for the electric or lowemitting ferry pilot program. We're very proud in our state that we have the largest ferry system in the country and the second largest in the world.
▶ 1:27:52Locally, we say, you know, you're from here if a ferry is part of your commute. Fairies are essential across the Puet Sound. It's literally our highway for so many of our constituents. They transport residents to important medical appointments. Get people to jobs every day. Uh link affordable housing on the west side of the Puet Sound to job hubs on the east side. Promote tourism for small businesses, hotels, and restaurants. They are a critical way of our life.
▶ 1:28:22And yet, we know that the Washington State Fairies is also one of the biggest contributors of greenhouse gas emissions and needs modernization. So, we want to support Washington State Fair's effort to rebuild and modernize the ferry fleet by transitioning to hybrid electric power. Finally, and quickly, I urge the committee to fight the June 2025 dissolution of the resilient Columbia Basin agreement between the federal government, including the Army Corps tribes and states of Washington and Oregon for the management and restoration of the Columbia River basin.
▶ 1:28:52This is a historic agreement that ended a decadesl long legal fight and addressed both environmental protections and critical energy needs for the region. I thank you for your attention and I yield back.
▶ 1:29:04Gentle lady yields back. Chair recognizes Representative Garcia for her five minutes.
▶ 1:29:10Thank you, Mr. chairman, and thank you too to the ranking member and all the members of this committee for setting this opportunity for those of us who have projects that are dear to our hearts uh to be considered uh during your deliberations this year. I'm here today to speak for Houston and Texas 29th Congressional District. My district sits at the crossroads of global commerce, freight rail traffic, and recurring national disasters.
▶ 1:29:37In Houston, rail lines run through our neighborhoods, past our schools, and across our roads. And the scale of disruption is extraordinary. Texas 29 leads the nation for blocked railroad crossing incidents every year from 2021 to 2025. And each year, my district recorded at least twice twice as many block crossings at the next closest district in the country.
▶ 1:30:04In 2025 alone, we had 3,134 blocked crossing incidents. In the same five years, five people were killed and 15 were injured in grade crossing incidents. These are thousands of moments when communities in my district are stranded, streets frozen, traffic backed up, and emergency services delayed. These are not random numbers.
▶ 1:30:32These are children, workers, seniors, neighbors, and families who unfairly pay the price for unsafe rail crossings and unreliable infrastructure. One of those children was Serio Rodriguez, a 15year-old student who was tragically killed on his walk to Milby High School in my district when attempted to cross his tracks to get to school. In Texas, students who live within two miles of school do not receive bus service.
▶ 1:31:01And about 40% of the campuses of the Houston Independent School District are located next to rail crossings. So when our kids have to walk, but we fail to secure the crossings they use each day, we frankly have failed our children. We have failed in protecting them and making sure they can get safely to school.
▶ 1:31:21This is why I continue to push for my bill HR6790, the block, don't block our communities act or deblock to give the f federal railroad administration the authority to investigate repeated block crossings and enforce accountability on freight carriers that block intersections longer than 10 minutes. The bill is simple. It limits block crosses to 10 10 minutes except in emergencies.
▶ 1:31:50It requires the Federal Railroad Administration to investigate repeated incidents and gives the authority to penalize freight offenders. My real priorities also include federal support for great separations, real signal modernization, storm resilient, rail infrastructure, emergency access reliability, and rail safety education for communities living beside freight corridors.
▶ 1:32:17Now, that sounds like a lot, but every single one of these priorities will critically improve the life for my constituents and the greater Houston community. To begin, great separations are not optional in Houston. They they save lives. We've made progress locally.
▶ 1:32:34Texas created a 350 million grant program for great separations and and the city of Houston secured 10 million for a pedestrian bridge to to to address the safety issues at that high school where Sarah was killed. But local funding cannot solve the problems alone because it frankly is freight rail negligence that is the cause. We need federal leadership to match Houston's urgency. That brings me to disaster readiness.
▶ 1:33:03Houston is one of the most disasterprone regions in America. Our city sits on the Gulf Coast where hurricanes, tropical storms, and flash flood flooding are annual realities. Hurricane Harvey cost 125 billion dollar in damage, historic flooding, and submerged entire neighborhoods. I urge this committee to fund mitigation efforts like the G Galveastston Bay Area barrier system commonly known as the Ike Dyke to help build local infrastructure.
▶ 1:33:33In addition, our infrastructure must work during disasters. When a hurricane and flooding hit the neighborhoods, I represent families who who need clear routes, reliable emergency relief, access, and uninterrupted aid coming to affected communities. We need the help from FEMA. Any talk of eliminating FEMA for us would be nonsense.
▶ 1:33:55Instead, we see that the administration slashes FEMA's disaster workforce, and we really need it now as we really engage in many of these events. Houston doesn't have the privilege to look the other way. We need an efficient and effective FEMA, fully staffed, ready, and funded.
▶ 1:34:14So today I ask this committee to support my deblock bill, expand federal funding for great separations, real signal modernization, reinforce FEMA disaster workforce capacity, and critical investments like the Ike Dyke. My district doesn't need or have any time for pity. We need solutions, funding, and accountability and action. Thank you, and I yield back.
▶ 1:34:37Gentle lady yields back. Chair recognized Mr. Hagman for five minutes. Thank you, Chairman Eisel and Ranking Member Carson and members of the committee. I am grateful for the opportunity to testify before the committee on the importance of trucking in Wyoming and to highlight a few issues that I believe necessitate further congressional action. Despite Wyoming's rural nature, my state hosts a considerable amount of truck traffic and is a vital corridor for the flow of goods from America's heartland to communities across the nation.
▶ 1:35:08It is truly an understatement to say that a massive amount of essential resources and commodities, including affordable, reliable energy products and agricultural goods from Wyoming and beyond, are trucked across our highways every single day. Wyoming stretch of I80 alone sees an average daily traffic count of around 13,000 vehicles with trucks making up nearly 50%.
▶ 1:35:32This commercial traffic, in addition to supporting America's supply chains and powering the nation, brings in valuable revenue and forges connectivity for small businesses and communities throughout the state of Wyoming. While the significance of the trucking industry cannot be overstated, increased traffic poses its share of challenges.
▶ 1:35:51According to a study released in September 2025 by the Truck Safety Coalition based on 2023 per capita data, Wyoming ranks highest in fatal truck crashes with seven per 100,000 people.
▶ 1:36:07Data from the Wyoming Department of Transportation revealed that between 2018 and 2022, there were 4,16 total crashes involving commercial motor vehicles, with approximately 90% of these originating from outofstate drivers. Many of these accidents can be traced back to the treacherous nature of our roadways and the unpredictability of Wyoming's weather, which creates risk for even the most skilled CDL drivers.
▶ 1:36:34To that end, ensuring that we are limiting the issuance of CDLs to individuals who are properly vetted, trained, and prepared to react and respond in high-risisk situations is critical to maintaining safety on our roadways. One such prerequisite that should always remain uniform among CDL holders is the ability to be proficient in the English language and to place out of service those drivers who are not.
▶ 1:36:58Being able to read, write, and speak English proficiently is a fundamental safety matter that impacts everyone who travels on our roadways across Wyoming. We frequently utilize variable message signage that displays important warnings or instructions on drivers, including for high winds, winter road conditions, black ice, and accidents ahead. Failure to read and understand these messages can have disastrous consequences.
▶ 1:37:25While this proficiency standard has historically been under the case under pre-existing federal regulations, prior administrations have sought to loosen these practices and weaken enforcement, directly threatening the safety of American motorists. Fortunately, under President Trump and Secretary Duffy's leadership, this basic safety safety prerequisite along with consistent enforcement has been restored.
▶ 1:37:49It is essential, however, that we codify this pro progress to ensure these safety measures cannot be rolled back on the basis of political motivations, which is precisely why I co-introduced Connor's Law with Representative Dave Taylor. Also of importance is how current federal policy undermines economic opportunities for 18 to 20 yearear-old CDL holders.
▶ 1:38:12Under existing federal regulations, these drivers are permitted to operate in intrastate commerce, but are prohibited from doing so interstate. This regulatory requirement excludes a valuable segment of the driver community from regional supply chains, particularly for rural agricultural communities along state lines, while making it increasingly cumbersome to attract prospective drivers into this career field.
▶ 1:38:37Furthermore, these prohibitions can oftenimes make little sense as a qualified 18 to 20 year old driver in Wyoming can make a treacherous multiund mile trip across Wyoming in varying terrain, but is forbidden from hauling a shipment just a few miles across our six different state lines.
▶ 1:38:55To introduce this, I I to address this, I introduced the Route Act, which permits qualified 18 to 20 year old CDL holders the ability to operate in interstate commerce as long as they remain within 150 air miles of their normal work reporting location. My legislation seeks to take a measured approach to granting regulatory relief, supporting border communities, and bolstering regional supply chains, and helping to grow the next generation of professional drivers.
▶ 1:39:23Finally, with regard to service transportation reauthorization, I want to shift gears briefly to urge the committee to pri to prioritize flexibility for state and local communities to use highway dollars through formula funding while modernizing outdated bureaucratic restrictions that delay the completion of vital infrastructure projects. To wrap up, these are just a few Wyoming priorities that address safety, support supply chains, enable workforce development, and promote hard infrastructure.
▶ 1:39:50Once again, thank you for allowing me the opportunity to testify and I look forward to working with each of you on these matters.
▶ 1:39:57Gentle lady yields. Chair recognizes Representative Mullen for five minutes.
▶ 1:40:03Thank you, Mr. Chairman, ranking member. Thank you for the opportunity to testify about my priorities within the committee's jurisdiction. There is broad bipartisan agreement that we are in the midst of a severe housing crisis. At the same time, across the country, roughly acres of government-owned land, sit in transit-rich urban areas, prime locations for housing.
▶ 1:40:25Yet, local and state governments face regulatory barriers when they try to redevelop many of these parcels because they were previously acquired with federal dollars that have outd uh outdated strings attached to those dollars. To take just one example, in my district, a mostly vacant parking lot near a transit station which was purchased by our transportation agency decades ago with FHA funds.
▶ 1:40:49Uh it could be redeveloped into housing, but both the local agency and FHWA support this initiative, but FHWA does not currently have the authority to approve it. I'm proud to lead HR 3459, the Empty Lots to Housing Act, supported by several TNI committee members. This bipartisan effort would extend to FHWA the authority the Federal Transit Administration already has to allow local agencies to dispose of underutilized properties.
▶ 1:41:18I respectfully request that you include empty lots to housing uh in the upcoming surface transportation reauthorization. Second, I want to touch on a railroad uh safety issue, a major issue in my district. Each year, hundreds of Americans are killed or injured in accidents at railway crossings, underscoring the need for new cost-effective solutions to protect drivers, pedestrians, and rail workers. The gold standard for preventing collisions is full grade separation.
▶ 1:41:46While effective, these projects, as you know, are enormously expensive and slow to complete, leaving dangerous crossings unressed. In the meantime, new technologydriven approaches can offer a faster and more cost-effective path to improving safety.
▶ 1:42:00In my district along the San Francisco Bay, Cal Train has piloted a system that uses LAR cameras and AI to identify hazards at crossings in real time and alert engineers, dispatchers, and law law enforcement to potential threats, helping prevent collisions before they occur. implemented for just a few hundred,000. This pilot costs a fraction of the nearly $1 billion estimate for a grade separation at the same site and was deployed within months, not years.
▶ 1:42:30While tech-driven solutions are not a substitute for full grade separation, they can provide meaningful safety improvements in the meantime and where road reconstruction is out of reach. To that end, I respectfully request the inclusion of HR 3647, the study on AI for enhanced crossing safety act or the safe cross act to be included in the surface transportation reauthorization as well.
▶ 1:42:55This bill would study this cost-effective approach to rail crossing safety and identified ways to expand its adoption. Additionally, I would like to work with the committee to find ways to expand eligibility for existing rail safety grant programs to include such cost-effective approaches which can help stretch federal dollars further and save lives more quickly. Lastly, to switch gears yet again, as you know, ports rely on dredging projects to ensure shipping vessels can reach their facilities.
▶ 1:43:24However, some ports, including one in my district, have faced uncertainty around project timelines or outright delays. This disrupts supply chains and costs both ports and their customers hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars. This ultimately leads to higher prices for consumers. While ports rely heavily on these projects to operate, they are not always adequately consulted in the contract process, given adequate information, or promptly informed when there are delays.
▶ 1:43:53To address these issues, I am proud to co-lead HR6276, the Dredging Coordination Improvement Act, with Representative Mike Eel. This bipartisan bill would clarify how the Army Corps works with stakeholders in maintenance dredging projects by requiring it to consult with relevant stakeholders, prioritizing commercial and navigation dredging, require prompt communication with non-federal sponsors, and require transparency around capability numbers. I work closely with the court to develop this legislation.
▶ 1:44:23I believe these modest provisions will merely clarify what the core says should already be happening. This legislation is needed to ensure everyone is on the same page across districts. I respectfully request that you include the dredging coordination improvement act in the upcoming word for 2026. Thank you again uh to you and your staff for your work on these important issues over the next several months. With that, I yield back. Thank you, sir.
▶ 1:44:48Gentleman yields. Chair recognizes Representative Whitman for five minutes.
▶ 1:44:53Chairman Eel, Ranking Member Carson, thanks again for the opportunity today to present to you some of the issues that we are dealing with there in Virginia's first district. You know, we're blessed and we have magnificent natural resources, hundreds of miles of shoreline along the Chesapeake Bay. And for our communities, they are lifelines to local economies. Uh you take an example like the little Wakcomo River which is right there near the mouth of the Raphanic River as it excuse me the Ptoic River as it meets the Chesapeake Bay.
▶ 1:45:24Uh a critical place for local economy. It's connected to commercial fishermen to boers to our economy. It's an important part of of the history there, the culture of the economy. All those things play an important part in where the river finds itself today and its impact on the locality. For North umberland County, this is a lifeline. This is the way that that commercial watermen transact business. It's a way too that organizations, volunteer organizations.
▶ 1:45:53We have a group of volunteer citizens that answer distress calls from Boers. A group called Smith Point Sea Rescue. When a distress call goes out, they get there faster than the US Coast Guard can get there because the Coast Guard is that distance. The challenge for them is is that the inlet there at the Little Wakamako River is starting to shaw in. It's starting to to accumulate sediment. So on low tide, many times it's impossible for them to get out.
▶ 1:46:20If you're a waterman and you have to transact business, my my son is a commercial fisherman. his colleagues there in the area, if they have to transact business and try to get out during certain title conditions, they can't get out. That would be like getting in your car trying to go to work each day and not being able to go go to work because of th those conditions. It's incredibly important that we do this maintenance dredging. It's a fairly small project, but an incredibly important project for that region.
▶ 1:46:47So my ask is for the committee to make sure that we include that in the provisions in this year's uh transportation bill and word those things are incredibly important and while it seems little on the scale for a county like North umberland where massive parts of the economy are tied to the Chesapeake Bay this truly is about the success or failure of people that are answering the distress calls of voters about the the success or failure of people that rely on the border for their
▶ 1:47:17living. So my ask is a is a simple one, but one that's incredibly important for our region. And I look forward to continue to work with the committee to provide any additional information that you all need to make sure that we are able to get this simple but critically important project underway. Mr. Chairman, ranking member, thanks again and I appreciate your
▶ 1:47:39Gentleman yields. Chair recognized Representative Ruez for five minutes.
▶ 1:47:42Thank you, Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member, members of the committee. Thank you for the opportunity to speak today. Like millions of Americans, I would wager that everyone in this room has attended a major league baseball game, a football game, or a concert. Yet, currently, aviation safety doesn't uh uh consistently ensure their protection. That's why I'm proud to have introduced the Protecting Outdoor Concerts Act of 2025, common sense legislation to close that gap and keep people safe.
▶ 1:48:13Under current law, the Federal Aviation Administration already issues temporary flight restrictions, TFRs, around major sporting events like NFL games, Major League Baseball games, NCAA Division 1 football, and other large stadium sports events with a threshold of 30,000 people or more.
▶ 1:48:32These restrictions prevent manned aircraft and unmanned aircraft systems like drones flying in defined airspace around these venues 1 hour before until 1 hour after the event specifically to protect people on the ground and in the air. But here is the inconsistency, Mr. Chairman. That protection does not currently extend to outdoor concerts or music festivals, even when they draw the same or more people uh or even more than a soldout NFL game.
▶ 1:49:01Let me draw your attention to this graph. These are this is the threshold for those protections. These are sporting events. These are concerts. Taylor Swift a typical concert with 70,000 people. Taylor Swift record concert 96,000 people. Coachella stage coach uh weekend with 150,000 people. Yet these people are not protected by the law and safety.
▶ 1:49:26So under current law, lowi flying aircraft and drones are restricted during sporting events, but the same protections don't protections don't automatically apply when a stadium host a concert, leaving concert goers unprotected. This bill closes that gap.
▶ 1:49:42To put this in real terms, imagine a scenario where a major pop star, let's say Taylor Swift, were to perform at the same outdoor Kansas City Chiefs stadium where her fiance Travis Kelce just finished a game earlier that day. Okay. An NFL game in a stadium like this routinely draws 65 to 70,000 fans.
▶ 1:50:05and a soldout Taylor Swift concert can exceed 70,000 attendees with their most notable concert having 96,000 people in One might say the stadium is already in its Taylor's version era. Meaning tens of thousands of people could be gathered in the same venue under the same conditions but receive very different safety protections under current FAA rules.
▶ 1:50:31Under current rules, a crowd at the football games benefit from an FAA issued TFR with restricted airspace above them from an hour before kickoff until an hour after the game ends. But once the game is over and the field is turned over to a concert audience of 60,000 or more, the same amount of people or more, there is no guarantee that the same protection temporary flight protections apply to that crowd of concert goers, artists, staff, and nearby residents.
▶ 1:50:59Even though the risks from airborne threats like drones or low-flying aircrafts remain the same, this bill would correct that discrepancy so that concerts, festivals, and other large outdoor gatherings with 30,000 or more people receive the same baseline airspace protections that major sporting events do today. Why is this important to me?
▶ 1:51:20It is especially important in my district where annual events like the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and Stage Coach festivals attract hundreds of thousands of attendees over multiple weekends and currently lack a clear statutory pathway for FAA to issue these TFRs to protect my constituents and the concert goers in my district under uniform standards by directing the FAA a to
▶ 1:51:50issue or revise regulations for TFRs over qualifying outdoor concerts and festivals. This legislation enhances public safety and gives law enforcement and event organizers clear tools to secure the airspace and aligns with the treatment of these events with long-standing protections already afforded to major sporting events.
▶ 1:52:14I look forward to working with the committee, especially those Swifties that I see uh laughing very hard and the staff behind you uh to move this bill forward and to closing the safety gap for concert goers, workers, artists, and communities across our country. Thank you and I yield back.
▶ 1:52:32Gentleman yields. Chair recognizes Representative Gonzalez for five
▶ 1:52:38Thank you, Chairman Graves and Ranking Member Larson for holding today's member hearing. Um, as you prepare your agenda for the second session of the 119th Congress, I appreciate the opportunity to highlight two key issues affecting South Texas. Modernizing local drainage infrastructure and ongoing efforts to contra construct a sea water desalination plant in the Corpus Christi region.
▶ 1:53:01South Texas is disproportionately prone to severe flooding from heavy rainstorms and hurricanes due to our landscape and aging infrastructure. The Raymondville drain uh will improve our region's ability to withstand flooding by building new drainage channels, widening existing ones, and making additional improvements to approximately a 63mm drainage system from Edinburg, Texas in to all the way to the Laguna Madre on the coast.
▶ 1:53:29Over the last few years, South Texas has suffered multiple major floods that have cost our region hundreds of millions of dollars in damage. The completion of this project is critical to mitigating future floods and enhancing drainage capacity. It's also cost-effective in the long term will in the long term will save the federal government billions of dollars to prevent a widespread damage of the disaster of another disaster.
▶ 1:53:54For families I represent in the region, excessive rainfall and these dangerous floods have forced many to evacuate their homes and abandon their businesses while waiting to be rescued. For example, according to Noah, a devastating three-day flood flooding that we experienced uh last year resulted in a hundred million dollars in damage. This was just a short three-day slight flooding that we had. Congress must do more to effectively address the risk of severe flooding in communities like ours.
▶ 1:54:24There is a CR this therefore it's crucial that projects like the Raymondville drain continue to move forward. This was originally authorized in 1986. Boy, I was in high school when this was this was happening. So, uh that's a 30 38 years ago. I I urge both this committee and the Army Corps to stay focused on quickly completing projects like the Raymondville drain to ensure they don't lose momentum. Once the Raymondville drain is completed, it will substantially improve storm water management.
▶ 1:54:54and and I urge uh this this project uh the the insurance industry was in my office not too long ago asking me how can we derisk and and improve conditions so we don't have so we can continue selling uh policies in places like Texas and Florida and others well this is a project that if we don't invest in when we get a category three or four which will eventually come it will cost the government billions and billions of dollars for us to recover.
▶ 1:55:20Uh this reminds me of the levy in New Orleans before that storm that if it had been fixed at a at a at a you know at a drop a drop in a bucket price would have would have just uh prevented massive devastation that occurred in that region. So um it's it's an important project. It's something that we should be looking at from a national security perspective. Additionally, I want to talk about a desalination plant in the Corpus Christi region. Something that y'all might have read about recently.
▶ 1:55:48There is a massive water shortage in Noasis County, Corpus Christi, a a major um energy exporting port that we have there. We don't have the water to sustain a long-term u economic u vision in terms of energy and and just the sustain sustaining water for the population that lives there. It was recently in the on the front page of the Wall Street Journal. This is a major impact and a national security issue for the country.
▶ 1:56:17uh the city, the small community cannot sustain this type of investment. We need the federal government to step in. Uh for example, the city of Corpus Christi is currently facing a severe water shortage and is projected to hit a level of one water emergency by November of 2026. If this happens, Corpus Christi will be forced to enact a mandatory 25% cut across the board in municipal water uh use, which will be devastating to the area. But more than anything, I want to bring attention to the oil and gas.
▶ 1:56:46It's the largest oil and gas exporting port outside of Houston in the in the country and one in the world. It really requires the federal government to step in and fix this. We need we need potable water for the community and the population of Corpus and we also need the water resources to asssure we can continue to export energy to the world and sustain and sustain our economic viability for the region. I urge this committee to place play place close attention to these two um these two projects.
▶ 1:57:14one would save hundreds of billions of dollars in the event of a just a category three or four that will inevitably hit our state at some point in in the southern part of the state and then the other aspect is um is this energy exporting that will come to a halt and it will be devastating also to the people that live in Corpus Christi. So with that I yield back.
▶ 1:57:33Gentleman yields chair recognized representative Mosovich for five
▶ 1:57:37Uh thank you Mr. Chairman. I've come here today to talk to you about FEMA like I did last year on member day. Uh just to remind you, I was the director of emergency management for the state of Florida for Governor DeSantis, a Republican governor who appointed a Democrat to do the job because emergency management is nonpartisan and has always been nonpartisan.
▶ 1:57:59Uh I even met with the White House uh early on uh about the FEMA administrative position uh further proving my commitment to bipartisanship when it comes to FEMA. I thought the president was exactly right that FEMA needed reform. Uh there is no doubt that FEMA had become too bureaucratic, too slow, uh a giant grant agency a and not as focused on response uh as they were on the grant writing.
▶ 1:58:29They were doing grants for all of Homeland, well outside the purview. Uh and so I thought the idea of FEMA reform was important. I supported the president establishing the FEMA council. Uh I thought putting a council together to come up with ideas for reforms for Congress was a good idea. I was considered uh for the council in fact uh at the time. But since then uh Mr.
▶ 1:58:53Chairman what's happened uh with the council with the report and with FEMA is real bad. So the FEMA council had their last meeting. They put wanted to put together a report. The report was 160 pages long. It was going to include the fact that the council wanted to recommend to take FEMA out of homeland and make it an independent agency. Christine Gnome had that removed from the report by herself. She forced the council to support that.
▶ 1:59:20Not only that, she took the report that was 160 pages and did not submit that to the White House. She took that and made it a 20page report and took a lot of the recommendations out from the council and submitted that to the White House. You'll notice the report has still not come out. Why has the report not come out? Because the White House has paused that report. The White House is the one who also paused her last meeting that she was supposed to chair. Because of what Christine Gnome has done with the council.
▶ 1:59:49Now, I I would profer to you that Christine Gnome's not even in charge of what's going on with this. There are other people, SGEs, that are the ones running this program. Um, I don't know if you're aware of this, but secretly they tried to move FEMA to Texas, uh, with little oversight. White House became aware of that. Uh, they also now have a secret memo to fold FEMA into homeland without congressional approval. I'm getting that from within the department.
▶ 2:00:20Um, take the state of Florida for a second. We're owed $68 million on alligator Acatraz. Remember that alligator Acatraz President Trump went and visited. The state of Florida has gotten 0 in reimbursement even though it was approved. The state of Florida has owed $2 billion still from federally declared disasters, presidentially approved disasters. None of that money has come. None of it. Florida's not the only one.
▶ 2:00:49All of your states are having the same problem. Now, why are we having this problem? Secretary Gnome set a policy that anything over $100,000 has to come to her desk. Why? Why set that policy? Why? I'll tell you why. Because there are grifters within the department that are making money off of that. They want to know where the money is going. And then what they're doing is they're forcing states to hire certain lobbying firms to get that money out of the department.
▶ 2:01:19There is dramatic criminal activity going on there. This is somewhat well known, by the way, in the emergency management circles, in state circles, in governor's offices. This is well known throughout DC, but no one no one seems to talk about it. FEMA is approaching, in my opinion, to the point that it may become unfixable.
▶ 2:01:41What the president set out and was right to do, which was to reform FEMA, what the secretary has allowed to happen on her watch is the destruction of FEMA. And that will come, in my opinion, that will come at the cost to red states more than blue states. It will come at the cost of poorer states than rich states. It will come at the cost of rural Americans, farmers.
▶ 2:02:07It will come at the cost of people that put them in power. And so, Mr. Chairman, as I conclude, I am deeply worried about what's going on at FEMA. And I ask again that this committee and homeland take a larger role on saving what we know uh of FEMA. Thank you and I yield back.
▶ 2:02:33Gentleman yields back. Chair recognized Representative Case for five minutes.
▶ 2:02:41Thank you chair, ranking member, members of the committee. and I really appreciate the opportunity to share my priorities for matters under your committee's jurisdiction for the remainder of the 119th Congress. Today, I especially ask for your continued support of the US Coast Guard, especially in terms of its critical role in the Indoacific. Now, my home state, of course, as an ocean state relies heavily on and has benefited greatly from the presence of the Coast Guard.
▶ 2:03:07We fully appreciate the Coast Guard's direct support of Hawaii residents through its district Oceanania headquarters in Honolulu in performance of its statutory missions like search and rescue and maritime environmental protection. But today, I would like to especially highlight the Coast Guard's indispensable role for our country beyond Hawaii throughout the broader Pacific. Of course, the Pacific Islands region has long held critical importance to our country on a number of fronts.
▶ 2:03:35However, I think we can all recognize that our engagement has suffered from cycles of insufficient focus, attention, and presence. A situation the People's Republic of China and its friends have been only too willing to exploit. And this, of course, includes the PRC's own quote unquote Coast Guard, which falls under the People's Armed Police, a paramilitary force that reports to the PRC's Central Military Commission, as well as its maritime militia, also a projection of its armed forces.
▶ 2:04:06Our Coast Guard, in stark contrast, is uniquely positioned to advance our engagement, especially in face of rising tensions in the Indo Pacific region. The Coast Guard's expertise lends itself particularly to strengthening presence and partnerships, focusing on maritime law enforcement and addressing grayzone tactics through capacity building, joint patrols, and other means.
▶ 2:04:30In addition, the Coast Guard has a highly respected track record of assisting partner nations, especially the island nations of the Pacific with their real world challenges from maritime domain awareness, exclusive economic zone and fisheries protection, including through joint shipwriter agreements, high seas fisheries treaty treaty enforcement, transnational law enforcement, search and rescue, and humanitarian aid.
▶ 2:04:55For all of these reasons, the White Halls of the Coast Guard are widely accepted and welcomed throughout the Indo-Pacific, and leaders in the region have consistently requested a larger Coast Guard present presence. Yet, despite its current and especially potential contributions to our Indopacific engagement, the reality is that the Coast Guard does not have today the full suite of authorities and resources to conduct this expanding mission.
▶ 2:05:23As one response, to enhance the Coast Guard's role, Congressman Trent Kelly and I introduced bipartisan HR 3397, the Pacific Ready Coast Guard Act. Our bill would help our Coast Guard transform into one that is fully prepared to take on the unique challenges and opportunities that the Pacific region poses in this Pacific century. Specifically, it would establish a Coast Guard center of expertise in Indoacific maritime governance.
▶ 2:05:51Its mission would be to work with partner nations to provide and facilitate education and research on maritime governance best practices, including how to build critical regional state capacity. Additionally, our bill would also require the Coast Guard to issue an annual plan for its operations in the Indo Pacific, evaluate the feasibility of a standing IndoPacific maritime group to conduct humanitarian and law enforcement missions in the Indoacific, review the feasibility of establishing more forward operating
▶ 2:06:22bases in the Pacific, and advise on expanding Coast Guard ates positions in US embassies in the region. Thanks to bipartisan support of our bill, the provision requiring the Coast Guard to issue an annual plan for Indopac Pacific operations was signed into law with the fiscal year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act after its inclusion in the Coast Guard Authorization Act.
▶ 2:06:47The Pacific Ready Coastg Guard Act will further focus on specific areas where Coast Guard operations and resources in the Indo Pacific should be updated and expanded to match the Coast Guard's expanded mission and to fully realize its potential contributions to our increased engagement throughout this critical region.
▶ 2:07:06I asked for the committee's continued consideration and support of our me measure and sincerely appreciate the committee's consideration not only of this bill but of all efforts to expand and improve the Coast Guard's presence in our critical Indepacific region. Mahalo.
▶ 2:07:25Gentleman yields. Chair recognizes Representative Rose for five minutes.
▶ 2:07:30Thank you, Congressman Eel. Thank you also to Chairman Graves and Raiking Member Larson for holding this member day hearing. The reauthorization of surface transportation programs strengthens both national and economic security. It also gives states the long-term certainty they need to plan and deliver important infrastructure projects.
▶ 2:07:51With the current authorization expiring later this year, it is imperative that we work to pass a surface transportation reauthorization that includes common sense policies such as emphasizing formulabased funding, increasing state flexibility while reducing administrative burdens, addressing redistribution challenges, and improving Build America by America execution. For Tennessans, funding certainty is a top priority.
▶ 2:08:19We can achieve this by prioritizing formuliabased transportation programs over discretionary grants. These funding formulas should be simple, transparent, and based on factors such as population and lane mileage. Reliable funding allows for consistent progress in safety improvements, economic growth, and modern modernization of our infrastructure. However, formulabased funding alone is not enough.
▶ 2:08:47State flexibility is equally important. Streamlining surface transportation program and consolidating duplicative programs will improve efficiency. States must have the ability to move funds across programs and split fund projects to meet their unique needs.
▶ 2:09:05Instead of creating new mandatory programs, we should expand existing program eligibilities to cover supply chain resilience, system security, intelligent transportation systems and workforce development. Additionally, states will have greater planning certainty by reducing August redistribution and maximizing formula dollars upfront.
▶ 2:09:28While the distribution the redistribution process helps ensure states can obligate all available funds before the fiscal year ends, it often requires state transportation departments to commit billions of dollars in a single month. In some cases up to 7.9 billion, making strategic planning difficult.
▶ 2:09:49By minimizing redistribution, front-loading formula funding, and adopting a 4-year obligation window with flexible transfer options, states can manage resources more efficiently and make smarter long-term investments. Next, administrative burdens must be reduced. Enforcing one federal decision principles will accelerate project delivery and reduce unnecessary delays.
▶ 2:10:16Standardizing NEPA requirements across transportation agencies and expanding federal authority assignments to capable states will further streamline processes. Federal agencies should interpret legislative intent with deference to state departments of transportation recognizing their on the ground expertise and their local insight.
▶ 2:10:38Finally, improvements to build America by American execution can need uh are needed to prevent project delays. Streamlining the rules, simplifying waiver procedures, and enhancing transparency in waiver reviews will bring greater consistency. Creating a centralized database of compliant materials and approved waivers will give states clarity and confidence as they manage fally funded projects.
▶ 2:11:06Together, these reforms will provide the certainty, flexibility, and efficiency needed to strengthen America's transportation network and empower states to deliver infrastructure that supports safety, economic vitality, and long-term resilience. Thank you again for allowing me to speak today on surface transportation reauthorization priorities for Tennessans, and I look forward to passing a reauthorization that puts America first. Thank you.
▶ 2:11:34Gentleman yields. recognizes Representative Klein. 5 minutes.
▶ 2:11:38Thank you, Mr. Chairman, ranking member for holding this hearing about surface transportation reauthorization legislation and the important priorities that legislators are uh advocating for during their time. I represent a district, the sixth district of the Commonwealth of Virginia, uh that's in dire need of modernizing some of its aging infrastructure, especially as Virginia continues to welcome new businesses and increase tourism during America 250.
▶ 2:12:02Most notably for the region, I represent uh a large part of the corridor uh that includes Interstate 81, a road that stretches the entirety of my district from Frederick County in the north to Ronup County in the south. With this vital roadway spanning six states, over 300 miles of which are in Virginia, I've continuously worked for improvements to I 81 and have testified before this committee previously to advocate for federal dollars for its improvement.
▶ 2:12:26While local economies are becoming more dependent upon 81 to bring goods to and help create jobs for our region, the aging road has not kept up with the demands of users since it was first constructed over a half century ago. Originally built to accommodate only 15% truck traffic, I 81 now averages over 30% truck traffic and on the weekends it could uh even get above 50%.
▶ 2:12:47Additionally, there are nearly 2,000 crashes on 81 each year in Virginia with more than 25% involving heavy trucks and more than 45 significant crashes a year causing delays exceeding four hours. Current conditions are not only a frustration but a an economic uh an economic problem and a grave public safety concern. The Virginia General Assembly has recognized the need to invest in this vital roadway that passes through cities and small towns filled with aggraus, technology companies, manufacturers, tourist destinations, and more.
▶ 2:13:18In 2018, Virginia released the I 81 corridor improvement plan, which revealed what daily users know all too well. I 81 needs to be improved to meet growing demands. The Commonwealth's improvement plan found that more than one-third of trucks and over $300 billion in goods are transported along the corridor per year. The plan also highlighted that conditions along the corridor are expected to continue to degrade and by 2040 it's expected that there will be nearly 20 million truck trips carrying threearters of a trillion dollars worth of goods every year.
▶ 2:13:49The entire Virginia section of I 81 needs to be widened to three lanes along with interchange improvements to help address current and future traffic flows and vehicle and truck safety. Widening 81 provides several benefits, including reducing the likelihood of congestion by providing additional roadway capacity, decreasing clearance time of incidents and cra crashes by providing more space to clear wrecks and reducing the potential for collisions by allowing vehicles to maneuver safely.
▶ 2:14:14While I believe that the states are best positioned to allocate resources for projects to repair and restore our roadways, we must ensure that they get the federal funding that's appropriate for the repair and rebuilding of I81, the economic backbone of Western Virginia. That's why the reauthorization of programs such as the federal aid highway program, a state administered federally assisted program are so essential. Thank you again for the opportunity to appear appear before you today and I look forward to working with this committee as it moves forward with the surface transportation reauthorization and other legislation this year. Thank you.
▶ 2:14:44I yield back.
▶ 2:14:45Gentleman yields. Chair recognizes Representative Randall for five minutes.
▶ 2:14:52Thank you so much. Uh Mr. Chairman and ranking member also um special gratitude to Chairman Graves and um Mr. Larson for the opportunity to testify today. The bipartisan infrastructure law was crucial to advancing Washington state infrastructure projects. It boosted funding for fairies, invested in culvert removal projects, and improved community safety.
▶ 2:15:14I'd like to share some firsthand perspectives from folks in Washington 6th on why these landmark investments should be preserved and strengthened in the upcoming infrastructure reauthorization legislation. Last year, I launched the bipartisan congressional ferry caucus alongside representatives Begitch, Garamdi, and Malotakus. Yesterday, the caucus hosted a roundt with ferry operators from across the country as well as labor leaders to discuss the policies that ab are absolutely critical for Congress to include in the next reauthorization bill.
▶ 2:15:43I'm excited to share that in the coming days, the four co-chairs will be introducing the federal enhancement and revitalization of reliable infrastructure for essential seaways act or fairies act for short. The bipartisan bill significantly increases funding for the FTA passenger ferry grant program, the rural ferry grant program and the Federal Highway Administration's ferry boat program, and makes key changes to expand eligibility for ferry operators that serve both rural and urban communities. As a ferry writer myself, I know that our ferry system is in desperate need of improvements.
▶ 2:16:13When boats are taken off service routes, this creates significant challenges for the 20 million plus annual ferry commuters in Washington state. Routes as extensive as ours in Washington have complex needs, and these fixes will help all our ferry systems better compete for ferry funding and alleviate pressure across currently overs subscribed programs. I hear from my neighbors daily in the grocery store, at town halls, and even while enjoying a rainer and chili tots in the galley of the ferry about the need for a better ferry system.
▶ 2:16:40From daily work commutes and medical appointments to connecting with loved ones, my constituents rely on these boats every day. And that reliance is even more extreme in places like Alaska where there are fewer highway miles and only a boat or a plane can connect you. When a vessel goes out of service on the Burton Seattle run in my district, as it did recently, neighbors are left to rely on a single vessel for their commute, making daily life unnecessarily difficult for those living in Kitapp County and beyond.
▶ 2:17:07We need to significantly boost investments in ferry services across the country, and the fairies act is an important step in that direction. I'd argue it's also the bare minimum of what should be included in the upcoming surface transportation reauthorization bill. We should also boost funding for the electric ferry funding program, which will help revitalize our domestic ship building industry while creating good paying jobs across the country. Smart investments like these are not only about the environmental impact.
▶ 2:17:33They will save operations and maintenance dollars and futureproof vessels that could very well be in use for the next 50 years. I'm also concerned with making sure we have a robust workforce to support the ferry industry, which requires creative solutions. I'll take off my ferry caucus co-chair hat here and speak as a Washingtonian. Federal regulations require drug testing for some maritime employees in safety sensitive positions, including ferry workers.
▶ 2:17:56We could consider relaxing the rules around recreational marijuana use in states where it's legal, as long as it's not used on the job and outside a certain window before their shift. Right now, you could drug test positive for a month or longer um after using legal recreational marijuana in Washington and be unable to work as a ferry um operator. An equally important federal program for the Pacific Northwest is fish passage barrier replacement.
▶ 2:18:20As the ranking member Larsson knows well, Washington state is under a court order to remove poorly designed and poorly maintained coverts under stateowned roads. This has become an incredible financial burden on the state. The fish passage program created in the bipartisan infrastructure law were groundbreaking federal investments to help us improve our roadways and protect critical salmon populations that are essential to local tribes and ecosystems. And I'm not exaggerating when I say that this will impact the entirety of my district.
▶ 2:18:48I have a map here of Washington's 6th and every orange dot is the location of a Culvert project which as you can see covers the entire perimeter of the Olympic Peninsula which is why I urge you to reauthorize and increase funding for the bipartisan infrastructure laws covert investments. Finally, I want to share with you one specific transportation project vital to national security. My district has several military equities including Naval Base Kitsap, Naval Magazine Indian Island and the US Coast Guard Station Port Angeles.
▶ 2:19:16And there's a point where two state highways meet called Gorst. Both state highways are the only land-based routes to the Kitap Peninsula and experience traffic congestion, safety concern, sea level rise. While many of my Kitsap and Mason County constituents would love to see improvements because of traffic or a bad accident um or you know the impact of 14,000 folks from Puget Sound Naval Shipyard getting out of work. It's also vital to national security.
▶ 2:19:41When um our military need to move um move supplies or people in and out of um our naval installations, they need those roadways to be clear. And I urge this committee to um take up those investments. Thank you. And I yield back.
▶ 2:19:57Gentleoman yields. Chair recognized Representative Carter. Five minutes.
▶ 2:20:00Thank you, Mr. Chairman and Mr. Ranking member and members of the committee. Thank you for allowing me to testify today at the member day hearing so that I can discuss some very important matters that I hope the committee will prioritize for this Congress. The Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing Program is a fiscally responsible federal credit tool that supports housing affordability for American families and commercial investments for American jobs.
▶ 2:20:25Structured entirely as repayable loans, not grants, transit oriented development projects financed through the railroad rehabilitation and improvement financing program offers a smart way to expand housing and stimulate local economies. Currently, federal law restricts transitoriented development loans to projects within a half a mile radius of inner city rail stations.
▶ 2:20:47This traditional standard largely benefits older Northeast cities and excludes many US communities, particularly in the South and Midwest, where most US cities intentionally built their historic freight rail hubs modestly further from their downtowns.
▶ 2:21:02That's why I've introduced the Charge Investments Act, which is bipartisan legislation that brings muchneeded modernization to the railroad rehabilitation and improvement financing program by addressing outdated limitations that have largely excluded fast growing cities largely in the south and especially in Georgia by extending eligibility for transit oriented development projects to central business districts within a two-mile radius of inner city rail rail stations so long as they are served by dependable transit.
▶ 2:21:32This legislation acknowledges the unique urban design of southern cities where central business districts are often located at a distance from historical rail hubs. This policy change has important implications for housing development, commercial development located near transit is uniquely positioned to serve visitors, business travelers, and residents alike.
▶ 2:21:53They help maximize the value of transitoriented development projects by creating vibrant, accessible, and walkable neighborhoods that encourage both tourism and com commerce. Yet, in many cases, access to financing for such projects has been a limiting factor.
▶ 2:22:09The charge investments act preserves the fiscally responsible foundation of the re of the railroad rehabilitation and improvement financing program by maintaining loanbased financing and requiring at least 25% private or non-federal investment while expanding access to cities unintentionally left out due to outdated eligibility Transit oriented development projects create jobs.
▶ 2:22:35They revitalize underused urban areas and they drive long-term economic growth without expanding the federal deficit. In many cases, the federal government gets back four to five times its investment thanks to growth in construction, housing, hospitality, and retail. This bipartisan legislation represents exactly the kind of practical, fiscally sound policy that delivers real results for American communities.
▶ 2:23:00By modernizing the railroad rehabilitation and improvement financing program, the charge investments act will stimulate economic activity in rural towns and growing cities alike, ensuring some regions are not given preference over others. Thank you for your time and consideration of this important issue for my district, for my state, and for the country. I look forward to continuing to work with the committee to pass the Charge Investments Act which will bring significant benefits to our communities. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I yield back.
▶ 2:23:30Gentleman yields. Chair recognized Representative Rasin. Five minutes.
▶ 2:23:34Thank you very much, Chairman Graves. It's an honor to be here, Mr. Stanton. And also, I want to acknowledge Ranking Member Larson as well. It's a real honor. Um, as you draft the bipartisan surface transportation reauthorization bill, I humbly but fervently ask you to include HR2011, the bipartisan Sarah Dempic Langenamp Active Transportation Safety Act to promote roadway safety.
▶ 2:24:01The legislation is named in honor of my constituent Sarah Debank Langenamp. Sarah was a beloved wife to Dan, a mother to two wonderful boys, uh, Oliver and Axel, and an accomplished American diplomat who had just evacuated from Ukraine in the summer of 2022.
▶ 2:24:21And just after leaving that war zone, she was struck by a vehicle and killed while riding her bike to her kids school in my district in Bethesda, Maryland, near their home, just about a half an hour away from where we are right now. This catastrophe in the life of their family and our community is a small part of America's broader roadway safety crisis.
▶ 2:24:43Today in America, pedestrian deaths are almost the highest they've been in 40 years and a record number of over 1,160 American cyclists were killed on our roads in 2023. Sarah's death along with those of thousands of other Americans could have been prevented by building better pedestrian and cyclist safety features on roadways.
▶ 2:25:08To first address pedestrian cyclist safety, Congress established the transportation alternatives program as the primary federal source of funding for local cycling and walking projects. However, despite the obvious need and expressed demand for such funding, large portion portions of TAP funds go unclaimed every year because the program's requirements are simply too burdensome and red tape like for many, especially small, underserved, and rural communities.
▶ 2:25:39My common sense legislation will streamline the process by which local governments acquire federal funding to install safety measures for bicyclists and pedestrians on dangerous roadways. The Sarah Deb Langenamp active transportation act is at its core a public safety bill.
▶ 2:25:57It would expand the definition of highway safety improvement projects to include more cyclist and pedestrian safety features and it offers flexible financing to ensure small and rural communities can participate in the transportation alternatives program. It enables more communities to install life-saving roadway features that will reduce mortality rates on our roadways. The bill is bipartisan. It's biccameal.
▶ 2:26:25It's designed to help local governments address urgent transportation safety needs without significantly creating any new federal programs, any new federal regulations or any new federal spending. So, uh, we developed and worked out this straightforward legislative solution with technical assistance from the Federal Highway Administration.
▶ 2:26:50It features strong bipartisan support in both the House where I believe uh my colleague Mr. Fitzgerald from Wisconsin is planning to come and testify as well as well as in the Senate. It's endorsed by leading advocates for roadway safety across the country such as the Safe Roots Partnership. I want to thank Congressman Mike Thompson, uh my friend Congressman Brian Style, and Derek Van Orton for co-leading on this important legislation.
▶ 2:27:15I also would like to take a moment to recognize uh Dan Langenamp, Sarah's beloved husband who's with us today and Admiral Dirk Debink, Sarah's father from Wisconsin. Both men have become active inspirational champions for roadway safety, working non-stop to honor Sarah's blessed me memory and to save American lives. Thank you for hosting uh this hearing and for inviting our participation. Mr. Chairman, I yield back to you. Gentleman yields.
▶ 2:27:45Chair recognizes Representative Cohen for five
▶ 2:27:49Thank you. Feel like homecoming. It's good to be back. Thank you. Uh I served on this committee as you many of you know what you don't know entirely because I was here before y'all were like 20 years ago right down there. Uh and I enjoyed working across party lines to advance transportation policies, saves lives, expands opportunities, and strengthens communities. This trans this committee works in a bipartisan fashion. That's one of the great things about it. It's a little different than where we are in judiciary.
▶ 2:28:17As the committee works on this bill, I urge you to continue to build on the important advancements made by the once in a lifetime infrastructure investment act and jobs act, which I was proud to support and see passed. My district has secured more than half billion dollars through IIGJA funding, including just to name a few, nearly $400 million to replace the I-55 bridge through the bridge investment program. Funding to modernize the Memphis International Airport, raise grants that raise grants protect funding to safeguard the Memphis flood plane, safe streets and roads for all.
▶ 2:28:46Funding to redesign our most dangerous intersections, grant support to study new passenger rail connections, and millions more for broadband expansion and other critical investments across Tennessee. This just doesn't scratch the surface of what the IJ accomplished. But while building on these successes, the following bills are priorities that I ask you to consider. One is I reintroduce the complete streets act with representatives Aenclauss, espatus, and senator Marky in the Senate.
▶ 2:29:14Sure, states dedicate a portion of federal highway funding towards the creation of a complete streets program. While I appreciated the IGA's inclusion of 2.5% set aside, our bill pushes for a 5% set aside, which is desperately needed, especially in Memphis, which has the highest pedestrian fatality rate of any city in the United States.
▶ 2:29:33Secondly, I introduced the Don't Miss Your Flight Act with Representative Kustoff, who shares Shelby County with me, and Senators Duckworth and Blackburn, to improve surface transportation to and from airports by using existing funding to incentivize the inclusion of airport connection upgrades in nearby highway, commuter rail, and transit projects. This bill will especially impact uh Plow Boulevard, which is an entryway to the airport in Memphis. It leads into the Memphis airport and greatly benefit from improvements.
▶ 2:30:01is not the best introduction to the city and could be improved. Introduces Safe Streets and Roads for All Reauthorization and Improvement Act with Representatives Fitzpatrick and Garcia to reauthorize the Safe Streets and Roads for All program through fiscal year 2031. Also led a fiscal year 2026 appropriations letter with 55 members of Congress expressing support for that program and requesting full funding.
▶ 2:30:27With roadway fatalities still stubbornly high, this program must remain a cornerstone of federal safety policy. To address accessibility issues, I developed language with Representative Burchett, not Burchett, but Burchett to request a US government accountability office report to identify some of the major issues with disability, parking, placard, misuse, and accessibility. These are routine violations of accessible parking spaces that obstruct wheelchair users ability to enter and exit their vehicle and go about their daily lives.
▶ 2:30:55To build on the IJA included school, we included school bus safety provisions. I reintroduced the school bus safety act with Senator Duckworth to implement the National Transportation Safety Board recommendations to require seat belts and safety measures such as automatic braking and stability control and to establish a grant program to help school districts upgrade their buses.
▶ 2:31:15I'm planning to introduce the Stop Underrise Act 2.0 0 to build on the improvements that were included in that act by requiring rulemaking on on side underride guards, directing the study of prevalence of crashes involving front underride guards and reestablishing the advisory committee on underride protection to continue strengthening passenger rail entries.
▶ 2:31:35Federal State Partnership for Interstate Intercity Passenger Rail Reauthorization Act with Representative Titus and Schultton to reauthorize the federal state partnership for inter city passenger rail program and the corridor ID program with 75 billion between fiscal years 27 and 31. I'm a co-sponsor of Congressman Hank Johnson's bipartisan stronger communities through a better transit act to establish a federal operations funding program to help transit agencies better match service with demand.
▶ 2:32:03And lastly, I introduced two measures to improve the woeful dining offerings uh recently implemented by Amtrak. The train furtherance of outstanding onboard dining act train food act require Amtrak to report annually on its progress implementing the food and beverage working groups recommendations and justify any decision not to implement them if they don't and submit to GAO oversight on implementation status.
▶ 2:32:25The train establishment of appetizing table service act trains act to require Amtrak to maintain existing passenger friendly practice including space available access to traditional dining for coach passengers the ability to pre-order meals that meet dietary needs and meet USDA health healthy meal guidelines. I certainly appreciate your consideration of priorities many of which have been developed with my esteemed transportation infrastructure committee colleagues. I look forward to working with the committee to deliver a bill that meets the needs of Memphis and communities across the nation. Thank you. I miss you and I yield back.
▶ 2:32:56Gentlemen yields. Chair recognizes Representative Glozen Camp Perez for five minutes.
▶ 2:33:01Thank you. Uh Representative Eel and uh Rank Stanton very uh much appreciate uh your time and the opportunity to present today. Um I'd like to talk on a couple of my priorities around the word reauthorization as the committee begins uh its work on drafting. My district has the most number of ports west of the Mississippi of any other district in Congress. We're on the Columbia. It's integral to um you know our our logging communities, our our pulp and paper industries.
▶ 2:33:28Um and um that means that we rely on the Army Corps to do a solid job and and to communicate clearly. And this is a this is a critical thing. I in this authorization bill, I'm interested in exploring how the Army Corps measures waterborne commerce data when prioritizing navigation projects. The core prioritizes funding for maintenance and construction based on the tons of goods, but they don't include commercial fishing um weights within that consideration even though they collect it already.
▶ 2:33:57And so a lot of my smaller ports that are integral to having working waterfronts and continuing to have a natural resource economy um that's been generations deep uh they they have the data, they don't use it, and my ports lose out as a as part of that. We don't want to see our ports turn into t-shirt shops and tattoo parlors. We want to see access to a real um natural resource heritage economy.
▶ 2:34:22Uh and um so we'd love to see um as instructed in the uh 2022 word GAO released a report last year that recommends the core should assess whether to incorporate commercial fish data into tonnage for prioritizing project funding. In addition, I support the authorization for a turning basin uh navigation improvement in my district. Uh WRA 2020 authorized a feasibility study to re-evaluate the lower Columbia channel improvement project turning basin for efficiencies.
▶ 2:34:49Uh in partnerships with the ports of Clam and Long View, the core completed the feasibility study and received a favorable chief's report in September 2025. I support the project for navigation improvements and turning basins to maximize the efficiency. Um, outside of WERA, I wanted to bring up this other issue um that I'm not sure how many of you have heard about, but I have dealt with I've heard a lot of people in my community dealt with.
▶ 2:35:12Um, I cannot the rage and the confusion and the waste of one and precious life getting fake mailers from companies that purport to be representing the federal government on MVR and uh, DOT um, licenses. This is a huge time waste and it is torching public goodwill uh towards federal agencies.
▶ 2:35:34When these companies send mailers out, they make it inscrutable as to whether or not they're actually a government actor and they are nickel and dimming especially small businesses who don't have, you know, the compliance regulatory complex backing them up. Um this is a this is a really critical issue. It's a huge time waster.
▶ 2:35:52Um, and I would love to see some action taken that says that uh, particularly with these issues of MTV, MVR and GO DOT numbers, they need to be saying on their letters in a font not smaller than any other font used that they are not a government representative and that these files can be um, these can be filed for free on government websites. Um, so would love to see your support.
▶ 2:36:17This is a big issue for small businesses navigating the regulatory um labyrinth that is a real disadvantage to small actors and smaller businesses. Um and so so um you know often these are multi-million dollar businesses exploiting small family businesses. Um so the FMCSA needs to go after these companies and hold them accountable for preying on small business owners.
▶ 2:36:43Lastly, I spoke in front of the Energy and Commerce Committee about this issue last month, but I would be remiss if I didn't mention um uh I support a vehicle safety title out of surface transportation reauthorization um that includes the repair act. I was really excited to hear that ENC's recent consideration of this legislation and encourage your committee to support inclusion of a vehicle safety title in this that makes sure people have the right to fix their own stuff.
▶ 2:37:09Everybody's talking about affordability, but let's talk about reval um repowering the value of work. Um not being a society of consumers, but people who have agency. Um you know, when I visit shop classes saying like if you pay attention here, you are going to save tens of thousands of dollars. You're going to have an opportunity to be your own boss, to run a business, to be useful to your neighbors and communities, but that is predicated on the right to fix our own stuff.
▶ 2:37:33Um, so I wanted to thank you uh both for your time and your consideration and um you know I sincerely appreciate your consideration of this. Thank you so
▶ 2:37:43Gentle lady yields. Representative Biggs, you recognize five minutes.
▶ 2:37:50Thank you, Mr. Chairman and Ranking Member Stanton. Chairman Isel, thank you for having me today. I'm going to address three issues that matter deeply to the people of Arizona. First, restoring our state's authority to manage its own HOV uh lane rules. Number two, secure dedicated funding for Arizona section of the I1 project and advancing the energy and water infrastructure our state needs to stay competitive. All three of these point to the same principle.
▶ 2:38:20The federal government should empower states and ensure projects that deliver real value and not affect them negatively. For years, our state had the authority to decide what vehicles qualified for HOV lanes, a flexibility that mattered to commuters and helped ease congestion in the Phoenix metro area and Tucson area. Arizona's traffic patterns are not Washington's traffic patterns.
▶ 2:38:44Our state knows how to manage its own roads, but last September, the federal government allowed the key provision governing HOV authority to lapse, stripping Arizona and every other state of the flexibility overnight. And every time the federal government chips away at state authority, even in small ways, it adds up to a larger assault on federalism. President Trump and Secretary Duffy understand this. They've been working since day one to shrink the federal bureaucracy and return power to the states.
▶ 2:39:12And restoring Arizona's authority over its own HOV lanes is part of that effort, and it is exactly what the American people voted for when they elected a president committed to limited government. But restoring state authority is only half the equation. The other half is ensuring the federal government focuses on projects that actually matter, that strengthen our economy, improve safety, and deliver long-term value for taxpayers.
▶ 2:39:35And that takes me to the I11 project, which is about building a modern, safe, efficient highway corridor that Arizona families, truckers, and small business can rely on. I1 will finally connect Phoenix and Las Vegas, the two largest cities in this nation that still lack a direct interstate between each other. They would give Arizona the infrastructure we need to compete and grow in the decades ahead.
▶ 2:40:00I asked the committee to provide funding necessary to complete planning, design, and construction so we can finally get this project built. Its benefits are real and they will be immediate. A modern interstate built to current safety standards will reduce crashes and save lives on roads like US 93, which is one of the most hazardous roads in America.
▶ 2:40:19I 11 will strengthen Arizona's role as a logistics and trade hub, improving the movement of goods and people ac across the region, especially with when so much of the trucking that comes on I40 is coming from the ultra hub of Long Beach and LA. I1 will also reinforce Arizona's position as a true technology and semiconductor leader. A state building the chips and advanced technologies vital to America's economy and national security.
▶ 2:40:46By creating a modern, reliable corridor, I1 will support goodpaying jobs, attract private sector investment, and bring new economic opportunities to rural communities along the route. Arizona's already completed a tier one environmental impact statement and secured a federal record of decision establishing the corridor from Ngalas to Wikcinberg. The state has put tens of millions of dollars on the table for the next phase of work. Arizonans have waited long enough to modernize this and I encourage you to do that, include the funding for this.
▶ 2:41:16But Arizona's future also depends on reliable, affordable energy. Right now, our families pay some of the highest gas prices in the nation because we're tied to California's shrinking refinery capacity and its aggressive regulatory regime. And that dependence drives up costs for every commuter in the country. Um, that's why projects like the Western Gateway Pipeline matter.
▶ 2:41:36If fully built and operational, this pipeline would move refined fuels from Texas to Arizona and then further west, giving our state a stable, affordable supply of gasoline and diesel. It would reduce our dependence on California, lower energy costs for Arizona families, and strengthen the entire region's energy security. It's the kind of infrastructure that delivers real value without growing bureaucracy. And just as Arizona needs energy certainty, we also need water certainty. Long-term economic growth depends on securing stable, predictable water supplies.
▶ 2:42:07Desalination is one promising tool in that effort. And one proposal led by IDE Technologies would build a desal plant in Porto Pasco Seora and deliver water from the Sea of Cortez to the Phoenix area. The company estimates the project could provide Arizona with a reliable water supply for up to 100 years. We hope for support for this project from this committee to expedite building and expediting uh the permits necessary. We should evaluate these proposals carefully with potentials clear.
▶ 2:42:38So these are the the projects that I wanted to introduce to you and encourage you to go forward. And I would say chairman that gentleman next sitting to your left uh both uh literally and figuratively Mr. Stanton understands these projects and the necessity in Arizona. And I have a number of articles that if it's okay I would like to submit. Would you like me to read them to you sir or
▶ 2:43:03No please. Anything but that. Thank you. And now we will present those
▶ 2:43:09without objection.
▶ 2:43:10Thank you. Representative Flood that Thank you very much uh uh Congressman Biggs for addressing the uh those important issues uh particularly the HOV lane and I1. That's something that we can really work on in a bipartisan way because it is a very high priority for our state. Um and I will let you know uh and I think you know I've talked on the floor etc. Congressman Loa and I do have a bill bipartisan bill probably could be on suspension.
▶ 2:43:38Um we need the speaker to get it on the floor on dealing with the HOV lane decision-m at the state level. Uh so
▶ 2:43:47just want you to know it's it's ready to go as soon as it gets on the crowded suspension calendar. I I appreciate your work on these issues, uh, Mr. Stanton, and I will also nag at the leadership to bring that forward as quickly as possible. Thank you.
▶ 2:44:00You nag. I'm I'm shocked that, uh,
▶ 2:44:04advocate. Yes.
▶ 2:44:07Mr. Flood, it's all yours.
▶ 2:44:09Thank you, acting chairman and acting ranking member Stanton and all the members of the committee. I'm grateful for the opportunity to highlight an important project in Nebraska's first congressional district. Specifically, I would like to call your attention to the proposed Lincoln East Beltway. It's located in the capital city of Nebraska and is also located in Lancaster County, proud home to the University of Nebraska and most importantly where 300,000 Nebraskans live.
▶ 2:44:39The Lincoln East Beltway is a proposed new highway corridor on the east side of the Lincoln metro area, spanning 13 miles from the existing Lincoln South beltway to I80. This project involves the development of a four-lane divided freeway that would alleviate congestion, improve connectivity, support regional growth, improve safety in the Lincoln area.
▶ 2:45:01Recognized as a key transportation priority, the Lincoln East Beltway is included in the Lincoln Lancaster County 2050 comprehensive plan for corridor protection and is listed in the Metro Planning Organization 2025 2028 transportation improvement plan.
▶ 2:45:18On January 23rd, 2007, the city of Lincoln and Lancaster County entered into an agreement with the Nebraska DOT and the Federal Highway Administration to prepare a preliminary design and to file corridor protection plans for this beltway. The Nebraska Corridor Protection Statute provides an important tool for responsible planning.
▶ 2:45:39Since its inception, the city of Lincoln and the county have acquired approximately $4.1 million of rideaway through the corridor protection process, and the city and county are positioned to continue to protect the corridor as parcels become available for purchase. These transportation options are vital to keeping the city of Lincoln economically competitive, and physical transportation infrastructure is important, and it's integral.
▶ 2:46:05It's a component of the supply chain that supports our continued local, regional, and statewide growth in a competitive global economy. Now that the city of Lincoln's South Beltway is complete using almost entirely state dollars, uh, with some help thanks to Senator Fischer in the Senate, the Lincoln East Beltway remains the final uncompleted portion of the expressway system around the city.
▶ 2:46:29In anticipation of completing this project, Lincoln has invested millions of dollars in securing the East Beltway corridor for future development to ensure the continued economic growth. Federal investment is critical to realize the completion of this expressway. Once complete, it will see anywhere from 14,000 to 28,000 vehicles per day.
▶ 2:46:51The East Beltway will provide an alternate route to existing roads, reducing traffic congestion on major corridors such as US Highway 77, Nebraska Highway 6, and Nebraska Highway 2 by diverting through traffic, particularly heavy trough traffic, away from residential and commercial areas. The project will enhance daily commutes and reduce travel times and improve safety. It will alleviate congestion, provide Nebraskans better access to I80, and reduce traffic accidents.
▶ 2:47:20This project has been a vision for local leaders for 100 years. Lincoln is one of the last remaining cities in this country of its size that does not have a loop highway that encircles it. City, county, state, and federal leaders have all been working towards this. This is one of my top priorities.
▶ 2:47:41I'm working through the appropriations process and through the upcoming surface transportation reauthorization act direct to direct federal support to this priority transportation corridor in our capital city. I'll leave you with this. In any study, Lincoln, Nebraska is one of the best places to raise a family. It is an hub of industry, of education, of research. It's the capital city. It's home to uh our entire state government apparatus.
▶ 2:48:10and it's growing with good people. As people move into Omaha and they move into Lincoln, the one thing le Lincoln is missing is a loop around it. And when we have it, our economy thrives even more. Our safety improves and the quality of life for the people that call this community home improves. And we'd like a partnership with the federal government. With that, I thank you for the time, your attention, and I yield
▶ 2:48:37Thank you very much, uh, Representative Flood. Now moving on to Representative
▶ 2:48:43I want to begin by thanking Chairman Graves, Ranking Member Larson, uh to Miss King Hines, and Mr. Stanton for uh welcoming me to your committee. Um and and talk about water resources development act of 2026. For every American, we're represents one of the best federal opportunities to respond to protect our waterways and support clean water and healthy ecosystems in our communities. I'm proud to represent the 17th district of Illinois.
▶ 2:49:10I like to say that my district is on the west coast of Illinois because we're on the great Mississippi River. Um it's home to to John Deere and many farms and aggra businesses that rely on the Mississippi to move their goods quickly and efficiently into the global market. The Army Corps of Engineers and local communities along the river work hand inand to maintain and upgrade the locks and dams as well as other essential infrastructure.
▶ 2:49:39Essential considering that much of this infrastructure dates back to the 1940s. Last year, I joined my fellow colleagues uh Congresswoman Bedzinski and senators Baldwin, Duckworth, Durban, Clolobachar, and Smith in submitting a funding request for the navigational ecosystem sustainability program or NESP to the appropriations committee. I was proud to see the program funded at $18 million in the drafted energy and water appropriations bill.
▶ 2:50:09My district is home to dozens of drinking water and wastewater agencies that serve the people of central and northwestern Illinois. These agencies are in desperate need of funding to support necessary upgrades and repairs to serve the people. For this reason, I'm pleased that the committee will accept environmental infrastructure requests uh for WA. The need for these critical authorizations, especially in rural small hometowns, is clear.
▶ 2:50:36For example, South Peak in Illinois, a village in my district with a population less than 1,000, received an EPA violation due to dangerous levels of manganesees in their water. High manganese exposure and drinking water is linked to cognitive impairments and behavioral problems in babies and children. The village must construct a manganese filter plant to address the contamination, which will cost more than $18 million in a town less than a thousand.
▶ 2:51:05They can't absorb the costs without financial support. Otherwise, utility bills will go up by $52 a month. In Rock Island, the Big Island River Conservancy District must replace a levy gatewall in Culvert, which is at the brink of disaster, a failing. To this day, the Army Corps uses this levy system to train its incoming personnel.
▶ 2:51:30With a population of less than 300, this tiny little jurisdiction does not have the op option of taxing themselves out of the situation. Should the levy fail, the consequences will be devastating. Their homes in the nearby village of Milin, where emergency services for the region are located, will be underwater.
▶ 2:51:53Where do authorizations ensure these critical high priority projects are strategically well positioned to receive federal funding in the future? I encourage this great committee to prioritize these important projects and I look forward to submitting these as well as other worthy projects for immediate consideration. I appreciate the opportunity to testify here today before the committee on matters that directly affect my neighbors in Illinois 17. I yield back.
▶ 2:52:25Thank you, Representative Sorenson. Moving on to Representative Simon.
▶ 2:52:31Thank you. Thank you, Chair Graves and Ranking Member Larson and all the members here to hear us out today. Six months ago, I shared with this committee my experiences as a transit dependent woman and how they shaped my commitment to safe, accessible, and affordable public transportation. For millions of Americans, public transportation is not optional. It's how we get to work, to school, to medical care, and back home again.
▶ 2:53:02Transit as a woman with low vision born with cognitive low vision shaped my life. I didn't never driven a car. This is why I care so deeply about making transit public transit throughout the country safe and reliable for every writer.
▶ 2:53:22During my time as an elected member of Bay Area Rapid Transit Board of Directors, writer and operating operator safety was always my concrete and top It was this focus on safety that led me to create and champion the first of its kind, the first in the nation transit ambassador program for any railway, a visible unarmed worker presence to deter low-level incidents and to deescalate
▶ 2:53:55excuse me, quality of life uh low crime situations. Transit ambassadors are a cost-effective way to protect operations, reduce violence, and build rider confidence. The results speak for themselves. Last year, crime on Bay Area Rapid Transit dropped 17%.
▶ 2:54:17Violent crime dropped 23% even while ridership increased 2.6 million trips. Last spring, I rode from the 19th Street BART station to the Fruit Bell station in my congressional district to see the ambassadors in action. And writers told me that they felt safer because they can see someone who is there to help and not just arrest.
▶ 2:54:45That's why I recently introduced the rapid intervention and deterrence for enhanced writer or writer safety act. This bill would help transit agencies nationwide establish similar ambassador programs. To be clear, ambassadors do not replace transit police.
▶ 2:55:06They work alongside sworn officers, but staffing shortages are real and they mean officers cannot always respond quickly to non-emergency threats. Without dedicated engagement roles, minor issues can escalate, putting riders and operators at risk.
▶ 2:55:24I am proud this legislation has the support of unions and transit operators alike throughout the country, and I would urge this committee to include the writer safety act in your upcoming surface transportation reauthorization. And I'll yield back.
▶ 2:55:44Thank you, Representative Simon. Thank you. Good, good stuff.
▶ 2:55:49Haloha. Moving on to Rep. Takuda.
▶ 2:55:53Aloha. Mahalo, Congresswoman King Hines, Congresswoman Congressman Stanton for presiding over today's member day hearing. I represent Hawaii's second congressional district, the entire Hawaiian archipelago. From Hawaii Island to Kauaii and everything in between. Transportation is not a convenience. It's a lifeline for rural communities like ours. Multimodal transportation systems, air, ferry, marine, and surface are the gateways to what is possible.
▶ 2:56:24When they work, people can reach the doctor, students can get to school, businesses can move goods from one place to another, and families can stay connected. But when they fail, opportunity shuts down. Transportation challenges in Hawaii aren't about shaving minutes off of a commute. They determine whether a kapuna can make a medical appointment, whether food, fuel, and medicine arrive on time, and whether people are stranded with no way in or out.
▶ 2:56:50And that's why I continue to push to strengthen the essential air service program. You know, earlier this year, uh earlier last year, the carrier serving all four of Hawaii's EAS routes grounded its entire fleet without warning for weeks. Overnight, Lanai, Hana, Camoella, and Kalpa were cut off. No flights, no backup, no aircrafts, no answers. The consequences for our communities there were almost immediate.
▶ 2:57:17Missed medical care, lost jobs, delayed government services, people putting children on fishing boats to get to the emergency room, residents literally stranded on their islands with no alternative transportation. And Hawaii is not unique in these types of situations. Rural communities across the country face the same risks when EAS carriers fail to plan for disruptions.
▶ 2:57:39That's why I introduced the bipartisan EAS reliability act to require contingency planning for non-weatherreated disruptions to essential air services. It's a common sense fix. No program expansion, no new funding. This bill would improve accountability, reliability, and ensure that the federal investment in EAS delivers on the promise of connectivity for rural communities, this connectivity that they rely on.
▶ 2:58:06And I would like to thank Congresswoman King King Hines, Congressman Begitch, um, for co-leading on this legislation and for being members of this committee. Thank you for the collaboration and the support. We all know what it's like to live in rural island communities. You know, last month we submitted a letter to the TNI committee leadership highlighting the importance of the EAS reliability act and requesting its consideration in an upcoming markup. That letter is included in my written testimony.
▶ 2:58:36I respectfully ask the committee to take up our bill to improve the reliability of EAS for rural and remote communities across the country. I also wanted to highlight two priorities for the surface transportation reauthorization bill. First, we must fix the ferry service for rural communities program. Hawaii is a non-ontiguous island state with no connecting roads. Yet, current eligibility rules make it nearly impossible for us to participate.
▶ 2:59:01Allowing local governments to apply directly in adjusting distance requirements would help rural island communities build inter island ferry service and create desperately needed redundancies to ensure access for all of our people. Second, I support establishing a Hawaii marine highway system modeled after Alaska. Hawaii and Alaska share isolation, reliance on marine transport, and severe consequences when these systems fail.
▶ 2:59:28Yet, only Alaska currently has parity in how federal aid highway funds can be used for marine highways. Hawaii deserves the same support. My proposal would bring par to Hawaii and allow federal highway funds to be used for inner island shipping infrastructure. Finally, I want to raise the issue of air traffic controller pay. Air traffic controllers create opportunity for all of us by making air travel safe, reliable, and possible, especially in a place like Hawaii where aviation is a lifeline.
▶ 2:59:58We owe them that same commitment. During the shutdown, I spoke with controllers across my state, and their biggest concern wasn't just the disruption. It was pay that no longer reflects the complexity of their work or the professionalism that it demands. Too many cannot afford to live where they serve. When pay falls behind, we risk losing talent and compromising safety.
▶ 3:00:20But when we get it right, we create opportunity for our controllers to care for their families, buy a home, and build a future in the communities that depend on them. Thank you again for your service, for all that you do. Mahalo for this opportunity to testify and I look forward to working with each and every one of you to ensure transportation systems truly serve rural and rec rural and remote communities like ours and keep doors of opportunity open.
▶ 3:00:47Thank you. I yield back.
▶ 3:00:49Thank you for that uh Representative Takuda. Moving on now to Representative
▶ 3:00:55First I want to thank you for spending the time here. uh an endless parade of our colleagues with an endless parade of needs for their district. The fact that you're doing very important work is demonstrated by the fact that we're all here and you'll have several more panels to go. I want to thank you for over the years providing money for transportation for the state of California.
▶ 3:01:21And my number one ask is that you fully fund the capital grant uh investment Um, I would request that we would enter for the record a uh uh position paper of the Los Angeles County Metro uh on your uh surface transportation authorization
▶ 3:01:42without obt I have e and for those of you who want to read it in color I have extra copies. First and foremost is the Sepulva pass. This is I think the most congested roadway in America. It is the freeway that is famous for conj for for congestion since Johnny Carson was making jokes about it.
▶ 3:02:08We're talking about 400,000 people going through that pass, a narrow pass through the Santa Monica Mountains. And we're talking about 59 hours per year of lost life. Not even lost life, hell on earth life being stuck in the in the Sepula Pass. And now we have the answer.
▶ 3:02:35The staff of the MTA will be presenting to the board a modification of its alternative five which provides for heavy rail that will carry the the full needs through that area. It will get from the South San Fernando Valley to UCLA in five minutes or from the orange line to the purple line in 10 minutes. This will get people out of their cars.
▶ 3:03:02And for those who don't use it, that person who is using it was the car in front of you on the freeway. You've been to LA. So, uh I want to thank you for including in your report $10 million toward uh this project, but obviously this is a huge national project, tens of billions of dollars. It will take years, but it will change Los Angeles.
▶ 3:03:32Second, we need funds to uh convert to light rail, the highly successful bus RA rap rapid transit system that you've provided for money in the past. The wrership exceeds expectations. That's why we need to upgrade from bus rapid transit to light rail. Third, I join with my colleagues from Los Angeles uh with regard to asking for help to deal with the transportation needs in advance of the Olympics.
▶ 3:04:02There will be 12 to 15 million ticket holders. This will be the most spectacular sporting event in the history of the country and it comes with transportation needs as does the parolympic games as well. And uh finally, my district includes the West Los Angeles uh Veterans Affairs campus, which has need for ADA buses uh and other transportation needs to get patients to uh this large hospital.
▶ 3:04:33So, I want to thank you uh for your time and take uh over a minute less than you've
▶ 3:04:40Thank you very much, Representative Sherman. as somebody who went to school at Lyola Marry Mount University. I'm very familiar with the SPOA pass. Uh moving on to Representative Frankle. Thank you. Good morning to uh our chair ranking member. I'm Lois Frankle from Palm Beach County and I'm here to bring attention to a local issue affecting my community in Palm Beach County, Florida.
▶ 3:05:06and I'm asking the committee for collaboration in working with the FAA to address this issue. Uh, as you probably all know, President Trump has a home at Mara Lago in the town of Palm Beach. Maybe some of you have been there. It's a beautiful place. Um, and he he often frequents it in the w in the winter months.
▶ 3:05:31He he comes in on weekends and the club he calls it a club is most it's closed usually late spring to early Uh and in in prior years uh understandably so when the president has been at Mara Lago there have been flight restrictions over the over the premises.
▶ 3:05:55But on October 20th, at the request of the US Secret Service, the FAA implemented a year-round 24-hour, one nautical milely zone around Mara Lago, regardless of whether the president is present. And we're not I'm not going to get into the reason for that.
▶ 3:06:19Um, but to accommodate the decision, the FA rerouted flight paths into and out of Palm Beach International Airport, shifting aircraft over neighborhoods that had not been previously previously impacted. And I brought you a a map to just to show you.
▶ 3:06:36Uh really since 1985, there was a uh the flight path actually was designated after an extensive environmental review which actually caused many neighbor many homes in in neighboring in in a neighboring area to actually been be demolished. But this is the old the old route between the yellow lines.
▶ 3:07:02And that yellow route uh impacted about 5,000 people and 2200 homes. The new route which is in this between the two red lines is now impacting about 11,000 homes, 21,000 residents along with schools, businesses, and planes are flying overhead as frequently as 90 seconds.
▶ 3:07:29And the you could understand the phones are going off the hook. The residents are reporting constant noise, increased air pollution, declining property values, and growing concerns about about delays and flight safety at Palm Beach International Airport. In just a short period of time, our airport at Palm Beach International has received hundreds of complaints.
▶ 3:07:53And you probably would be aware that in Florida, we live outdoors because uh and now uh because of these restrictions are in place, thousands of residents are living with disruption every single day. I mean really I went to an event outside and we had to stop really almost every every few minutes because of planes. Now nobody is is uh arguing with the fact that the protecting the president is essent essential.
▶ 3:08:21We actually believe that regardless of your your political uh persuasion uh and the question we have is does the security and quality of life have to be mutually exclusive? Is there a way to do both? Uh we know the Secret Service makes security requests. I'm not challenging the validity of their request. I have met with them in a classified briefing. That is really not the issue for me here.
▶ 3:08:50Although I'm going to explore with them whether there are other ways for them to pursue their security issue. The FAA, and this is why I'm here today, determines how the air bases managed. And my community is hoping that there's room to explore alternatives uh to ma maintain strong security while reducing the impact on the surrounding communities. I've had very friendly interaction with the Secret Service and the FAA.
▶ 3:09:18that is not an issue but uh and I've requested engagement with both of them and with our community and with our airport and really what I'm my ask for this uh committee is uh to expedite those conversation and encourage the FAA to work uh with us toward a fair and reasonable solution and uh I because my community if nothing else they deserve to know that they've been heard and that viable alternatives have been considered and hopefully
▶ 3:09:49will be adopted. And I thank you and I yield back.
▶ 3:09:56Thank you very much, Rep. Franco. Uh, the committee shall stand in recess subject to the call of the chair.
▶ 3:10:07I just wait. I can wait.
▶ 3:10:09Yeah, sure. Sure, sure.
▶ 3:20:29Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure will reconvene the previously recessed hearing. I now recognize Mr. Mullinar for five minutes. Go ahead, sir.
▶ 3:20:39Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Good to see you and the chair.
▶ 3:20:42Thank you.
▶ 3:20:42And uh I appreciate the opportunity and appreciate Chairman Graves uh for hosting this member day and providing me with the opportunity to address the committee. Um, I know the chairman is an avid aviation enthusiast as as uh are you. Um, and I know you appreciate the importance of infrastructure investment and modernization of airports.
▶ 3:21:06And as infrastructure ages, investments needed to ensure the safety of aviation and provide the best service possible to US travelers. The Gerald R. Ford International Airport, which sits in Representative Scolton's district, but services many of my constituents, has been making such investments by building new facilities and expanding to meet the ever growing demand of the region.
▶ 3:21:31However, one issue they have run into is the aging air traffic control tower, which was built in the 1960s and is the oldest tower among the nation's 75 busiest airports. While its age is impacting ATC operations, the current placement of the tower has also limited the scope of airport and improvement projects due to line of sight issues.
▶ 3:21:57To address these concerns, the airport has begun the process of designing a new tower. It's my s sincere hope, Mr. chairman that with this tower investment we can make GRR uh at least as good as uh the airport uh chairman Graves flies in and out of Tarquo and although we still miss the famed wing nuts but uh to that end I ask the committee continue to work to ensure that regional airports receive the financial
▶ 3:22:28support they need to upgrade aging infrastructure and to specifically keep GRR's tower in mind for any future Another project I'd like to highlight, Mr. Chairman, is the ongoing work FEMA is doing in my district in response to the 2020 catastrophic dam dam failures that caused over $190 million worth of damage across the region.
▶ 3:22:53The Midland Center for the Arts is a cultural and community hub in my district that suffered over $9 million in damage. To date, the center has secured FEMA funding to restore four of the five cent's buildings and is awaiting approval for the final building, the dome building. Representative McDonald Rivet and I have been in close communication with FEMA region 5 over the issue.
▶ 3:23:17And while it's moving in the right direction, I respectfully ask that you and your staff work with FEMA to expedite the release of funding for the final building so that this important community hub can be restored to its proper state. Lastly, Mr. Chairman, I want to highlight the Army Corps of Engineers Tidawasi River Watershed General Investigation Study. Currently, the study is on a three by3 contract.
▶ 3:23:44However, recent developments have revealed that the project needs more time and additional funding, prompting the community to seek a waiver to update the project to a 4x5 format. It's my understanding that this waiver is currently moving through the COR's chain of command and I would appreciate any effort you could make to support this waiver and push this project over the finish line.
▶ 3:24:08Thank you again uh to the committee and for the leadership you've demonstrated and uh for the investment you've made in this country's infrastructure and I appreciate the highlight opportunity to highlight these critical projects before uh your committee. Thank you and I yield back.
▶ 3:24:24Thank you. Gentleman yields back. Thank you, Mr. Molner. The chair now recognizes Miss Hayes for five minutes.
▶ 3:24:31Thank you. I appreciate the opportunity to speak for the House Transportation Infrastructure Committee to discuss some priorities of the fifth district of Connecticut. New England is characterized by historic mill and factory towns. And as the region shifts from manufacturing to new economies and the population grows, our aging infrastructure is buckling under this pressure. specifically our water infrastructure.
▶ 3:24:57On December 13th, 2025, just as Connecticut families were bracing for some of the coldest temperatures of the season, a high-pressure water mane failed in the city of Waterberry, the largest city in my district. The water mane break disrupted service to more than 60% of the city with the nearby towns of Wilkit and Watertown also affected. Over 100,000 people were left without running water for six days. Hospitals were instructed to cancel surgeries.
▶ 3:25:28Restaurants were forced to close ahead of the holiday season. And the Waterberry Public School System was closed for several days. With the help of the Connecticut National Guard and state and local partners, water distribution sites were set up across the city. After two weeks, repairs were completed at a cost of nearly $3 million. Days later, my district was faced with another water infrastructure crisis on Christmas Day. This time in Danbury, and 30,000 people were left without drinkable water.
▶ 3:25:58Once water was restored, residents were under a boil advisory to mitigate the risk of water contamination, again relying on water distribution sites across the city. Many of these cities have underground cast iron or clay pipes coupled with inoperable shut off valves. This vast underground network of aging pipes, gaskets, pumps, and valves is close to 100 years old. And you don't know there's a problem until you know there's a problem.
▶ 3:26:26But water infrastructure failure is not inevitable. Federal investments can help states acquire the resources to replace outdated pipes and other essential water infrastructure. As the committee works to develop priorities for the remainder of this Congress, I urge you to support critical programs that will allow states to address water infrastructure needs and bring these systems into the 21st century.
▶ 3:26:50In particular, the drinking water state revolving loan fund, the clean water state revolving fund, and programs supported by the water infrastructure finance and innovation act of 2014. Many of these programs were included in the infrastructure investments and jobs act of 2021 which delivered more than $50 billion to improve drinking water, wastewater, and storm water infrastructure across the country.
▶ 3:27:15But decades of disinvestment means that even more help is required as the committee prepares to develop the water resources development act or word of 2026. I urge the members to prioritize provisions that address flood mitigation and climate resilience. Extreme weather events in recent years underscore the need for investment in these programs.
▶ 3:27:38In August of 2024, during a microbo storm, municipalities in my district saw up to 12 to 15 inches of rainfall in just a few hours. Approximately 700 residents reported damage as a result of the storm.
▶ 3:27:56While FEMA funding was critical to helping towns recover, water infrastructure dollars, as included in previous water resource development legislation, would have made a meaningful difference for towns like Southbury, where the collapse of a local dam unleashed 80 million gallons of water into the town center. We do not have to wait until devastating storms, national disasters, or water infrastructure breakdowns occur.
▶ 3:28:21I know that my district is not the only place where water infrastructure needs to be updated or repaired. We can make federal investments in our community now before these crises occur. I urge this committee to prioritize water investments and push for inclusion of funding for all of the programs that I just listed in any further appro appropriations packages. I know that it is essential for my community because water is life.
▶ 3:28:50Thank you and I yield
▶ 3:28:54Thank you. Mr. New House is recognized for five
▶ 3:28:58Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, Mr. Ranking Member, as well as members of the committee for the opportunity to discuss several priorities that are important to the con my constituents in in central Washington state. This Congress has passed a significant number of priorities since the beginning of this Congress and has the opportunity to capitalize upon that and continue addressing some of the biggest challenges that face our nation. This includes issues that affect my home state of Washington.
▶ 3:29:26The first I'd like to speak to are the lower Snake River dams. These vital dams, which are operated by the US Army Corps of Engineers, can produce enough energy to power 700,000 homes annually. These dams help ensure the reliability of the Pacific Northwest power system, particularly during periods of high demand or emergencies. They also play a critical role in reducing transportation emissions.
▶ 3:29:52Between 50 and 60 million tons of cargo are transported by barge along the Columbia Snake River system each year, as well as roughly 40% of America's wheat. This infrastructure provides energy security for millions across the region and supports the agriculture, shipping, and tourism sectors.
▶ 3:30:14Despite the significance of the lower Snake River dams and the continuous work to improve fish passage rates, environmental groups for decades have have and continue to exploit the litigation system in pursuit of dam removal.
▶ 3:30:29In addition to litigation, these groups engaged with the Biden administration to produce a harmful agreement that included mandatory spillage operations, which reduced the efficacy of the dams and spent $1 billion in taxpayer dollars over the 10 years to engage in efforts to create a path to breaching these vital pieces of infrastructure.
▶ 3:30:51Thankfully, the Trump administration understands the importance of the dams and the president signed a memorandum revoking this revoking this Biden era agreement. This decision restores certainty for the many people and businesses that rely on these dams.
▶ 3:31:08To protect them from future harm, I have introduced HR2073, Defending Our Dams Act, which prohibits federal funds from being used in breaching, studying the breaching of, or altering the lower Snake River dams, and does not allow spillage operations on any of the dams unless such operations are approved by the Secretary of the Army and the administrator of the Bonavville Power Administration.
▶ 3:31:34My bill will protect against potential future efforts to remove the dams without congressional approval or reduce their efficacy. I welcome members of the committee to co-sponsor my bill uh to protect these dams and to secure our energy and economic future.
▶ 3:31:53The other issue that I'd like to see addressed is the harbor maintenance tax loophole for Canada and Mexico, which has allowed foreign shippers to circumvent USC ports and divert cargo to ports in Canada and Mexico to avoid paying the HMT.
▶ 3:32:11While the HMT is not the sole factor in importers cargo routing decisions, according to the Federal Maritime Commission, if Canada's HMT advantage alone were eliminated, up to half of the US containers coming into Canada's West Coast ports could revert to using US ports.
▶ 3:32:32In addition to the US Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund lost nearly $600 million in revenue over the last 10 years due to the $466 billion in imports that avoided the HMT by moving through either a Canadian or Mexican seapport before entering the United States. My bill HR 3363 addresses this issue by closing this loophole.
▶ 3:32:59I welcome committee members here today to co-sponsor my bill. It is time we address this loophole to strengthen USC ports and my legislation will ensure that this is accomplished. I want to thank you again for the opportunity to speak to the committee and the highlight and highlight the priorities of the people of central Washington. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
▶ 3:33:19Thank you, Mr. New House. And I recognize General Bergman for five minutes. Sir, go ahead at your Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and uh ranking member and members of the committee. Thank you for the opportunity to speak today. HR2011 carries the name Sarah Debink Langenamp and that name matters. Sarah was a young American whose life was taken far too soon.
▶ 3:33:50Her father, Admiral Dirk Debbing, is someone I had the honor of serving alongside when he was commander of the Navy Reserve and I was the commander of the Marine Corps Reserve. We both led men and women in uniform and we both understood that leadership comes with a solemn to protect life wherever we can.
▶ 3:34:16That obligation doesn't end when the uniform comes off. This bill is not about mandates or ideology. It is about using existing safety programs more effectively and giving states and local communities the flexibility to fix real known dangers on their roads, especially for pedestrians and cyclists.
▶ 3:34:42In rural places like northern Michigan and the upper peninsula where I live and represent, roads serve everyone at once. Drivers of vehicles large and small, walkers, cyclists, farm equipment, county trucks, whatever it happens to be. When infrastructure is disconnected or outdated, the risk is real and the consequences are serious.
▶ 3:35:05This bill allows states to address those risks by connecting existing infrastructure, relying on data and proven safety measures, and critically without creating new federal programs. I repeat, no new federal programs. From a conservative perspective, this legislation respects three principles. State and local control, fiscal and accountability measured in outcomes.
▶ 3:35:35Fewer deaths and fewer serious injur injuries. Honoring Sarah means more than just naming a bill. It means taking responsible action to help prevent another family from experiencing the same loss. Thank you. I look forward to working with the committee as this legislation moves forward.
▶ 3:35:56Mr. Stanton has a question.
▶ 3:35:58Just a comment. General did a great job and Congressman Raskin was here earlier testifying the same bill and he also did an outstanding job uh for advocating for this important safety bill. Thank you for bringing it to our attention.
▶ 3:36:09Well, you know, thanks for the comment because as a on another life as a pilot, a commercial airline pilot, safety first, safety second, safety third. Everything else pales by that. And that's that's one of the things we can do with this bill and not make the federal government um make him part of a solution by kind of okaying it and then step it back. Thank you.
▶ 3:36:35Thank you, sir. Mr. Cloud is now recognized for five minutes.
▶ 3:36:39Thank you, Chairman. I want to appreciate you all for being here and uh giving us the opportunity to testify to discuss things going on in our neck of the woods. Um I want to talk today about a critical Army Corps project within my district along the Gulf of America. And uh the it's important to my district obviously, but even more importantly, uh it's important to our national priorities when it comes to energy dominance.
▶ 3:37:08So I'm here today to discuss the additional authorization required for the Madagorta Ship Channel Improvement Project uh to address section 902 cost limits. The project was originally authorized for construction in the water resources and development act in 2020. During the pre-construction and engineering and design phase, the Army Corps identified a discrepancy between its PED calculations concerning the quantity of materials to be dread from the Madagor ship channel and the amount evaluated in the feasibility study.
▶ 3:37:38So this caused an issue. The Army Corps error in quantities is the sole reason for the project overruns that have exceeded the section 902 cost limits. This project could be under construction today if it not been for the error by the Army Corps and the need and the need for the additional authorizations. The deepening and widening of the Madagorta ship channel would not only produce over a billion dollars in economic growth, more than a thousand new jobs, but it also alleviates significant safety concerns.
▶ 3:38:04The ch channel is rated by the US Coast Guard as one of the most dangerous in the nation. Currently, the Madagorta ship channel is the shallowest and narrowest deep draft channel in the US and no improvements to the channel have been made since its construction in It serves as a gateway to world markets for Texas Mid Coast region. The port plays a vital role in supporting Texas chemical industries and building stable economic foundation for the region in Calhoun County specifically.
▶ 3:38:33Primary cargo loads handled at the port include chemicals, petrochemicals, crude oil, agricultural fertilizers and a whole lot more. The key part of this mix also includes a very high value chemicals produced by area industries and sold for export markets uh around the world.
▶ 3:38:49The channel improvement project will provide additional capacity support important increased domestic energy production and currently the army corps is preparing a post authorization change report and an SIS to document the change of the production cost. The packer scheduled to be completed by May 2026 here in a few months.
▶ 3:39:11In section 1223 of WARA in 2024, Congress stressed the importance of improving the Madagorta ship channel and directed that the uh improvements be expedited to overcome the significant delays this project has faced. It's critical that additional authorization be included in Ward of 2026 to make sure that this project gets moving and is not further delayed. I strongly encourage this committee to consider the the need to include this additional authorization and address the section 902 cost limit. and I appreciate the time to present
▶ 3:39:42Thank you very much.
▶ 3:39:43Thank you.
▶ 3:39:44Thank you. Gentleman yields back. Are there any further questions from any members of the committee who have not been recognized? Seeing none, that concludes our hearing for today. I'd like to thank each of the witnesses for your testimony. Committee now stands