    [House Hearing, 119 Congress]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]

                            COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION AND
                              INFRASTRUCTURE MEMBER DAY
    =======================================================================

                                    (119-20)

                                    HEARING

                                   BEFORE THE

                                  COMMITTEE ON
                       TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE
                            HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                        ONE HUNDRED NINETEENTH CONGRESS

                                 FIRST SESSION

                                   __________

                                  MAY 14, 2025

                                   __________

                           Printed for the use of the
                 Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

    [GRAPHIC NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

         Available online at: https://www.govinfo.gov/committee/house-
         transportation?path=/browsecommittee/chamber/house/committee/
                                 transportation

                                    __________

                       U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
    61-179 PDF                  WASHINGTON : 2025

    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                 COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE

      Sam Graves, Missouri, Chairman
     Rick Larsen, Washington, Ranking
                  Member
    Eleanor Holmes Norton,               Eric A. ``Rick'' Crawford,
      District of Columbia               Arkansas,
    Jerrold Nadler, New York               Vice Chairman
    Steve Cohen, Tennessee               Daniel Webster, Florida
    John Garamendi, California           Thomas Massie, Kentucky
    Henry C. ``Hank'' Johnson, Jr., Georgiaott Perry, Pennsylvania
    Andre Carson, Indiana                Brian Babin, Texas
    Dina Titus, Nevada                   David Rouzer, North Carolina
    Jared Huffman, California            Mike Bost, Illinois
    Julia Brownley, California           Doug LaMalfa, California
    Frederica S. Wilson, Florida         Bruce Westerman, Arkansas
    Mark DeSaulnier, California          Brian J. Mast, Florida
    Salud O. Carbajal, California        Pete Stauber, Minnesota
    Greg Stanton, Arizona                Tim Burchett, Tennessee
    Sharice Davids, Kansas               Dusty Johnson, South Dakota
    Jesus G. ``Chuy'' Garcia, Illinois   Jefferson Van Drew, New Jersey
    Chris Pappas, New Hampshire          Troy E. Nehls, Texas
    Seth Moulton, Massachusetts          Tracey Mann, Kansas
    Marilyn Strickland, Washington       Burgess Owens, Utah
    Patrick Ryan, New York               Eric Burlison, Missouri
    Val T. Hoyle, Oregon                 Mike Collins, Georgia
    Emilia Strong Sykes, Ohio,           Mike Ezell, Mississippi
      Vice Ranking Member                Kevin Kiley, California
    Hillary J. Scholten, Michigan        Vince Fong, California
    Valerie P. Foushee, North Carolina   Tony Wied, Wisconsin
    Christopher R. Deluzio, Pennsylvania Tom Barrett, Michigan
    Robert Garcia, California            Nicholas J. Begich III, Alaska
    Nellie Pou, New Jersey               Robert P. Bresnahan, Jr.,
    Kristen McDonald Rivet, Michigan     Pennsylvania
    Laura Friedman, California           Jeff Hurd, Colorado
    Laura Gillen, New York               Jefferson Shreve, Indiana
    Shomari Figures, Alabama             Addison P. McDowell, North
                                         Carolina
                                         David J. Taylor, Ohio
                                         Brad Knott, North Carolina
                                         Kimberlyn King-Hinds,
                                           Northern Mariana Islands
                                         Mike Kennedy, Utah
                                         Robert F. Onder, Jr., Missouri
                                         Jimmy Patronis, Florida

                                    CONTENTS

                                                                       Page

    Summary of Subject Matter........................................     v

                     STATEMENTS OF MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE

    Hon. Sam Graves, a Representative in Congress from the State of
      Missouri, and Chairman, Committee on Transportation and
      Infrastructure, opening statement..............................     1
        Prepared statement...........................................     2
    Hon. Rick Larsen, a Representative in Congress from the State of
      Washington, and Ranking Member, Committee on Transportation and
      Infrastructure, opening statement..............................     2
        Prepared statement...........................................     3

                                MEMBER TESTIMONY

    Hon. Maxwell Frost, a Representative in Congress from the State
      of Florida, oral statement.....................................     4
        Prepared statement...........................................     6
    Hon. Nick LaLota, a Representative in Congress from the State of
      New York, oral statement.......................................     8
        Prepared statement...........................................     9
    Hon. Maggie Goodlander, a Representative in Congress from the
      State of New Hampshire, oral statement.........................    10
        Prepared statement...........................................    12
    Hon. Rudy Yakym III, a Representative in Congress from the State
      of Indiana, oral statement.....................................    13
        Prepared statement...........................................    15
    Hon. Lateefah Simon, a Representative in Congress from the State
      of California, oral statement..................................    16
        Prepared statement...........................................    18
    Hon. Dave Min, a Representative in Congress from the State of
      California, oral statement.....................................    19
        Prepared statement...........................................    21
    Hon. Rashida Tlaib, a Representative in Congress from the State
      of Michigan, oral statement....................................    23
        Prepared statement...........................................    25
    Hon. Jennifer A. Kiggans, a Representative in Congress from the
      Commonwealth of Virginia, oral statement.......................    27
        Prepared statement...........................................    28
    Hon. Ryan Mackenzie, a Representative in Congress from the
      Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, oral statement...................    29
        Prepared statement...........................................    31
    Hon. Gilbert Ray Cisneros, Jr., a Representative in Congress from
      the State of California, oral statement........................    32
        Prepared statement...........................................    33
    Hon. Darrell Issa, a Representative in Congress from the State of
      California, oral statement.....................................    34
        Prepared statement...........................................    35
    Hon. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, a Representative in Congress from
      the State of Washington, oral statement........................    38
        Prepared statement...........................................    40
    Hon. Pablo Jose Hernandez, a Resident Commissioner in Congress
      from the Territory of Puerto Rico, oral statement..............    41
        Prepared statement...........................................    42
    Hon. Vicente Gonzalez, a Representative in Congress from the
      State of Texas, oral statement.................................    42
        Prepared statement...........................................    44
    Hon. Zachary Nunn, a Representative in Congress from the State of
      Iowa, oral statement...........................................    45
        Prepared statement...........................................    46
    Hon. Chrissy Houlahan, a Representative in Congress from the
      Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, oral statement...................    47
        Prepared statement...........................................    49
    Hon. John J. McGuire III, a Representative in Congress from the
      Commonwealth of Virginia, oral statement.......................    50
        Prepared statement...........................................    51
    Hon. Jared Moskowitz, a Representative in Congress from the State
      of Florida, oral statement.....................................    51
        Prepared statement...........................................    53
    Hon. Tim Moore, a Representative in Congress from the State of
      North Carolina, oral statement.................................    55
        Prepared statement...........................................    57
    Hon. Marcy Kaptur, a Representative in Congress from the State of
      Ohio, oral statement...........................................    58
        Prepared statement...........................................    59
    Hon. Scott Fitzgerald, a Representative in Congress from the
      State of Wisconsin, oral statement.............................    60
        Prepared statement...........................................    60

                           SUBMISSIONS FOR THE RECORD

    Hon. Dave Min's Post-Hearing Response to Request for Information
      from Hon. Scott Perry on Instances in Which Suballocation Has
      Been Denied for Surface Transportation Funds...................    23
    Prepared Statements from the Following Members of Congress:
        Hon. Gabe Amo, a Representative in Congress from the State of
          Rhode Island...............................................    63
        Hon. Earl L. ``Buddy'' Carter, a Representative in Congress
          from the State of Georgia..................................    65
        Hon. Ed Case, a Representative in Congress from the State of
          Hawaii.....................................................    65
        Hon. Sean Casten, a Representative in Congress from the State
          of Illinois................................................    66
        Hon. J. Luis Correa, a Representative in Congress from the
          State of California........................................    67
        Hon. Jim Costa, a Representative in Congress from the State
          of California..............................................    69
        Hon. Neal P. Dunn, a Representative in Congress from the
          State of Florida...........................................    71
        Hon. Mike Flood, a Representative in Congress from the State
          of Nebraska................................................    72
        Hon. Josh Gottheimer, a Representative in Congress from the
          State of New Jersey........................................    75
        Hon. Harriet M. Hageman, a Representative in Congress from
          the State of Wyoming.......................................    77
        Hon. J. French Hill, a Representative in Congress from the
          State of Arkansas..........................................    78
        Hon. Wesley Hunt, a Representative in Congress from the State
          of Texas...................................................    78
        Hon. David Kustoff, a Representative in Congress from the
          State of Tennessee.........................................    79
        Hon. Kevin Mullin, a Representative in Congress from the
          State of California........................................    80
        Hon. Scott H. Peters, a Representative in Congress from the
          State of California........................................    81
        Hon. Raul Ruiz, a Representative in Congress from the State
          of California..............................................    83
        Hon. Glenn Thompson, a Representative in Congress from the
          Commonwealth of Pennsylvania...............................    84
        Hon. Norma J. Torres, a Representative in Congress from the
          State of California........................................    86

    [GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

                                  May 9, 2025

        SUMMARY OF SUBJECT MATTER

        TO:      LMembers, Committee on Transportation and
    Infrastructure
        FROM:  LStaff, Committee on Transportation and
    Infrastructure
        RE:      LFull Committee Hearing on ``Committee on
    Transportation and Infrastructure Member Day''
    _______________________________________________________________________

                                   I. PURPOSE

        The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure will
    meet on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. ET in 2167
    Rayburn House Office Building to receive testimony related to
    the ``Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Member
    Day.'' Pursuant to section 3(r) of House Resolution 5 and
    Committee Rule 3(f), the purpose of this hearing is to provide
    Members of Congress an opportunity to testify before the
    Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on their policy
    priorities within the Committee's jurisdiction.

                                 II. BACKGROUND

        The Member Day hearing is an opportunity for all Members of
    the House of Representatives to actively engage in the
    Committee's work on all issues within the Committee's
    jurisdiction. This is a formal opportunity for all Members to
    highlight their priorities as the Committee develops the next
    Surface Transportation Reauthorization, pipeline safety
    legislation, Coast Guard Reauthorization, water infrastructure
    legislation, and other important legislation affecting our
    Nation's infrastructure.

                          III. COMMITTEE JURISDICTION

        The Committee has broad jurisdiction over all modes of
    transportation and numerous types of infrastructure programs
    and funding, which is overseen by six subcommittees.

    SUBCOMMITTEE ON AVIATION:

        The Subcommittee on Aviation has jurisdiction over all
    aspects of civil aviation, including safety, infrastructure,
    labor, economic regulation, and international issues. Within
    this scope of responsibilities, the Subcommittee has
    jurisdiction over the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), a
    modal administration within the United States Department of
    Transportation (DOT). This jurisdiction covers all programs
    within the FAA, as well as aviation programs of the DOT with
    respect to economic regulation of air carriers and passenger
    airline service. In addition, the Subcommittee has jurisdiction
    over commercial space transportation, the National Mediation
    Board (NMB), and the National Transportation Safety Board
    (NTSB).

    SUBCOMMITTEE ON COAST GUARD AND MARITIME TRANSPORTATION:

        The Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation
    has jurisdiction over the United States Coast Guard (Coast
    Guard), including its duties, organization, functions, and
    powers. Within the Committee's broader maritime transportation
    jurisdiction, the Subcommittee has jurisdiction over the
    regulation of vessels and merchant seafarers; domestic laws and
    international conventions related to the safe operation of
    vessels and safety of life at sea; and the regulation of ocean
    shipping, domestic cabotage requirements (pursuant to the Jones
    Act), cargo preference, and the merchant marine, except as it
    relates to National defense.

    SUBCOMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, PUBLIC BUILDINGS, AND EMERGENCY
                        MANAGEMENT:

        The Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings,
    and Emergency Management is responsible for the authorization
    and oversight of Federal real estate programs, including
    construction, repair, alteration, maintenance, and enhancement
    of such real property; the authorization and oversight of
    programs promoting economic development in communities
    suffering economic distress; the authorization and oversight of
    programs addressing the full cycle of Federal management of
    emergencies and disasters; and a variety of measures affecting
    homeland security, including building security provided by the
    Federal Protective Service (FPS).
        The real estate activities of the Subcommittee's
    jurisdiction include: improving grounds of the United States,
    generally, and measures relating to the Public Buildings
    Service (PBS) of the General Services Administration (GSA),
    including the planning, site and design, construction,
    acquisition, and renovation of public buildings, courthouses,
    and border facilities, and the leasing of space for Federal
    employees; the buildings, physical plant, and infrastructure of
    the Capitol Complex and use of the Capitol Grounds; the
    facilities of the White House complex; the facilities of the
    Smithsonian Institution, including all new and proposed
    facilities; facilities of the John F. Kennedy Center for the
    Performing Arts; the Union Station Redevelopment Corporation;
    Judiciary Centers; the naming of Federal buildings and
    courthouses; and the sale or redevelopment of Federal real
    property, including those identified by the Public Buildings
    Reform Board pursuant to the Federal Assets Sale and Transfer
    Act of 2016. The Subcommittee also oversees recent reforms to
    GSA operations enacted in the Thomas R. Carper Water Resources
    Development Act of 2024 (WRDA 2024) (Pub. L. No. 118-272),
    which included provisions to improve transparency and reduce
    waste in Federal real estate management.
        The economic development activities of the Subcommittee
    include jurisdiction over the Economic Development
    Administration (EDA) within the Department of Commerce, the
    Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), the Denali Commission,
    the Delta Regional Authority (DRA), the Southeast Crescent
    Regional Commission, the Southwest Border Regional Commission,
    the Northern Border Regional Commission, the Mid-Atlantic
    Regional Commission, the Southern New England Regional
    Commission, the Northern Great Plains Regional Commission and
    the Great Lakes Regional Commission.
        The Subcommittee's jurisdiction of Federal management of
    emergencies and disasters includes the Federal Emergency
    Management Agency (FEMA), oversight and activities relating to
    disaster mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery, as
    well as programs relating to first responders. The jurisdiction
    also includes the President's authority to declare disasters
    and National emergencies.

    SUBCOMMITTEE ON HIGHWAYS AND TRANSIT:

        The Subcommittee on Highways and Transit is responsible for
    the development of Federal surface transportation policy and
    the authorization of programs for the construction and
    improvement of highway and transit facilities, highway and
    transit safety, commercial motor vehicle and driver safety,
    transportation research and innovation programs, and non-
    motorized transportation infrastructure and safety. Related to
    these responsibilities, the Subcommittee has jurisdiction over
    the following modal administrations and offices within the DOT:
         LFederal Highway Administration (FHWA);
         LFederal Transit Administration (FTA);
         LFederal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
    (FMCSA);
         LNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration
    (NHTSA) (partial); and
         LOffice of the Secretary of Transportation (OST),
    including, but not limited to, the National Surface
    Transportation and Innovative Finance Bureau and Office of the
    Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology.

    SUBCOMMITTEE ON RAILROADS, PIPELINES, AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS:

        The Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous
    Materials exercises jurisdiction over the programs and
    activities of two DOT modal administrations: the Federal
    Railroad Administration (FRA) and the Pipeline and Hazardous
    Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA). The jurisdiction of
    the Subcommittee includes all Federal laws and programs
    regulating railroad transportation, including railroad safety,
    rail infrastructure programs, economic regulation, railroad
    labor laws, and the non-revenue aspects of the Federal railroad
    retirement and railroad unemployment systems. The
    Subcommittee's jurisdiction also includes all Federal laws and
    programs regulating the safety of gas and liquid pipelines and
    the safety of transporting material and freight that has been
    classified as hazardous, regardless of the mode of
    transportation. Agencies and other establishments outside the
    DOT whose rail-related activities fall within the
    Subcommittee's jurisdiction include:
         LSurface Transportation Board (STB);
         LAmtrak;
         LAmtrak Inspector General;
         LNortheast Corridor Commission (NEC Commission);
         LState-Amtrak Intercity Passenger Rail Committee
    (SAIPRC);
         LRailroad Retirement Board (RRB);
         LRailroad Retirement Board Inspector General (RRB
    IG);
         LNational Railroad Retirement Investment Trust
    (NRRIT); and
         LNational Mediation Board (NMB).

    SUBCOMMITTEE ON WATER RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT:

        The jurisdiction of the Subcommittee on Water Resources and
    Environment consists generally of matters relating to water
    resources development, conservation and management, water
    pollution control and water infrastructure, and hazardous waste
    cleanup. Issues under the Subcommittee include:
         LWater resources programs (projects and
    regulations)--United States Army Corps of Engineers (Corps);
         LClean Water Act (CWA), water infrastructure and
    watershed protection programs--Environmental Protection Agency
    (EPA);
         LCWA, regulatory authorities--EPA and Corps;
         LSuperfund and Brownfields revitalization--EPA;
         LOcean dumping--EPA and Corps;
         LOil pollution--EPA and Coast Guard;
         LTennessee Valley Authority (TVA);
         LGreat Lakes Saint Lawrence Seaway Development
    Corporation--DOT;
         LNational Resources Conservation Service's Small
    Watershed Program--United States Department of Agriculture
    (USDA);
         LDeepwater ports--EPA, Coast Guard, and Corps;
         LInvasive/aquatic nuisance species/harmful algal
    blooms--EPA, Coast Guard, Corps, and other agencies;
         LCoastal pollution and coastal zone management--
    EPA and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA);
         LNatural resource damages--NOAA, Department of the
    Interior (DOI), and other agencies;
         LGroundwater protection--primarily EPA and Corps;
         LWater resources policy--multiple agencies;
         LToxic substances and public health--Agency for
    Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR); and
         LBoundary water issues between the United States
    and Mexico--the International Boundary Water Commission (IBWC)
    at the Department of State.

        COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE MEMBER DAY

                                  ----------

                            WEDNESDAY, MAY 14, 2025

                      House of Representatives,
        Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure,
                                                Washington, DC.
        The committee met, pursuant to call, at 10:04 a.m., in Room
    2167, Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Sam Graves (Chairman
    of the committee) presiding.
        Mr. Graves. The Committee on Transportation and
    Infrastructure will now come to order.
        I would ask unanimous consent that the chairman be
    authorized to declare a recess at any time during today's
    hearing.
        And without objection, that is so ordered.
        As a reminder, if Members wish to insert a document into
    the record, please also email it to DocumentsTI@mail.house.gov.
        I now recognize myself for the purpose of an opening
    statement.

      OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. SAM GRAVES OF MISSOURI, CHAIRMAN,
             COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE

        Mr. Graves. Today, I look forward to hearing from Members
    sharing their transportation and infrastructure priorities for
    the 119th Congress.
        The T&I Committee has a very busy agenda this session, and
    looking ahead, we have multiple legislative priorities that the
    committee has to reauthorize. A top priority is reauthorization
    of the Nation's surface transportation programs.
        And as we plan for a new reauthorization bill, we are going
    through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act carefully
    and looking at what works, and simply, what doesn't work. A
    priority of mine is to return the surface transportation
    reauthorization back to a traditional infrastructure bill that
    focuses on roads, bridges, and movement of freight.
        The portal for Members' offices to submit priorities to a
    surface transportation reauthorization bill went live on Monday
    and will be open until May 30th. I look forward to working with
    everyone on this must-pass bill.
        In addition to the surface transportation bill, we are
    going to be working on pipeline safety reauthorization and the
    water infrastructure bills. Throughout our busy schedule, we
    are going to continue to prioritize implementation of the 5-
    year Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization that was
    signed into law just last year on a very bipartisan basis.
        As we advance our legislative agenda, it is important for
    both myself and the ranking member that we gather input from
    all the Members of Congress. And again, thank you for being
    here today, and thank you for testifying on the transportation
    and infrastructure needs of your district.
        [Mr. Graves' prepared statement follows:]

    Prepared Statement of Hon. Sam Graves of Missouri, Chairman, Committee
                      on Transportation and Infrastructure
        Today, I look forward to hearing from Members sharing their
    transportation and infrastructure priorities for the 119th Congress.
        The T&I Committee has a busy agenda for this session. Looking
    ahead, we have multiple legislative priorities that the Committee must
    reauthorize. A top priority is the reauthorization of the nation's
    surface transportation programs.
        As we plan for a new reauthorization bill, we are going through the
    Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act carefully and looking at what
    works and what doesn't work. A priority of mine will be to return the
    surface transportation reauthorization back to a traditional
    infrastructure bill that focuses on roads, bridges, and the movement of
    freight.
        The portal for Member offices to submit priorities to a surface
    transportation reauthorization bill went live on Monday and will be
    open until May 30th. I look forward to working with you all on this
    must-pass bill.
        In addition to the surface transportation bill, we will also work
    on pipeline safety reauthorization and water infrastructure bills.
        Throughout our busy schedule, we will continue to prioritize
    implementation of the five-year Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
    reauthorization that was signed into law last year on a bipartisan
    basis.
        As we advance our legislative agenda, it is important to both
    myself and the Ranking Member that we gather input from all Members of
    Congress. Again, thank you all for being here today to testify on the
    transportation and infrastructure needs in your districts.

        Mr. Graves. I now recognize Rick for his opening statement.

     OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. RICK LARSEN OF WASHINGTON, RANKING
         MEMBER, COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE

        Mr. Larsen of Washington. Thank you, Mr. Chair, and welcome
    to our committee's Member Day hearing, everyone. It is an
    opportunity for our House colleagues to testify before the
    committee about transportation and infrastructure priorities
    that are the most pressing for our constituents.
        Twenty-eight Members have signed up to speak before the
    committee today. This robust participation from Members on both
    sides of the aisle as witnesses demonstrates, as the chair and
    I have said multiple times, the issues before this committee
    are not about which team you are on; they are about solving
    problems for the people in your district, solving the
    transportation and infrastructure challenges that they face,
    and creating opportunities--economic opportunities--for people
    we represent.
        The enthusiasm of Members seeking to testify today is not
    surprising. Thanks to the work of this committee, we are seeing
    real and sustained investments in our Nation's roads, bridges,
    rail, airports, and water infrastructure. The Bipartisan
    Infrastructure Law is delivering results for communities across
    the country, and it is essential that this committee continue
    to build on its success. The testimony of our colleagues that
    they deliver today will no doubt help us in that effort.
        The investments we authorize and oversee in this committee
    promote a safer, a cleaner, a greener, more accessible
    transportation network; create jobs and opportunity for
    everyone; enhance our global economic competitiveness; build
    capacity in our communities; restore and protect the
    environment; and increase the safety of transportation in the
    United States.
        Today's hearing will help inform our upcoming surface
    transportation reauthorization legislation, which is vital to
    maintaining a safe and efficient transportation system. This
    bill offers us an opportunity to enhance safety; improve our
    roads, bridges, transit, and rail networks; and invest in our
    communities to ensure America's economic competitiveness. I am
    confident the ideas we hear today will help us accomplish these
    objectives.
        I want to thank the chair, as well, for his commitment to
    working in a bipartisan manner to see this legislation, as well
    as Coast Guard authorization, pipeline safety, water resources
    legislation, and, most recently, a FEMA reform bill discussion
    draft that we released last week, and working to get all these
    things over the finish line in this Congress.
        Including a wide range of perspectives is essential to
    ensuring the work of this committee meets the needs of the
    people from across the country. Making sure Members can
    directly advocate for their districts is an important part of
    this. I want to thank the Members who have made time to come
    before the committee today, and I'm eager to hear your
    testimony.
        With that, Mr. Chair, I will yield back.
        [Mr. Larsen of Washington's prepared statement follows:]

     Prepared Statement of Hon. Rick Larsen of Washington, Ranking Member,
                 Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
        Welcome to the Committee's Member Day hearing, which is an
    opportunity for our House colleagues to testify before the Committee
    about the transportation and infrastructure priorities that are most
    pressing for their constituents. Twenty-eight members have signed up to
    speak before the Committee today.
        The robust participation from Members on both sides of the aisle as
    witnesses demonstrates--as the Chairman and I have said multiple
    times--that the issues before this Committee are not about which team
    you are on. They're about solving problems for the people in your
    district, solving the transportation and infrastructure challenges they
    face and creating economic opportunities for the people we represent.
        The enthusiasm of members seeking to testify today is not
    surprising. Thanks to the work of this Committee, we are seeing real
    and sustained investments in our nation's roads, bridges, rail,
    airports, and water infrastructure.
        The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is delivering results for
    communities across the country, and it is essential that this Committee
    continues to build on that success.
        The testimony our colleagues deliver today will no doubt aid us in
    that effort.
        The investments we authorize and oversee in this Committee:
          Promote a safer, cleaner, greener, and more accessible
    transportation network;
          Create jobs and opportunities for everyone;
          Enhance our global economic competitiveness;
          Build capacity in our communities;
          Restore and protect our environment; and
          Increase the safety of transportation systems in the U.S.

        Today's hearing will help inform our upcoming surface
    transportation reauthorization legislation, which is vital to
    maintaining a safe and efficient transportation system.
        This bill offers us an opportunity to enhance safety, improve our
    roads, bridges, transit and rail networks, and invest in our
    communities to ensure America's economic competitiveness. I am
    confident that the ideas we hear today will help us accomplish these
    objectives.
        Thank you, Chairman Graves, for your commitment to working in a
    bipartisan manner to see this legislation, as well as Coast Guard
    authorization, pipeline safety, water resources legislation and, most
    recently, a FEMA reform bill discussion draft that we released last
    week, and working to get all those things over the finish line this
    Congress.
        Including a wide range of perspectives is essential to ensuring the
    work of this Committee meets the needs of people from across the
    country.
        Making sure Members can directly advocate for their districts is an
    important part of this process.
        Thank you to all the Members who have made time to come before the
    Committee today. I am eager to hear your testimony.

        Mr. Graves. For today's hearing, off-committee Members are
    going to be testifying. And I would like to take a moment--
    well, I don't have to explain it to you all. You understand the
    lighting system and how it works.
        With that, I would ask unanimous consent that the
    witnesses' full statements be included in the record.
        And without objection, that is so ordered.
        As your written testimony has been made a part of the
    record, the committee asks that you limit your oral remarks to
    5 minutes. And given the number of Members that are going to be
    appearing before the committee today, out of consideration for
    our colleagues' time, I would ask unanimous consent that
    members of the committee be given 2 minutes to question each
    Member following their statements.
        Without objection, that is so ordered.
        And with that, we will start with Representative Frost; 5
    minutes.

     TESTIMONY OF HON. MAXWELL FROST, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS
                       FROM THE STATE OF FLORIDA

        Mr. Frost. Thank you, Mr. Chairman and Mr. Ranking Member,
    for the opportunity to address the House Transportation and
    Infrastructure Committee this morning.
        Central Florida is one of the Nation's fastest growing
    regions. Like similar communities, our streets and highways are
    notoriously congested. Government, community, and business
    leaders there all agree that we must attack this problem
    through better transit.
        Good public transportation saves everybody money, whether
    they use it or not. And with better transit access, even
    drivers will save thousands of dollars a year. Transit also
    saves everyone time after work and between errands, as well;
    time that can be dedicated to friends, family, and not being
    stuck in traffic, which is a normal experience of being someone
    from Orlando, Florida.
        When it comes to making transportation work for their
    residents, communities large and small face a major obstacle:
    the cost of new transit buses is shockingly high. They can
    easily reach over $1 million each.
        Industry stakeholders are aware of several contributing
    factors, and we have pulled together a lot of people on this
    back at home. We have seen the amount of customization, the
    decline in the number of manufacturers severely dropped for
    buses, supply chain issues, and the low number of yearly
    orders. To develop consensus around a legislative solution to
    this problem, further work needs to be done to confirm the key
    drivers of costs and examine how the Federal Transit
    Administration and the Federal Government can continue to help
    bring down prices.
        I am going to be introducing a bill called the Transit Bus
    Affordability Act, which has been developed with input from the
    GAO, industry stakeholders, and policy experts. The legislation
    instructs GAO to investigate which factors are driving up the
    cost of transit buses, what steps the FTA, transit agencies,
    and stakeholders have taken to reduce costs, and any additional
    authorities that the FTA or transit agencies may need to help
    minimize costs. This bill would not be a burden on the budget,
    and its findings could help save our State and local
    governments millions of dollars as they pursue and update their
    public transportation.
        As the committee works on constructing a surface
    transportation reauthorization bill, I also encourage the
    committee to incorporate this legislative study in the bigger
    package so we can take steps towards saving taxpayer money and
    helping our communities travel more easily and affordably
    throughout the communities.
        Additionally, I hope the committee will consider and pass
    my bipartisan legislation, the Safe Air on Airplanes Act. It
    builds on action you all took in last year's FAA
    reauthorization to tackle fume events on commercial airplanes.
    This issue was brought to my attention by a constituent who
    suffers from major health issues after several fume events
    while working as a flight attendant.
        The root cause of these fume events is part of commercial
    airplanes' designs, a system called the bleed air system.
    Except for the Boeing 787, all commercial jet aircraft take or
    bleed air through the engine compressors and supply it to the
    cabin and the flight deck. The compressors are lubricated with
    oil, and they can also ingest external contaminants like
    hydraulic fluid. New advances in aircraft design and technology
    means that we no longer need these systems.
        The bipartisan Safe Air on Airplanes Act will ensure a
    future where pilots, cabin crew, and airline passengers will
    not have to fear fume events by ending the use of bleed air
    systems for ventilation in new commercial aircraft design,
    requiring effective filters on bleed air systems within 7
    years, and phasing out the use of bleed air systems for
    ventilation in existing commercial aircraft designs for the
    coming decades.
        Another piece of bipartisan legislation I ask the committee
    to consider is the Energy Storage for Resilient Homes Act. This
    piece of legislation allows the existing Federal Emergency
    Management Agency resources to be used for the installation of
    home energy storage in single-family homes. When a severe storm
    hits, the loss of electricity can mean the loss of life. In
    fact, most of the time many of the people who die because of
    hurricanes don't die during the hurricanes, they die the days
    after the hurricanes because their power has gone out. And
    unfortunately, much like Hurricane Ian, 100 percent of the
    deaths were people over the age of 65, many of whom died
    because their machines turned off that were helping to keep
    them alive after the storm. This is something I think we should
    look at, and the Energy Storage for Resilient Homes Act will
    help with that.
        Finally, I request that the committee revise the
    inappropriately unequal funding split that we see at the
    Highway Trust Fund that we have seen for decades, presently 80
    percent for highways, 20 percent for transit. Well-funded
    public transit makes everyone's commute cheaper and easier, and
    we want to make sure that we have a well-funded public transit
    system throughout the country.
        Last thing is in my district. Government and community and
    business leaders all alike are excited about central Florida's
    Sunshine Corridor. It is a project which will significantly
    ease the commute of over 100,000 workers, while making our
    largest attractions directly accessible by rail to tens of
    millions of visitors who choose Orlando as their vacation,
    starting at the airport. We hope that not just the committee,
    but the Federal Government will help central Florida as we
    expand Brightline, already existing from Miami to the Orlando
    airport, through Orlando all the way to Tampa, which will
    dramatically change and transform our region and make us even
    more competitive in being able to host large-scale events, as
    we are the largest tourist destination in the country.
        I look forward to working with the committee to improve
    transportation for all of our constituents, and I yield back.
        [Mr. Frost's prepared statement follows:]

    Prepared Statement of Hon. Maxwell Frost, a Representative in Congress
                           from the State of Florida
        Thank you, Mr. Chairman and Mr. Ranking Member, for the opportunity
    to address the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.
        My Central Florida is one of the nation's fastest growing regions.
    Like similar communities, our streets and highways are notoriously
    congested. Government, community, and business leaders there all agree
    that we must attack this problem through better transit.
        Good public transportation saves everyone money, whether they use
    it or not. With better transit access, drivers save thousands of
    dollars a year. Transit means less congestion, less gas burnt off while
    idling in traffic, and less wear and tear on cars. Transit also saves
    everyone time after work and between errands as well: time that can be
    dedicated to friends and family, not stuck in traffic.
        When it comes to making transportation work for their residents,
    communities large and small face a major obstacle in the shockingly
    high price tag of transit buses. These can easily cost over a million
    dollars each.
        Industry stakeholders are aware of several contributing factors,
    like the amount of customization, the decline in the number of
    manufacturers, supply chain issues, and the low number of yearly
    orders. To develop consensus around legislative solutions to this
    problem, further work needs to be done to confirm the key drivers and
    how the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the federal government
    can help bring down prices.
        I will be introducing the Transit Bus Affordability Act, which has
    been developed with input from the Government Accountability Office
    (GAO), industry stakeholders, and policy experts. The legislation
    instructs the GAO to investigate which factors are driving up the cost
    of transit buses, what steps the FTA, transit agencies and stakeholders
    have taken to reduce costs, and any additional authorities that the FTA
    or transit agencies may need to help minimize costs.
        This bill would not be a burden on the budget and its findings
    could save our state and local governments millions of dollars as they
    pursue better and updated public transportation. As the committee works
    on constructing a surface transportation reauthorization bill, I
    encourage you to incorporate this legislative study so we can take
    steps toward saving taxpayer money and helping our communities travel
    more easily and affordably.
        Additionally, I hope the committee will consider and pass my
    bipartisan Safe Air on Airplanes Act, which would build on actions this
    committee took in last year's Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
    reauthorization to tackle fume events on commercial airplanes. This
    issue was brought to my attention by a constituent who suffered major
    health issues from fume events while working as a flight attendant.
        The Safe Air on Airplanes Act will ensure a future where pilots,
    cabin crew, and airline passengers will not have to fear fume events by
    ending the use of bleed air systems for ventilation in new commercial
    aircraft design, requiring filters on bleed air systems to effectively
    keep oil particulates out of flight deck and cabin air within seven
    years, and phasing out the use of bleed air systems for ventilation in
    existing commercial aircraft designs in the coming decades.
        A fume event occurs when pilots, crew, or passengers inhale engine
    oil or hydraulic fluid present in the air that is supplied to the
    flight deck and cabin. These particles include a long list of toxic
    chemicals, and the adverse health effects can include dizziness and
    vomiting, difficulty breathing, irregular heart rate, and memory loss.
    Fume events have ended the careers of exposed pilots and flight
    attendants. An average of five fume events are reported to the FAA each
    day.
        The root cause of fume events is a part of commercial airplane
    designs called a bleed air system. Except for the Boeing 787, all
    aircraft take (or ``bleed'') air through the engine compressors and
    supply it to the cabin and flight deck. The compressors are lubricated
    with oil and can also ingest external contaminants like hydraulic
    fluid. New advances in aircraft design and technologies mean that we no
    longer need these systems.
        Another piece of bipartisan legislation I ask the committee to
    consider is the Energy Storage for Resilient Homes Act. This bill
    allows existing Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) resources to
    be used for the installation of home energy storage in single family
    homes. When severe weather hits, loss of electricity can mean loss of
    life, especially for seniors and people with disabilities. Home energy
    storage can keep that vital electricity running. While current disaster
    mitigation policy is focused on the city and state level, this bill
    will allow individuals and households to directly protect their homes
    and themselves.
        Disaster mitigation is just one of FEMA's many important roles. I
    ask this committee to resist supporting any proposals to abolish it.
    Central Floridians are currently gearing up for another Hurricane
    Season, where tens of thousands of our community members may once again
    need this help. FEMA has thousands of experts in disaster response and
    recovery, rebuilding infrastructure, and grants management and
    maintains stockpiles of emergency supplies and equipment ready to be
    deployed. If FEMA is abolished, states will compete for scarce
    resources and qualified, experienced personnel. Americans deserve
    better than ``good luck with that'' when it comes to surviving severe
    weather.
        Finally, I request that the committee revises the inappropriately
    unequal funding split for the Highway Trust Fund, which is presently 80
    percent for highways and 20 percent for transit. Well-funded public
    transportation makes everyone's commute easier. Less traffic means that
    we will all be breathing cleaner air on those trips while there will
    also be less pollutants in our soil and water.
        I look forward to working with the committee to improve
    transportation for our constituents, whether they are looking forward
    to the fastest commute home to their family or the safest flight
    possible on their epic trip to Central Florida's internationally
    celebrated attractions.

        Mr. Graves. Do any Members wish to be recognized for
    questions?
        Mr. Larsen of Washington. Representative Frost, just to
    clarify on Brightline, is it envisioned that if it is extended
    from Orlando to Tampa, that that would be Brightline, or----
        Mr. Frost [interrupting]. Yes.
        Mr. Larsen of Washington [continuing]. Is it----
        Mr. Frost [interrupting]. Yes. So, it is really
    interesting. And so essentially, right now it is going to the
    airport and the Sunshine Corridor is--it will kind of zigzag
    through Orlando, some very key spots--Disney, Universal, et
    cetera, all those areas--and then it will continue from Tampa.
    But there will be a transfer station with our commuter rail,
    which is called SunRail, in Orlando as well.
        And so this Brightline, which will go from east to west, it
    will go into to Tampa, will connect with our north-south
    commuter rail, which will be transformational for the workers
    all throughout the region and the entertainment industry, but
    also for the people who live there who will more easily be able
    to get from any part of the State--most parts of the State--
    through rail.
        Mr. Graves. Does anyone else wish to be recognized?
        Seeing no one, thank you, Mr. Frost.
        Mr. Frost. Thank you.
        Mr. Graves. We will next move to Representative LaLota, New
    York First.

      TESTIMONY OF HON. NICK LaLOTA, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS
                       FROM THE STATE OF NEW YORK

        Mr. LaLota. Thank you, Chairman Graves and Ranking Member
    Larsen, for holding today's hearing and for giving me the
    opportunity to speak about an issue that has a great deal of
    importance to the people I represent back home on Long Island,
    the Long Island Sound Program.
        Back in 1985, Congress wisely created the Long Island Sound
    Program to take on the environmental challenges facing one of
    our region's most treasured and economically vital natural
    resources. Since then, the program has helped us clean up
    pollution, restore habitats, and protect the sound for future
    generations.
        For folks on Long Island and across the sound in
    Connecticut, this isn't just about environmental protection; it
    is about our way of life. Whether you are a fisherman, a small
    business owner, a researcher, or just somebody who enjoys our
    beaches and waterways, the sound is a part of who we are. It is
    how a lot of people in our region make a living, and how even
    more build a better life for their families.
        But let's be honest, the sound has had its share of
    problems. Decades of pollution, overdevelopment, and neglect
    have taken their toll. We have seen water quality suffer,
    marine habitats deteriorate, and dangerous hypoxia threaten
    fish and shellfish populations.
        The good news is that the Long Island Sound Program is
    working. Because of Federal investments, nitrogen pollution is
    down more than 70 percent compared to the 1990s; hypoxic
    conditions have dropped nearly 60 percent; and we have restored
    over 2,200 acres of coastal habitat. In fiscal year 2024, we
    secured $40 million, the highest funding level the program has
    ever seen, and we are putting that money to good use with more
    than 570 conservation projects underway.
        We have come a long way, but we are not done. Reauthorizing
    this program is how we build on that progress and make sure the
    sound is clean, swimmable, fishable, and thriving for
    generations to come. I am proud to represent a district where
    protecting the sound is not a partisan issue, it is a local
    priority.
        I look forward to working with all of you to reauthorize
    this program, and I urge my colleagues to support my
    legislation, the Long Island Sound Restoration and Stewardship
    Reauthorization Act of 2025.
        Also, very quickly, on a separate issue, as we approach
    reauthorization of the surface transportation bill, the
    Amalgamated Transit Union, or ATU, represents thousands of
    schoolbus drivers on Long Island, and many of the New York
    Transit busdrivers live in my district. These hard-working
    Americans put their lives at risk on a daily basis,
    transporting folks to school, work, and other appointments.
    Workforce safety and workforce development are critical issues
    for these great men and women, and I ask the committee to
    consider the priorities of the ATU as you begin drafting your
    surface transportation reauthorization.
        Thank you, Chairman, I yield back.
        [Mr. LaLota's prepared statement follows:]

     Prepared Statement of Hon. Nick LaLota, a Representative in Congress
                           from the State of New York
        Thank you, Chairman Graves and Ranking Member Larsen, for holding
    today's hearing and for giving me the opportunity to speak about an
    issue that means a great deal to the people I represent on Long
    Island--reauthorizing the Long Island Sound Program.
        Back in 1985, Congress created the Long Island Sound Program to
    take on the environmental challenges facing one of our region's most
    treasured and economically vital natural resources.
        Since then, the program has helped us clean up pollution, restore
    habitats, and protect the Sound for future generations.
        For folks on Long Island and across the Sound in Connecticut, this
    isn't just about environmental protection--it's about our way of life.
        Whether you're a fisherman, a small business owner, a researcher,
    or just someone who enjoys our beaches and waterways--the Sound is part
    of who we are.
        It's how a lot of people in our region make a living and how even
    more build a better life for their families.
        But let's be honest--the Sound has had its share of problems.
    Decades of pollution, overdevelopment, and neglect have taken their
    toll.
        We've seen water quality suffer, marine habitats deteriorate, and
    dangerous hypoxia threaten fish and shellfish populations.
        The good news is that the Long Island Sound Program is working.
    Because of federal investments, nitrogen pollution is down more than
    70% compared to the 1990s, hypoxic conditions have dropped nearly 60%,
    and we've restored over 2,200 acres of coastal habitat.
        In FY24, we secured $40 million--the highest funding level the
    program has ever seen--and we're putting that money to good use with
    more than 570 conservation projects underway.
        We've come a long way, but we're not done.
        Reauthorizing this program is how we build on that progress--and
    make sure the Sound is clean, swimmable, fishable, and thriving for
    generations to come.
        I'm proud to represent a district where protecting the Sound is not
    a partisan issue--it's a local priority.
        I look forward to working with all of you to reauthorize this
    program, and I urge my colleagues to support my legislation, the Long
    Island Sound Restoration and Stewardship Reauthorization Act of 2025.
        Also, very quickly, on a separate issue as we approach
    reauthorization of the Surface Transportation bill.
        The Amalgamated Transit Union or ATU represent thousands of school
    bus drivers on Long Island and many of the NY transit bus drivers live
    in my district.
        These hard-working Americans put their lives at risk on a daily
    basis transporting folks to school, work, and other appointments.
        Workforce safety and workforce development are critical issues for
    these great men and women and I ask the Committee to consider the
    priorities of the ATU as you begin drafting your Surface Transportation
    Reauthorization.
        Thank you, and I yield back.

        Mr. Perry [presiding]. The Chair thanks the gentleman. Are
    there any Members that have questions?
        Mr. Larsen is recognized.
        Mr. Larsen of Washington. Thanks.
        Thank you, Representative LaLota, for your testimony on
    Long Island Sound. The Puget Sound is also one of those
    programs in the EPA's geographic program, and so looking at
    your particular bill would probably be done in a larger context
    of the 12 or 13 of the geographic programs that are part of
    that, certainly.
        I am as supportive of Long Island's program as I am of
    Puget Sound's program, so we can work together on this.
        Mr. LaLota. Ranking Member, in 2003 and 2004, I was
    stationed in Bremerton, Washington. I lived in Seattle and
    transited the Puget Sound routinely. And I support your
    endeavors, too, sir.
        Mr. Larsen of Washington. And we appreciate your efforts
    there while you were there to keep it clean.
        Mr. LaLota. I did my part, sir.
        Mr. Perry. The gentleman yields. Are there any other
    questions from any other Members?
        Hearing none, the Chair thanks the gentleman from New York.
        The Chair now recognizes Representative Goodlander.

       TESTIMONY OF HON. MAGGIE GOODLANDER, A REPRESENTATIVE IN
                CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

        Ms. Goodlander. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you,
    Ranking Member Larsen, members of this committee, for the
    opportunity to be here today to testify before you. My good
    friend and colleague, Congressman Chris Pappas, represents our
    State of New Hampshire very well on this committee, and I am
    delighted to be here today to join him in those efforts.
        New Hampshire is a small State, relatively small State. My
    district is a pretty big one: 6,500 square miles from my
    hometown of Nashua all the way up to the north country, the
    Canadian border. We have got almost 17,000 miles of public
    highways and roads, almost 4,000 bridges, and it is a district
    that is mostly rural. So I want to thank this committee for the
    bipartisan efforts that you have made to support our rural
    communities.
        Today, as I have traveled across the district, I have heard
    two things loud and clear from our partners at the local level,
    at the county level, at the regional level, and I have spent
    some time with our regional planning commissions.
        And the two things I have heard are, number one, I hope
    that this committee will continue to prioritize ways to cut
    redtape and to streamline the processes that so many of our
    local communities struggle with in accessing Federal funds,
    which, for New Hampshire and for so many communities across our
    country, are the lifeblood of our transportation and
    infrastructure system. And so I want to urge this committee to
    continue to develop those ideas. I think there have been some
    promising proposals, for example, for the development of a
    common application that would cut redtape and allow for
    communities to apply for multiple Federal infrastructure
    programs through a single application process, a commonsense
    way to cut redtape and to make Government work more effectively
    for the American people.
        I also want to say, our communities really depend upon
    reliable Federal funding streams. And in New Hampshire, the $15
    million that was clawed back for electric vehicle charging
    stations earlier this year as part of a funding freeze has been
    extremely disruptive in our State, and I hope that this
    committee will continue to prioritize doing everything in our
    power to make sure that we have got reliable funding streams
    across the board.
        I want to just point out a few priorities for New Hampshire
    in the upcoming--the must-pass surface transportation
    reauthorization bill. A number of discretionary programs have
    been critical to my State. That includes the BUILD program,
    which has been essential in the development of regionally
    significant projects like the Claremont Access, Restoration,
    Development, and Safety project, the CARDS project, in my
    district.
        My hometown, Nashua, has been working towards a commuter
    rail to connect southern New Hampshire with Boston, and the
    Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements
    Program is a key source of funding for that effort.
        Flooding has also been a persistent problem in the Granite
    State, and the PROTECT program is an incredibly important
    source of funding for resiliency-focused projects.
        I want to point out two other programs when it comes to
    transportation safety and reducing transportation-related
    fatalities and injuries, and that includes the Highway Safety
    Improvement and the Safe Streets for All programs. That is
    especially important for motorcycles, which have a large
    presence back at home.
        I hope this committee will also prioritize better safety
    data collection including on cargo vans used by big companies
    like Amazon.
        And I hope the committee will, in the upcoming bill, add
    language that will ensure those with felony sex assault
    convictions aren't able to get a commercial driver's license.
    This is, I think, a really important safeguard that addresses
    concerns that have been raised by the Women of Trucking
    Advisory Board.
        I want to also point out a bipartisan bill that I hope to
    have the support of this committee on, the Path to Education
    Act, which is designed to really ensure that we fill gaps
    across this country that is preventing people from accessing
    programs like Head Start and from being able to attend our
    community colleges. Head Start delivers a really strong return
    on investment in New Hampshire, and our community colleges are
    the lifeblood of our communities. And this simple, commonsense,
    bipartisan bill would empower the Department of Transportation
    to act on data that has been collected by the mapping project
    at the National League of Cities to close gaps in
    transportation and really enable the kind of economic
    opportunity that we all want to see.
        In closing, I just want to point out I hope this committee
    will continue to support the Northern Border Regional
    Commission, which has punched above its weight and been an
    essential driver of economic development for New Hampshire,
    Vermont, New York, and Maine.
        And finally, I just want to thank this committee for the
    bipartisan work that you have done on aviation safety. My
    district is home to one of our country's 22 air traffic control
    centers, the Patricia Clark Center in my hometown of Nashua.
    H.R. 3270, the Air Traffic Control Workforce Development Act of
    2025, has earned support across the board from this committee,
    and I want to thank you for your efforts on that bill and urge
    you to see that bill across the finish line.
        But I thank you for the bipartisan work of this really
    important committee and look forward to working with you in the
    days ahead.
        [Ms. Goodlander's prepared statement follows:]

       Prepared Statement of Hon. Maggie Goodlander, a Representative in
                    Congress from the State of New Hampshire
        Good morning, Chairman Graves, Ranking Member Larsen, and Members
    of the committee. Thank you for holding today's Member Day and for
    providing the opportunity to highlight transportation and
    infrastructure needs from New Hampshire's Second Congressional
    District.
        I want to start by sharing my priorities related to the forthcoming
    surface transportation reauthorization bill. More than anything my
    state DOT needs reliable federal funding streams to effectively plan
    and execute projects. Accordingly, I urge you to include robust funding
    levels for federal highway formula programs for our roads and bridges,
    as well as transit formula programs, especially for rural areas. Given
    the various federal funding streams, I also lend my support to
    proposals for the development of a ``common application'' that would
    cut red tape and allow communities to apply for multiple federal
    infrastructure programs through a single application process. This
    would greatly reduce the administrative burden on small towns and rural
    communities. I would also be remiss not to mention my frustration as
    the New Hampshire DOT recently lost $15 million for EV charging
    stations, with the Trump Administration's ``funding freeze,'' which I
    am glad to see state Attorneys General fighting in court.
        In terms of discretionary programs, the BUILD program has helped
    with the development of regionally significant projects, like the
    Claremont Access, Restoration, Development and Safety (CARDS) project
    in my district. My hometown of Nashua has been working towards commuter
    rail to connect southern New Hampshire with Boston. The Consolidated
    Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) program is a key
    funding source in that effort. Flooding has also been a persistent
    problem in the Granite State, and the PROTECT Program has been an
    important funding source for resiliency-focused projects.
        Regarding safety, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)
    also recommended a bridge in New Hampshire, the Memorial Bridge, be
    subject to additional review following the collapse of Baltimore's Key
    Bridge. I urge this committee to ensure states have the assistance and
    resources they need to conduct these reviews and ensure proper
    safeguards. I also back federal efforts to reduce the number of
    transportation related fatalities and injuries under the Highway Safety
    Improvement (HSIP) and Safe Streets for All programs, especially for
    motorcycles which have a large presence back home. Better safety data
    collection--including on cargo vans used by companies like Amazon--is
    also needed. Additionally, I urge this committee to add language
    ensuring those with felony sexual assault convictions are not able to
    get Commercial Drivers Licenses (CDLs), a necessary safeguard that
    aligns with concerns raised by the Women of Trucking Advisory Board
    (WOTAB).
        My final surface transportation priority is the PATH to Education
    Act, a bipartisan bill I'm working on to ensure lack of transportation
    doesn't prevent access to Head Start and community colleges--two vital
    tools for creating upward economic mobility. Head Start serves low-
    income families with young children and delivers a strong return on
    investment, while community colleges provide affordable quality
    education to diverse learners from veterans, to working adults, to
    those looking to reskill for today's economy. Yet without a car, many
    can't reach these programs. The Civic Mapping Project at the National
    League of Cities identifies where transit routes could be expanded to
    close these gaps. My bill would empower the Department of
    Transportation (DOT) to act on that data and connect more people to
    these opportunities. I urge you to include it in the surface
    transportation reauthorization.
        Two other priorities for me in this committee's jurisdiction
    include the Northern Border Regional Commission and addressing our
    national shortage of air traffic controllers. The NBRC was created in
    2008 as a federal-state partnership that provides vital support for
    infrastructure and economic development initiatives in 60 rural
    counties in New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, and Maine. The NBRC has
    helped alleviate distress and restore economic opportunity to the
    region. The Trump Administration's FY26 budget request proposed
    eliminating it, but I proudly co-led a recent bipartisan, bicameral
    appropriations letter with Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) advocating for
    the program. I thank this committee for your strong bipartisan track
    record of support for the NBRC and urge it to continue. Just last week,
    along with several Members of this committee, I also helped introduce
    H.R. 3270, the Air Traffic Control Workforce Development Act of 2025. I
    urge you to move this bipartisan commonsense legislation to help
    recruit and retain air traffic controllers and equip our aviation
    workforce with the equipment and facilities they need to keep our skies
    safe through this committee.
        Thank you again for your bipartisan leadership, consideration of
    these requests, and the chance to speak here today. I look forward to
    working with you this Congress.

        Mr. Perry. The Chair thanks the gentlelady. Are there
    questions or comments?
        Hearing none, thank you, ma'am. The Chair now turns to the
    gentleman from Indiana, Mr. Yakym.

    TESTIMONY OF HON. RUDY YAKYM III, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS
                       FROM THE STATE OF INDIANA

        Mr. Yakym. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        To Chairman Graves, who I know is outside of here, but also
    to Ranking Member Larsen, it is great to be back in 2167
    Rayburn again. I had the privilege of serving on the
    Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in the 118th
    Congress, and I am proud of the work that we were able to
    accomplish together.
        I want to present five priorities that I hope this
    committee will consider this Congress.
        The first is ensuring that the FAA releases its overdue
    notice of proposed rulemaking on beyond visual line of sight
    operations for unmanned aerial aircraft systems as soon as
    possible. One of our committee's key accomplishments last
    Congress was the bipartisan FAA reauthorization. Unfortunately,
    this notice of proposed rulemaking was due September 16th of
    2024. That deadline, of course, has come and gone. It is one of
    many missed opportunities that former Transportation Secretary
    Pete Buttigieg left for the current Secretary, Sean Duffy.
        This Congress, the expiration of the Infrastructure
    Investment and Jobs Act, or IIJA, looms large. I wasn't in the
    House when IIJA passed, but I participated in a number of
    oversight hearings, and it is clear that IIJA's results did not
    live up to its promises. I have three priorities that I believe
    will make the next surface transportation bill a success.
        First, streamline the grant agreement process as much as
    possible, and require public reports on grant agreement
    progress across programs to ensure and drive accountability.
    Secretary Buttigieg's crippling bureaucracy got in the way of
    putting shovels in the ground. It is no wonder Secretary Duffy
    was saddled with a backlog of 3,200 projects that were
    announced, but not executed on.
        A valuable oversight tool was the Department's monthly
    reports on grant agreements under the Rebuilding American
    Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity, or RAISE,
    program. As of the last available report, November 2024, only
    224 of 414 grant agreements, just over half, were executed for
    grants awarded in fiscal years 2021, 2022, and 2023. It is
    absolutely unacceptable for projects to wait upwards of 3 years
    to get the green light from the Secretary, especially in a time
    of high inflation.
        You might think projects highlighted in the Department's
    press releases got a little extra attention. They did not. Only
    9 of the 23 RAISE projects, or 39 percent, highlighted in the
    fiscal year 2021, 2022, and 2023 press releases had an executed
    grant agreement as of the November 2024 progress report. Too
    often, Secretary Buttigieg seemed content to bask in the
    fanfare of the announcement, only to leave the projects stuck
    at the starting line.
        My next IIJA priority is to dramatically scale back
    discretionary grants in favor of formula funding. IIJA expanded
    discretionary grants by 500 percent, but Indiana ranked dead
    last on a per capita basis in securing these grants.
    Apparently, the Hoosier State maybe just needed some better
    connections in the Department. And while some of the
    responsibility lies with project selection and design, the
    Department had a large scale, too. For example, a local entity
    that was passed over for a planning grant to study a grade
    separation at a dangerous railroad was told in a debrief by the
    Department of Transportation that the project might have scored
    higher had they included a plan for EV charging. States know
    where it is best to allocate infrastructure money for local
    needs, not bureaucrats in Washington that think railroad
    overpasses need EV chargers.
        Speaking of which, I urge the committee to end IIJA's
    failed EV charging programs. The $5 billion National Electric
    Vehicle Infrastructure, or NEVI, and the $2\1/2\ billion
    Charging and Fueling Infrastructure, or CFI, programs again had
    lofty promises. But in over 3 years, NEVI stood up only about
    60 stations, and CFI only 3. Here, too, the Secretary gummed up
    the process through rigid regulations and burdensome DEI
    requirements.
        But the Federal Government shouldn't be involved in
    constructing EV charging stations in the first place. According
    to the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation, there were
    12,000 public charging ports added in the fourth quarter of
    2024 alone. In 3 years, NEVI and CFI built approximately 300.
        My final priority is to ensure agencies refocus on their
    core missions. The Biden administration infused its woke DEI
    agenda into agencies, often at the expense of their core
    functions. For example, the Deputy Administrator for the
    Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, or
    PHMSA, tried to brand the safety agency as a ``climate
    agency.'' FEMA changed its number-one strategic goal from
    ``build a culture of preparedness'' to ``instill a culture of
    equity as a foundation of emergency management.'' These
    pointless word games add nothing of substance; they only waste
    time and distract from the core missions. Our Federal agencies
    need to get back to the basics.
        Thank you for having me testify today. And with that, Mr.
    Chairman, I yield back.
        [Mr. Yakym's prepared statement follows:]

    Prepared Statement of Hon. Rudy Yakym III, a Representative in Congress
                           from the State of Indiana
        Chairman Graves and Ranking Member Larsen, it's good to be in 2167
    Rayburn again.
        I had the honor of serving on the Transportation and Infrastructure
    Committee for the 118th Congress, and I'm proud of what we were able to
    roll up our sleeves and get done together.
        One of the key accomplishments of the Committee in the 118th
    Congress was the bipartisan Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
    reauthorization. But as a new Member, I was struck by how many
    stakeholders came in to talk about provisions from previous
    reauthorizations that the FAA still hadn't implemented. Unfortunately,
    I want to start by adding one to the pile.
        The FAA was supposed to publish a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
    (NPRM) on beyond visual line of sight operations (BVLOS) for unmanned
    aircraft systems (UAS) by September 16, 2024. However, that deadline
    has come and gone. Former Secretary Pete Buttigieg left current
    Secretary Sean Duffy with a lot of missed deadlines. I hope that we can
    get a BVLOS NPRM in short order.
        One of the biggest looming issues for this Committee in the 119th
    Congress is the expiration of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs
    Act (IIJA). I wasn't in Congress when IIJA passed, but I sat through
    many oversight hearings, and I must reluctantly conclude that IIJA's
    results did not live up to its promises.
        A common theme in IIJA's failures is the bureaucracy of Secretary
    Buttigieg's Department of Transportation getting in the way of putting
    shovels in the ground. I heard from many local entities that won grants
    about the wave of paperwork and delays they faced. For example,
    recipients of a 2023 Safe Streets and Roads for All grant were required
    to certify compliance with 75 laws and regulations, as well as 12
    executive orders.\1\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \1\ https://www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/2024-01/
    SS4A-FY23_Exhibits_2024-01-04.pdf
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        The Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and
    Equity (RAISE) grant program was also illustrative of Secretary
    Buttigieg's crippling bureaucracy. The Department publicly tracked the
    progress of RAISE recipients' grant agreements, which are required
    before work can begin on a project.
        As of the last available progress report, in November 2024, only
    224 of 414 (54.1%) grant agreements were executed for grant awards
    across fiscal years 2021, 2022, and 2023. It is plainly unacceptable
    for projects to wait upwards of three years to get the green light from
    the Department, especially as they were grappling with the Biden
    Administration's massive inflation.
        Too often, Secretary Buttigieg appears to have been content to
    announce grants to great fanfare, only to turn around and bury
    recipients under paperwork. Only 9 of the 23 (39.1%) RAISE projects
    highlighted in the Department's fiscal year 2021, 2022, and 2023 press
    releases had an executed grant agreement as of the November 2024
    progress report.
        Indeed, Secretary Duffy reports that Secretary Buttigieg left him a
    backlog of 3,200 projects that were announced but not executed upon.\2\
    As this Committee works toward a surface transportation
    reauthorization, I urge you to require public reports on the progress
    of grant agreements across grant programs, similar to the RAISE
    program, to ensure accountability and to streamline the grant agreement
    process as much as possible.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \2\ https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/us-transportation-
    secretary-sean-p-duffy-approves-another-180-grants-get-america
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Another common concern I heard from stakeholders in the Hoosier
    state was the lack of discretionary grants. IIJA expanded discretionary
    grants by 500%, but Indiana ranked dead last on a per-capita basis in
    securing those grants. To be sure, some of the responsibility lies with
    project selection and design. However, Secretary Buttigieg's Department
    had a large role too. For example, a local entity that was not selected
    to receive a planning grant for a railroad grade separation was told in
    a debrief by Department officials that their project might have scored
    higher if the application had included a plan to add electric vehicle
    (EV) charging. States know how to spend this money on local needs. As
    such, I urge this Committee to dramatically scale back discretionary
    grant programs in favor of formula funding in the upcoming surface
    transportation reauthorization.
        One final failure of IIJA I would like to highlight are its
    electric vehicle (EV) charging station programs, the $5 billion
    National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) and $2.5 billion
    Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) programs. In over three
    years, NEVI stood up only about 60 charging stations and CFI only 3.\3\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \3\ https://afdc.energy.gov/stations#/analyze?tab=fuel&fuel=ELEC
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        There were many reasons for this failure, such as overly rigid
    federal regulations and burdensome diversity, equity, and inclusion
    (DEI) requirements.\4\ However, there is also a fundamental question
    about whether the federal government needs to be involved in
    constructing EV charging stations in the first place. According to the
    Joint Office of Energy and Transportation's Q4 2024 NEVI Quarterly
    Update, there were 12,000 public charging ports added that quarter.
    NEVI and CFI together in over three years built approximately 300. The
    private sector seems to be handling EV charging station construction
    just fine. As such, I urge this Committee to end the failed NEVI and
    CFI programs in the upcoming surface transportation reauthorization.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \4\ https://freebeacon.com/biden-administration/white-house-equity-
    requirements-holding-back-ev-charging-station-construction-internal-
    docs-show/
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Finally, I want to talk about getting back to basics. The Biden
    Administration was characterized by mission creep and the infusion of
    DEI into everything it did, often at the expense of core agency
    functions. For example, Tristan Brown, the Deputy Administrator for the
    Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), which
    is dedicated to pipeline safety, tried to ``brand'' the agency as a
    ``climate agency.'' Another example is the Federal Emergency Management
    Agency (FEMA), which, under the Biden Administration, changed its
    number one goal from ``Build a culture of preparedness'' to ``Instill
    equity as a foundation of emergency management.'' I urge this Committee
    to ensure agencies re-focus on their core missions.
        Thank you for the opportunity to testify, and I yield back.

        Mr. Perry. The Chair thanks the gentleman. Are there
    questions or comments from members of the committee?
        Hearing none, I would just say to Representative Yakym I
    agree with you regarding many of the things--probably almost
    all of the things that you said, there might be something
    there--but specifically the ability to go beyond the line of
    visual sight for the UAS industry in America. We have worked
    long and hard at that, and it is well and long overdue. And I
    think that there is agreement on both sides of the aisle in
    that regard, and so I appreciate you bringing it to our
    attention once again. And I thank the gentleman.
        Mr. Yakym. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        Mr. Perry. The Chair now turns to Representative Simon for
    her testimony.

    TESTIMONY OF HON. LATEEFAH SIMON, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS
                      FROM THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

        Ms. Simon. Well, thank you so much, Mr. Chair, Chair
    Graves, and Ranking Member Larsen, and members of the
    committee. I am just so honored, and I believe that Ranking
    Member Larsen knows how honored I am to be speaking in front of
    this committee today.
        As a Member of Congress, a new Member--again, I have long
    dreamed of sitting in this seat and talking about how much I
    love transit--I was born premature, with a visual impairment,
    and one of the few folks, I believe, in the United States
    Congress who was born with a congenital visual impairment. I am
    legally blind. And as a blind person, a transit-dependent
    person, I have relied on public transportation for all of my
    life. In fact, as a young mom, a teen mom going to college,
    taking my baby to daycare, I had to make decisions on where I
    lived or what time the bus or the train came to get to work, to
    turn in assignments, to be able to make a way out of no way for
    my family.
        The time tax, when you are transit-dependent, you are not
    only reliant on transit agencies, you are reliant on good
    employees getting to those bus stops at the time that you need
    to get there to be able to get to work. I know this all too
    well.
        Public transit for me was not just a convenience. It was a
    lifeline, an opportunity, stability, and survival. The deep,
    personal connection that I have had as a transit-dependent
    person actually led me to run for office and to win an office
    to be on the board of directors of Bay Area Rapid Transit, one
    of three elected transit boards in the Nation. Better known as
    BART, I helped lead BART during a very difficult time, during
    COVID, and I want to thank this committee for your advocacy and
    support.
        And despite declining ridership during the COVID pandemic,
    BART continued to run trains for nurses and janitors and
    grocery clerks, the essential workers who kept our communities
    going. And like so many other public transportation agencies in
    this country, we did it during that crucial period because of
    the Federal partnership, because of the brave men and women who
    sat on this committee who understood that mobility is, in fact,
    not a privilege, that it is a right.
        The $69 billion that moved really from this committee all
    over the Nation in emergency support to support systems like
    Bay Area Rapid Transit led institutions to move instead of
    collapse. And again, so thankful to the members of T&I for
    leading us through that process.
        But as emergency funds, they are sunsetting in 2026.
    Systems across the country face--and you all know this--a
    fiscal cliff. The situation is not just urgent, it is, in fact,
    existential. BART has had to heavily rely on fare revenue,
    which, unfortunately, has made up 70 percent of our operating
    budget. But now, fare revenues only cover about 25 percent of
    the total operating cost. This isn't about poor financial
    management. In fact, it is about decades--it is a national
    issue--decades of transit disinvestment, underinvestment,
    leaving us far behind our global partners, our global peers,
    our adversaries in building more reliant public transportation
    systems.
        This committee has been integral in putting together IIJA,
    a historic downpayment on our Nation's infrastructure that we
    must build on now. Without new, reliable funding, BART and
    other transit agencies around the country are facing severe
    service cuts. Bay Area Rapid Transit, up to 80 percent. This
    means no weekend service. This means layoffs. This means
    devastating impacts to transit congestion and air quality.
        I have got to say, for many of us who are speaking
    nationally about the crisis of public transportation, some of
    us don't have car keys. We rely, our lifeblood, on being able
    to access reliable and safe public transportation. The cuts now
    wouldn't just harm transit systems, they disproportionately
    would harm low-income folks, vulnerable folks, transit-
    dependent folks, and, of course, our elders, seniors, and
    people with disability. Slashing transit services now means
    slashing and slamming the door on these communities.
        In California--I only have a few seconds left, but in
    California, legislation has been introduced to give voters the
    opportunity to continue to support public transportation in its
    dire phase. But the States can't do it alone. I would love to
    work with this committee.
        Mr. Larsen, I would love to be a shadow member of this
    committee as a part of the Democratic Party. I will be outside
    working with you all as we move towards a transit-equitable
    Nation.
        Thank you so much for having me today. I would love to take
    any questions.
        [Ms. Simon's prepared statement follows:]

    Prepared Statement of Hon. Lateefah Simon, a Representative in Congress
                          from the State of California
        Thank you, Chair Graves and Ranking Member Larsen, and members of
    this committee, for the opportunity to testify today.
        I am honored to be here not only as a Member of Congress, but as
    someone whose life has been shaped by public transit.
        I was born premature and born with a visual impairment. Now, I am
    the first congenitally blind Member of Congress.
        As a congenitally blind woman, I have navigated life using the
    public transit systems of California's Bay Area.
        As a young working mother, I would drop my daughter off, get to
    work at the San Francisco District Attorney's office, then hurry back
    to pick up my daughter and bring her back to the office while I
    finished work--all using public transportation.
        Public transit wasn't just convenience--it was my lifeline for
    opportunity, stability, and survival.
        That deep personal connection is why I later stepped up to serve on
    the Board of Directors of the Bay Area Rapid Transit, better known as
    BART, to help lead the system through one of the most difficult times
    in its history: the COVID-19 pandemic.
        Despite declining ridership, BART continued to run trains for
    nurses, janitors, grocery clerks--the essential workers who kept our
    communities afloat.
        And like so many other public transit agencies, we did it with
    Federal partnership. The $69 billion in emergency support from the
    Federal government saved systems like BART from collapse.
        But as emergency funds sunset in 2026, transit systems across the
    country face a fiscal cliff. The situation is not just urgent--it is
    existential.
        Without new, reliable funding, BART is facing service cuts of up to
    80 percent. That means no weekend service, mass layoffs, and
    devastating impacts to traffic congestion and air quality.
        These cuts wouldn't just harm transit systems. They would
    disproportionately harm the most vulnerable, transit-dependent
    communities.
        Seniors, people with disabilities, working parents, small business
    owners, and low-income families all depend on accessible public
    transit.
        Slashing transit service means slamming the door on these
    communities and so many others.
        That is why I support efforts at every level to stabilize transit
    funding.
        In California, legislation has been introduced to give voters the
    opportunity to support regional transit funding through a sales tax
    measure. But states cannot do this alone.
        Staffing, fuel, and maintenance are fundamental to any productive
    transit system. Yet, federal law severely limits how agencies can use
    Highway Trust Fund dollars to cover those essential operating costs.
        I stand ready to work with the House Transportation and
    Infrastructure Committee on effective budgetary solutions to ensure the
    needs of our twenty-first century transit systems are not crippled by a
    twentieth century funding structure.
        In the same spirit of modernization, during my time at BART, I
    worked to ensure the system was not only accessible, but safe and just.
        I championed the creation of the first-in-the-nation unarmed
    Transit Ambassador program.
        These Ambassadors are trained professionals focused on de-
    escalation, mental health awareness, and social service connections.
        The results speak for themselves: crime on BART dropped 17% last
    year and violent crime dropped 23% even as ridership climbed by 2.6
    million trips.
        Last month, I visited and rode from the 19th Street to the
    Fruitvale BART station to see the Transit Ambassador and other BART
    improvements at work.
        I spoke with riders who feel safer because they see someone who can
    help, not just arrest.
        Transit Ambassadors are a cost-effective way to protect operators,
    deter violence, and build public confidence, without over-policing.
        That's why I will be introducing legislation that would expand
    these programs nationwide.
        I urge this committee to seriously consider how such policies can
    reshape public safety across our transit systems.
        Finally, I want to bring up another important issue: housing.
        Affordable housing and public transit are deeply interconnected.
        For working families, living near transit isn't a luxury. It means
    access to jobs, schools, healthcare, and opportunity.
        When we put homes near transit, we can reduce emissions and connect
    families and communities to the future that they deserve.
        I look forward to collaborating with this Committee to drive
    forward efforts that promote transit-oriented affordable housing and
    foster sustainable, efficient communities.
        I'll end with this: mobility is a human right. It's how we get to
    work, to school, to doctors' appointments, and to each other.
        I was sent to Congress by my constituents to join the fight for
    working families. That fight starts with making sure they can get where
    they need to go safely, affordably, and reliably.
        Thank you, and I yield back.

        Mr. Perry. The Chair thanks the gentlelady. Are there
    comments or questions from members of the committee?
        Mr. Larsen, the ranking member, is recognized.
        Mr. Larsen of Washington. Thank you, Representative Simon.
    I don't think the committee rules allow for shadow Members,
    but----
        Ms. Simon [interrupting]. That was a joke, sir.
        [Laughter.]
        Mr. Larsen of Washington [continuing]. But I get your
    point.
        So yes, let's stay in touch, especially on transit. I know
    how important it is for you.
        Ms. Simon. Absolutely, absolutely. Shadow meaning that I
    support this committee----
        Mr. Larsen of Washington [interrupting]. I got it, I got
    it.
        Ms. Simon [continuing]. And I support the work. Thank you
    very much.
        Mr. Larsen of Washington. Sure.
        Mr. Perry. The Chair thanks the gentleman. Any further
    questions or comments?
        Hearing none, seeing none, thank you, Representative Simon.
    The Chair now recognizes Representative Min.

     TESTIMONY OF HON. DAVE MIN, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM
                        THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

        Mr. Min. Thank you, Chair Perry, Ranking Member Larsen. I
    appreciate the opportunity to share my transportation
    priorities with the Transportation and Infrastructure
    Committee.
        I represent the heart of Orange County, coastal Orange
    County, just south of Los Angeles. And as we all know, the
    Olympics are coming to L.A. in 2028. We are going to have some
    pretty important infrastructure needs. And for those of you who
    have come down to our district, it is a beautiful place.
    Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, Huntington Beach, some of the
    nicest beaches in the country.
        You know that our populations are expanding rapidly. And
    right now many people in my district are concerned that Orange
    County is headed down the same pathway as Los Angeles, that we
    are going to experience gridlock and traffic. And so T&I is
    very, very important for our district at this pivotal moment in
    time, where we have the opportunity to maybe avoid some of the
    challenges that L.A., our neighbor to the north, has faced. So
    I have got three priorities for you today.
        The first is for local suballocation for surface
    transportation block grants. And this is one of my top
    priorities for the Orange County Transportation Authority for
    transportation users throughout my district, and that is
    restoring the ability to suballocate Federal funding to
    counties.
        In California, Federal funding for our transportation
    systems such as the surface transportation block grants have
    historically gone to metropolitan planning organizations, and
    then have been distributed to county entities based on
    population. This framework has allowed transportation projects
    to move forward more efficiently, especially in southern
    California, which has the largest metropolitan planning
    organization in the country.
        I want to urge the committee to make clear that local
    suballocation is explicitly allowed, and it is critical to the
    timely implementation of transportation projects. Recent
    Federal guidance has been less than clear on the eligibility of
    funds for suballocation, adding unnecessary burden for southern
    California and reducing the responsiveness of taxpayer dollars
    to our region's transportation needs.
        My second priority is coastal resilience for intercity
    rail, the
    L-O-S-S-A-N, or LOSSAN. Extreme weather events driven by
    changing climate have placed an enormous strain on our
    transportation systems, creating growing service delays and
    costs necessary to modernize our aging infrastructure. In
    Orange County, we have seen this firsthand with the Los
    Angeles-San Diego-San Luis Obispo rail corridor--or LOSSAN, as
    it is known--that runs through the heart of my district. This
    is the second busiest intercity passenger rail corridor in the
    country, with millions of passengers relying on this annually
    to get to their jobs, to see beaches, to visit their families,
    for tourism, and the like.
        However, coastal erosion is threatening this key economic
    corridor. Unstable bluffs, hillsides, and other hazards brought
    on by coastal erosion are beginning to cause significant
    disruptions to transportation services in the region. You
    probably heard about the need to reroute the Amtrak corridor
    through the heart of my district, Orange County to San Diego,
    and that has led to a number of delays, including five
    shutdowns in Orange County over the past 5 years.
        Federal support for infrastructure stabilization and
    resiliency is urgently needed at this time to address
    vulnerabilities from extreme weather events; new climate
    patterns to ensure that our intercity rail corridors like
    LOSSAN can continue to support passenger service, goods
    movement, and regional connectivity; very, very important
    priorities for the economy.
        Finally, my last priority is for zero-emission vehicles.
    Air pollution from the transportation sector is a serious
    public health concern in Orange County. It was not that long
    ago that in southern California, we regularly saw some of the
    worst smog and air pollution in the world. We were able to move
    that around with some changes to our local and Federal
    policies. But even with the existing lower emission standards,
    this pollution has cost our State and country billions of
    dollars annually in healthcare costs and lost productivity.
        We need to take advantage of new technologies that are
    coming to market to diversify our transportation options,
    reduce carbon emissions and fuel costs, and create healthier
    communities, all while creating jobs and spurring innovation.
    Unfortunately, we have seen right now so far in the Trump
    administration a hostility to these efforts with a number of
    targeted programs like the National Electric Vehicle
    Infrastructure program which are helping to build out the
    infrastructure necessary to support zero-emission vehicles.
        I would also point out that this is an important spur for
    manufacturing. There are many companies that have invested
    heavily in the United States and manufacturing, based on some
    of these types of incentives and programs. Keeping those in
    place will help to ensure that we keep those thousands of jobs,
    whether it's companies in Georgia or South Carolina or in
    California.
        As you develop your surface transportation program, I would
    urge you to consider the importance of zero-emission vehicles
    for averting the most devastating consequences of the climate
    crisis, leaving future generations with a livable world.
        I would urge you to continue funding critical programs,
    including those supported by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act
    that are helping to decarbonize transportation across the
    country. In places like California, zero-emissions vehicles,
    electric vehicles make sense. If you visit, you notice most
    people are now driving--most of the new car sales are, in fact,
    electric vehicles. We need that infrastructure support to keep
    building that out.
        So thank you for your time and for your consideration of my
    priorities. I look forward to working with the distinguished
    members of this committee and appreciate your hard work.
        I yield back.
        [Mr. Min's prepared statement follows:]

    Prepared Statement of Hon. Dave Min, a Representative in Congress from
                            the State of California
        Thank you, Chair Graves and Ranking Member Larsen, for the
    opportunity to share my transportation priorities with the
    Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.
        As the Committee begins developing a multi-year reauthorization
    package for surface transportation programs, I want to highlight the
    importance of federal transportation investments for my constituents
    throughout Orange County.
        One of the top priorities for the Orange County Transportation
    Authority--and for transportation users throughout my district--is
    restoring the ability to sub-allocate federal funding to counties. In
    California, federal funding for our transportation system, such as the
    Surface Transportation Block Grants, have historically gone to
    Metropolitan Planning Organizations and then distributed to county
    entities based on population. This framework has allowed transportation
    projects to move forward more efficiently, especially in Southern
    California, which has the largest metropolitan planning organization in
    the country.
        I urge the Committee to make clear that local sub-allocation is
    explicitly allowed and critical to the timely implementation of
    transportation projects. Recent federal guidance has been less clear on
    the eligibility of funds for sub-allocation, adding unnecessary burden
    for Southern California and reducing the responsiveness of taxpayer
    dollars to our region's transportation needs.
        Extreme weather events driven by changing climate patterns are also
    placing an enormous strain on our transportation systems, creating
    growing service delays and costs necessary to modernize aging
    infrastructure. In Orange County, we see this first-hand with the Los
    Angeles-San Diego-San Luis Obispo Rail Corridor, or LOSSAN, that runs
    through the heart of my district. This is the second busiest intercity
    passenger rail corridor in the country, which millions of passengers
    rely on annually to get to their jobs, see family, or visit the
    beautiful beaches in my district. However, coastal erosion is
    threatening this key economic corridor. Unstable bluffs, hillsides, and
    other hazards brought on by coastal erosion are beginning to cause
    significant disruptions to transportation service for the region--
    including five shutdowns in Orange County over the past four years.
        Federal support for infrastructure stabilization and resiliency is
    urgently needed to address vulnerabilities from extreme weather events
    and new climate patterns to ensure that intercity rail corridors like
    LOSSAN can continue to support passenger service, goods movement, and
    regional connectivity.
        Air pollution from the transportation sector is a serious public
    health concern for Orange County. Southern California continues to have
    some of the worst smog and air pollution rates in the nation. This
    pollution costs the state and country billions of dollars annually in
    healthcare costs and lost productively. We need to take advantage of
    new technologies that are coming to the market to diversify
    transportation options, reduce carbon emissions and fuel costs, and
    create healthier communities--all while creating jobs and spurring
    innovation. Unfortunately, this Administration has been hostile to
    these efforts and has targeted programs like the National Electric
    Vehicle Infrastructure Program that are helping build out the
    infrastructure necessary to support zero-emission vehicles.
        As it develops its surface transportation package, this Committee
    cannot dismiss the importance of zero-emission vehicles for averting
    the most devastating consequences of the climate crisis and leaving
    future generations with a livable world. I urge this Committee to
    continue funding critical programs, including those supported by the
    Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, that are helping decarbonize
    transportation systems across the country.
        Thank you for your time and consideration of these priorities. I
    look forward to working with the distinguished members of this
    Committee as you work to reauthorize the surface transportation bill. I
    yield back the balance of my time.

        Mr. Perry. The Chair thanks the gentleman.
        Are there questions from committee members for
    Representative--Representative Min, I do have a question for
    you.
        If you could describe briefly--you talked about the
    suballocation of resources. Can you provide any granularity to
    what the barriers that you have experienced are?
        What would be an example or some examples of those
    barriers?
        Mr. Min. I think right now it is--what we have heard is
    mostly a lack of certainty. Like, that our OCTA, Orange County
    Transportation Authority, they are unclear on which funds they
    can use. And so we would like to just--as I mentioned, I have
    more specificity. If you would like, I can communicate with
    OCTA and see if they have specific requests that we can further
    to your committee staff.
        Mr. Perry. I think it would help the committee to know
    that, and how that is being manifested in communities. And so,
    as we are looking forward to writing the next surface bill, I
    think that would be important input to have.
        Mr. Min. I appreciate your receptiveness to that, and we
    will get back to you shortly, Chair.
        [The information follows:]

     Hon. Dave Min's Post-Hearing Response to Request for Information from
     Hon. Scott Perry on Instances in Which Suballocation Has Been Denied
                        for Surface Transportation Funds
        The following is in addition to the remarks that I provided at the
    Transportation and Infrastructure Committee's Member Day on Wednesday,
    May 14, 2025, regarding a question from Congressman Scott Perry on
    instances in which sub-allocation has been denied for surface
    transportation funds. I greatly appreciate and welcome the opportunity
    to respond.
        In 2021, the Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Transit
    Administration issued a corrective action against the California
    Department of Transportation, asserting that Metropolitan Planning
    Organizations (MPOs) could not sub-allocate funding for Surface
    Transportation Block Grant (STBG) and Congestion Mitigation and Air
    Quality (CMAQ) projects to regional transportation agencies. This
    corrective action upends state law--which requires STBG and CMAQ sub-
    allocation by population--that has helped guide implementation of these
    funds for decades.
        As mentioned in my remarks, this framework is particularly
    important for my constituents in Southern California, which is
    represented by the largest MPO in the country--representing six
    counties, nearly 200 cities, and over 19 million residents. Due to the
    sheer size and complexity of the region's transportation needs, sub-
    allocation to regional transportation agencies, such as county-level
    planning organizations, helps avoid bureaucratic inefficiencies and
    ensures that transportation funds are delivered more efficiently.
        Since the agencies' 2021 corrective action, the state has been
    forced to go through a slower and more rigid process, leading to
    funding estimates and project selections that are less reliable and
    responsive to regional needs. This has significantly reduced the
    flexibility of regional transportation agencies to adjust funds,
    respond to real-world issues, or support long-term planning--issues
    that will only grow as the region prepares for the 2026 Olympics.
        Clarifying that local sub-allocation is allowed for the STBG and
    CMAQ programs is critical to improve the efficiency and responsiveness
    of taxpayer dollars, reduce administrative complexity for the state,
    and support the ability for states to retain federal transportation
    funds.
        My office and I welcome the opportunity to answer any additional
    questions about this request. Thank you once again to the Committee for
    its consideration.

        Mr. Perry. All right. Thank you, sir.
        Mr. Min. Thank you.
        Mr. Perry. All right. The Chair now recognizes
    Representative Tlaib.

     TESTIMONY OF HON. RASHIDA TLAIB, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS
                       FROM THE STATE OF MICHIGAN

        Ms. Tlaib. Thank you so much, Chair Perry and, of course,
    Ranking Member Larsen, for this opportunity. I always like the
    opportunity to bring my district here to Congress, and hope
    that I can share with all of you some of the challenges and
    hopes for the goals of this committee.
        I want to start in regards to hazardous materials
    enforcement. Mr. Chair and Ranking Member, we all know in the
    aftermath of the East Palestine, Ohio, rail disaster, there
    are, rightfully, growing concerns over safety. And the focus
    now more than ever needs to be around enforcement and
    protection regarding transportation of hazardous materials
    through many of our communities.
        In Detroit, Mr. Chair, we have the 94-year-old Ambassador
    Bridge. It spans the Detroit River and connects the United
    States to Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Over 20 percent of trade
    crosses that bridge, but most importantly, even, it's located
    upstream of a municipal drinking water intake system. The
    bridge is privately owned by the Detroit International Bridge
    Company. It is very rare to have such an important trade
    corridor--and it has a long history, though, of illegal
    activity and disregard of safety rules and regulation. The
    long-time owner even was jailed at one point and held in
    contempt for not following court orders.
        Last year, Mr. Chair, the State of Michigan made a
    regrettable decision to loosen restrictions on hazmat
    transportation across this bridge over so many residents'
    objections in both Detroit and Windsor.
        The bridge is too old. It is narrow. It lacks proper
    firefighting and other hazardous mitigations. The Federal
    agencies in charge of enforcing hazardous material regulation
    includes Customs and Border Patrol as well as PHMSA, and they
    lack the resources to do aggressive enforcement that safeguards
    our public health. Numerous conversations continue to confirm
    that.
        So, I encourage, please, the committee to support the
    highest possible funding for PHMSA's hazardous materials field
    operation so that they can provide proper and timely compliance
    inspections on the Ambassador Bridge and others like it.
        I also want to talk about how we know that the State of
    Michigan also suffered one of the worst inland oilspills in our
    Nation's history when Enbridge's Line 6B dumped 1 million
    gallons of heavy crude oil in the Kalamazoo River. Enbridge
    continues to violate State law by operating its Line 5 pipeline
    through the Straits of Mackinac in the Great Lakes. Many of my
    residents have not forgotten about the Nation's--again, worst
    inland oilspill in our Nation with the Line 6B. The Kalamazoo
    River, the crude oil and the images, many of us still remember.
        So, the importance of pipeline inspections and enforcement
    cannot be overstated. I urge the highest possible level of
    funding of PHMSA's pipeline field operations to help safeguard
    the Great Lakes for generations to come.
        Next, Mr. Chair, I know you hear from a lot of my
    colleagues in regards to this, but my district is home to many
    communities in close proximity to the Detroit Metro Airport,
    and many residents are burdened by excessive air and noise
    pollution. I encourage the committee, Mr. Chair and Ranking
    Member, to support the level of funding that is necessary for
    the Federal Aviation Administration's airport noise
    compatibility planning referred to in part 150 to be able to do
    their jobs effectively.
        Robust funding for part 150 would allow Detroit Metro and
    airports like it across our Nation to update their noise
    mitigation plans. It is so important more frequently to adjust
    to changing weather patterns, also airline trends and urban
    growth. This, in turn, will better protect many of our
    residents from pollution and disruptions in their everyday
    lives, and will help local governments respond to resident
    concerns. I still get calls from the same woman from my first
    term in regards to noise pollution, and I believe that she
    wants us to do more, and I agree with her.
        Two more items, Mr. Chair. Many of you don't know, but I
    lost my uncle to--a car hit him, and 2 hours later, he lost his
    life. So, I want us to do more about pedestrian safety. After
    that happened, so many people in my community called me and
    said that happened to their mother, happened to their child. A
    grandfather called and said it happened to his grandson. So, I
    encourage the committee to continue to support the Safe Streets
    and Roads for All grant program, which funds regional, local,
    and Tribal initiatives through grants to prevent roadway
    fatalities as well as serious injuries. Our district has
    suffered far too many roadway pedestrian casualties, and our
    local governments need that support and help in designing
    better pedestrian infrastructure again to keep us all safe.
        Lastly, Mr. Chair and Ranking Member, many of my residents
    live a few hundred feet from major Federal highways and
    experience elevated rates of significant health problems due to
    increased air pollution exposure from those highways. Sound
    walls, cut sections, roadside vegetation can all help reduce
    exposure to air pollutants that harm our communities.
        So again, I always say this, children can't learn if they
    are hungry, but they also can't learn if they can't breathe
    clean air. And so many schools in my community butt right up
    against service drives of large highways that are very
    congested. So I urge the committee to please support funding of
    green buffers and other means of reducing residents' exposure
    to transportation-related air pollutants, especially in
    communities like mine.
        With that, I yield back.
        [Ms. Tlaib's prepared statement follows:]

    Prepared Statement of Hon. Rashida Tlaib, a Representative in Congress
                           from the State of Michigan
        Dear Chairman Graves and Ranking Member Larsen,
        Thank you for the opportunity to share written testimony regarding
    my priorities within the Committee's jurisdiction for the 119th
    Congress.
                     PHMSA Hazardous Materials Enforcement
        In the aftermath of the East Palestine, Ohio rail disaster, there
    is rightfully more focus than ever on the transportation of hazardous
    materials through our communities.
        In Detroit, the 94-year-old Ambassador Bridge spans the Detroit
    River and connects the U.S. to Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Over 20% of
    trade crosses over the crossing, which is located upstream of municipal
    drinking water intakes. The bridge is privately owned by the Detroit
    International Bridge Company, which has a long history of illegal
    activity and disregard for safety rules and regulations. The long-time
    owner was even jailed and held in contempt for not following court
    orders.
        Last year, after years of lobbying Michigan state government and
    ghost-writing letters of support from lawmakers who accepted campaign
    donations, the State of Michigan made the regrettable decision to
    loosen restrictions on hazmat transportation across the Bridge over
    community objections in both Detroit and Windsor, Ontario. The bridge
    is too old, too narrow, and lacks proper firefighting and other hazard
    mitigations.
        The federal agencies in charge of enforcing hazardous materials
    regulations--which include Customs and Border Patrol and PHMSA--lack
    the resources for aggressive enforcement that safeguards public health.
    I encourage the Committee to support the highest possible funding for
    PHMSA's Hazardous Materials Field Operations so that it can provide
    proper and timely compliance inspections on the Ambassador Bridge and
    others like it.
                   Line 5 and PHMSA Pipeline Field Operations
        Michigan is home to numerous oil and natural gas pipelines and has
    already suffered one of the worst inland oil spills in our nation's
    history when Enbridge's Line 6B dumped a million gallons of heavy crude
    oil into the Kalamazoo River. As Enbridge continues to violate state
    law by operating its Line 5 pipeline through the Straits of Mackinac in
    the Great Lakes, the importance of pipeline inspections and enforcement
    cannot be overstated. I urge the Committee to support the highest
    possible level of funding for PHMSA's Pipeline Field Operations to help
    safeguard the Great Lakes for generations to come. Moreover, I urge the
    Committee to reject any support for the Line 5 pipeline or the Line 5
    tunnel project.
                              FAA Noise Mitigation
        Michigan's 12th District is home to many communities within close
    proximity to the Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW), and many of our
    residents are burdened by the air and noise pollution that comes with
    living under flight paths. I encourage the Committee to support the
    highest possible level of funding for the Federal Aviation
    Administration's Airport Noise Compatibility Planning, referred to as
    Part 150. Robust funding for Part 150 will allow DTW and airports like
    it across the country to update their noise mitigation plans more
    frequently to adjust to changing weather patterns, airline trends, and
    in DTW's case, the Cleveland/Detroit Metroplex Project. This in turn
    will better protect our residents from pollution and disruptions to
    their everyday lives and will help local governments respond to
    resident concerns.
                               Pedestrian Safety
        I also encourage the Committee to continue support for the Safe
    Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Grant Program, which funds regional,
    local, and Tribal initiatives through grants to prevent roadway
    fatalities and serious injuries. Our district has suffered far too many
    roadway and pedestrian casualties, and our local governments need more
    support designing better roadways and pedestrian infrastructure to keep
    us all safe.
                            Federal Highway Buffers
        Many of my residents live within a few hundred feet of major
    federal highways and experience elevated rates of significant health
    problems due to increased air pollution exposure. Sound walls, cut
    sections, and roadside vegetation can all help reduce exposure to air
    pollutants that harm our communities. I urge the Committee to support
    funding for green buffers and other means of reducing residents'
    exposure to transportation-related air pollutants, especially in
    environmental justice communities.
        Thank you for your consideration of these important priorities for
    the 12th district and all of Michigan.

        Mr. Perry. The Chair thanks the gentlelady. Are there
    questions from members of the committee?
        The ranking member is recognized.
        Mr. Larsen of Washington. Thank you.
        Representative Tlaib, I just want to make a note on this.
    You provided a lot. I just want to focus on the Safe Streets
    and Roads for All. I am hearing a lot from local MPOs, RTPOs
    who have these planning grants and now are going to be done
    with their plans and are questioning whether or not the money
    now will be there to implement those plans in the next surface
    bill. And I think it is important that you highlighted this,
    because it is about separating cars from bikes, cars from
    people, people from cars, bikes from cars. It is about roadway
    safety when we still have 40,000 roadway deaths a year, and so
    I appreciate you bringing that up.
        Ms. Tlaib. Yes, and Mr. Larsen, I come from a district--we
    don't really have mass transit. Cars are everywhere in the
    Metro Detroit area. And if anything, a lot of the corridors and
    areas like where my uncle was hit, it has grown economically,
    which is great, but the pedestrians and the growth in business
    and people trying--because it is right in a neighborhood, and
    he was just at a fruit market.
        And I think for me it was eye-opening, how many people
    reached out and said, do you know this happened to me? I almost
    got hit by a car. I mean, it is just overwhelming. And I think
    there is a great need, especially because local governments
    just don't have the capacity. They need the Federal
    partnership.
        Mr. Perry. The Chair thanks the gentleman. The Chair thanks
    the gentlelady. The Chair now recognizes Representative Kiggans
    for testimony.

      TESTIMONY OF HON. JENNIFER A. KIGGANS, A REPRESENTATIVE IN
               CONGRESS FROM THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

        Mrs. Kiggans of Virginia. Thank you very much, Chair Perry
    and Ranking Member Larsen, and the committee, just for making
    time today for people like me to come and talk about the things
    that are important to our district. And I have the privilege of
    representing Virginia's Second Congressional District, so
    Hampton Roads, home to our Atlantic Fleet. A lot of defense and
    veterans live there, but it is also home to critical coastal
    communities and hard-working families. And my remarks today are
    going to focus on three issues important in my district: the
    WOTUS rule, which impacts local development; the urgent need
    for air traffic control modernization; and the importance of
    parity for our Coast Guard servicemembers.
        So to start out with the Army Corps of Engineers and the
    WOTUS rule, local housing development in my district has been
    severely restricted by the Biden-era Waters of the United
    States, or WOTUS, rule. This rule, applied under the previous
    administration, did not align with the Supreme Court's Sackett
    decision, and led to Federal overreach, permitting delays, and
    uncertainty for developers.
        I commend the Trump administration for initiating
    rulemaking under the Administrative Procedure Act to replace
    the Biden WOTUS framework. Congress must work closely to
    monitor this process and ensure that if a new Trump-era WOTUS
    rule is enacted, it is implemented swiftly and as intended.
        We have had a lot of meetings and roundtables just with
    local developers and construction industry representatives, and
    I need more housing, I need more development. I need it for my
    military families. I think this committee is well aware of our
    base infrastructure challenges right now. So we are looking off
    base. What does that look like to complement that? Housing is
    an important piece of that quality of life, quality of service
    component for our military for recruitment and retention.
        We have great local partners that want to build, but they
    are hamstrung, again, by this WOTUS rule. And we have met time
    and time again. The wait that they are having to go through is
    unacceptable. A couple different groups have said people have
    died, just passed away, waiting for approval so they can start
    these projects. They have the land, they have the motivation,
    they have the resources they need to complete these projects,
    especially housing, but we need that to be enacted. I need that
    Army Corps piece, especially with some of these wetlands
    issues, to be resolved and to be resolved quickly.
        The second thing is the Federal Aviation Administration air
    traffic control workforce issues. And Virginia's Second
    District is home to Naval Air Station Oceana, which is the
    Navy's east coast master jet base. As a former Navy pilot, I
    understand the critical role of air traffic control and
    training readiness and civilian aviation safety. The United
    States currently faces a shortfall of nearly 3,000 air traffic
    controllers. It is an unacceptable risk to our National
    Airspace System. I appreciate the work of the Transportation
    and Infrastructure Committee and support the President's $12.5
    billion investment to modernize air traffic control systems and
    expand training pipelines.
        Not only have I heard in my official capacity here in
    Washington from air traffic controllers about this issue, but I
    have many, many pilot friends who have transitioned now from
    the Navy into airline jobs. And when you listen to those guys
    talk about the safety issues from the constraints of ATC, what
    that looks like, it is impacting their ability to do their job
    safely and their ability for consumers to have timely air
    travel. So this should be a priority, fixing that system. And I
    think--I don't even need to mention what happens as a result of
    not having adequate and sufficient air traffic control. So I
    appreciate prioritizing that.
        The third thing I wanted to advocate for was my Coast Guard
    Parity Act. And as a Navy veteran, I am proud to advocate for
    all servicemembers, and that includes the Coast Guard, which
    remains the only branch without full parity and separation
    policies. The Coast Guard Parity Act would ensure enlisted
    members with 18 or more years of service are not involuntarily
    separated before becoming eligible for retirement. This bill
    brings Coast Guard standards in line with the Army, Navy, Air
    Force, Marine Corps, and Space Force. It supports the morale,
    retention, and fairness, and honors the long-term commitment of
    those who serve in our maritime force.
        We are thankful for our Coast Guard, especially for our
    large presence along our coastline in Virginia, but they are
    instrumental in maritime defense, border security, and just
    maritime safety, and we need to make sure that we have their
    backs, as well.
        So, in closing, these issues--housing development, aviation
    safety, and military parity--are vital to the security,
    stability, and prosperity of my district and our Nation. I urge
    the committee to support efforts that reduce Federal overreach,
    invest in infrastructure, and treat all servicemembers with
    equal respect and support.
        Thank you very much for your time today.
        [Mrs. Kiggans' prepared statement follows:]

      Prepared Statement of Hon. Jennifer A. Kiggans, a Representative in
                   Congress from the Commonwealth of Virginia
        As the Representative of Virginia's Second Congressional District,
    I remain committed to ensuring that federal policies support--rather
    than hinder--local development, national security, and fairness for all
    servicemembers.
                On the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) Rule:
        Local development of housing within my district has been
    significantly stifled by the Biden-era WOTUS rule. This rule, as
    applied by the previous administration, failed to adhere to the Supreme
    Court's Sackett decision, perpetuating broad federal overreach, slow
    implementation, poor guidance to regulated communities, and costly
    delays for critical infrastructure projects. I commend the Trump
    Administration for taking swift action to lay the groundwork for
    Administrative Procedure Act rulemaking to update and replace the
    Biden-WOTUS rule. As Members of Congress, we must remain vigilant and
    ensure that, if a Trump-WOTUS rule is enacted, it is implemented
    efficiently and faithfully.
           On the Air Traffic Control Workforce and Aviation Safety:
        My district is home to Naval Air Station Oceana, the East Coast
    Master Jet Base of the U.S. Navy. As a former naval aviator, I fully
    appreciate the vital importance of well-trained aviation professionals.
    Currently, the United States faces a shortfall of nearly 3,000 air
    traffic controllers. However, I applaud the House Transportation and
    Infrastructure Committee's responsiveness to recent aviation safety
    concerns, and I support the President's $12.5 billion investment to
    overhaul and modernize our aging air traffic control system and
    strengthen training and staffing pipelines.
                         On the Coast Guard Parity Act:
        As a Navy veteran, I deeply understand the value and sacrifice of
    military service. Yet, the Coast Guard remains the only branch of our
    armed forces without full parity in separation policies. The Coast
    Guard Parity Act ensures that enlisted members with over 18 years of
    service are not involuntarily separated before reaching retirement
    eligibility. This legislation brings Coast Guard standards in line with
    those of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Space Force. It
    will improve morale, enhance retention, and rightfully honor the
    dedication of long-serving Coast Guardsmen. Our Coast Guard deserves
    the same respect, benefits, and protections afforded to every other
    military branch.
        Together, these issues reflect our commitment to national defense,
    infrastructure development, and fairness for all servicemembers.

        Mr. Perry. The Chair thanks the gentlelady. Are there
    questions from the committee?
        I would just comment, hearing no other comments or
    questions, I would just comment regarding your advocacy for
    modernization of the ATC system. As an Army aviator myself,
    trying to land with an NDB in 2025 is an unacceptable prospect,
    right? So--but I am encouraged by the President's interest and
    focus on this, as well as Secretary Duffy's and this
    committee's, in particular under the subcommittee chair.
        And I would just encourage you to reach out to
    Representative Nehls regarding that if you have specific ideas,
    because he is going to be leading the charge here from the
    committee standpoint. And I thank the gentlelady.
        Mrs. Kiggans of Virginia. Thank you.
        Mr. Perry. The Chair now recognizes Representative
    Mackenzie from Pennsylvania.

    TESTIMONY OF HON. RYAN MACKENZIE, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS
                 FROM THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA

        Mr. Mackenzie. Chairman Perry, Ranking Member Larsen, and
    members of the committee, thank you for the opportunity to
    present just some of the transportation and infrastructure
    priorities of Pennsylvania's Seventh Congressional District
    which encompasses the Greater Lehigh Valley, a region
    experiencing rapid growth and serving as a critical logistics
    and manufacturing hub in the Northeast.
        I am going to talk about three priorities today for our
    district. The first is highway and bridge modernization. The
    second is prioritizing community safety through targeted
    Federal programs. And third and final would be rail safety and
    access.
        In the category of highway and bridge modernization,
    Pennsylvania's infrastructure challenges are well documented.
    Statewide, 13 percent of bridges are rated in poor condition,
    nearly double the national average of 7 percent. In Lehigh and
    Northampton Counties, for instance, 10 percent of bridges are
    rated as being in poor condition, and those bridges are on
    average of 93 years old. My constituents continue to express
    frustration over the persistent congestion and deteriorating
    roadways and the conditions of those bridges in our local
    communities.
        Interstates 78 and 476 are vital corridors for commerce and
    daily commutes. However, the frequently experienced congestion
    impacts economic productivity and quality of life. I urge the
    committee to support Federal programs aimed at expanding
    highway capacity, enhancing safety, and accelerating bridge
    replacement projects to address these pressing needs.
        In the second category about community safety, the Greater
    Lehigh Valley has transportation challenges that impact more
    than just traffic. They pose serious safety risks for families
    and communities like Allentown and Bethlehem. That is why I am
    encouraged by the structure of the Safe Streets and Roads for
    All program, which empowers local governments to develop data-
    driven safety action plans designed to reduce traffic
    fatalities and serious injuries.
        These federally authorized safety planning efforts are
    already helping our local leaders identify high-risk corridors
    and design commonsense solutions such as safer intersections,
    pedestrian infrastructure, and traffic-calming improvements
    that directly respond to the needs of our residents.
        This program stands apart because it puts local communities
    and their safety priorities first, rather than pushing top-down
    Federal mandates that often miss the mark for a community like
    ours. As the committee considers future surface transportation
    reauthorization proposals, I encourage you to maintain this
    program, but I would also actually encourage you to improve
    this program.
        We saw during the last administration that local
    communities in our area had an approval from the Department of
    Transportation with the Biden administration, but then years-
    long delays. And back-and-forth between the local municipality
    and the Department of Transportation led to those safety
    improvements never actually being done. They were talked about,
    they were advertised as something that the previous
    administration was going to be doing, but because of delays and
    inefficiencies in the Biden administration's Department of
    Transportation, those safety improvements were never carried
    out.
        In the third and final category, rail safety and access. As
    a major freight corridor, the Greater Lehigh Valley relies on a
    safe and efficient rail network. Federal support for grade
    crossing safety improvements, track upgrades, and technologies
    to prevent derailments is essential to protect our communities
    while supporting the economic benefits that freight rail
    provides. This support is also important for reducing
    congestion on our local roadways.
        It is imperative that the Greater Lehigh Valley's voice is
    heard also in future Amtrak expansion decisions, and I look
    forward to working with the committee to ensure our communities
    have their passenger rail options that they seek out.
        In conclusion, the Greater Lehigh Valley's growth
    underscores the urgent need for strategic investments in
    transportation infrastructure. Addressing the aging and
    deficient roads and bridges, expanding passenger rail, and
    enhancing safety measures are critical steps to ensuring
    economic vitality and quality of life for our residents.
        I look forward to collaborating with the committee to
    advance these priorities for Pennsylvania's Seventh District,
    and I thank you for the opportunity to testify here today.
        [Mr. Mackenzie's prepared statement follows:]

    Prepared Statement of Hon. Ryan Mackenzie, a Representative in Congress
                     from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
        Chairman Graves, Ranking Member Larsen, and Members of the
    Committee:
        Thank you for the opportunity to present the transportation and
    infrastructure priorities of Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District,
    encompassing the Greater Lehigh Valley--a region experiencing rapid
    growth and serving as a critical logistics and manufacturing hub in the
    Northeast.
                      1. Highway and Bridge Modernization
        Pennsylvania's infrastructure challenges are well-documented.
    Statewide, 13% of bridges are rated in poor condition, nearly double
    the national average of 7%. In Lehigh and Northampton counties, 10% of
    bridges are rated as being in poor condition, and those bridges are an
    average of 93 years old. My constituents continue to express
    frustration over persistent congestion and deteriorating roadway
    conditions.
        Interstates 78 and 476 are vital corridors for commerce and daily
    commutes. However, they frequently experience congestion which impacts
    economic productivity and quality of life. I urge the Committee to
    support federal programs aimed at expanding highway capacity, enhancing
    safety, and accelerating bridge replacement projects to address these
    pressing needs.
                         2. Passenger Rail Restoration
        Restoring direct passenger rail service to the Greater Lehigh
    Valley is a critical step towards unlocking new economic opportunities
    and relieving congestion on some of the region's busiest roadways.
    Connecting our communities to New York City and Philadelphia by rail
    would strengthen our economy, reduce highway congestion, and give
    residents and businesses the transportation options they deserve. I
    support the ongoing efforts to expand Amtrak service from New York City
    to Scranton, and I urge the Committee to build on that progress by
    prioritizing passenger rail connections that bring service directly to
    the Greater Lehigh Valley.
                     3. Freight Rail Safety and Efficiency
        As a major freight corridor, the Greater Lehigh Valley relies on a
    safe and efficient rail network. Federal support for grade crossing
    safety improvements, track upgrades, and technologies to prevent
    derailments is essential to protect our communities while supporting
    the economic benefits that freight rail provides.
       4. Prioritizing Community Safety Through Targeted Federal Programs
        In the Greater Lehigh Valley, transportation challenges impact more
    than just traffic--they pose serious safety risks for families in
    communities like Allentown and Bethlehem. That's why I am encouraged by
    the structure of the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program,
    which empowers local governments to develop data-driven safety action
    plans designed to reduce traffic fatalities and serious injuries.
        These federally authorized safety planning efforts are already
    helping our local leaders identify high-risk corridors and design
    commonsense solutions--such as safer intersections, pedestrian
    infrastructure, and traffic calming improvements--that directly respond
    to the needs of our residents. This program stands apart because it
    puts local safety priorities first, rather than pushing top-down
    federal mandates that often miss the mark for communities like ours.
        As the Committee considers future surface transportation
    reauthorization proposals, I encourage you to maintain and strengthen
    the Safe Streets and Roads for All program's focus on local control,
    safety outcomes, and practical implementation. By preserving this
    targeted, community-centered approach in future authorizing
    legislation, Congress can ensure that transportation policy remains
    squarely focused on saving lives and improving safety on our nation's
    roadways.
                                   Conclusion
        The Greater Lehigh Valley's growth underscores the urgent need for
    strategic investments in transportation infrastructure. Addressing the
    aging and deficient roads and bridges, expanding passenger rail
    service, and enhancing safety measures are critical steps toward
    ensuring economic vitality and quality of life for our residents. I
    look forward to collaborating with the Committee to advance these
    priorities for Pennsylvania's 7th District.
        Thank you for the opportunity to testify today and I yield back.

        Mr. Perry. The Chair thanks the gentleman. Are there
    questions?
        Mr. Larsen of Washington. Again, thanks for coming in,
    Representative Mackenzie. Thanks again for Safe Streets for All
    mentioned, it shows it is bipartisan, and Rashida--
    Representative Tlaib--as well, spoke to that.
        And I would just underscore we are really going to need
    support from folks like you who want Amtrak service and Amtrak
    service expansion. I think it is a target in the budget to cut,
    and so we need to show a broad base of support for Amtrak
    service throughout the country. And so I appreciate you
    bringing that up. Thanks.
        Mr. Perry. The Chair thanks the gentleman. I would just say
    to Representative Mackenzie, welcome to the Transportation and
    Infrastructure Committee, and your comments regarding Route 78,
    particularly impactful to me. I can't think literally of a
    time--and I am sure I don't drive it nearly as much as you do,
    because it is a little bit of a hike for me, but I can't think
    of one time I have ever been on 78 when it hasn't been under
    construction. I can't think of one time. So I don't know if
    that is good or bad, but it certainly needs the work. So thank
    you for your testimony today.
        With that, the Chair will now recognize Representative
    Cisneros.

     TESTIMONY OF HON. GILBERT RAY CISNEROS, Jr., A REPRESENTATIVE
                IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

        Mr. Cisneros. Thank you, Chairman Graves and Ranking Member
    Larsen, for the opportunity to testify in support of critical
    transportation and infrastructure programs that support my
    constituents in California's 31st District and communities
    across the Nation.
        This committee will soon begin drafting the surface
    transportation reauthorization bill. The most recent surface
    reauthorization bill, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, funded
    roughly 66,000 projects across the United States. This amounted
    to almost $570 billion for projects to improve roads, repair
    bridges, modernize transit systems, support public safety, and
    more. This legislation created programs to build out electric
    vehicle charging infrastructure, created American manufacturing
    jobs through the low and no emission bus programs, and invested
    in workforce development in the transit and trucking fields.
        Modernizing our transportation infrastructure should not be
    a partisan issue. Modern and safe transit, roads, and bridges
    support economic activity across the United States. They
    support countless people who just want to get to work and to
    school. These investments support American manufacturing jobs
    right here at home, in districts across the political spectrum.
        And with the 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2028 Olympic and
    Paralympic Games coming to Los Angeles County, we must make
    needed investments in transportation infrastructure, not only
    to host the international athletes and visitors, but to ensure
    our local economies benefit from the economic opportunities
    that these global events will bring.
        Safe, modern transportation infrastructure is integral to
    our economic success as a Nation. As you draft the surface
    transportation reauthorization bill, I urge my colleagues not
    to allow politics to get in the way of supporting American jobs
    in your districts and the economic growth of the United States.
        Specifically, I urge full funding for the Low or No
    Emission Grant Program; Urbanized Area Formula Grants, the
    Railroad Crossing Elimination Program, the Reconnecting
    Communities Pilot Program to support low-capacity communities,
    and the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant Program.
        Critically, I also support a significant investment in
    transportation needs, especially in public transit needs such
    as buses and rail, ahead of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic
    Games in Los Angeles.
        Thank you again for your time and consideration. I hope you
    will keep these priorities in mind as you draft legislation for
    the benefit of our communities. Thank you.
        [Mr. Cisneros' prepared statement follows:]

    Prepared Statement of Hon. Gilbert Ray Cisneros, Jr., a Representative
                    in Congress from the State of California
        Thank you, Chairman Graves and Ranking Member Larsen, for the
    opportunity to testify in support of critical transportation and
    infrastructure programs that support my constituents in California's
    31st District and communities across the nation.
        This committee will soon begin drafting the Surface Transportation
    Reauthorization bill.
        The most recent surface reauthorization bill, the Bipartisan
    Infrastructure Law funded roughly 66,000 projects across the United
    States. This amounted to almost $570 billion for projects to improve
    roads, repair bridges, modernize transit systems, support public
    safety, and more.
        This legislation created programs to build out electric vehicle
    charging infrastructure, created American manufacturing jobs through
    the low and no emission buses program, and invested in workforce
    development in the transit and trucking fields.
        Modernizing our transportation infrastructure should not be a
    partisan issue. But I'm concerned that our nation's transportation
    needs will fall victim to the Majority's political partisanship.
        Modern and safe transit, roads, and bridges support economic
    activity across the United States. They support countless people who
    just want to get to work and school. These investments support American
    manufacturing jobs right here at home, in districts across the
    political spectrum.
        And with the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Olympic and
    Paralympic Games coming to Los Angeles County, we must make needed
    investments in transportation infrastructure. Not only to host
    international athletes and visitors, but to ensure our local economies
    benefit from the economic opportunities that these global events will
    bring.
        Safe, modern transportation infrastructure is integral to our
    economic success as a nation.
        As you draft the Surface Transportation Reauthorization bill, I
    urge my colleagues across the aisle to not allow politics to get in the
    way of supporting American jobs in your districts and the economic
    growth of the United States.
        Specifically, I urge full funding for the Low or No Emission Grant
    Program, Urbanized Area Formula Grants, the Railroad Crossing
    Elimination Program, the Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program to
    support low-capacity communities, and the Charging and Fueling
    Infrastructure Grant Program.
        Critically, I also support a significant investment in
    transportation needs--especially public transit needs--ahead of the
    2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles.
        Thank you again for your time and consideration. I hope you will
    keep these priorities in mind as you draft legislation for the benefit
    of our communities.

        Mr. Perry. The Chair thanks the gentleman. Are there
    questions from members of the committee?
        Hearing none, the Chair thanks the gentleman for his
    testimony. The Chair now recognizes Representative Issa.

     TESTIMONY OF HON. DARRELL ISSA, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS
                      FROM THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

        Mr. Issa. Thank you, Chairman Perry, Ranking Member
    Johnson. I have two issues here today, one of which is of the
    making of this committee, one is not, but both you can address
    and help us with.
        The first is one that Ranking Member Johnson is well aware
    of. The growth in the court over the last many decades has not
    been even. It has, in fact, been greater in some areas than
    others, much of this due either to border activities and/or
    intellectual property litigation. San Diego is both. So in
    anticipation of that, the Federal court system, at their own
    expense back in the early 2000s, built a courthouse that had
    room for growth, room for additional space.
        This was not arbitrary. In fact, this was a second
    courthouse that was collocated but not contiguous, not purely
    contiguous, with the original courthouse. They recognized that
    they had outgrown the old courthouse dramatically, that they
    were in leased space all over the city, and that in
    consolidation, they didn't want to have to do it again because
    there was no room--even with eminent domain, there was no room
    for expansion further. Therefore, they built this courthouse
    with future growth.
        This committee, recognizing that they didn't need it at
    that time, said, come back to us when you need more, and we
    have done so on multiple occasions. The first time, we got two
    additional. We are now in a situation in which this committee
    has not acted promptly. And as a result, we have judges in
    makeshift courthouses around the city. These are Article III
    Federal judges and bankruptcy judges. The inefficiency and the
    risk to these judges, both for themselves and in the transfer
    of criminal individuals related to trial, creates a burden, an
    expense, and a risk. And this continues.
        We have applied multiple times for a waiver dating back
    some years. We have not been granted one. We are here today to
    say, the time is up. The committee and its staff have simply
    not acted and continue to ask us for additional information.
        Mr. Chairman, your own staff has told us you are never
    going to give us the waiver. I am here to say, give us the
    waiver.
        The fact is, we are the only courthouse in the United
    States of America that has to come to this committee. On top of
    that, the funds are not coming from appropriation, but in fact,
    are made by the court system where they allocate it to where
    they believe they should. So the idea that when we have judges
    who are remote that we want to bring back in, that we are not
    able to simply because a building already existing has rooms
    that have not been prepared for the judges makes no sense.
        I am here sounding like we are in the minority. I am here
    sounding like we are the opposition party. But as Ranking
    Member Johnson knows, I am passionate about the safety of our
    judges. And I know everyone on this dais has supported the
    various measures to bring additional safety to all of our
    judges, both at the High Court and the district court. This is
    a safety risk. This is one that should not continue. It is also
    a cost risk.
        I would ask you to please give it your highest attention.
    It is an exemption that should be pulled off. I understand why
    it was put on, but quite frankly, it has more than outlived its
    usefulness.
        I would close on that issue and say the next time the court
    comes to building a building, would you like them to build a
    building with no room for growth in a growing area and thus, in
    fact, need a third, a fourth, or a fifth building over the
    years? It is not efficient. It makes no sense.
        I will close with this. There is something not of your
    making. The fact is the growth of electric vehicles, vehicles
    that do not pay the gas tax, has created a desire by many
    areas, including in my hometown under an organization known as
    SANDAG, which is the regional authority for building roads,
    they have repeatedly proposed taxing miles on all vehicles to
    make up the shortage that they believe is there because of
    higher efficiency vehicles and vehicles that don't use gasoline
    or diesel fuel at all.
        I would ask this committee to seriously look at prohibiting
    that tracking system in order to collect that. I think, as a
    matter of being a pure Libertarian, if we continue to allow
    further tracking in the name of taxation, where will it lead,
    and where will it end?
        I thank the committee.
        [Mr. Issa's prepared statement follows:]

     Prepared Statement of Hon. Darrell Issa, a Representative in Congress
                          from the State of California
        Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member, Members of the Committee, thank you
    for holding this Member Day hearing to hear from rank-and-file Members
    across the Congress regarding our priorities.
        I would like to raise two issues for the Committee's consideration
    today--both of importance to my District and with nationwide
    implications.
        First, is a concern of judicial efficiency in San Diego. As the
    Committee knows, in 2009 this Committee authorized the construction of
    the Carter-Keep Courthouse Annex in San Diego. This is a federal
    courthouse that includes courtrooms and chambers of the U.S. District
    Court for the Southern District of California.
        At the time of Congressional authorization, Congress presciently
    foresaw and planned for the future growth of the courts in the original
    construction. Consequently, the building which was constructed provides
    significant extra capacity with the result that the court has shared
    the modern, secure building with other federal tenants.
        Since then, the court's space requirements have grown, as
    anticipated, and so they have requested Congressional permission to
    build out chambers and courtrooms within the existing Courthouse space.
        Completion of this project will improve the safety and security of
    the court as well as improve efficiency by consolidating the court's
    operations into a unified space designed for its use.
        Importantly, I would note, only Committee approval is needed for
    the required renovation to proceed. And, no additional appropriations
    are required by Congress.
        As the Chairman of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Courts,
    Intellectual Property, the Internet, and Artificial Intelligence, I can
    confidently assert that this renovation is an appropriate and timely
    step toward efficient, safe, and planned-for operations of the court.
        Given these considerations, and that the renovation in question has
    been needed and contemplated for several years beginning in the fall of
    2022, I would respectfully request that the Committee authorize the San
    Diego renovation project and remove future renovation restrictions
    swiftly.
        I would like to now turn to another matter of significant need for
    my District, one with great national import.
        As the nation increasingly adopts electronic and hybrid vehicles,
    gas tax revenue will continue to decline. Consequently, policy makers
    have begun examining changes to the funding of road and bridge
    construction.
        One idea that is unfortunately gaining purchase is the concept of a
    per-mile tax, or mileage tax, under which drivers' trips are tracked,
    reported, and taxed per mile. While policymakers may be interested in
    this option as a theoretical matter, as a practical matter,
    implementation of this sort of mileage tax requires drivers to have a
    government-approved tracker in their vehicles. Such a proposal would
    allow the government to monitor the movements of every driver wherever
    they go, record and database such movements, and tax their every move.
        California often pilots bad ideas first, and the track-and-tax
    scheme was no exception. A few years ago, the local joint powers
    authority that covers much of my district, the San Diego Association of
    Governments (SANDAG), attempted to pioneer such a scheme. Now,
    Caltrans, the state authority, is reviewing implementation options.
        Needless to say, the San Diego track and tax plan was wildly
    unpopular in my District and opposition was immediate and widespread.
    In fact, a constituent survey of the district I represent found that
    more than 90 percent of all residents opposed this type of ``track and
    tax'' proposal--the most decisive response we have ever received.
        Thankfully, we defeated the initial plan, and today SANDAG has
    shared there are no current plans to revisit. However, Sacramento is
    now weighing statewide options instead. And, federal pilot projects
    show many communities are testing similar plans.
        I have repeatedly introduced the No Track, No Tax legislation to
    prevent such a government overreach.
        As this Committee considers the future funding of America's transit
    ways, I believe that this misguided experiment is instructive that
    track-and-tax schemes have no place in a nation that prizes the freedom
    to drive whenever and wherever one pleases without the government
    monitoring one's every move.
        I hope these considerations are helpful to the Committee as it
    continues its work in the 119th Congress. Thank you for the opportunity
    to testify today.

        Mr. Perry. The Chair thanks the gentleman. Are there
    questions from the Members?
        The ranking member is recognized.
        Mr. Johnson of Georgia. I thank the chair, and I thank the
    Members for your testimony today. And my partner,
    Representative Issa, on the Judiciary Committee has given
    eloquent testimony today on the need for this body to pay more
    attention to Article III of the Constitution, our judicial
    system.
        And the truth of the matter, as we have discussed before,
    Representative Issa, is that we have, as a body--the
    legislative branch has neglected the needs of the judicial
    branch for many, many years. How long has it been,
    Representative Issa, since there has been meaningful expansion
    of our court system in terms of judges and courthouses and
    courtrooms? And how does that impact us at this point?
        Mr. Issa. The last expansion was in the 1990s. However,
    there was a bipartisan bill broadly passed in the last Congress
    and resubmitted in this Congress that would make about a 10-
    percent increase which would be about 66 judges needing
    courtrooms around the country.
        Mr. Johnson of Georgia. And some of the facilities in which
    those courtrooms would be built are already situated in such a
    way as they can accommodate the buildout of those facilities to
    accommodate the need for more courtrooms.
        Mr. Issa. The court has been trying to use its funds to do
    just that for more than 30 years.
        Mr. Johnson of Georgia. But we need to do more to support
    that in terms of the legislative branch. Is that your testimony
    today?
        Mr. Issa. That is, Ranking Member.
        Mr. Johnson of Georgia. And last, Representative Issa, you
    spoke about really taxing electric vehicle owners in the same
    way that internal combustion engine owners have to pay the gas
    tax. Do you agree with the thinking that a $250 charge per year
    per electric vehicle in the United States is an appropriate way
    of having electric vehicle owners pay into the gas tax?
        Mr. Issa. I would highly recommend that a system occur that
    doesn't involve what was proposed in my home county, which is a
    real-time tracking system of every mile and every location.
    Simply as a constitutional reality, that is an invasion of
    people's privacy, but that is what is being proposed.
        Many States do have, when they do their inspections every
    year or two, they do look at the mileage, and they could tax it
    based on that. So there is a number of ways that they could
    collect a fair and equal tax without tracking vehicles. And
    particularly in the case of the proposal in San Diego, which
    almost became law, they were going to track every vehicle, both
    gas and electric.
        Mr. Johnson of Georgia. Thank you.
        I yield back.
        Mr. Perry. Are there further questions?
        Seeing no others, I have a couple questions for the
    Representative.
        So the waiver--so the courthouse was built in anticipation
    of growth. You are saying that you need it, and I don't doubt
    that that is justified. Why, if the courthouse was built in
    anticipation of growth, does it require a waiver?
        Mr. Issa. Because this committee slipped that in back in
    2009 when it was being built, and it has just been a reality.
    We are the only courthouse in the country--it actually was, my
    understanding, Eleanor Holmes Norton and perhaps one other
    Member who thought it was worthwhile doing. I have questioned
    the Delegate from DC, and she doesn't remember the details of
    it or any need for it, so you might even check there.
        This is kind of an odd one because I understand at the time
    of its original building, it had potential for up to six
    additional courtrooms, and building them out at that cost might
    have been expensive. But what has happened in the interim is
    that they have--some are being used by the IRS and so on, but
    in the meantime, because we didn't get the waiver over a number
    of years, what has ended up happening is they have gone and
    built courtrooms in leased space. Those leases are coming due,
    and we would like to be able to build out the courtrooms at the
    cost to the court system from their funds in order to not have
    to renew those leases which could trap us again for years.
        And, Chairman, the big question that my chief judge asked
    me in San Diego is, do you understand the risk to us of
    transferring prisoners and of our judges being in a courthouse
    that is, by definition, not nearly as secure because it is
    outside a perimeter that they designed for the two buildings
    that represent our combined court system.
        Mr. Perry. Understood. Thank you.
        And then finally, your comment/questioning on the charges
    for electric vehicle charging, and how that--or not charging,
    but they will participate in paying for their use of the roads.
    And while I agree with you that this committee and this
    Congress should probably take action regarding local
    jurisdictions doing what you are talking about, and I am
    completely in concurrence with your assessment, we are also
    going to have to mind that this organization itself was seeking
    to do a very similar thing, and will seek to do the same thing
    in the future.
        And I would be interested in working with you on a solution
    set for charging appropriately, similarly to what we do with
    gas- and diesel-powered vehicles for the fuel source. However,
    I am not looking for an opportunity for the IRS to review my
    electric bills or anybody's electricity bills. So, that is a
    particular challenge, and I would be interested in working with
    you on trying to find a solution set. And hopefully, we will
    have more than a couple of weeks to come--or, literally, 24
    hours, which is what I had the last time offered--to find a
    solution set to this problem.
        Mr. Issa. Chairman, I look forward to it.
        I have been here just long enough to remember the late Don
    Young warning us about the upcoming problem as we had fixed
    revenue per gallon and a clear forecast that per vehicle-mile
    we were going to use less fuel. And that was even before
    electric went to zero fuel. So it is legitimate that we find a
    way to have the revenue per mile driven come up to where
    perhaps it was when Don Young cried it is a problem in the
    1990s.
        Mr. Perry. Right. All right. The Chair thanks the
    gentleman. The Chair now recognizes Representative Gluesenkamp
    Perez.

    TESTIMONY OF HON. MARIE GLUESENKAMP PEREZ, A REPRESENTATIVE IN
                 CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF WASHINGTON

        Ms. Perez. Thank you, Chair. Thank you, Ranking Member.
    When your colleague, Rick Larsen, visited my district, he
    prudently described himself as the public works director at the
    Federal level, and those are the most popular people in my
    community, and so we appreciate the work you all do in this
    committee to make sure that we have the nuts and bolts of good
    Government working correctly, efficiently for the necessary
    things. And thank you for the opportunity to testify today as
    the committee begins its work on surface transportation
    reauthorization.
        As the ranking member knows well, my district is home to
    one of the largest, most complex, and most important bridge
    replacement projects in the country. The I-5 Bridge crosses the
    Columbia River. It is a critical stretch of I-5 that connects
    Portland, Oregon, with Vancouver, Washington. One span of the
    bridge was built in 1917, and the bridge is at risk of collapse
    in the event of a major earthquake, which--we are on the
    Cascadia subduction zone. This is a real risk. Congestion clogs
    the bridge for as many as 10 hours per day, keeping commercial
    vehicles from moving goods and people from getting home to
    their families.
        We need a new bridge. That is why I am glad to have helped
    bring back $2.1 billion for this project through the Mega and
    Bridge Investment Program grants award. These grant programs
    were created in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and are
    crucial to getting this project done. We must ensure that
    awarded funding goes out quickly and efficiently through our
    agency partners.
        This isn't only a bi-state bridge in my district that needs
    repair. In fact, the Lewis and Clark Bridge, which connects
    Longview in my district to Rainier, Oregon, was included in the
    National Transportation Safety Board's recent report
    identifying bridges susceptible to collapse in an incident like
    the devastating collision in Baltimore.
        As the committee considers a surface transportation
    reauthorization bill, I urge you to continue support for
    discretionary programs like the Federal Highway
    Administration's Bridge Investment Program that can help
    communities in my district make our bridges safe, durable, and
    congestion-free.
        Separately, another issue that I have been hearing about
    from loggers in my community is related to restrictions on
    younger drivers hauling across State lines. My district is a
    giant border district; you can drive 5 hours all across the
    border. And these restrictions on younger drivers not being
    able to cross by State lines is a serious impediment to the
    industry and to these young professionals making their way in a
    career.
        While the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law established an
    apprenticeship pilot program for individuals under 21 who hold
    a CDL to travel across State lines, this program was
    undersubscribed and did not bring real relief to constituents
    like mine who are frustrated by the regulations imposed on
    State boundaries. I am looking forward to working with the
    community to provide a pathway for 18- to 20-year-old CDL
    drivers to safely cross interstate lines. You learn how to
    drive log trucks safely by driving similar routes. A singular
    radius around the mileage isn't the same thing as being able to
    cross interstates freely to get those logs to a mill.
        I would also like to mention an issue that draws the ire of
    thousands of Americans. If you spend any time on certain
    subreddits, some of which have thousands and thousands and
    thousands of subscribers, you will know about overly bright
    headlights. This is something that draws ire from rural
    Americans, from older Americans, from law enforcement. I
    understand the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law tried to improve
    this issue by allowing manufacturers to make adaptive driving
    beams, but, let's be honest, it has not helped.
        I am interested in working with the committee to ensure
    that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration develop
    overall maximum brightness on the lumens, standardizing
    headlights for automobiles that retain visibility for drivers
    but also reduce glare and increase safety for other drivers on
    the road.
        Thank you again to the ranking member and the chair for the
    time to speak before this committee. I look forward to working
    with you both to deliver for people in my community of
    southwest Washington.
        [Ms. Perez's prepared statement follows:]

    Prepared Statement of Hon. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, a Representative in
                     Congress from the State of Washington
        Thank you, Chairman Graves and Ranking Member Larsen for the
    opportunity to testify today about the priorities for Southwest
    Washington as the Committee begins its work on a surface transportation
    reauthorization.
        As the Ranking Member well knows, my district is home to one of the
    largest, most complex, and most important bridge replacement projects
    in the country. The I-5 bridge over the Columbia River is a critical
    stretch of I-5 that connects Portland, OR and Vancouver, WA. One span
    of the bridge was built in 1917, and the bridge is at risk for collapse
    in the event of a major earthquake. Plus, congestion clogs the bridge
    for as many as ten hours per day, keeping commercial vehicles from
    moving goods and people from getting home to their families.
        We need a new bridge. That's why I am glad to have helped bring
    back over $2.1 billion for this project through Mega and Bridge
    Investment Program grant awards. These grant programs were created in
    Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and they are crucial to getting this
    project done. Now, we must work to ensure that the awarded funding goes
    out quickly and efficiently through our agency partners.
        This isn't the only bi-state bridge in my district that needs
    repair. In fact, the Lewis and Clark Bridge, which connects Longview in
    my district to Rainier, Oregon, was included in the National
    Transportation Safety Board's recent report identifying bridges
    susceptible to collapse in an incident like the devastating collision
    in Baltimore.
        As the Committee considers a surface transportation reauthorization
    bill, I urge you to continue support for discretionary programs like
    the Federal Highway Administration's Bridge Investment Program that can
    help communities in my district make our bridges safe, durable, and
    congestion free.
        Another issue I have heard about from loggers in my district is
    related to the restrictions on younger drivers hauling across state
    lines. My district sits on the border of Oregon, which means that this
    imposes an unnecessary barrier for an important part of our workforce.
    While the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law established an apprenticeship
    pilot program for individuals under 21 who hold a CDL to travel across
    state lines, this program was undersubscribed and did not bring real
    relief to constituents like mine who are frustrated by the regulations
    imposed by state boundaries. I am looking forward to working with the
    committee to provide a pathway for 18- to 20-year-old CDL drivers to
    safely cross interstate lines.
        Finally, I would also like to mention an issue that draws ire from
    many Americans: excessively bright headlights. I understand the
    Bipartisan Infrastructure Law tried to improve this issue by allowing
    manufacturers to make Adaptive Driving Beams, but let's be honest, this
    hasn't helped. I am interested in working with the Committee to ensure
    that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration develops
    overall maximum brightness standards for headlights on automobiles that
    retain visibility for drivers but also reduce glare for other folks on
    the road.
        Thank you again Chairman Graves and Ranking Member Larsen for
    giving me the opportunity to testify today, and I look forward to
    working with both of you to deliver for communities in Southwest
    Washington.

        Ms. King-Hinds [presiding]. Do you have a question, any
    Members have a question?
        Mr. Johnson of Georgia. I have none, thank you.
        Ms. King-Hinds. All right. Thank you, Representative
    Gluesenkamp Perez. I now recognize Representative Hernandez.

    TESTIMONY OF HON. PABLO JOSE HERNANDEZ, A RESIDENT COMMISSIONER
             IN CONGRESS FROM THE TERRITORY OF PUERTO RICO

        Mr. Hernandez. Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you, Mr.
    Ranking Member.
        Madam Chair, it is appropriate to have you as chair in this
    moment, because the issues that I am about to address will
    probably be very familiar to you. I will be brief in my spoken
    remarks and submit the written testimony for the record. But in
    essence, I am here to talk about the state of Puerto Rico's
    infrastructure.
        Puerto Rico is beautiful in many respects, but the state of
    its infrastructure is an exception. Time, storms, and
    earthquakes have damaged our infrastructure to levels not seen
    in our history, and the work of this committee in helping our
    island recover from these disasters has been and will continue
    to be very important. So I come here with two concrete asks in
    light of our unique infrastructure challenges.
        We would like that Congress continue funding programs like
    the State of Good Repair Grant Program under the Federal
    Transit Administration which gave San Juan last year $11.1
    million to strengthen its transit infrastructure and ensure
    safe, reliable services for our residents. I strongly urge the
    committee to maintain robust funding for this program and to
    ensure Puerto Rico's continued inclusion in its formula funding
    or grants that are automatically awarded to Territories,
    Commonwealths like the Mariana Islands and Puerto Rico, and
    States.
        I would also like to thank this committee for their role in
    establishing the Promoting Resilient Operations for
    Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation,
    PROTECT, Program under the Federal Highway Administration.
    Unfortunately, under this program, Puerto Rico does not
    currently receive a formula allocation, and it is critical for
    Puerto Rico's future to be included in the formula allocation
    under programs like PROTECT. We need consistent, equitable, and
    fair access to these resources to strengthen our infrastructure
    now before the next disaster strikes, which is not a question
    of if; it is more a question of when.
        The reality is that, for Puerto Ricans, our transportation
    network is a lifeline. Its reliability directly impacts access
    to emergency services, education, and healthcare. So I urge the
    committee to include Puerto Rico in all formula and competitive
    grant programs. I urge the committee to do the same for the
    other Territories and Commonwealths of the United States.
        Thank you for your leadership and for recognizing the
    importance of resilient, inclusive transit and infrastructure
    for Puerto Rico and the entire Nation.
        [Mr. Hernandez's prepared statement follows:]

          Prepared Statement of Hon. Pablo Jose Hernandez, a Resident
           Commissioner in Congress from the Territory of Puerto Rico
        I want to thank Chairman Graves, Ranking Member Larsen, and the
    entire Committee for their time today and for the opportunity to
    discuss critical issues impacting Puerto Rico and the nation.
        With just 20 days until the official start of hurricane season,
    Puerto Rico is already facing a series of intense storms and widespread
    flooding, resulting in island-wide power outages and road closures. But
    this is nothing new for my constituents. Puerto Rico is hit by storms
    that are only worsening as natural disasters become more frequent and
    severe. The damage they inflict on Puerto Rico's infrastructure
    highlights the fragility of our transportation systems and underscores
    the urgent need for continued investment in disaster-resilient surface
    transportation, including roads, bridges, and reliable public
    transportation.
        Programs authorized through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs
    Act (IIJA) have been essential to addressing Puerto Rico's
    infrastructure challenges. Programs like the State of Good Repair Grant
    Program, under the Federal Transit Administration, which provides
    funding to ensure that public transit in cities operates safely,
    efficiently, and reliably by supporting repairs, upgrades, and
    replacements of key equipment and infrastructure. In FY2023, San Juan
    received an $11.1 million grant through this program to strengthen its
    transit infrastructure and ensure safe, reliable service for its
    residents. I strongly urge the committee to maintain robust funding for
    this program and ensure Puerto Rico's continued inclusion in its
    formula funding--or grants that are automatically awarded to
    territories and states.
        I would also like to thank the Chairman and the Ranking Member for
    their role in establishing the Promoting Resilient Operations for
    Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation (PROTECT)
    Program under the Federal Highway Administration, which makes surface
    transportation systems more resilient against climate change, extreme
    weather, flooding, and other natural disasters by supporting both
    planning and resilience improvements. This program has already helped
    communities nationwide enhance their resilience and strengthen public
    transportation systems. Although funding for this program is
    distributed through both formula and competitive grants, Puerto Rico
    does not currently receive a formula allocation. In 2017, Puerto Rico
    endured one of the deadliest natural disasters in the U.S. in over a
    century with Hurricane Maria. The storm devastated our energy grid,
    decimated roads, and severely damaged critical infrastructure. With
    extreme weather events becoming more frequent and severe, it's not a
    question of if another major storm will hit Puerto Rico--it's when.
    That's why it's critical for Puerto Rico to be included in the formula
    allocation under programs like PROTECT. We need consistent, equitable
    access to these resources to strengthen our infrastructure now, before
    the next disaster strikes.
        The reality is that for Puerto Ricans, our transportation network
    is a lifeline. Its reliability directly impacts access to emergency
    services, education, and healthcare. When this system fails,
    particularly during hurricane season, the consequences could be deadly.
    As we move forward with this reauthorization, I urge the Committee to
    include Puerto Rico in all formula and competitive grant programs.
    Thank you for your leadership and for recognizing the importance of
    resilient, inclusive transit and infrastructure--for Puerto Rico and
    the entire nation.

        Ms. King-Hinds. Does the ranking member have any questions?
        Mr. Johnson of Georgia. I have none.
        Ms. King-Hinds. All right. Thank you, Representative
    Hernandez. I now recognize Representative Gonzalez.

        TESTIMONY OF HON. VICENTE GONZALEZ, A REPRESENTATIVE IN
                    CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF TEXAS

        Mr. Vicente Gonzalez of Texas. Thank you, Madam Chair and
    Ranking Member, for holding today's Member hearing.
        I represent the 34th Congressional District of Texas, which
    is where the border meets the coast. It is a resilient region
    that gets hit regularly by hurricanes and storms on the Texas
    coast, and one of the poorest regions in the country. We are
    extremely prone to severe flooding from heavy events, but we
    are working on a project that we have been working on for quite
    a while that I want to bring to your attention that is critical
    to mitigating future floods, and it is called the Raymondville
    drain, which would improve drainage by building new connecting
    channels and widening the existing ones, making additional
    improvements on a 63-mile drainage that parallels the Rio
    Grande Valley.
        In the last few years, south Texas has suffered multiple
    floods. Just a few months ago, we had a 20-inch flood in just a
    matter of hours. And last month--and we continue to struggle
    with it. My constituents were forced to evacuate, abandon
    vehicles, homes, property, and many had to be rescued during
    the storm. The rainfall resulted in massive flooding across
    Cameron, Willacy, and Hidalgo Counties, a place that has always
    been prone to storms. And in 1967, the last category 4 and 5
    hurricane that hit the area, when there was a very limited
    population and most of it was rural, left the entire region
    under water.
        According to a preliminary report from NOAA, just these
    last damages resulted in over $100 million. As of April 14,
    2025, we have confirmed over 5,000 homes that were damaged,
    many of them destroyed. And Congress must do more to
    effectively address the risk of severe flooding in communities
    like south Texas.
        While the United States is one of the richest countries in
    the world, pockets of persistent poverty continue to exist. And
    sadly, financial hardship and poverty in these regions are
    exacerbated by severe storms and floodings. The Rio Grande
    Valley is one of these areas, and therefore, it is critical
    that the Raymondville drain project, which was originally
    authorized for construction by WRDA in 1986, almost four
    decades ago, and expanded in 2007, continues to move forward.
        Once the Raymondville drain is completed, it will
    substantially improve stormwater management for the region.
    Hidalgo County Drainage District No. 1, which is the lead non-
    Federal sponsor for this project, originally submitted its
    feasibility study to the Assistant Secretary of the Army for
    review in 2020. Since then, the drainage district has continued
    to closely work with the U.S. Army Corps and has recently
    submitted a plan for a section 203 study to the ASA.
        I want to thank the committee for having this hearing, and
    I want to urge you all to look at this project. It is not very
    sexy when you talk about drainage and flooding. I know we deal
    with it in a lot of parts of the country. This is, really, a
    minor investment to what it would cost if we get another
    category 4 or 5 in this region. We are home to SpaceX, we are
    home to two LNG terminals that are coming, that are being
    constructed now, that are essential to the national security of
    this country. If we get a category 4 or 5 in this region, the
    entire region will be under water and it will cost our
    taxpayers hundreds of billions of dollars in investment for
    this region to recover.
        It is on the border. It is important for trade, for
    business, for energy; obviously, space exploration that is
    happening in the region. And I like to compare this to the
    levee that flooded the entire city of New Orleans, where many
    people died and it cost us hundreds of billions of dollars of
    taxpayers to recover. Right now, we can get out of this for a
    fraction of the price. It has been on the books for going on
    four decades. It is time for us to stop sitting on our hands
    and make critical investments in regions like south Texas.
        I know there are others in the country that have similar
    situations. This is a critical one. I know that if it's not
    done, and we do get a category 4 or 5, we will be looking back
    wishing we had made this investment.
        Thank you all so much for hosting this today.
        [Mr. Vicente Gonzalez of Texas' prepared statement
    follows:]

       Prepared Statement of Hon. Vicente Gonzalez, a Representative in
                        Congress from the State of Texas
        Thank you, Chairman Graves and Ranking Member Larsen, for holding
    today's Member Day hearing.
        As you prepare to draft legislation and enact your agenda for the
    119th Congress, I appreciate the opportunity to speak on a project that
    is critical to the 34th Congressional District of Texas--the
    Raymondville Drain Project.
        South Texas is extremely prone to severe flooding from heavy
    rainstorms and hurricanes because it is relatively flat, low lying, and
    lacks adequate drainage infrastructure.
        The completion of this project is critical to mitigating future
    floods and enhancing drainage capacity. It is also cost effective and,
    in the long term, will save the Federal government substantially more
    money in avoided disaster recovery costs than it costs to build.
        The Raymondville Drain Project will improve drainage by building
    new connecting channels, widening existing ones, and making additional
    improvements to the approximate 63-mile drainage system from Edinburg
    Lake in Hidalgo County, Texas, to the Laguna Madre in Willacy County,
    Texas.
        Over the last few years, South Texas has suffered multiple major
    floods that have cost our region tens of millions of dollars in damage.
        Just last month, severe storms brought nearly 20 inches of rainfall
    to the Rio Grande Valley in just two days.
        Many of my constituents were forced to evacuate, abandon vehicles
    and property, and be rescued during and after the storms.
        The rainfall resulted in massive flooding across Cameron, Willacy,
    and Hidalgo Counties.
        According to a preliminary report from the National Oceanic and
    Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) this resulted in at least $100
    million in damage.
        As of April 14, 2025, (FEMA) confirmed that over 5,000 homes were
    damaged or impacted, and that 235 were destroyed, 842 affected, 2,618
    minor, 1,911 major, and 235 destroyed.
        Congress must do more to effectively address the risk of severe
    flooding in communities like mine.
        While the United States is one of the richest countries in the
    world, pockets of persistent poverty exist.
        Sadly, financial hardship and poverty in these regions are
    exacerbated by severe weather and flooding.
        The Rio Grande Valley is one of these areas.
        Therefore, it is critical that the Raymondville Drain Project,
    which was originally authorized for construction in WRDA (Water
    Resources Development Act) 1986--that's 38 years ago--and expanded by
    WRDA 2007, continues to move forward.
        Once the Raymondville Drain is completed it will substantially
    improve storm water management for large sections of Hidalgo, Cameron,
    and Willacy Counties.
        Hidalgo County Drainage District No. 1 (HCDD1), who is the lead
    non-Federal sponsor, for this project, originally submitted its
    feasibility study to the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil
    Works (ASA) for review in 2020.
        Since then, the drainage district has worked closely with the U.S.
    Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to address their comments and plans to
    submit an updated Section 203 study to the ASA for approval in late
    Summer / early Fall of this year.
        I want to thank the Committee for including a provision in WRDA
    2024 directing Army Corps to expedite the review and coordination of
    this feasibility study.
        Once this review has been completed by the Army Corps, I urge you
    and your colleagues to consider including language authorizing the
    construction of this vital project in WRDA 2026 or any other eligible
    vehicle.
        Thank you, and I yield back the remainder of my time.

        Ms. King-Hinds. Do any of the Members have any questions?
        If none, thank you, Representative Gonzalez.
        Mr. Gonzalez. Thank you.
        Ms. King-Hinds. I now recognize Representative Nunn.

     TESTIMONY OF HON. ZACHARY NUNN, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS
                         FROM THE STATE OF IOWA

        Mr. Nunn of Iowa. Well, thank you, Madam Chair King-Hinds
    and Ranking Member serving, Representative Johnson, Jr. Having
    these hearings is an important part for our communities to be
    able to come forward and highlight the transportation and
    infrastructure we need across our community.
        Back home in my district in Iowa, we have a little bit of
    everything, from rural hometowns to a bustling metropolis in
    Des Moines. With that, we want to keep our economy moving
    forward, and we are asking the Federal Government to be a
    partner in this.
        In speaking with the Iowa Department of Transportation;
    county, city, and State engineers; as well as local leaders,
    and most of all, Iowans; their voice has been resounding on
    this. Whether it is a farmer hauling grain or a local mayor
    trying to repave Main Street, Iowans need infrastructure that
    works, and they need a Washington that is a steady partner, not
    a roadblock.
        Construction costs, as have been noted by my colleagues on
    this, have soared. The last surface transportation bill and our
    investments need to reflect real-world price increases and the
    pressures those bring.
        How this money gets to the State matters just as much.
    Formula funding works. It's reliable, fast, gives local leaders
    certainty they need to plan ahead, and gets shovels in the
    ground. On the other hand, discretionary grant programs often
    feel like to my hometown guys a lottery, where some of them win
    and some of them lose, but they all do the same amount of hard
    work trying to get to that final point. Candidly speaking, that
    is not sustainable, and it doesn't help for long-term planning.
        So I would like us to prioritize core formula programs that
    give States flexibility to move funds when they are needed most
    without all the redtape that builds up over years and years of
    doing this. Ask any local official in my district, and what is
    holding up the process is not the process itself, but the
    politics involved in the project.
        Environmental reviews drag on for years. Reports that no
    one reads pile up on bureaucrats' desks. Federal rules that
    sound good in theory, but ultimately just end up adding more
    costs and less value. I will give you a perfect example. Under
    current law, if a project has already gone through an
    environmental review and a new rule comes out in the middle of
    that process, those guys have to start the entire process over
    from day one. That is not efficient. It is not helpful. And
    effectively, it is Government bureaucracy at its worst.
        We need to streamline project delivery, reduce duplicative
    processes, and make sure that the focus is on result, not
    building up things other than infrastructure but things like
    paperwork piles. I know your committee is working hard on this,
    and we want to thank you for your leadership and action on it.
    So I will get right to the point here.
        Our number-one ask in Iowa: Help us invest in hard
    infrastructure. Iowa's transportation is largely built on our
    agriculture and advanced manufacturing. Farmers and business
    leaders rely on road access to be completed. And it is not just
    our State, it is every State from coast to coast that
    transports down our corridor. From north to south, east and
    west, it all comes through Iowa, which is why I am pushing for
    two commonsense updates to Federal law that will help Iowa
    farmers and business people across our country. Most
    importantly, it will help families.
        The first is, let Iowa permits for vehicles over 108,000
    pounds on key segments of I-380. Other States already do this.
    Iowans know this as I-65. And when it comes to harvest season,
    we have already been doing it for quite some time. If State
    highways get added to the interstate system, which we are
    asking for, let the trucks already operating on them operate
    with the same limits. There is no point in changing it after it
    becomes a Federal interstate. If they were operating safely
    before, I am confident they will not change their behavior
    overnight simply because it says ``interstate'' on the sign.
        This will also help increase access to some of our biggest
    economic developments in the region, and help Des Moines grow
    as a hub for manufacturing in this space. This is support from
    our Farm Bureau and a significant portion of our ag land
    operators near this area.
        Madam Chair, these aren't radical ideas. They are practical
    updates to keep an ag supply chain moving across our country.
        Additionally, it invests in our rural innovation. Iowa has
    been a leader in using smart tech to manage traffic, reduce
    crashes, and stretch every dollar. We would like to continue
    with your help to build on that. The next bill should make it
    easier for Federal funds to start and clear standards that will
    help allow connectivity and growth, particularly for rural
    areas.
        As this committee knows better than anyone, infrastructure
    is not a red or blue issue. It is about being able to get your
    kids to school safely. It is about getting goods to market. It
    is about allowing small towns and hometowns to have a shot at
    growth. Iowa is ready to innovate. We just need Congress to use
    the right tools.
        Thank you for your leadership on this. We look forward to
    working together. I yield my time.
        [Mr. Nunn's prepared statement follows:]

     Prepared Statement of Hon. Zachary Nunn, a Representative in Congress
                             from the State of Iowa
        Chairman Graves, Ranking Member Larsen--thank you for the
    opportunity to join you and share a few priorities that matter deeply
    to Iowans.
        Back home in Iowa's Third District, we've got a little bit of
    everything--rural towns, growing cities, and key freight routes that
    keep our economy moving. Whether it's a farmer hauling grain to market
    or a local mayor trying to keep their main street from crumbling, the
    message is the same: Iowan's need infrastructure that works, and they
    need Washington to be a steady partner, not a roadblock.
                 Keep Federal Funding Predictable and Flexible
        Since the last time we reauthorized a surface transportation bill,
    we've seen major increases in construction costs and face continuing
    supply chain challenges. If we want to keep up, we've got to invest at
    a level that reflects the facts on the ground.
        More than that, how the money gets out the door matters. Formula
    funding works. It's predictable, fast, and allows our state DOTs and
    local partners to plan ahead and actually get shovels in the ground. On
    the other hand, discretionary grant programs often feel like a lottery.
    Our local guys pour in staff time and money just to apply, and often
    walk away with nothing to show for it.
        Let's prioritize core formula programs and give states the
    flexibility to move funds where they're needed most without all the red
    tape that has built up over the years.
                       Cut Red Tape and Let Locals Build
        Ask any local official in my district what's slowing them down, and
    they'll tell you: process. Environmental reviews that drag on for
    years. Reports no one reads. Federal rules that sound good in theory
    but ultimately just add cost without adding value.
        We have a great opportunity to address these problems by
    streamlining project delivery and cutting unnecessary regulations. For
    example, under current law, if a project has already gone through an
    environmental review and a new rule comes out in the middle of the
    process, they have to restart the entire review. That's not efficient.
    That's government red tape at its worst.
                Support Rural Freight and Agriculture Corridors
        In Iowa, transportation is agriculture. Our farmers and
    manufacturers rely on solid roads to keep things moving. That's why I'm
    asking for a couple of commonsense updates to federal law that would
    really help Iowa farmers:
          Grant Iowa authority to issue permits for vehicles up to
    108,000 pounds on a key segment of Interstate 380--something other
    states are already doing.
          If state highways get added to the Interstate system, let
    the trucks that already use them keep operating without new weight
    limits. If they were operating safely before, that's not going to
    change overnight.

        These aren't radical changes--they're practical steps that keep our
    supply chains running and our costs down.
                           Invest in Rural Innovation
        Iowa's been a leader in using technology to manage traffic, improve
    safety, and make every dollar count. Let's build on that. The next bill
    should make it easier to use federal funds for smart infrastructure,
    keep investing in research, and make sure we've got clear standards
    around vehicle connectivity and data--especially for rural areas that
    are doing more with less.
                                   Conclusion
        This committee knows better than anyone: infrastructure is not a
    red or blue issue. It's about being able to get your kid to school
    safely. It's about getting goods to market. It's about small towns
    having a shot at growth.
        Iowa is ready to innovate. We just need Congress to hand us the
    right tools. Thank you again for your leadership, and I look forward to
    working with this Committee to move these priorities forward.

        Ms. King-Hinds. Do any of the Members have any questions?
        If none, thank you very much, Representative Nunn. I now
    recognize Representative Houlahan.

        TESTIMONY OF HON. CHRISSY HOULAHAN, A REPRESENTATIVE IN
             CONGRESS FROM THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA

        Ms. Houlahan. Thank you, Madam Chair and Ranking Member,
    for the chance to testify before the Transportation and
    Infrastructure Committee today.
        As the committee is working to advance the reauthorization
    of Federal pipeline safety in the 119th Congress, I am
    participating in this hearing to call attention to the deadly
    safety risks that are associated with something called Aldyl A
    plastic piping.
        Two years ago, March 24, 2023, a natural gas-fueled
    explosion in my district at the R.M. Palmer chocolate factory
    in West Reading, Pennsylvania, tragically killed 7 people,
    injured 10, and displaced 3 families from their homes.
        Two months ago, the National Transportation Safety Board
    completed its final report of that incident, and it determined
    that ``the probable cause of the explosion was a degradation of
    a retired 1982 Aldyl A polyethylene service tee with a Delrin
    polyacetal insert that allowed natural gas to leak and migrate
    underground into the R.M. Palmer Company candy factory
    buildings, where it was ignited by an unknown source.''
        The safety board recommended that the Pipeline and
    Hazardous Materials Safety Administration advise natural gas
    distribution pipeline operators to address the risk that is
    associated with Aldyl A service tees by replacing or by
    remediating them.
        Furthermore, the NTSB found that operators may not be aware
    of the locations of their plastic natural gas assets that are
    vulnerable to degradation in elevated temperature environments,
    and they need to urge operators to do more to evaluate and to
    mitigate these kinds of risks.
        I commend the NTSB for this work which sheds clarity onto
    the devastating incident in my community and those impacted.
    Unfortunately, however, the findings are not particularly
    surprising. DuPont's Aldyl A has a long and well-documented
    history of ``poor performance histories relative to brittle-
    like cracking,'' including several Pipeline and Hazardous
    Materials Safety Administration warnings dating all the way
    back to 1999.
        Concerningly, in just these past 2 years, there have been
    two deadly incidents involving Aldyl A in the United States:
    the first in my community that I am highlighting today, and the
    second in South Jordan, Utah, in November of 2024, which led to
    the death of a 15-year-old child, displaced families, and
    damaged many residences, as well. In its preliminary report for
    the South Jordan explosion, the NTSB again cited a leak in the
    Aldyl A natural gas main near the home.
        Following the decades of unheeded Federal safety warnings,
    the many kitchen tables that now have a chair left empty, and
    the wholly inadequate response by pipeline operators and our
    Federal Government to prevent future incidents, this is why I
    am here urging that this committee ask itself this sobering
    question: How many more people need to die before we here in
    Congress act?
        In the 118th Congress, I introduced a bipartisan piece of
    legislation with my Pennsylvania colleague, Representative Dan
    Meuser, to put an end to the safety risks associated with
    deadly Aldyl A plastic piping. The Aldyl A Hazard Reduction and
    Community Safety Act requires the proper documentation and the
    subsequent removal of Aldyl A in high-consequence areas. It
    also allows for considerations to minimize cost and service
    disruptions.
        I stand very, very ready to work with the committee to
    reintroduce this critical legislation and urge for its
    inclusion in the pipeline safety reauthorization this Congress.
    In doing so, Congress will finally heed the decades-long
    warnings and greatly improve the safety of our pipeline
    distribution systems against the dangers of deadly Aldyl A.
        I also encourage and urge the committee to use its
    oversight responsibilities to ensure that the Pipeline and
    Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, pipeline operators,
    and other implicated parties under the committee's jurisdiction
    expeditiously implement all of the NTSB's recommendations in
    its final report for the Palmer incident to help prevent future
    Aldyl A explosions.
        Once again, I thank the committee for its attention to this
    very, very pressing issue, especially considering the troubling
    increase in deadly Aldyl A explosions over the recent years.
    And on behalf of my constituents who lost their lives and on
    behalf of my community, I appreciate the opportunity to
    participate in today's hearing.
        And I yield back.
        [Ms. Houlahan's prepared statement follows:]

       Prepared Statement of Hon. Chrissy Houlahan, a Representative in
                 Congress from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
        Thank you, Chairman Graves and Ranking Member Larsen, for the
    opportunity to testify before the Transportation and Infrastructure
    Committee today.
        As the Committee works to advance the reauthorization of the
    federal pipeline safety programs in the 119th Congress, I am
    participating in this hearing to call attention to the deadly safety
    risks associated with Aldyl A plastic piping.
        Two years ago on March 24, 2023, a natural gas-fueled explosion in
    my district at the R.M. Palmer Company chocolate factory in West
    Reading, Pennsylvania tragically killed seven people, injured ten, and
    displaced three families from their homes.
        Two months ago, the National Transportation Safety Board completed
    its final report of the incident and ``determined that the probable
    cause of the explosion was degradation of a retired 1982 Aldyl A
    polyethylene service tee with a Delrin polyacetal insert that allowed
    natural gas to leak and migrate underground into the R.M. Palmer
    Company candy factory buildings, where it was ignited by an unknown
    source.''
        The Safety Board recommended the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials
    Safety Administration advise natural gas distribution pipeline
    operators to address the risk associated with Aldyl A service tees by
    replacing or remediating them. Furthermore, the NTSB found that
    operators may not be aware of the locations of their plastic natural
    gas assets vulnerable to degradation in elevated temperature
    environments, urging operators to do more to evaluate and mitigate
    risks.
        I commend the NTSB for its work, which sheds clarity onto the
    devastating incident for my community and those impacted.
    Unfortunately, however, the findings are not particularly surprising.
        DuPont's Aldyl A has a long and well-documented history of ``poor
    performance histories relative to brittle-like cracking,'' including
    several Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration warnings
    dating back to 1999.
        Concerningly, in just the past two years, there have been two
    deadly incidents involving Aldyl A in the United States. The first in
    my community and the second in South Jordan, Utah in November 2024,
    which led to the death of a 15-year-old child, displaced families, and
    damaged several residences. In its preliminary report for the South
    Jordan explosion, the NTSB cited a leak in the Aldyl A natural gas main
    near the home.
        Following the decades of unheeded federal safety warnings, the many
    kitchen tables that now have a chair left empty, and the wholly
    inadequate response by pipeline operators and our federal government to
    prevent future incidents, I urge this Committee to ask itself the
    sobering question:
        How many more people need to die before Congress acts?
        In the 118th Congress, I introduced bipartisan legislation with my
    Pennsylvania colleague Representative Dan Meuser to put an end to the
    safety risks associated with deadly Aldyl A plastic piping. The Aldyl A
    Hazard Reduction and Community Safety Act requires the proper
    documentation and subsequent removal of Aldyl A in high consequence
    areas. It also allows for considerations to minimize costs and service
    disruptions.
        I stand ready to work with the Committee to reintroduce this
    critical legislation and urge for its inclusion in the pipeline safety
    reauthorization this Congress. In doing so, Congress will finally heed
    the decades long warnings and greatly improve the safety of our
    pipeline distribution systems against the dangers of the deadly Aldyl A
    material.
        I also urge the Committee to use its oversight responsibilities to
    ensure that the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration,
    pipeline operators, and other implicated parties under the Committee's
    jurisdiction expeditiously implement all the National Transportation
    Safety Board's recommendations in its final report for the Palmer
    incident to help prevent a future Aldyl A explosion.
        Once again, I thank the Committee for its attention to this
    pressing issue, especially considering the troubling increase in deadly
    Aldyl A explosions in recent years. On behalf of my constituents who
    lost their lives and my community, I appreciate the opportunity to
    participate in today's hearing.
        Thank you and I yield back.

        Ms. King-Hinds. Do any of the Members have any questions?
    None?
        Thank you very much, Representative Houlahan.
        Ms. Houlahan. Thank you.
        Ms. King-Hinds. I now recognize Representative McGuire.

      TESTIMONY OF HON. JOHN J. McGUIRE III, A REPRESENTATIVE IN
               CONGRESS FROM THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

        Mr. McGuire. Thank you, Madam Chair and Ranking Member, for
    having me here today to present my priorities for the 119th
    Congress in the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. I
    am here today to talk about my very first bill I have
    introduced as a Member of Congress, the Agricultural and
    Forestry Hauling Efficiency Act.
        Agriculture and forestry are two of the largest industries
    in the Commonwealth of Virginia, combining for over $120
    billion in annual economic impact and providing over 450,000
    jobs. This bill allows the Commonwealth of Virginia to permit
    trucks up to 90,000 pounds on interstate highways that are
    hauling unprocessed agricultural crops and raw forest products.
    Virginia approved a maximum weight of 90,000 pounds for trucks
    hauling these products on non-interstate highways in 2015, but
    this does not apply to interstate highways.
        This bill addresses a decade-long discrepancy between State
    and Federal law. It does not permit heavier trucks or increased
    weight limits; it simply enables trucks operating within State-
    approved weight limits to take safer, more efficient routes,
    bypassing winding rural roads that go through small
    communities, school areas, pedestrian zones, and residential
    districts.
        Last year, Federal law was enacted that allowed the State
    of Mississippi to adopt the exact same policy. Additionally,
    Wisconsin, North Carolina, Minnesota, and New England States
    have similar authorization to allow agricultural product trucks
    permitted for higher weights to transit certain segments of the
    Federal interstate system. Allowing these trucks on interstates
    is safer, uses less fuel, leads to fewer emissions, better fuel
    mileage, less wear and tear on vehicles, and provides shorter
    routes.
        Simply, it is safer for the community. We want to get the
    heavy trucks off of the backroads and onto the interstates with
    other heavy trucks. It is safer and more effective.
        And I respectfully ask the committee to take into
    consideration this important legislation, and I want to thank
    you for providing me an opportunity to speak in front of you
    all today. And with that, I yield back.
        [Mr. McGuire's prepared statement follows:]

      Prepared Statement of Hon. John J. McGuire III, a Representative in
                   Congress from the Commonwealth of Virginia
        Thank you, Chairman Graves and Ranking Member Larsen, for having me
    here today to present my priorities for the 119th Congress.
        Agriculture and forestry are two of the largest industries in the
    Commonwealth of Virginia, combining for over $120 billion in annual
    economic impact, and providing over 450,000 jobs.
        I am here today to talk about the very first bill I introduced as a
    Member of Congress, the Agricultural and Forestry Hauling Efficiency
    Act.
        This bill allows the Commonwealth of Virginia to permit trucks up
    to 90,000 pounds on interstate highways that are hauling unprocessed
    agricultural crops and raw forest products.
        Virginia approved a maximum weight of 90,000 pounds for trucks
    hauling these products on non-interstate highways in 2015, but this
    does not apply to interstate highways.
        This bill addresses a decade long discrepancy between state and
    federal law. It does not permit heavier trucks or increase weight
    limits; it simply enables trucks operating within state-approved weight
    limits to take safer, more efficient routes, bypassing winding rural
    roads that go through small communities, school areas, pedestrian
    zones, and residential districts.
        Last year, federal law was enacted that allowed the State of
    Mississippi to adopt this same policy.
        Additionally, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Minnesota, and New England
    states have similar authorization to allow agricultural product trucks
    permitted for higher weights to transit certain segments of the federal
    interstate system.
        Allowing these trucks on interstates is safer, uses less fuel,
    leads to fewer emissions, better fuel mileage, less wear and tear on
    vehicles, and provides shorter routes.
        I respectfully ask that the Committee take into consideration this
    important legislation, and I want to thank you for providing me the
    opportunity to speak in front of you all today. With that, I yield
    back.

        Ms. King-Hinds. Do any of the Members have any questions?
        If none, thank you very much, Representative McGuire. I now
    recognize Representative Moskowitz.

    TESTIMONY OF HON. JARED MOSKOWITZ, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS
                       FROM THE STATE OF FLORIDA

        Mr. Moskowitz. Madam Chair, thanks for recognizing me
    today.
        I came today to talk about this committee's draft bill, the
    FEMA Act of 2025, and I want to thank the chairman and the
    ranking member for working on this.
        Before I get there, I just wanted to give a little bit of
    my background. I am the only former emergency management
    director that was elected to Congress, and I was the emergency
    management director in Florida for a Republican Governor. I
    took my Democratic hat off for 2\1/2\ years and joined the
    DeSantis administration and ran that department and was solely
    in charge of the COVID response in the State of Florida.
        Before that, I worked on the recovery from Hurricane
    Michael, which was in the panhandle. And it was President Trump
    and the Trump administration who gave Florida the resources it
    needed so that the people of the panhandle could recover. And
    without those resources from FEMA that President Trump approved
    and the administration gave to Florida, the panhandle would not
    have recovered and would not be what it is today.
        I want to talk about a couple of issues of the FEMA Act of
    2025.
        First of all, it includes the FEMA Independence Act that I
    filed with Byron Donalds, which I support, which is to get FEMA
    out of Homeland Security. President Trump is right that FEMA
    needs reform. Let me say that again. President Trump is right
    that FEMA needs reform. We have known that in the emergency
    management industry for some time. One of those pieces of
    reform is it has got to get out of Homeland. Homeland is too
    big, it is too bureaucratic, and they have FEMA running all of
    the grants for all of the agencies, doing immigration stuff
    that they shouldn't be doing, and FEMA has gotten away from its
    core mission, as a result, of focusing on response and
    recovery.
        The second is, we can block grant some of this money, and I
    have that bill with Tim Burchett in the House, and some of that
    is in the FEMA Act of 2025. We can give States more
    responsibility. We can send money down. States can do that.
        But I also came to issue a warning. I am deeply concerned
    about what Secretary Noem is doing at Homeland on FEMA. And I
    have got to be honest, I think she is doing a disservice to the
    President. In the last 5 months, what she has done under her
    leadership with FEMA, okay, is take FEMA, which needed reform--
    the President was right about that--and turn it into Newark
    Airport. I am worried that FEMA is going to fail this summer.
        If a hurricane came into Louisiana, Alabama, or
    Mississippi, those States will go bankrupt without FEMA aid.
    Right now, the Secretary has all FEMA aid paused, even ones
    that are under previous Presidential declarations, money that
    Congress has appropriated. I am worried that those States--
    Mississippi, Alabama--right, they don't have the same resources
    as a Florida or a Texas, even though the grants in Florida and
    Texas are also paused.
        Let me say this. Florida and Texas might be able to survive
    one hurricane this summer without having to cut healthcare or
    education or their DOT budget, but not two. If Texas or Florida
    got a double hit, which has happened all the time, they will
    have to raid their DOT budget, their education budget, and
    their healthcare budget just to survive.
        FEMA also provides resources. Now, they don't own those
    resources; they coordinate those Federal resources. Most of
    them are DOT resources. Without FEMA's ability to do that,
    States that don't have those resources like the States I said--
    Mississippi, Alabama, right, Louisiana--if something comes in
    from the Gulf of America it is going to be very tough for those
    States to respond.
        What about tornado alley? Those States don't have it.
    Kentucky, Oklahoma, they go bankrupt.
        And we have not had an earthquake since the 1990s, thank
    goodness, but I can tell you right now, FEMA will fail, based
    on what the Secretary has done to that Department.
        And so, the President is right. FEMA does need reform. I
    know this committee is working on that. I want to work with the
    committee and the chairman on FEMA reform. But we have to save
    FEMA. We can make it smaller. We can make it faster, right? We
    can do those things. But if the idea is we don't need a FEMA
    anymore, and that is what the Secretary has said, I can tell
    you the results are going to be catastrophic, and it is going
    to be mostly for red States, based on their geographic
    territory and their financial ability.
        And so, I appreciate the opportunity. I support the
    President creating the task force that he has created to try to
    come up with FEMA ideas. I look forward to them meeting. I
    believe those meetings are going to start soon, and we will
    look forward to their recommendations and working with
    Congress.
        But with that, Madam Chairwoman, I stand ready to answer
    any and all questions. Thank you.
        [Mr. Moskowitz's prepared statement follows:]

        Prepared Statement of Hon. Jared Moskowitz, a Representative in
                       Congress from the State of Florida
        Thank you, Chairman Graves, Ranking Member Larsen, and Members of
    the Committee. As the Representative for Florida's 23rd Congressional
    District--and the only former statewide Emergency Management Director
    to ever serve in Congress--I appreciate the opportunity to speak with
    you today about how we strengthen FEMA and improve the way our country
    prepares for, responds to, and recovers from disasters.
        I want to thank the Committee for holding this important hearing
    and drafting a FEMA reform package that reflects several proposals that
    I have long supported, including giving states more flexibility in how
    they administer disaster assistance and restoring FEMA as an
    independent agency. I believe that these reforms would help cut red
    tape, improve coordination, and ensure that help reaches communities
    faster when they need it most.
        These reforms come at a critical moment. The truth is, disasters
    are becoming more frequent, more destructive, and more expensive.
    Communities across the country, from coastal regions to the rural
    heartland, are facing events that strain emergency management systems
    and complicate recovery. FEMA must be equipped to support a range of
    needs, from states that can lead their own response to those that need
    more direct assistance.
        Unfortunately, some are calling to abolish FEMA entirely. That
    cannot be the path forward. FEMA isn't perfect--no agency is--but we
    don't fix that by walking away. We fix it by making the agency better.
    That's why I'm encouraged that the reform package we're discussing
    today reflects several proposals I've long supported--reforms that
    would make FEMA faster, more efficient, and more effective.
        The worst thing Congress could do right now is dismantle the only
    federal agency whose sole mission is to respond when Americans are at
    their most vulnerable. Eliminating FEMA would force states to take on
    disasters alone, regardless of whether they have the resources or
    capacity to do so. It would slow recovery, raise costs, and leave
    families without the support they need.
        It goes back to what I said: the rate of disasters isn't just
    increasing--it's also intensifying, and the facts back it up. In 2023
    alone, the United States faced 28 separate billion-dollar disasters,
    the highest number ever recorded, totaling more than $91.3 billion in
    damages.\1\ \2\ Events like these aren't concentrated in one region,
    either--they strike nearly every part of the country, and the damage is
    such that communities simply can't recover alone.
        We saw it in Hawaii, when wildfires tore through Maui, decimating
    the historic town of Lahaina in what became the deadliest U.S.
    wildfires in more than 100 years. Nearly 100 people were killed, and
    thousands of families lost their homes and businesses at incredible
    emotional and financial cost--more than $5.7 billion in damage.\2\ \3\
        We saw it in my home state of Florida, when Hurricane Ian made
    landfall as a Category 4 storm, flattening coastal communities, cutting
    power to millions, and causing nearly $120 billion in damage.\1\ It was
    one of the costliest storms on record.
        And of course, during COVID-19, our country experienced our first-
    ever nationwide Major Disaster Declaration. All 50 states, all five
    territories, and the District of Columbia were under active
    declarations at the same time.\4\ It was the first time a public health
    emergency triggered a response under the Stafford Act.\5\
        These are just a few of the many examples, but in all of them, who
    showed up to help? It was FEMA--working alongside state and local
    responders--that helped provide shelter, coordinate aid, and begin the
    long but necessary recovery process.
        In the years after Ian, FEMA provided $1.15 billion in direct
    grants to help nearly 400,000 Florida households repair and rebuild,
    and another $2.3 billion to local communities for debris cleanup and
    infrastructure repair.\6\ In total, federal support for Ian's recovery
    topped $10.2 billion.\6\ In Hawaii, FEMA is still around almost two
    years later, offering direct housing assistance. And during COVID, the
    agency helped deliver billions of units of PPE, supported field
    hospitals and vaccine sites, and provided more than $125 billion in
    emergency aid to state and local governments.\4\ \5\ If there was ever
    any doubt about FEMA's importance, COVID made it clear.\4\ \5\ FEMA
    delivered the national response that the pandemic required.
        All of this to say, this is not a regional issue. It is national.
    As more and more Americans live in high-risk areas and the climate
    continues to change, the scale and costs of these disasters will keep
    rising. And FEMA is the only federal agency with the expertise and
    infrastructure to coordinate response and recovery at this magnitude.
        But FEMA can only do that work if it has the structure, authority,
    and agility to meet the challenges we face. That's why I introduced the
    FEMA Independence Act--to restore FEMA as a stand-alone agency with a
    direct line to the President. I'm honored that this Committee included
    that reform in the broader package. It's a commonsense step that
    reflects what many of us already knew from experience: FEMA needs the
    ability to act quickly, cut through bureaucracy, and lead when disaster
    strikes.
        While that is an important step in the right direction, I also
    believe we should continue exploring ways to give states more
    flexibility in how they administer disaster recovery programs. Just
    last week, I introduced the Disaster Housing Flexibility Act and the
    Disaster Response Flexibility Act to allow states to opt into a block
    grant model for housing and public assistance. These proposals are
    rooted in my experience managing state block grant programs during my
    time as the Director of Florida's Division of Emergency Management,
    where getting resources out the door quickly made a real difference.
        These kinds of reforms are not about shifting responsibility. They
    are about recognizing that some states have the capacity and readiness
    to move faster--and we should empower them to do so when appropriate. A
    voluntary block grant framework would allow FEMA to focus more of its
    capacity on states that need the most federal support, while giving
    states with strong emergency management infrastructure more say in
    their own recovery. Not only would it reduce administrative burden and
    increase efficiency, it would also give states the flexibility to
    tailor assistance in ways that make the best use of available
    resources. It is a flexible, scalable model worth considering as we
    look ahead.
        FEMA is not a luxury. It is a lifeline. Whether it is hurricanes in
    Florida or Texas, wildfires in Hawaii or California, floods in Vermont
    or Iowa, tornadoes in Kentucky or Mississippi, or heat waves in Nevada
    or Arizona, FEMA shows up with the people and resources to help. That
    work does not replace state or local efforts--it supports and
    strengthens them when the scale exceeds what any one community can
    manage.
        That is why proposals to abolish FEMA are so dangerous. Eliminating
    the only federal agency solely focused on disaster response would not
    make our communities safer or recovery faster. It would do the
    opposite. We should be improving FEMA, not tearing it down--and that is
    exactly what this reform package begins to do.
        You all have taken a critical step forward by restoring FEMA's
    independence and exploring new ways to cut red tape and strengthen the
    federal-state partnership. I appreciate the Committee's work to advance
    these reforms, and I look forward to continuing the conversation about
    how we make FEMA stronger, smarter, and more responsive for the
    challenges ahead.
        Thank you again for the opportunity to testify today.
                                   __________
    \1\ Wu, Shuang-Ye. ``Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters Broke
    U.S. Record in 2023, NOAA Says.'' PBS NewsHour, January 10, 2024.
    https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/a-record-28-billion-dollar-
    weather-and-climate-disasters-struck-the-u-s-in-2023-noaa

    \2\ National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI). U.S.
    Billion-Dollar Weather & Climate Disasters 1980-2024. National Oceanic
    and Atmospheric Administration. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/
    billions/events.pdf.

    \3\ Blake, Mike, and Marco Garcia. ``Maui Wildfires Deadliest in
    Century as Death Toll Hits 93.'' Reuters, August 13, 2023. https://
    www.reuters.com/world/us/death-toll-maui-fires-hits-least-80-damages-
    billions-dollars-2023-08-12/.

    \4\ Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). FEMA Led Historic
    Pandemic Response, Supported Record Number of Disasters in 2020. U.S.
    Department of Homeland Security, January 11, 2021. https://
    www.fema.gov/press-release/20210111/fema-led-historic-pandemic-
    response-supported-record-number-disasters-2020.

    \5\ U.S. Government Accountability Office. Disaster Relief Fund:
    Lessons Learned from COVID-19 Could Improve FEMA's Estimates. GAO-24-
    106676. Washington, D.C.: Government Accountability Office, July 9,
    2024. https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-24-106676.

    \6\ Federal Emergency Management Agency. ``Hurricane Ian: Two Years
    into Recovery.'' FEMA.gov, September 19, 2024. https://www.fema.gov/
    press-release/20250122/hurricane-ian-two-years-recovery.

        Ms. King-Hinds. Do any of the Members have any questions?
        If none, thank you, Representative Moskowitz.
        Mr. Moskowitz. Thank you.
        Mr. Fong [presiding]. The Chair now recognizes
    Representative Moore.
        [Pause.]
        Mr. Fong. Would you turn on your mic, I believe?
        Mr. Moore. Let me start--I will start over there.

    TESTIMONY OF HON. TIM MOORE, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM
                      THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

        Mr. Moore of North Carolina. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I
    appreciate you and the other committee members for this hearing
    today before Transportation and Infrastructure to hear from
    Members from around the country.
        I represent the 14th District of North Carolina, and I can
    tell you that the Charlotte-Gastonia metro is one of the
    fastest growing areas in our Nation. As western North Carolina
    continues to grow, so do the demands on our local
    infrastructure, like so many other locations. That is why,
    actually, the first bill that I filed this year was H.R. 1333,
    which would designate U.S. Highway 74 as a future interstate.
    This segment would stretch from Interstate 26 in Columbus,
    North Carolina, to Interstate 85 in Kings Mountain, North
    Carolina.
        For many of my constituents--and frankly, for folks that
    travel from around the country--U.S. 74 is a heavily traveled
    route for commuting, commerce, and daily life. Upgrading U.S.
    74 to interstate status will bring long-overdue improvements.
    This designation will open this corridor for new economic
    development, attract businesses, and create more opportunities
    for western North Carolina. And the future interstate
    designation will allow the North Carolina DOT to place
    corresponding signs along the corridor that runs through Polk,
    Rutherford, Cleveland, and Gaston Counties and will ensure the
    road is brought up to interstate standards.
        The reason this is important is one of our counties,
    Rutherford County, is one of the few counties in our State--and
    the only one in my district--that does not show an interstate
    within its county lines. This designation of what essentially
    is an interstate--it already functions that way, it has exits,
    controlled access, all of that--is expected to boost economic
    opportunity in this county while also improving regional
    connectivity.
        Some of you may know when a company is looking to expand
    somewhere, on their site selection, they want to know how close
    are you to an interstate. And it may be an interstate-quality
    road, but if it doesn't have that magic blue and red, it
    doesn't count as interstate for it. So it is a way that can
    sometimes disqualify areas. That is what has happened in
    Rutherford County. And Mr. Chairman, I would submit it has
    probably happened in other locales around the country, and it
    is something--it is an easy fix that we could do to help
    regions like that.
        But I am certainly looking forward to working with this
    committee on that, but really moving forward with something
    even more important. I am sure you all heard about Hurricane
    Helene that really ravaged western North Carolina. And I can
    tell you that, beyond infrastructure improvements, disaster
    relief remains the top issue for western North Carolina. Like I
    say, it has been a little less than a year ago when Hurricane
    Helene came in and did significant damage, but there has been
    progress since President Trump entered office. There is still
    debris to clear, rebuilding to do, but the pace has picked up,
    and we are very grateful for that.
        We have also seen that the leftover debris has proven to be
    dangerous, as it acts as a fuel for wildfire. Some of you may
    have followed the news and saw about all the wildfires that we
    had a couple months ago. And I will just say that the
    bureaucracy at FEMA, particularly in the past, had made getting
    the debris cleared very difficult. But that is not the only
    issue at FEMA. We recognize there needs to be overhaul, and I
    look forward to seeing this committee take that up as I know
    the President has put a lot of effort into that.
        And I've got to say, since the first of the year, FEMA
    really has stepped up their game and has done an even better
    job at debris removal, as well as other things. We know in the
    last administration, FEMA spent, I think it was, $1.4 billion
    on migrant housing, transportation services, instead of getting
    those dollars where they needed to be to take care of folks who
    were dealing with all this hurricane damage that we had.
        So I am glad that the President is putting a focus on that,
    is reforming FEMA, and is working to get those resources
    delivered to western North Carolina. And I tell you, I am
    looking forward to working with the administration as well as
    this committee and the rest of our colleagues here in Congress
    to make sure the Federal Government is prepared to help States
    respond swiftly to any disaster and to prioritize American
    families instead of getting in the way.
        States also need more freedom to take the lead in their
    disaster response, because they know the needs of their
    constituents better than any bureaucrat in Washington, DC, or
    anywhere else. It means faster relief. We have to promote
    efficiency, transparency, and accountability within disaster
    relief funds across our Federal Government and ensure that
    taxpayer dollars go directly to helping families recover and
    rebuild.
        With that, Mr. Chairman, I yield back.
        [Mr. Moore of North Carolina's prepared statement follows:]

    Prepared Statement of Hon. Tim Moore, a Representative in Congress from
                          the State of North Carolina
        Thank you Chairman Graves, Ranking Member Larsen, and Members of
    the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for hosting this Member
    Day.
        The Charlotte-Gastonia metro is one of the fastest growing areas in
    the country. As western North Carolina continues to grow, so do the
    demands on local infrastructure. That's why the first bill I introduced
    was H.R. 1333 to designate U.S. Highway 74 as a future interstate. This
    segment would stretch from I-26 in Columbus, North Carolina to I-85 in
    Kings Mountain, North Carolina.
        For many of my constituents, US 74 is a heavily traveled route for
    commuting, commerce, and daily life. Upgrading US 74 to future
    interstate status will bring long-overdue improvements. This
    designation will open this corridor for new economic development,
    attract businesses, and create more opportunities for western North
    Carolina.
        The future interstate designation will allow the North Carolina
    Department of Transportation to place corresponding signs along the
    corridor that runs through Polk, Rutherford, Cleveland, and Gaston
    counties and will ensure the road is brought up to interstate
    standards.
        Currently, Rutherford County does not have an interstate within its
    county lines. This designation is expected to boost economic
    opportunity in each county while improving regional connectivity.
        I look forward to working with the Members of the committee to
    bring needed infrastructure improvements to western North Carolina.
        Beyond infrastructure improvements, disaster relief remains the top
    issue for western North Carolina. Less than a year ago, communities
    across the Southeast were devastated by Hurricane Helene. Debris still
    litters the ground in western North Carolina.
        This debris poses a wildfire risk, and we've already had a few
    wildfires in Polk County this year.
        I wanted to reiterate that I am prepared to work with the Members
    of this committee to advance legislation that seeks action on this
    issue and ensures debris cleanup is completed before next year's
    wildfire season.
        Finally, I wanted to finish off by commending the committee and the
    administration's efforts in working to empower states with disaster
    response. I look forward to working closely with Members to ensure we
    can get this reform bill to the finish line.
        With that, I yield back my time.

        Mr. Fong. Thank you, Representative Moore, for your
    testimony.
        I want to turn it over to the committee if anyone has any
    questions.
        Seeing none, thank you for your testimony, Representative
    Moore.
        Mr. Moore of North Carolina. Have a good day.
        Mr. Fong. Thank you.
        I believe we are still waiting for a few Members to make
    their way to the committee, so in the meantime, the committee
    shall stand in recess, subject to the call of the chair.
        [Recess.]
        Mr. Fong. The Committee on Transportation and
    Infrastructure will reconvene.
        With that, Representative Kaptur, you are recognized for 5
    minutes for your testimony.

     TESTIMONY OF HON. MARCY KAPTUR, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS
                         FROM THE STATE OF OHIO

        Ms. Kaptur. Thank you, Chairman Graves, Ranking Member
    Larsen, who is not here right now, and members of the
    committee, thank you very much for the opportunity to speak
    today.
        I rise to share the priorities of Ohio's Ninth
    Congressional District, which stretches along Lake Erie's south
    shore from Toledo west to Indiana, east to Sandusky, Ohio, and
    then south to Fremont.
        For our communities, many of them industrial, agricultural,
    port-centered, and working-class, surface transportation isn't
    an abstract policy. It is about American economic progress,
    jobs, safety, mobility, and quality of life.
        I strongly support the Transportation Alternatives Program,
    which provides $1.38 billion annually through fiscal year 2026.
    In cities like the largest one that I represent, Toledo and
    then Sandusky, these funds are building safer sidewalks, bike
    paths, and ADA-accessible routes, helping connect neighborhoods
    long left behind. These investments aren't just about
    transportation. They are about health and workforce development
    in the Great Lakes nation. We are all along the southern rim of
    Lake Erie, a lake we share with Canada.
        I also want to commend--and by the way, the transportation
    modernization that needs to occur with Canada is a work in
    progress. Shortly, the Gordie Howe Bridge will be dedicated,
    and we are very, very excited about that, but we need to have
    other improvements on the transportation front, because Canada
    is our largest trading partner.
        I want to commend the committee's continued support for
    RAISE grants, funded at approximately $1.5 billion per year. In
    northwest Ohio, RAISE has helped unlock long-stalled
    infrastructure projects, from reconnecting divided communities
    to strengthening multimodal access. These competitive grants
    are vital for mid-sized cities with ambitious plans, but
    limited tax bases.
        Another critical tool is the Active Transportation
    Infrastructure Investment Program, authorized at $200 million
    annually. This program supports safe, connected bike and
    pedestrian networks, which are essential in communities where
    car ownership is not universal. From east Toledo to rural
    Ottawa County, these investments help residents get to school,
    work, and healthcare reliably and safely through protected
    spaces, including Toledo's number-one-ranked Metroparks in our
    Nation, for which we are so proud.
        Equally urgent is investment in rail connector routes--we
    are heavy on rail--and short line infrastructure. The CRISI
    program, funded at $1 billion in fiscal year 2024 and over $5
    billion through fiscal year 2026, for us is essential.
        In Toledo, upgrading rail links to our port, thriving port,
    the busiest port on the lower Great Lakes, and industrial parks
    would improve freight efficiency, reduce highway wear, and
    strengthen our manufacturing competitiveness.
        In addition, connecting passenger rails around the Great
    Lakes is an achievable dream.
        Finally, I would urge this committee to continue its work
    to incentivize cities and localities to make the necessary
    investments for passenger rail in our region. I wish the major
    public fleets that are necessary to move people and cargo and
    their valuable repair and maintenance facilities across our
    Nation could be more cohesive.
        In other words, where we have large numbers of public
    fleets, to connect that opportunity to workforce development
    for mechanical technicians that we dearly need in our country.
    We are over 1 million short already. So we have a serious
    shortage of training sites for workforce development, for
    trained technicians and mechanics, and too many repair garages
    with circulation systems of the past era. We need healthy
    garages in which people can work and be trained. With your
    committee's leadership, I believe in a new era of safer,
    cleaner maintenance facilities that can repair firetrucks,
    police cars, municipal vehicles, ambulances, street sweepers,
    garbage trucks, lawnmowers, and equipment that keep communities
    serviced. And I would really value the opportunity to develop a
    more intensive dialog on that point.
        Taken together, these programs are not just line items,
    they are lifelines, and they connect our people to opportunity,
    support local economies, and help us build communities that are
    safer, greener, and more inclusive.
        Thank you for your leadership, Mr. Chairman and Members,
    and for giving communities like mine a seat at the table. I
    look forward to working with you to continue delivering for the
    American people.
        I yield back, and thank you.
        [Ms. Kaptur's prepared statement follows:]

     Prepared Statement of Hon. Marcy Kaptur, a Representative in Congress
                             from the State of Ohio
        Chairman Graves, Ranking Member Larsen, and Members of the
    Committee--thank you for the opportunity to speak today.
        I rise to share the priorities of Ohio's 9th Congressional
    District, which stretches along Lake Erie from Toledo to Sandusky. For
    our communities--many of them industrial, port-centered, and working-
    class--surface transportation isn't abstract policy. It's about jobs,
    safety, mobility, and quality of life.
        I strongly support the Transportation Alternatives Program, which
    provides $1.38 Billion annually through FY2026. In cities like Toledo
    and Sandusky, these funds are building safer sidewalks, bike paths, and
    ADA-accessible routes--helping connect neighborhoods long left behind.
    These investments aren't just about transportation; they are about
    health, equity, and opportunity.
        I also want to commend this Committee's continued support for RAISE
    Grants, funded at approximately $1.5 Billion per year. In Northwest
    Ohio, RAISE has helped unlock long-stalled infrastructure projects--
    from reconnecting divided communities to strengthening multimodal
    access. These competitive grants are vital for mid-sized cities with
    ambitious plans but limited tax bases.
        Another critical tool is the Active Transportation Infrastructure
    Investment Program, authorized at $200 Million annually. This program
    supports safe, connected bike and pedestrian networks, which are
    essential in communities where car ownership is not universal. From
    East Toledo to rural Ottawa County, these investments help residents
    get to school, work, and health care reliably and safely.
        Equally urgent is investment in rail connector routes and short
    line infrastructure. The CRISI program, funded at $1 Billion in FY2024
    and over $5 Billion through FY2026, is essential for regions like mine.
    In Toledo, upgrading the rail links to our port and industrial parks
    would improve freight efficiency, reduce highway wear, and strengthen
    our manufacturing competitiveness.
        Taken together, these programs are not just line items--they're
    lifelines. They connect our people to opportunity, support local
    economies, and help us build communities that are safer, greener, and
    more inclusive.
        Thank you for your leadership and for giving communities like mine
    a seat at the table. I look forward to working with you to continue
    delivering for the American people.

        Mr. Fong. Thank you very much.
        Do any Members on the dais have any questions?
        Seeing none, thank you for your testimony. The Chair now
    recognizes Representative Fitzgerald.
        You have 5 minutes for your testimony.

        TESTIMONY OF HON. SCOTT FITZGERALD, A REPRESENTATIVE IN
                  CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF WISCONSIN

        Mr. Fitzpatrick. Thank you, Chairman, Ranking Member,
    members of the committee, for allowing me to testify today
    about bicyclist and pedestrian safety.
        On August 25, 2022, Sarah Debbink Langenkamp, wife, proud
    mother of two boys, and 17-year U.S. Foreign Service officer,
    was tragically killed when a flatbed truck collided with her
    while riding a bicycle along an unprotected bike lane in
    Bethesda, Maryland. Sarah's tragic death highlights the need to
    make our roadways safer for all who travel them, specifically
    bicyclists and pedestrians.
        Currently, Highway Safety Improvement Program funds are not
    able to be used for the connection of two or more segments of
    existing bicyclist or pedestrian infrastructure. While a
    reasonable interpretation of a highway safety improvement
    project would include connecting existing bicyclists and
    pedestrian infrastructure, the absence of these funds for these
    projects puts America's cyclists and pedestrians in an
    unnecessary danger.
        As this committee works on the surface transportation
    reauthorization package, I ask that you provide clarifying
    language to allow Highway Safety Improvement Program funds to
    be used for the protection of vulnerable road users when two
    existing projects are being connected. This will make our roads
    safer for all who travel them and prevent future tragedies like
    the loss of Sarah from happening again. Thank you.
        [Mr. Fitzgerald's prepared statement follows:]

       Prepared Statement of Hon. Scott Fitzgerald, a Representative in
                      Congress from the State of Wisconsin
        Thank you, Chairman Graves, Ranking Member Larson, and members of
    the committee for allowing me to testify today about bicyclist and
    pedestrian safety.
        On August 25, 2022, Sarah Debbink Langenkamp, a wife, proud mother
    of two boys, and 17-year U.S. foreign service officer was tragically
    killed when a flatbed truck collided and crushed her while she was
    riding a bicycle along an unprotected bike lane in Bethesda, Maryland.
        Sarah's tragic death highlights the need to make our roadways safer
    for all who travel them, specifically bicyclists and pedestrians.
        Currently, Highway Safety Improvement Program, or HSIP, funds are
    not able to be used for the connection of two or more segments of
    existing bicyclist or pedestrian infrastructure. While a reasonable
    interpretation of a highway safety improvement project would include
    connecting existing bicyclist and pedestrian infrastructure, the
    absence of HSIP funds for these projects puts America's cyclists and
    pedestrians in unnecessary danger.
        As this committee works on the Surface Transportation
    Reauthorization package, I ask that you provide clarifying language to
    allow Highway Safety Improvement Program funds to be used for the
    protection of Vulnerable Road Users when two existing projects are
    being connected. This will make our roads safer for all who travel them
    and prevent future tragedies like the loss of Sarah Debbink Langenkamp
    from happening again.
        Thank you for allowing me to testify on this important issue today.
    I look forward to continuing work with the committee on transportation
    safety.

        Mr. Fong. Thank you very much.
        Do any Members want to ask any questions?
        Seeing none, thank you for your testimony.
        The committee shall stand in recess, subject to the call of
    the chair.
        [Recess.]
        Mr. Fong. The Committee on Transportation and
    Infrastructure will reconvene.
        I want to thank all the Members for participating. This
    concludes our hearing for today. The committee stands
    adjourned.
        [Whereupon, at 12:11 p.m., the committee was adjourned.]

                           Submissions for the Record

                                  ----------

    Prepared Statement of Hon. Gabe Amo, a Representative in Congress from
                           the State of Rhode Island
        Chairman Sam Graves, Ranking Member Rick Larsen, and members of the
    Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure thank you for the
    opportunity to share the priorities of Rhode Island's First
    Congressional district with you as the Committee develops its robust
    legislative agenda for the 119th Congress.
        Decades of underfunding at the federal level have left Rhode
    Island's infrastructure needing improvement, earning the state an
    overall C- rating from the American Society of Civil Engineers. Roughly
    160 bridges in the state are in poor condition.
        The historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law attempted to address
    many of these long-standing challenges. As of 2023, the law helped
    deliver $1.8 billion in meaningful investments to meet some of the
    infrastructure needs of the Ocean State.
        These investments are strengthening our state's transportation
    systems, addressing the 15% of bridges rated in poor condition,
    reconstructing ports, building charging stations, and enhancing
    resiliency.
        These projects are already enhancing the quality of life for
    countless Rhode Islanders and all those who travel through our state.
        This historic law was crucial in Rhode Island securing $221 million
    in federal funds to rebuild the Washington Bridge, a project that is a
    top priority for my constituents. Every dollar secured for the
    Washington Bridge directly reduces the burden on Rhode Island's
    residents, businesses, and visitors. While the state is still working
    to finalize rebuilding the bridge, I hope the federal government will
    be committed to getting it done swiftly.
        As you continue building on this progress, I urge you to consider
    including the following priorities.
        First, research has demonstrated that advanced construction
    materials can drive innovation and sustainability, significantly
    reducing the environmental impact of our infrastructure.\1\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \1\ https://www.researchgate.net/publication/
    385748997_Advanced_Materials_and_
    Construction_Techniques_Innovation_and_Sustainability
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Rhode Island's composites industry is key to promoting
    sustainability and innovation in infrastructure. This growing sector
    provides essential support to industries such as aerospace, automotive,
    consumer goods, marine, transportation, and more.
        Last Congress I cosponsored the Innovative Materials for America's
    Growth and Infrastructure Newly Expanded (IMAGINE) Act to support
    research and deployment of innovative construction materials, further
    improve transportation networks and extend the lifespan of critical
    infrastructure.
        I urge the Committee to continue championing forward-thinking
    strategies that bolster America's competitive edge innovation while
    securing a stronger, more resilient future.
        Second, continued investment in transportation research and
    technology enables Rhode Island and other states to develop innovative
    solutions, upgrade infrastructure, and advance modernization efforts
    for the benefit of future generations.
        I urge you to maintain the State Planning and Research (SPR)
    program in its current formula-based configuration. Additionally, I
    urge the continuation of the 25 percent set-aside for research,
    development, and technology transfer activities. These provisions are
    key for enabling the Rhode Island Department of Transportation to drive
    innovation and enhance transportation technologies.
        I also support preserving the current level of authorizations for
    federal Research, Technology & Development programs at a level
    consistent with the proportion of funding already appropriated to
    ensure continued progress in infrastructure resilience, efficiency, and
    modernization.
        Third, like many other states, Rhode Island depends on long-term
    planning and projections for future capital improvements to ensure
    infrastructure projects are executed efficiently.
        However, without stable and predictable funding, states cannot
    confidently commit to these long-term investments.
        For example, a project in Rhode Island remained in the design phase
    for 30 years before construction finally began.
        To address the ongoing challenges faced by the Rhode Island
    Department of Transportation, I urge the Committee to prioritize
    formula funding as a reliable and consistent resource.
        Underscoring the need to have stable funding, a $221 million MEGA-
    INFRA grant for the Washington Bridge was held up by the
    Administration's funding pause. This grant was fairly awarded to Rhode
    Island last year, having been evaluated and selected in a competitive
    process.
        I worked with my colleagues and those in the administration to get
    these funds released so Rhode Island can move forward with this
    critical infrastructure project.
        But any delay to transportation funding threatens to impact a wide
    range of projects in my state and the creation of good paying jobs--
    ultimately impacting the entire economy.
        I strongly urge the Committee to include language in future
    legislation to ensure the timely distribution of obligated grant
    funding and any remaining federal transportation funding previously
    awarded to states like Rhode Island.
        Another example is the abrupt suspension of the National Electric
    Vehicle Infrastructure program, which created major setbacks for Rhode
    Island that had already committed resources and begun implementation.
    Without expected federal funding, projects aimed at accelerating the
    deployment of electric vehicle charging infrastructure face
    uncertainty.
        Rhode Island was the first state in the country to complete Phase I
    by installing fast chargers, making significant strides in establishing
    charging networks that would transition to more sustainable and
    resilient transportation systems.
        Congress authorized this vital Electric Vehicle infrastructure
    funding and it must be restored without further delay.
        Fourth, as the Ocean State, Rhode Island faces significant threats
    from rising sea levels, with projections indicating an increase of up
    to 10 feet by 2100. This crisis endangers all infrastructure sectors,
    requiring immediate action to safeguard transportation networks and
    critical assets.
        According to the Rhode Island Statewide Climate Resilience Action
    Strategy, a one percent storm surge could flood 337 miles of public
    roads and impact 163 bridges statewide.
        To mitigate these risks, I urge you to prioritize resilient
    infrastructure investments, such as the Promoting Resilience Operations
    for Transformative, Efficiency, and Cost saving Transportation
    (PROTECT) grant program.
        Rhode Island was awarded two PROTECT grants, one $750,000 planning
    grant to study and make resiliency investments to mitigate climate
    change vulnerabilities and another $26 million for a construction grant
    to implement stormwater solutions in more than 100 locations around the
    state.
        These funds have not been obligated and are currently being held up
    by the Administration. This delay threatens Rhode Island's ability to
    safeguard our infrastructure against climate threats.
        I urge the Committee to expand and provide high authorization
    levels for the PROTECT Act because these funds support Rhode Island's
    coastal resilience.
        Lastly, I would like to elevate the pain our community still feels
    after the Flight 5342 crash at National Airport. Two of my
    constituents--Christine and Spencer Lane of Barrington--lives were
    tragically lost.
        The cracks in our aviation infrastructure have been ignored for far
    too long. This tragedy should have never occurred. It must never happen
    again.
        As Doug Lane, who lost his wife and son, recently wrote ``What
    happened that day was not an isolated incident. It was the result of
    preventable systemic failures that still exist.''
        We need to ensure the National Transportation Safety Board
    recommendations are swiftly implemented and we have robust reviews of
    the events that took place to implement prevention policies.
        We must enact real, lasting reform, modernize our outdated safety
    protocols and improve air traffic control staffing.
        I will commit to working with anyone--families of the victims,
    Democrats and Republicans, and leaders on this Committee to honor the
    memories of those lost--not with words alone, but with action to
    prevent anyone else from suffering from this type of tragedy.
        I appreciate the opportunity to share Rhode Island's transportation
    priorities with you today, and I look forward to working alongside the
    Committee to advance policies that build a stronger, more resilient
    future for our communities. Thank you.

     Prepared Statement of Hon. Earl L. ``Buddy'' Carter, a Representative
                     in Congress from the State of Georgia
        Chairman Graves, Ranking Member Larsen, and Members of the
    Committee,
        As the sole Representative of the entire Georgia coast, home to the
    nation's third-busiest container port in Savannah and the busiest auto
    and machinery terminal in Brunswick, your work in this committee is
    very important to me and my constituents. I am especially appreciative
    of the committee's ability to complete the Water Resources Development
    Act of 2024 and its inclusion of an expedited study for the deepening
    of the Savannah harbor.
        As you and your staff begin to craft new Water Resources
    Development legislation, I would encourage you to find new ways to
    streamline and improve the Corps' project management process,
    particularly regarding cost estimation, contracting and dredging plan
    flexibility. The Port of Brunswick, the busiest port in America for the
    import and export of autos and machinery, has faced three bid busts in
    a single year--two for the Brunswick Harbor's annual Operations and
    Maintenance and one for the Brunswick Harbor Modifications Project.
    Each of these bids was primarily due to the Corps' inability to
    estimate current market costs for dredging and therefore underestimated
    the necessary funding capability. For example, the Brunswick Harbor
    Modifications Project was estimated to cost $15.1 million when it was
    authorized in WRDA 22. Today, three years later, the Corps' estimate is
    $27.6 million--an 83% increase. Similarly, bids for the harbor
    maintenance twice exceeded the allowable limits set by the Corps' cost
    estimation and were therefore not awardable.
        Cost estimation is not the only issue creating this problem.
    Despite the Brunswick Harbor Modifications Project's new $27 million
    estimated price tag, this is considered a small navigation project.
    Giving the Corps a little more flexibility when awarding smaller
    projects would enable them to get these projects awarded and therefore
    completed sooner so the nation can begin enjoying the positive economic
    benefits they deliver.
        Lastly, the Corps has either been unwilling or unable to draft
    alternative dredging plans for Brunswick Harbor maintenance. Focusing
    only on the use of one type of dredge--which is limited by a three-and-
    a-half month annual environmental window--the Corps has not been able
    to maintain this important harbor to its full width and depth in over
    fifteen years. This lack of flexibility has reduced the harbor's
    positive economic benefits to the nation by reducing the times that
    ships can traverse the harbor each day. Allowing for multiple dredge
    types in the Corps' dredging plan would enable the Corps to fully
    maintain the harbor and return those missing benefits to American
    consumers and businesses.
        Aside from WRDA, I would encourage the committee to authorize the
    Port Infrastructure Development Program fully as it considers the
    Surface Transportation Reauthorization bill and expand the permissible
    uses of the Capital Construction Fund to include cargo handling
    equipment and related infrastructure for marine terminal operators. If
    we want to return manufacturing to our country, America's port
    infrastructure must remain globally competitive. These programs help
    port facilities to fund critical projects to rehabilitate docks, expand
    terminals and more.
        Thank you again for the consideration of my remarks. I appreciate
    the committee's time and continued efforts on behalf of our nation's
    infrastructure.

     Prepared Statement of Hon. Ed Case, a Representative in Congress from
                              the State of Hawaii
        Chairman Graves, Ranking Member Larsen, and Members of the
    Committee:
        Mahalo for the opportunity to share my priorities for matters under
    your Committee's jurisdiction for the 119th Congress. In particular, I
    ask for your continued support of the U.S. Coast Guard.
        My home state of Hawai`i relies heavily on and has benefited
    greatly from the presence of the Coast Guard. We appreciate the Coast
    Guard's direct support of Hawai`i residents, both generally and through
    its District 14 headquartered in Honolulu, not only performance of its
    statutory missions like search and rescue and maritime environmental
    protection, but also for its indirect support through its presence
    beyond Hawai`i throughout the Indo-Pacific.
        The Pacific Islands region has long held strategic importance to
    the United States. These island nations and other jurisdictions are
    located in the vast expanse of ocean between Hawai`i and New Zealand
    and control a shared exclusive economic zone larger than the surface
    area of Russia and the People's Republic of China (PRC) combined. The
    battles fought in the Pacific Islands during the Second World War
    showed us the importance of the region. Following the war, the United
    States became administrator of the United Nations-designated Trust
    Territory of the Pacific Islands. In that time, our nation rapidly
    advanced relationships with many Pacific Islands countries and
    jurisdictions.
        However, our engagement unfortunately waned over time and suffered
    from decades of insufficient attention, a situation the pacing
    challenge of the People's Republic of China has been only too willing
    to exploit. This includes the PRC's 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.
        Our Coast Guard is uniquely positioned to advance our engagement
    and has an important national security role in the face of rising
    tensions in the Indo-Pacific region. It is critical to our nation's
    effort to counter the PRC through strengthening presence and
    partnerships, focusing on maritime law enforcement and addressing
    ``gray zone'' tactics through capacity building, joint patrols and
    other means. In addition, the Coast Guard has a 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 shiprider agreements) high seas fisheries treaty
    enforcement, transnational law enforcement, search and rescue and
    humanitarian aid.
        The white hulls of the Coast Guard are a symbol of the U.S.
    humanitarian and a soft power presence. It is widely accepted and
    welcomed throughout the Indo-Pacific, and leaders in the region have
    consistently requested a larger Coast Guard presence.
        Yet, despite its current and especially potential contributions to
    our Indo-Pacific engagement, the reality is that the Coast Guard does
    not have the full suite of authorities and resources to conduct its
    expanding mission.
        As one response, to enhance the Coast Guard's role, in the 118th
    Congress, Congressman Trent Kelly and I introduced the Pacific Ready
    Coast Guard Act, which we plan to reintroduce this week. This bill
    would help our Coast Guard transform into one that is ready to take on
    the unique challenges and opportunities that the Pacific region poses
    in this Pacific century. Specifically, it would establish a Coast
    Guard-led Center of Expertise in Indo-Pacific Maritime Governance. Its
    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 Indo-Pacific Maritime Group to conduct
    humanitarian and law enforcement missions in the Indo-Pacific, review
    the feasibility of establishing more forward operating bases in the
    Pacific and advise on expanding Coast Guard attache positions in U.S.
    embassies in the region.
        The Pacific Ready Coast 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. I ask for the
    Committee's consideration and support of our measure.
        I sincerely appreciate this Committee's consideration of the bill
    and the Coast Guard's presence in the critical Indo-Pacific region.

     Prepared Statement of Hon. Sean Casten, a Representative in Congress
                           from the State of Illinois
        Members of the Committee, thank you for taking the time today to
    hear about my priorities.
        I join you today to discuss an issue that has become increasingly
    important to me: mental health care access for pilots and air traffic
    controllers, and to urge the committee to consider a bipartisan bill
    which Rep. Stauber and I have introduced to address this issue, the
    Mental Health in Aviation Act.
        In my time in Congress, two families in the Chicagoland area have
    come to me to share stories of losing their adult children--aspiring
    aviators in training to become pilots--to suicide. As I began to
    explore this issue, I found an arcane medical review process that
    limits the ability of aviators to seek the care they need.
        As it stands, pilots and air traffic controllers who seek mental
    health care are unfairly penalized by a system that perpetuates a
    culture of silence. While aviation professionals are mandated to report
    if they seek mental health care, once they take that step, they are
    faced with delays, confusion, and overbroad regulation in the process
    of returning to work. This often means that relatively minor mental
    health concerns result in long wait times and derailed careers for safe
    and well-trained pilots and air traffic controllers, which exacerbate
    care avoidance that is rooted in fear for their livelihoods.
        In December 2023, the Federal Aviation Administration recognized
    the need to reform its current policies and established an Aviation
    Rulemaking Committee (aka the ARC) to identify barriers to mental
    health care for aviators and present recommendations to the FAA to
    address these challenges. To address these barriers, the ARC coalesced
    unanimously around a list of 24 recommendations to eliminate some of
    the main barriers to care--including allowing pilots to receive talk
    therapy without facing bureaucratic red tape, creating a non-punitive
    pathway for revealing past mental health care, and reducing the use of
    expensive and time-consuming neurocognitive testing.
        I was glad to see this committee focus on this issue by including
    the implementation of the ARC's consensus recommendations in Section
    411 of last year's FAA Reauthorization.
        Our bill, the Mental Health in Aviation Act, builds on the work of
    the ARC and the Reauthorization by requiring the implementation of the
    ARC's recommendations within two years and requiring the FAA to
    continue to iteratively improve access to care for aviators through
    regular review of its medical clearance process. The bill also invests
    to ensure that we are equipped to attract more Aviation Medical
    Examiners--the doctors who work to ensure that safe pilots and air
    traffic controllers are cleared to fly, and creates a public
    information campaign to ensure that aviators know they can seek care.
        Our skies are safest when pilots and air traffic controllers feel
    they can access the care they need, and return to work when it is safe
    to do so. To build on the success of last year's FAA Reauthorization
    and ensure that highly trained professionals with intense jobs can stay
    healthy, I urge the committee to consider the bipartisan Mental Health
    in Aviation Act.
        Thank you.

    Prepared Statement of Hon. J. Luis Correa, a Representative in Congress
                          from the State of California
        Thank you, Chair Graves and Ranking Member Larsen, for hosting
    Members' Day for members to share their request as the Committee
    develops a robust legislative agenda for the 119th Congress.
        Today, I'd like to highlight my district's priorities for the 2025
    Surface Transportation Reauthorization legislation. These matters
    reflect the needs of a dynamic and growing region that depends on
    efficient, flexible, and locally-driven transportation solutions.
        A key priority for my constituents is the restoration of local
    suballocation authority for Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG)
    and Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) funds. In California,
    these federal dollars have historically been distributed by
    Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) to county transportation
    commissions (CTCs), like the Orange County Transportation Authority
    (OCTA), through population-based formulas, consistent with state law.
    This long-standing framework has supported efficient project delivery.
    This structure is supported by state law, operationally effective, and
    essential to the timely and equitable delivery of transportation
    projects. This process has been followed for multiple decades.
        However, recent federal guidance disrupted this process and added
    unnecessary bureaucracy and reduced local responsiveness. To remedy
    that, I request that the Committee reaffirms MPO flexibility and
    clarify that such suballocation is both legal and beneficial to
    regional implementation.
        Local suballocation works because CTCs like OCTA have the statutory
    authority, technical expertise, and local knowledge to deliver projects
    efficiently. On the other hand, shifting project selection authority to
    MPOs adds bureaucracy and undermines local capacity.
        Under the new federal guidance, the Southern California Association
    of Governments (SCAG), which includes six counties, nearly 200 cities,
    and over 19 million residents, cannot adequately reflect the diverse
    needs of a large and complex region through a centralized MPO model.
    SCAG's shared governance model relies on county-level planning through
    individual TIPs.
        Thus, I request the following amended language to revert this model
    to one that has proven to work:
        Amend 23 U.S.C. Sec.  134(j) by adding the following new paragraph:

        (5)  Suballocation in large metropolitan areas. In metropolitan
    planning areas with a total population exceeding 10,000,000, as
    determined by the most recent decennial census, the metropolitan
    planning organization shall further suballocate funds provided under
    sections 133 and 149 to county transportation agencies if the following
    requirements are met:
          (A)  the state which the metropolitan planning organization is
    located has enacted a statute detailing a suballocation process
            (i)  The suballocation process for funding under section 133
    shall be based on population
            (ii)  the suballocation process for funding under section 149
    shall be based on existing state statute that accounts for population
    and attainment status.
          (B)  the metropolitan planning organization retains
    responsibility for the final approval of the transportation improvement
    program under paragraph (1) of this subsection.

        Secondly, I urge the Committee to support federal investment and
    permitting coordination to help the Southern California region,
    including Orange County and transit agencies in the city of Anaheim,
    prepare for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. This once-in-a-
    generation event will test our transportation infrastructure and
    requires strategic federal partnership. As Secretary of Transportation
    Sean Duffy testified during an April 2, 2025, hearing before the U.S.
    Senate's Committee on Environment and Public Works, the 2028 Olympic
    Games will be ``America's Games.''
        In a few years, Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA),
    Anaheim Transportation Network, and other public transportation
    providers in Orange County will take on the immense task of working to
    ensure we have a safe, secure, efficient, and accessible transportation
    network for this global sporting event.
        Ahead of 2028, Orange County is preparing to unveil OCVIBE in
    Anaheim, a multibillion dollar private investment. OCVIBE will span
    over 100 acres as a new entertainment district neighboring Disneyland
    Parks. As part of OCVIBE, the Honda Center in Anaheim was also chosen
    to host indoor volleyball for the 2028 Olympics. The importance of
    secured and reliable transit from Orange County to Los Angeles County
    during this time cannot be understated.
        The 2028 Olympics Games will showcase the very best of America, and
    delivering a safe, effective, and efficient mobility network to support
    these Games will require the full support of the federal government.
        Third, I urge the committee to continue supporting and funding the
    Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program, which provides
    supplemental funding to support local initiatives aimed at preventing
    death and serious injury on roads and streets. In 2023, Orange County
    Public Works was awarded a Planning Grant to develop a Local Road
    Safety Plan (LRSP), which will lay the framework for identifying,
    analyzing, and prioritizing roadway safety improvements on the County's
    local roads. SS4A allows the County of Orange to advance the
    implementation of the LRSP and subsequent safety improvements
    identified therein.
        Fourth, I urge the committee to continue funding and support for
    the Railroad Crossing Elimination Grant program. My district includes
    several railroad grade separation projects, including the 17th Street
    Grade Separation Project in the City of Santa Ana proposes to lower
    17th Street and Lincoln Avenue to go under the Metrolink tracks. The
    objective of the project is to improve safety and alleviate traffic
    congestion along 17th Street. 17th Street serves as a major east/west
    arterial in the City of Santa Ana with connections to I-5. Increased
    vehicle and rail traffic at this location has resulted in the increase
    of delays at the existing highway-rail crossing of 17th Street in
    Metrolink's double-track corridor. These delays have not only affected
    the traveling public but have also impacted access by emergency
    vehicles. The proposed project would construct a railroad crossing
    structure to carry Metrolink over 17th Street, lowering the current
    grade of the roadway by approximately 20.5 feet and raising the
    railroad tracks by approximately 2 feet.
        OCTA is also proposing to grade separate the railroad crossing at
    Ball Road in Anaheim and the Southern California Regional Rail
    Authority (SCRRA) tracks, in order to enhance the safety of the rail-
    arterial crossing and to address future traffic and circulation issues.
        I also urge that the Committee work to ensure that all grants
    previously awarded are disseminated to awardees in a timely manner.
    Last year, the City of Santa received $25 million in federal funding
    for the Santa Ana Boulevard Grade Separation Project. Funding was
    secured through the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with
    Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) discretionary grant program from the
    Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that I proudly voted to pass.
        Lastly, I speak in support of the following transit projects for
    the City of Anaheim:

        1.  East-West Connector: The City of Anaheim is evaluating the need
    and potential technology options for an East/West connector connecting
    The Anaheim Resort on the West with ARTIC/Honda Center/Angels Stadium/
    OCVIBE on the east. The need for a connection between these two areas
    was studied and identified in the Anaheim Resort Mobility Study.

        2.  Ball Road/Phoenix Club Drive Intersection Widening: As part of
    the OCVIBE Development Project, the project will be improving the
    intersection of Ball Rd/Phoenix Club Drive by widening the northbound
    approach to the intersection as well as lengthening the westbound left
    turn lane at the intersection. The improvements include traffic signal
    improvement/upgrades and will be completed prior to OCVIBE Phase 1
    Opening.

        3.  Pedestrian Bridge over Katella Avenue from ARTIC to the Honda
    Center: As part of the OCVIBE Development Project, in partnership with
    the City of Anaheim, a pedestrian bridge will be constructed across
    Katella Avenue, connecting the ARTIC Train Station with Honda Center
    and the OCVIBE Development Project on the north. The Pedestrian Bridge
    will significantly increase pedestrian safety as it will eliminate the
    existing at grade vehicular/pedestrian conflicts at the intersection of
    Katella Rd/Douglass Rd.

        4.  Resort Paseo: The City of Anaheim is conducting this study to
    guide the planning, design, and implementation of walking improvements
    throughout The Anaheim Resort area. This will include the development
    of a plan of pedestrian circulation improvements which may include
    pedestrian bridges at key crossing locations.

        5.  Resort and Platinum Triangle Signal/Light Pole Paint
    Enhancements: The Anaheim Resort District, which includes Disneyland
    and Disney California Adventure, attracts over 25 million visitors each
    year. The Platinum Triangle includes Angels Stadium and Honda Center,
    the latter which will be home to LA28 Olympic games. Due to the tourism
    nature of the areas, the public realm was built and maintained in an
    aesthetically pleasing way which includes decorative and colored
    traffic signal and street light poles.

        I thank the Committee again for this opportunity to discuss
    important priorities and to work together to transportation policies
    that meets the needs of communities across the country and invest in
    our infrastructure.
        Thank you for your time and consideration of this matter and I look
    forward to continuing to work with you on these and other issues and I
    yield back the balance of my time.

    Prepared Statement of Hon. Jim Costa, a Representative in Congress from
                            the State of California
        Good morning, Chairman Graves and Ranking Member Larsen, thank you
    for holding this important Member's Day Hearing and providing me the
    opportunity to share the transportation and infrastructure priorities
    of California's San Joaquin Valley. It is critical we continue to work
    in a bipartisan fashion towards addressing our nation's infrastructure
    needs. I look forward to working with the committee and colleagues on
    shared goals such as: protecting our supply chains, building a
    sustainable rail and aviation system, and enhancing our water
    infrastructure.
                                 Supply Chains
        Lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic have demonstrated our
    nation must prioritize and enhance supply chain resiliency. As I have
    always said, food security is national security, and when our food
    supply chain is threatened, we must act. As the committee considers
    supply chain priorities, I urge the committee to prioritize legislation
    that will empower the Federal Maritime Commission to protect fair trade
    and American business from foreign adversaries.
        Additionally, I urge the committee to prioritize legislation that
    enhances our supply chain such as provisions in the bipartisan SHIP IT
    Act, to develop a stable and reliable trucking workforce. The SHIP IT
    Act improves our trucking system by enhancing the recruitment and
    retention of our trucking workforce by: modernizing the authority for
    certain vehicle waivers during emergencies, allowing waivers in
    response to disease and supply chain emergencies; streamlining the
    Commercial Driver's License process; and incentivizing new truck
    drivers to enter the workforce through targeted and temporary tax
    credits.
                            Sustainable Rail Service
        Rail safety and service are critical as we continue to ensure a
    safe, reliable system for the movement of our people and goods. The
    Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Grant Program is
    a critical program that funds projects nationwide that are construction
    ready and produce high speed rail, such as the California High-Speed
    Rail project. However, it is critical our passenger and freight rail
    are both addressed. As legislation is considered on rail safety, it is
    imperative the committee consider addressing common carrier agreements.
    Our nation must have both a safe and reliable rail system for the
    movement of goods and people.
                                    Aviation
        As the committee considers aviation priorities this year, I urge
    the committee to consider the modernization needs of international
    airports with air traffic control towers not owned by the Federal
    Aviation Administration. The Fresno Yosemite International Airport
    (FAT) is a critical airport for the State of California and the nation,
    including by connecting people the world to California's crown jewel,
    Yosemite National Park. The airport is experiencing record air traffic
    and passenger growth. The airport also serves as a base for the 144th
    Fighter Wing of the California National Air Guard. Our TRACON system
    and air traffic control tower is over 30 years old and is need of
    desperate enhancements to ensure a safe and efficient operations of the
    airspace around FAT. As the committee considers aviation priorities, I
    urge the committee to prioritize policy changes that enable airports
    like FAT to receive federal funding for air traffic control tower
    modernization and replacement.
                              Water Infrastructure
        As you work with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to implement the
    Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2024, I urge the Committee
    and the Corps to work in tandem to expeditiously implement Sec.
    1203(a)(10) of WRDA 2024. This section outlined language to
    expeditiously complete the feasibility study associated with
    Modifications to Pine Flat Dam. The raising of Pine Flat Dam will add
    120,000 acre-feet of reservoir storage capacity, which is critical to
    enhance drought resiliency, support agriculture throughout the San
    Joaquin Valley, and protect against peak flood flows.
        There are several efforts underway aimed at understanding and
    reducing flood risk on the Kings River. I urge the Committee and Army
    Corps to coordinate with local stakeholders engaged in Kings River
    operations to prioritize work related to the update of the Pine Flat
    Dam Water Control Manual. These updates should advance Hydrologic &
    Hydraulic modeling and Floodplain Data Inventory as the Corps
    undertakes an update to the Water Control Manual.
        Furthermore, WRDA 2022 took important steps towards advancing
    Managed Aquifer Recharge as a tool to bolster California's water
    supply. The Redbank and Fancher Creek Project has been engaging with
    the Corps to be approved for Sec. 8108(b) funding pursuant to the
    Corps' January 17, 2025, Implementation Guidance. This project is
    critical for recharging a critically over-drafted aquifer, supporting
    economically disadvantaged communities in the area by providing water
    supply, and ameliorating the efforts of prolonged drought while
    reducing the risk of floods. I urge the Committee to continue to work
    with the Corps to advance Managed Aquifer Recharge in a rapid manner
    for key projects such as the Redbank and Fancher Creek Project.
        Finally, I urge the Committee to work to update the Water
    Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program. I recently
    re-introduced my bipartisan bill, the Restoring WIFIA Eligibility Act,
    which would clarify that non-federal entities who manage federally
    owned infrastructure are in fact qualified applicants. WIFIA could be a
    critical tool for financing repairs to projects such as the Jones
    Pumping Plant in California, that is critical for supplying water to
    tens of millions of people and millions of acres of farmland throughout
    California.
        As the committee begins the process next year of writing the next
    Water Resources Development Act, I urge you the keep these water
    resources priorities in mind to advance flood resilience, groundwater
    recharge, and water supply reliability in the San Joaquin Valley.
        Thank you, again, for the opportunity to share these transportation
    and infrastructure priorities on behalf of California's 21st District.
    I look forward to working with the committee to build a better multi-
    modal transportation system for California's San Joaquin Valley and the
    nation.

     Prepared Statement of Hon. Neal P. Dunn, a Representative in Congress
                           from the State of Florida
        Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        I look forward to supporting my colleagues on the Transportation
    and Infrastructure Committee (``T&I'') while they work on the surface
    transportation reauthorization bill that the Committee will develop
    this Congress.
        I appreciate the Chairman extending an invitation to members to
    speak on issues and policies under T&I's jurisdiction that are
    affecting our Districts.
        I look forward to working with the Chairman to address important
    issues for the FL Panhandle.
        First, I want to ask the Committee for support of my bill, the FEMA
    Loan Interest Payment Relief Act (H.R. 2836).
        My bill requires FEMA to reimburse state and local governments and
    electric cooperatives for interest incurred on Stafford Act disaster-
    related loans within one-year of enactment.
        Currently, local officials and non-profit groups take out loans to
    restore essential services following a natural disaster; however, while
    they are waiting for the loan to be reimbursed by FEMA, these loans
    incur interest.
        FEMA must do its part to issue payment for this outstanding
    reimbursement-eligible interest.
        Hurricane Michael devastated FL-02 in October 2018, and my district
    is still waiting for FEMA to reimburse loans.
        This has been costing many of our counties millions of dollars--
    (over $14 million) on interest that could have been avoided had FEMA
    provided prompt payment in the first place and then subsequently
    covered the interest incurred.
        On December 9th, 2024, the bill passed the House by voice vote; the
    bill also passed the House by a large margin in the 117th Congress.
        Bear in mind that this bill will help every state that relies on
    FEMA for assistance.
        I look forward to working with the Chairman and Subcommittee
    Chairman, General Perry, to help get this across the finish line again
    in the 119th Congress.
        I would also like to highlight the issue of FEMA project funding
    `claw-backs', which affects several significant disaster recovery
    projects in my District.
        There are a number of instances in my district where cities or
    counties are facing a requirement from FEMA to return already spent
    funds. In these cases, affected entities have submitted their projects
    to the state disaster management agency, in our case the Florida
    Division of Emergency Management (``FDEM'') for review before their
    formal submission to FEMA.
        FEMA then conducts its multi-tiered review process for each
    project, assigning a dedicated Program Delivery Manager (PDMG) to
    assess project eligibility.
        Upon approval by FEMA, funds are obligated to FDEM for subsequent
    disbursement to the applicant city or county, enabling the start of
    project work.
        However, recipients receive a Determination Memo (DM) ``claw-back''
    of previously approved funds years later when FEMA initiates a review
    of the approved project worksheet after or near the project's
    completion.
        In Florida's Second District, DMs were issued to several entities
    that were approved for disaster relief funding related to Hurricane
    Michael, which made landfall in 2018.
        My district faces nearly $100 million in pending funding claw-backs
    related to this one storm.
        Each of these projects went through multiple vigorous FEMA reviews
    prior to approval and disbursement of funds.
        Some of these projects were in the middle of completion when DMs
    were issued, leaving them abandoned in the middle of construction--
    potentially causing more damage than had they been completed in a
    timely manner.
        The most significant impact of these `claw-backs' will be on rural
    and fiscally constrained communities.
        The amount of funding that FEMA is asking these entities to return
    undoubtedly has the potential to bankrupt and/or put them in
    significant debt.
        It is incumbent that the disaster survivors do not bear the brunt
    of errors made by federal agencies.
        I wrote a bill to address this persistent issue. My proposed bill
    would exempt ``covered project'' costs to FEMA Public Assistance (PA)
    projects while executing a grant agreement with FEMA.
        Mr. Chairman, I am encouraged by the bill draft you released on May
    8th, the Fixing Emergency Management Americans (``FEMA'') Act.
        This bill will help reform the many challenges my district has
    faced while working with the Federal Agency including the disastrous
    clawback requirements under the Biden Administration.
        I look forward to supporting the finalized bill text.
        Lastly, I have several ongoing projects with the Army Corps of
    Engineers (``USACE'').
        These outstanding projects are characterized by permitting and
    significant outstanding work delays and have been on the backburner
    with the Corps for too long.
        I am working with the Appropriations Committee as well as T&I to
    address these projects.
        These include crucial dredging projects like the Keaton Beach
    Canal, in Taylor County, FL--commercial fishing boats and tourist
    charters cannot get in and out of the channel.
        This is one of the only means of livelihood for my constituents who
    live there.
        I look forward to partnering with my colleagues on this Committee
    on an array of issues from disaster recovery, infrastructure
    improvements, support of Corps project completion, and others.
        I appreciate the opportunity to testify here today and hope to have
    T&I consideration on these incredibly important issues for my District.
        Thank you, Mr. Chairman, I yield back.

      Prepared Statement of Hon. Mike Flood, a Representative in Congress
                           from the State of Nebraska
        Thank you, Chairman Graves, Ranking Member Larsen, and all the
    members of the Committee. I am grateful for this opportunity to
    highlight an important project in Nebraska's First Congressional
    District that I intend to submit for consideration as part of the
    upcoming Surface Transportation Reauthorization Act.
        Specifically, I would like to call to your attention the proposed
    ``Lincoln East Beltway'' located in Lincoln, Nebraska and Lancaster
    County, Nebraska. Lincoln is the Capital of Nebraska, proudly home to
    the flagship University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and, most importantly,
    where roughly three hundred thousand of my constituents reside.
        The Lincoln East Beltway is a proposed new highway corridor on the
    east fringe of the Lincoln, Nebraska, metropolitan area, spanning from
    an interchange with the Lincoln South Beltway approximately 13 miles to
    an interchange with Interstate 80. This project involves the
    development of a four-lane divided freeway that would alleviate
    congestion, improve connectivity, and support regional growth in the
    Lincoln, Nebraska, metropolitan area.
        Recognized 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 Lincoln
    / Lancaster County, Nebraska Metropolitan Planning Organization 2025-
    2028 Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP).
        On January 23, 2007, the City of Lincoln and the County of
    Lancaster entered into an agreement with the Nebraska Department of
    Transportation and Federal Highway Administration to prepare a
    preliminary design and to file corridor protection plans for the
    proposed Lincoln East Beltway. The Nebraska corridor protection statute
    provides an important tool for responsible planning. Corridor
    protection identifies and protects future transportation corridors
    prior to costly and conflicting development of land. This planning tool
    allows local residents and business owners to make informed decisions
    about their property to plan for future infrastructure that will meet
    their needs, and it also takes into consideration the protection of
    environmentally sensitive areas. For the traveling public, corridor
    protection provides the opportunity to have transportation alternatives
    delivered more cost effectively.
        The current corridor protection plan spans a slightly larger area
    than the original plan, as the estimated number of acres that need to
    be acquired through right-of-way have increased. Since inception, the
    City of Lincoln and the County of Lancaster have already acquired
    approximately $4.1 million of right-of-way through the corridor
    protection process, and the City and County are positioned to continue
    to protect the corridor as parcels become available for purchase.
        Transportation options are vital to keeping the City of Lincoln and
    the County of Lancaster economically competitive, and physical
    transportation infrastructure is an integral 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, the Lincoln East Beltway remains the final
    uncompleted portion of the expressway system around the City of
    Lincoln. In anticipation of completing this project, the City of
    Lincoln and the County of Lancaster have invested millions of dollars
    in securing the Lincoln East Beltway corridor for future development.
    To ensure continued economic growth, federal investment is critical to
    realize the completion of the expressway system serving the City of
    Lincoln and the County of Lancaster.
        The Lincoln East Beltway will provide an alternative route to
    existing roads, reducing traffic congestion on major corridors such as
    U.S. Highway 77, Nebraska Highway 6, and Nebraska Highway 2. By
    diverting through-traffic, particularly heavy truck traffic, away from
    residential and commercial areas, the project will enhance daily
    commutes and reduce travel times. In addition to the jobs created
    during construction, expanded transportation corridors will attract
    businesses and foster economic development, benefiting both urban and
    rural areas in the County of Lancaster.
        Thank you for this opportunity to highlight the proposed Lincoln
    East Beltway. I look forward to working with you to support this
    important priority and invest in the future of Nebraska's First
    Congressional District.

        Prepared Statement of Hon. Josh Gottheimer, a Representative in
                     Congress from the State of New Jersey
        Thank you, Chairman Graves, Ranking Member Larsen, and Members of
    the Committee for the opportunity to testify. I want to particularly
    recognize my New Jersey colleagues, Rep. Pou and Rep. Van Drew, who
    worked so hard to advance New Jersey's priorities as members of this
    committee.
        Since May 5, 2025, Newark Airport has seen more than 1,700
    cancellations and delays--many of them last minute. United Airlines has
    cut 35 regularly scheduled flights from Newark, and its CEO even told
    people to go to other airports because of these issues.
        Travelers have had it with the delays and cancellations--and with
    good reason. It's not because Newark Airport isn't one of the best in
    the world, with the best of the best working in our terminals, on the
    runways, and in the towers to keep us safe. It's because, right now,
    the airport simply lacks the FAA tower staffing levels, modern
    technology, and infrastructure that we need. Add that to the ongoing
    runway construction project--and you can see why it's a mess and why
    things are jammed up.
        Last year, nearly 146 million air passengers flew in and out of the
    New Jersey-New York metro area--a new record. Our region is a key
    economic artery for our country. It's where 20 percent of the nation's
    GDP runs through. Yet, this region, the Newark sector, as the FAA calls
    it, one of the busiest air spaces in the whole world, is running off a
    tower that's full of copper wire and 1980s outdated and inefficient
    technology. And, the region is short of about 40 air traffic
    controllers.
        Fixing this problem won't just happen with the snap of a finger.
    Here's what we need to get this done.
        First, I recently called on the Trump Administration and the
    Secretary to immediately send an emergency funding request to Congress
    to fully fund the Administration's FAA air traffic control overhaul
    plan. It is imperative that the Committee works across the aisle to get
    this funding request up for a vote before the House by June 1. It's
    clear that we can't afford to delay fixing our towers any longer. No
    more copper wires. No more outdated technology. We are the greatest
    country in the world. We must do this now.
        Second, I called on the FAA to work to move more air traffic
    controllers from other parts of the country to this short-staffed
    region--the busiest airspace in the world. The staffing shortage has
    meant more delays and cancellations--and more overworked and stressed
    air traffic controllers. I hope that you will work with the FAA to see
    this action taken as soon and as safely as possible. We should pay
    these air traffic controllers whatever it takes to get them to Newark.
        I'm also suggesting that we go a step further. In your effort to
    conduct oversight over the FAA during this current Air Traffic
    Controller crisis, there is an opportunity for the Committee to advance
    legislation to establish a training program to safely and smartly fast-
    track Combat Controllers, or CCTs, from the military to become FAA-
    certified Air Traffic Controllers (ATCs). I've heard from many military
    controllers who are ready with the experience and desire to help. But,
    red tape and a two to three-year-long certification process are
    stopping them.
        By creating this program, we can help fast-track military control
    tower workers, get them trained on how to handle the Newark airspace,
    reduce staff shortages, and help airports like ours get back on track.
    This is just common sense, and clearly if they can handle the skies in
    a military offensive, they would have a good leg up on handling flights
    here.
        Third, we must ensure that as we upgrade the towers to new
    technology, as outlined in the Secretary's plan, our air traffic
    controllers are trained to use it. So, I am asking for the Committee to
    work with the FAA to create a plan to fully train all ATCs on any new
    equipment while upgrades are made. We need to give our air traffic
    controllers the tools they need to hit the ground running.
        Besides the current ATC crisis at Newark Airport, North Jersey is
    plagued with highway issues from large sinkholes. The sinkholes across
    Interstate 80 in North Jersey have led to road closures that are
    severely impacting Jersey families, small businesses, and commuters who
    rely on this critical highway every day to get to work, support our
    local economy, and visit friends and family. I am calling on the
    Committee to ensure that the emergency funding requested by the New
    Jersey Department of Transportation from the Federal Highway
    Administration is approved as soon as possible to help fix our roads. I
    am also calling on the Committee to look into the integrity of Jersey
    roads from the large number of mines beneath them which have created
    this sinkhole crisis.
        We must also ensure the completion of the Gateway Train Tunnel. I
    am calling on the Committee to ensure that there are no delays with the
    funding and completion of this critical project. The current tunnel
    between New Jersey and New York is more than 110 years old and if it
    were to crumble, it would cost the regional economy $100 million a day.
    I helped craft and pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, which will
    fund a major portion of the Tunnel, including the Hudson River Tunnel
    and Portal North Bridge, invest in New Jersey's ports, roads, rails,
    and bridges, address supply chain issues, create jobs, and boost our
    local economy in Jersey.
        After years of hard work, there's nothing better than seeing
    federal investment at work to help our families with faster, safer, and
    more reliable commutes. As long as we invest in our infrastructure to
    keep our roads, skies, and families safe, I know that here in the
    greatest country in the world, our best days will always be ahead of
    us. Thank you.

      Prepared Statement of Hon. Harriet M. Hageman, a Representative in
                       Congress from the State of Wyoming
        Chairman Graves, Ranking Member Larsen, and Members of the
    Committee:
        I am grateful for the opportunity to submit written testimony for
    the Committee's Member Day hearing regarding the issue of reliable
    transportation and its importance in the movement of Wyoming's
    resources, particularly oil, coal, and trona.
        As many of you may know, my home state of Wyoming is one of the top
    energy-producing states in the nation. Its long history as a leader in
    this market has contributed immensely to the abundance of affordable
    energy that we as a country continue to take advantage of today. In
    terms of production, we are ranked #10 in natural gas, #8 in crude oil,
    #1 in coal, and are poised to be a leader in the growth of nuclear
    power and technology with our ample reserves of raw materials.\1\ We
    are also the largest producer of trona in the United States, with the
    countries of China and Kazakhstan being our largest competitors. Each
    of these industries generates significant revenue for the state and
    local economies while employing thousands of hard-working Wyomingites
    across a broad range of professional careers.
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        \1\ https://www.eia.gov/state/
    ?sid=WY#::text=Wyoming%20was%20the%20eighth%2Dlargest,of
    %20U.S.%20marketed%20gas%20production.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        While the importance of these affordable energy and manufacturing
    resources cannot be overstated, guaranteeing their accessibility and
    possessing the means to transport them to locations and economies far
    and wide is just as critical. Lacking a consistent source of reliable
    transportation, even for a short amount of time, can easily cause
    immediate and significant harm to these legacy industries and the
    millions of businesses and consumers who rely upon their products for
    the most basic of needs. One can look no further than back to 2022,
    when limited rail transport resulted in millions of dollars in lost
    revenue for Wyoming's coal industry, as companies simply could not get
    paid until after the coal successfully left the mines.\2\ Consistent,
    reliable, and affordable rail transport is critical for the entire
    Country, and especially so in Wyoming. Without Wyoming coal, we cannot
    turn the lights on. Without Wyoming oil, we cannot power our economy.
    Without Wyoming trona, our glass industries falter.
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        \2\ https://cowboystatedaily.com/2023/02/16/disappointing-rail-
    service-throttles-wyoming-coal-despite-record-1-3-billion-revenue-in-
    2022-arch-reports/
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        Furthermore, and continuing to use coal as an example, there
    remains an expanding appetite for Wyoming coal in different regions
    across the globe, particularly Taiwan, Japan, and Southeast Asia. With
    nearly all the coal mined in Wyoming currently shipped via rail, taking
    advantage of this interest by not only maximizing our production, but
    also exploring and expanding the means by which to expeditiously move
    these resources to their destinations, is critical to both the
    prosperity of Wyoming's industries and maintaining the United States'
    longstanding position of global energy leadership.
        Unfortunately, despite what should be an issue where common ground
    can be found, over the last several years, party-line politics has
    sidelined opportunities that once had the potential to bring in
    additional revenue and create new jobs. Politicians and environmental
    groups from the West Coast states have routinely blocked plans for the
    use of coal-export or gateway terminals. However, with President
    Trump's Executive Order unleashing American energy and reinvigorating
    our clean coal industries, employing creative solutions, such as
    increasing existing rail capacity and forming connections to new routes
    of transport, including the Mississippi River and the Gulf of America,
    is more essential than ever.
        As previously emphasized, without the continued use of our
    affordable energy sources and the lack of a consistently reliable means
    of transport, we will inevitably witness greater hardships placed upon
    countless Wyomingites and Americans who are either employed in the
    energy sector or rely upon its essential outputs.
        Once again, thank you for allowing me the opportunity to submit
    written testimony, and I look forward to working with each of you as we
    continue to invest and explore new ways to modernize our transportation
    networks and assert America's energy and trona dominance. Should you
    have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact me or
    my staff at any point.

    Prepared Statement of Hon. J. French Hill, a Representative in Congress
                           from the State of Arkansas
        Dear Chair Graves and Ranking Member Larsen:
        As you begin crafting the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Surface
    Transportation Reauthorization bill, I respectfully submit my following
    remarks for consideration during the Transportation and Infrastructure
    (T&I) Committee's Member Day Hearing.
        Congress bears the responsibility of ensuring safe and reliable
    transportation for the country--and has done so since enactment of the
    Federal Aid Road Act in 1916. The most recent transportation
    reauthorization was the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
    (IIJA). As you may know, IIJA authorized nearly $1.2 trillion for
    transportation and infrastructure spending, of which approximately $650
    billion was directed toward funding for surface transportation and the
    remaining $550 billion was directed toward new investments and
    programs. It is set to expire at the end of fiscal year (FY) 2026,
    leaving this Congress the express authority to ensure its
    reauthorization.
        It is my hope that this new reauthorization will address a few key
    issues:

        1.  Resolve the solvency of the highway trust fund (HTF). Should
    Congress fail to act to ensure the long-term sustainability of the HTF
    within this reauthorization, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO)
    projects the HTF will run out of money in 2028. To prevent significant
    delay in the planning and construction of projects, provide stable
    reimbursements and regulatory certainty to states, stakeholders, and
    businesses, and to ensure that many of the benefits from the Federal
    surface transportation program, including jobs, safety, and support of
    continued economic growth are continued, I urge adoption of a stable,
    long-term funding solution that includes insight with states and the
    larger transportation community and fiscal responsibility in mind.

        2.  Work to continue to cut bureaucratic red tape that slows down
    infrastructure project approval and construction. While some of these
    efforts have been included in recent surface reauthorizations, I hope
    to see a continued effort to ensure quick maintenance and construction,
    while also preserving our environment, including work to streamline the
    permitting process. This allows for increased flexibility within
    programs and better project delivery.

        I also ask you to give full and fair consideration to the following
    programs in the upcoming Surface Reauthorization bill. Each of these
    programs has been important to my district and essential in helping
    deliver investments to central Arkansas and the state at-large:

        1)  The Accelerated Implementation and Deployment of Pavement
    Technologies (AIDPT) Program. A significant proportion of program
    dollars at the Federal Highway Administration are spent on pavements,
    and this program is essential in helping identify and deploy new cost
    efficient and safe pavement solutions.

        2)  The Consolidated Rail Infrastructure & Safety Improvements
    (CRISI) Grant Program. This program is important in promoting and
    improving railroad safety, and in helping mitigate congestion at
    freight rail chokepoints.

        3)  The Railway-Highway Crossings (Section 130) Program, which
    provides funding to decrease the number of fatalities, injuries, and
    crashes at public railway-highway crossings.

        4)  The Department of Transportation's Port Infrastructure
    Development Program (PIDP), which funds infrastructure and maintenance
    projects for ports across America.

        Thank you for your leadership in this area and for your
    consideration of my requests. These items are important to my home
    state of Arkansas, and I join those lending their support for these
    items.

     Prepared Statement of Hon. Wesley Hunt, a Representative in Congress
                            from the State of Texas
        Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        I first want to thank the Committee for their tremendous work in
    WRDA 24, which included language from me and Lizzie Fletcher, requiring
    the Army Corps of Engineers to complete BBTRS, an imperative study in
    Houston.
        Protecting Houston from flooding is my top priority, and I want to
    express my sincere appreciation to the committee for the work you have
    done to support my hometown of Houston, Texas.
        Another important topic I'd like to discuss today is the Presidio
    International Bridge in Presidio, Texas, one of the poorest counties in
    Texas, with a poverty rate of approximately 40%.
        I have proposed language that would enable Presidio County to
    collect a toll from travelers entering the United States.
        Currently, the Presidio International Bridge is the only port of
    entry in Texas, out of 28, that does not require a toll to enter the
    U.S.
        Presidio County would use the funds generated from the toll to
    support its local emergency and Law enforcement services.
        I would encourage the Committee to include this language in its
    upcoming Surface Transportation Reauthorization.
        Lastly, I would like to thank the Committee for its support of
    Project 11 at the Houston Ship Channel.
        The Houston Ship Channel is the gateway to our nation's number one
    export region, serving as the leading port for foreign commerce and as
    the top American energy port.
        The Houston Ship Channel is also the busiest deep-draft waterway in
    the entire country.
        Each year, the Houston Ship Channel generates almost 1 trillion
    dollars in economic activity and supports over 3 million jobs
    nationwide.
        Congress' continued investment in the Houston Ship Channel is
    imperative and will help bring economic prosperity to all Americans
    across our great country.
        Thank you to the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for
    having me here today.

    Prepared Statement of Hon. David Kustoff, a Representative in Congress
                          from the State of Tennessee
        Dear Chairman Graves and Ranking Member Larsen,
        Thank you for hosting this Member Day hearing. I appreciate the
    opportunity to offer testimony on the importance of the I-69 project in
    West Tennessee and its role in strengthening transportation
    infrastructure in our region and across the country.
        I-69 is a vital component of what is known as High Priority
    Corridor 18, a corridor that stretches through the heart of mid-
    America. This designation dates back to when Congress passed the
    Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA), to
    identify certain highway corridors as nationally significant and direct
    that they be incorporated into the National Highway System.
        The I-69 route has been divided into multiple segments, three of
    which directly impact the state of Tennessee:

          Segment 7--from Fulton, Kentucky to Dyersburg, Tennessee
          Segment 8--from Dyersburg to Millington, Tennessee
          Segment 9--from Millington, Tennessee to Hernando,
    Mississippi

        With the recent completion of the stretch through Indiana, I-69 now
    provides a continuous interstate connection from Port Huron, Michigan,
    at the Canadian border, down to the Kentucky state line. Kentucky is
    currently working to upgrade existing parkways to full interstate
    standards, which will further extend this critical corridor southward.
    That makes it more important to prioritize completing the Tennessee
    portion of I-69.
        Finishing the segments in Tennessee is the next key step to closing
    the gap in this corridor--a corridor that not only supports strong
    demand for the movement of goods but also serves thousands of short to
    medium-length trips that drive local and regional economies. By
    completing I-69 through Tennessee, we won't just improve connectivity
    between our state and major markets to the north and south--we'll also
    relieve congestion on nearby highways, make travel safer, and position
    our communities to better take advantage of economic development
    opportunities tied to a modern transportation network.
        When completed, I-69 will connect with 16 existing interstate
    highways that cross Corridor 18--including 10 east-west routes and 6
    north-south routes. It will also link 10 urban areas, each with a
    population over 50,000, along the corridor. Within these urban areas,
    I-69 will make it easier to upgrade existing interstate routes, improve
    connections between major transportation corridors and radial freeways,
    and better link key freight hubs, terminals, and multi-modal facilities
    to the broader interstate highway network.
        In short, finishing I-69 is about far more than laying pavement. It
    is about tying together communities, improving safety, boosting local
    and regional economies, and enhancing our nation's ability to move
    goods efficiently. I urge continued support for this project and the
    investment necessary to see it through.

     Prepared Statement of Hon. Kevin Mullin, a Representative in Congress
                          from the State of California
        Chairman Graves, Ranking Member Larsen, thank you for allowing me
    to testify before the Committee about my priorities for the bill you
    are writing to authorize surface transportation programs.
        I will be submitting several requests to the Committee, but I
    wanted to highlight some of those here:
                          1. Empty Lots to Housing Act
        First, as you are aware, there is broad, bipartisan agreement that
    the United States is in the midst of a severe housing crisis.
    Nationwide, we're short nearly 4.9 million homes, and one in four
    renters spends more than half their income on rent. To address this, we
    need to increase housing supply--especially near public transit. That's
    why I'm introducing the Empty Lots to Housing Act, which would grant
    the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) the authority to allow state
    and local agencies to repurpose underutilized land acquired with FHWA
    funds for transit-oriented development, including affordable housing.
        To take just one example, in my district, a mostly vacant parking
    lot near a rapid transit station, which was purchased by our
    transportation agency decades ago with FHWA funds, could be redeveloped
    into housing. Both the local agency and FHWA support this initiative,
    but FHWA does not currently have the authority to approve this change
    in use of the land. This bill would remove that barrier, extending to
    FHWA the same flexibility Congress granted to the Federal Transit
    Administration in 2021. This is a simple step that would help
    communities unlock land for urgently needed housing without new federal
    spending.
                              2. Pedestrian safety
        Second, I would respectfully ask the Committee to prioritize
    pedestrian safety as it relates to both the technology in cars as well
    as along railroads.
        As you are likely aware, pedestrian injuries and fatalities from
    traffic accidents are at record highs. In 2022, the United States saw
    more than 7,500 pedestrians killed and more than 67,000 pedestrians
    injured. Simultaneously, the driver experience has been changing. Touch
    screens have been quickly replacing physical controls, such as
    switches, knobs, and dials. While smartphone usage has also increased,
    it cannot fully explain the spike in pedestrian fatalities and injuries
    in the U.S. but not in other countries. The only thing is clear is that
    more research is needed.
        My bill, the Driver Technology and Pedestrian Safety Act, would
    direct the Department of Transportation to study the effects of driver
    technology--including touch screen-based systems and user interface
    design--and the impact of time of day and changes in traffic, weather,
    and the volume of commercial vehicles on the road as they relate to
    pedestrian injuries and fatalities. Please consider including this
    bill's provisions in the text you are writing.
        Addressing traffic and pedestrian safety along rail corridors is
    also critical. According to the Federal Railroad Administration, there
    were 2,252 crossing collisions in 2024, resulting in 268 fatalities and
    749 injuries. While full grade separation is considered the gold
    standard for safety, it often comes with an astronomical price tag and
    can take years or even decades to plan, fund, and construct. I know
    this from challenges with this in my own district. To make meaningful
    safety improvements more broadly and affordably, we need to explore
    innovative, technology-driven alternatives.
        For example, Caltrain--a commuter rail line that goes through the
    heart of my district--has piloted a promising solution that uses AI-
    enabled sensors and machine learning to detect patterns of use and
    identify potential safety hazards at crossings in real time. The entire
    system was implemented for just $300,000, a fraction of the $889
    million quoted for grade separation at the same location--and deployed
    within months, not years.
        To better understand the potential of this approach nationwide, I
    am requesting that you include in an eventual bill a study to examine
    this approach at rail crossings.
                            3. Rail electrification
        Third, I respectfully urge the Committee to make bold commitments
    to modernize our railways using electric and battery technology. Here
    again, Caltrain, which serves over 7 million annual riders, offers a
    compelling example. Its recent transition from diesel to electric
    trains was the first large-scale conversion in decades. It has, within
    months, delivered smoother, faster service and an impressive 54%
    ridership increase. Investing in clean electric rail infrastructure is
    vital for improving air quality and reducing our carbon footprint.
        I urge the committee to build upon a recent Department of Energy
    report and direct the Federal Railroad Administration to convene
    stakeholders and develop an implementation plan for rail
    electrification. Furthermore, railways should have access to funding
    for pilot studies. For example, regenerative braking, a proven
    technology used in hybrid cars for decades, could recover 20 to 55% of
    train energy, and generate substantial cost savings for rail systems.
        I will be submitting proposals on both of these issues to the
    Committee for consideration for inclusion.
                   4. Rail and highway corridor transmission
        Lastly, I respectfully urge the Committee to explore how we can
    better leverage existing infrastructure to meet our nation's growing
    energy needs. Meeting future demand will require a major expansion of
    our transmission system--particularly interregional transmission lines,
    which are much more efficient than local or regional networks and
    essential to lowering energy costs for consumers. Yet construction of
    these lines remains incredibly difficult due to cross-state siting
    challenges and disputes over cost sharing.
        That is why I am proposing a study to evaluate the opportunities,
    benefits, and barriers to using existing highway and rail rights-of-way
    for high-voltage transmission lines. This study would help identify how
    we can use current federal assets to modernize the grid, reduce energy
    costs, and meet rising demand with cleaner, more reliable power.
        Thank you again for considering these proposals. And a big thanks
    in advance to you and your staff for your hard work in crafting an
    eventual bill.

        Prepared Statement of Hon. Scott H. Peters, a Representative in
                     Congress from the State of California
        Chairman Graves and Ranking Member Larsen:
        Thank you for hosting ``Member Day'' for your colleagues like me
    who have important priorities in front of the Transportation and
    Infrastructure Committee. I'd like to highlight the following issues
    that affect my district and the country as a whole:

        1.  The Build More Housing Near Transit Act and issues of public
    transportation, density, and housing;
        2.  The Ocean Pollution Reduction Act II;
        3.  To authorize the International Boundary and Water Commission to
    accept funds for activities relating to wastewater treatment and flood
    control works, and for other purposes;
        4.  The LOSSAN Rail Corridor; and
        5.  The reconfiguration of the San Diego Courthouse.

        First, in the 118th Congress, I introduced the Build More Housing
    Near Transit Act, H.R. 6199.This legislation highlights the importance
    of investing in public transportation that prioritizes decongesting our
    roads, increases sustainability, and supports regional planning that
    increases the production of housing.
        I urge the Committee to continue to improve access to transit
    infrastructure and encourage more commuters to take public
    transportation and reduce vehicle miles traveled. The federal
    government can only support a limited number of transit infrastructure
    projects each year. We need to make sure that the federal government is
    making the most of our taxpayer dollars when it comes to these
    projects. In exchange for the massive federal investments Congress
    makes in transit infrastructure, we must ask local and state
    governments to commit to building more dense housing along transit
    corridors, ensuring efficiency and a strong customer base. Large and
    small cities across the country struggle to build enough housing to
    keep rent affordable for working class families.
        My bipartisan bill, the Build More Housing Near Transit Act which
    will soon be reintroduced in the 119th Congress with Rep. Blake Moore,
    would achieve these goals. This bill would incentivize state and local
    governments to improve housing policies by rewarding them when they
    apply for federal transit funding. The Build More Housing Near Transit
    Act amends the discretionary Capital Investment Grants program to
    provide a bonus for transit projects if nearby jurisdictions adopt pro-
    housing policies. I respectfully ask that my bipartisan legislation be
    included in any reauthorizing package the Committee considers.
        Second, I introduced H.R. 1390, the Ocean Pollution Reduction Act
    II, with the support of all members of the San Diego delegation, Reps.
    Levin, Jacobs, Vargas, and Issa. This bill will provide the City of San
    Diego with regulatory certainty as it continues to make significant
    progress, as well as major investments, in enhancing its water and
    wastewater systems. The Point Loma Wastewater Treatment Plant (PLWTP)
    is in San Diego, CA. It currently treats 175 million gallons of
    wastewater per day, serving 2.2 million residents, and 12 water
    agencies in a 450-square-mile area. PLWTP's ocean outfall is 4.5 miles
    and 300 feet deep and is one of the longest and deepest outfalls in the
    world. Since 2010, the PLWTP has met alternate discharge for total
    suspended solids (TSS) and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) under a
    modified National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit
    approved by EPA as authorized by section 301(h) of the Clean Water Act
    and the Ocean Pollution Reduction Act of 1994 (OPRA). As part of its
    efforts to meet these alternate standards, the City is making a long-
    term investment in The Pure Water Program, a multi-year, multi-billion-
    dollar program that will use proven water purification technology to
    provide one-third of San Diego's water supply by 2039. Although the
    City has never failed to renew its modified permit, the renewal process
    creates unnecessary regulatory uncertainty for ratepayers and municipal
    water and sewer authorities.
        This legislation does not modify the Clean Water Act and maintains
    the protections of the Clean Water Act for wastewater treatment
    facilities across the country, while also adding additional
    requirements to discharge standards and enhanced environmental
    monitoring specifically for Point Loma. This program and legislation
    are supported by a broad coalition of environmental, labor, business,
    and community leaders because it provides regulatory certainty while
    also securing an independent, drought-resilient supply of water. With
    your help, I look forward to passing this bill through the House again
    and signed into law this Congress.
        Third, I introduced H.R. 1948, To authorize the International
    Boundary and Water Commission to accept funds for activities relating
    to wastewater treatment and flood control works, and for other
    purposes. Under current law, federal agencies as well as state and
    local entities remain unable to transfer funds to the International
    Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC) for projects related to wastewater
    treatment works, water conservation projects, or flood control works.
    This leaves IBWC almost solely reliant upon annual appropriations or
    emergency funding to build and maintain its facilities. Although
    funding for IBWC has increased in recent years, more flexible funding
    arrangements would help the agency work with other partners to address
    relevant projects.
        IBWC's jurisdiction covers the South Bay International Wastewater
    Treatment Plant (SBIWTP) located in San Diego. Long-standing
    operational failures at SBIWTP have resulted in raw sewage
    contamination flowing from the Tijuana River into the Pacific Ocean
    that is then carried into San Diego. This results in a public health
    crisis that strains local resources, poses significant environmental
    risks, and forces service members to train in polluted sewage water.
        This bill authorizes IBWC to accept funds for activities related to
    wastewater treatment and flood control works. This language would allow
    other federal agencies or entities like the State of California, the
    City of San Diego and others to provide funding to IBWC. The
    Transportation and Infrastructure Committee passed this bill by voice
    vote in the 119th and 118th Congresses. I look forward to working with
    the Committee on passing the bill in the House.
        Fourth, the LOSSAN (Los Angeles-San Diego-San Luis Obispo) rail
    corridor has grown to become the second busiest passenger rail corridor
    in the United States, after Amtrak's Northeast Corridor. However,
    unlike the Northeast Corridor, the majority of which is controlled
    directly by Amtrak, the LOSSAN corridor has many stakeholders, and
    improvements require substantial cooperation at the federal, state, and
    local levels. I believe the LOSSAN corridor deserves dedicated funding,
    just like the Northeast Corridor, to deliver these upgrades.
        Over the past two and a half years, a seven-mile stretch of the
    LOSSAN Rail Corridor has repeatedly experienced closures for a
    cumulative total of over 12 months. Climate-induced storm surges, sea-
    level rise, and erosion have impacted railroad track movement and slope
    instability along the LOSSAN Rail Corridor right-of-way, resulting in
    service disruption to both passenger and freight rail services. These
    closures have negatively impacted passenger transportation, freight
    services, and military operations throughout the region. Regarding
    passenger travel time, bottlenecks and repeated closures have
    contributed to significant travel delays.
        The work needed to improve operations, enhance climate resilience,
    and achieve significant travel time improvements broadly fall into
    three main categories: capacity improvements, speed and directness
    improvements, and fleet modernization. Together, projects supporting
    these three areas of corridor enhancement will not only provide for
    enhanced service frequency and corridor capacity but are anticipated to
    save as much as 20 minutes of travel time between Downtown San Diego
    and Oceanside alone. With a similar commitment from other LOSSAN
    corridor stakeholders, rail travel times could approach two hours
    between San Diego and Los Angeles. I look forward to working with the
    committee to improve service for the second busiest rail corridor in
    the nation.
        Fifth, I would like to stress my strong support for allowing the
    U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California to
    reconfigure existing space in the San Diego Courthouse (Carter-Keep
    Courthouse Annex) to house judges. In 2009, this Committee authorized
    the construction of the Carter-Keep Courthouse. The authorization
    included House Committee language requiring all expansion requests to
    be approved by Congress. In 2022, the courts requested permission to
    build out additional chambers and courtrooms. I ask that the House
    authorize the San Diego project and remove the cap on future buildouts
    to provide the court the space needed to operate in a more safe and
    secure manner.
        Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to continuing to
    work with you on these and other issues.

    Prepared Statement of Hon. Raul Ruiz, a Representative in Congress from
                            the State of California
        Hello, I'm Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz, and I represent California's
    25th District.
        It's an honor to speak with you today about the critical
    infrastructure needs that shape the safety, mobility, and well-being of
    the communities I represent.
        Among the most urgent priorities in my district are grade
    separation projects and the construction and maintenance of airport
    towers. Both are essential to strengthening our transportation systems
    and emergency response capabilities.
        As an emergency medicine physician, I've seen firsthand how crucial
    it is for ambulances and first responders to have fast, reliable routes
    to hospitals and crisis sites.
        In emergency situations, even brief delays can mean the difference
    between life and death. I will continue being a vocal advocate for
    transportation infrastructure, especially those that improve emergency
    operations and air safety.
        In California's 25th District, we face significant rail traffic.
    There are over 250 miles of freight and passenger railways that connect
    my district with the rest of California and other parts of the country.
        Ensuring that trains and vehicles do not intersect at the same
    grade isn't just a matter of convenience, it's a matter of public
    health and safety. Freight trains stalling on the tracks for extended
    periods have cost many Americans their livelihoods. Providing
    alternative routes in case of blockages is crucial for our communities.
        Grade separations reduce accidents, prevents injuries, and saves
    lives. With Union Pacific Railroad's extensive network running through
    my district, creating safer crossings that separate rail and automobile
    traffic is key to protecting passengers, drivers, and pedestrians
    alike.
        Just last November, a Union Pacific Railroad train was stalled for
    over four hours, causing significant traffic delays. Students were
    stranded on school buses, and emergency transports to local hospitals
    were delayed due to blocked roadways.
        One local resident shared that her mother nearly had to be
    airlifted from their home to reach an ambulance waiting on the other
    side of the tracks.
        The environmental benefits are equally important. When cars are
    stuck idling at rail crossings, they burn fuel and generate harmful
    emissions. By improving traffic flow through grade separation, we cut
    down on pollution and move closer to achieving our environmental goals.
        Grade separation infrastructure ensures that emergency vehicles can
    bypass road blockages and deliver lifesaving care without delay, making
    it a smart investment in both public health and emergency preparedness.
        Beyond safety, these projects reflect the will of the people. I
    hear from constituents across my district who want safer, more
    efficient roads that meet the needs of our growing communities. Grade
    separation is one of the most effective strategies to future-proof our
    infrastructure and prepare for tomorrow's transportation demands.
        Airport towers are equally vital to the safety and prosperity of
    our district. The Imperial County Airport, Blythe Airport, Hemet-Ryan
    airport, and the Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport are hubs for
    commercial, private, and emergency air traffic.
        In a given year, these airports see an average of 150,000 aircraft
    operations. Communication between these flights and the air tower is
    critical to ensuring the safety of each aircraft operation throughout
    the nation's airports.
        These towers also play a vital role in helping to direct air
    traffic in a way that minimizes risk and ensures that emergency
    services can respond quickly when needed.
        Whether it's business travel, medical transport, firefighting, or
    general aviation, our skies are busier than ever, and well-equipped
    towers are essential to maintaining order, preventing collisions,
    reducing delays, and managing complex air traffic operations.
        Airport towers also play a pivotal role during emergencies,
    coordinating search-and-rescue missions, evacuations, and air support
    in times of crisis. Investing in their maintenance and expansion
    ensures that our region remains ready to respond to any disaster.
        For our communities, grade-separated crossings to state-of-the-art
    airport towers are the foundation of our safety and preparedness. These
    projects aren't just about moving people and goods more efficiently;
    they're about building a safer, more secure future for everyone in our
    communities.
        That's why today, I urge my colleagues on the House Transportation
    and Infrastructure Committee to join me in supporting funding for
    airport towers, aviation infrastructure, and grade separation projects.
        This is not about partisanship, it's about public health, safety,
    economic vitality, and national preparedness. Together, we can secure
    the investments needed to protect lives, strengthen communities, and
    ensure a brighter future for all our constituents.
        Thank you.

    Prepared Statement of Hon. Glenn Thompson, a Representative in Congress
                     from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
        Chairman Graves, Ranking Member Larsen, and Members of the House
    Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure:
        Thank you for providing me with the opportunity to share my
    priorities for the 119th Congress. Representing one of the most rural
    districts east of the Mississippi River, access to quality
    infrastructure and reliable transit is critical for farmers, small
    businesses, manufacturers, and others throughout my district.
    Particularly as the Committee approaches the next surface
    transportation reauthorization, I appreciate your consideration of the
    following requests.
                     Appalachian Development Highway System
        The Appalachian Development Highway System (ADHS) is a network of
    33 distinct corridors initiated in 1965 via the Appalachian Regional
    Development Act to link the underserved Appalachian region with the
    greater interstate system, reduce isolation, and spark economic growth.
    The system totals 3,090 miles and connects the 13 Appalachian states
    with the Interstate Highway System and a range of domestic and global
    markets.
        My district, which is critical to various supply chains nationwide,
    is home to four unfinished ADHS corridors. While more than 90 percent
    of the ADHS is complete or under construction, it is critical Congress
    continues to uphold its decades-long commitment to complete the system.
    To achieve this goal, I respectfully request ADHS projects continue to
    be funded at up to 100 percent federal cost share and the authorization
    for these projects be no less than currently authorized levels in the
    upcoming surface transportation reauthorization.
        Additionally, as you know, the mileage of the ADHS determines
    eligibility for ADHS-specific federal funding and cannot be altered
    without Congressional direction. I support efforts to ease these
    requirements through commonsense reforms, including by allowing States
    to apply for a waiver of an ADHS route's mileage limitation if--as
    determined through the permitting and environmental review process--it
    exceeds the current ADHS mileage limitation.
                    Workforce Development in Infrastructure
        Rebuilding our nation's infrastructure requires the development of
    a skilled workforce that can design, build, and maintain that
    infrastructure. As Co-Chair of the bipartisan House Career and
    Technical Education (CTE) Caucus, I recognize the importance and value
    CTE programs offer to individuals, especially those in infrastructure
    sectors, and it is important that they have a seat at the table. CTE
    programs and apprenticeships are proven strategies that equip
    individuals with the education and work-based learning needed for
    career success in these high-skill, in-demand industry sectors and
    occupations.
        Congress recognized CTE as an effective workforce development
    strategy when it unanimously passed my Strengthening Career and
    Technical Education for the 21st Century Act, reauthorizing the Carl D.
    Perkins Career and Technical Education Act in the 115th Congress. Since
    that time, we have seen a record number of students enrolled in CTE
    programs. We must continue this momentum by including workforce
    investments alongside infrastructure spending.
        While I was pleased to see some acknowledgement of the importance
    of workforce development programs within the Infrastructure Investment
    and Jobs Act (IIJA), I remain concerned that CTE programs, and
    therefore thousands of highly skilled workers, were largely left out of
    these discussions. In the years following IIJA's passage, it is clear
    that a skilled workforce is necessary to carry out federal
    infrastructure investments.
        Therefore, I respectfully request that you include the following in
    the upcoming surface transportation reauthorization:

          A stipulation that States devote a portion of
    infrastructure funds to workforce development programs, including CTE
    programs, with the flexibility to invest in such programs as
    appropriate for local infrastructure needs. States should coordinate
    these investments with the agencies that receive the states' funds from
    the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act and Carl D. Perkins Career
    and Technical Education Act so as not to duplicate efforts.

          Dedicated resources for updating the facilities and
    equipment used in CTE programs of study in infrastructure sectors to
    ensure they are aligned with fast-paced, ever-changing industry
    expectations and standards.
                          Bus Testing Facility Program
        As part of authorization of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible,
    Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU),
    the Bus Testing Facility Program at the Pennsylvania State University--
    operated by the Thomas D. Larson Pennsylvania Transportation
    Institute--tests new transit bus models for safety, structural
    integrity and durability, reliability, performance, maintainability,
    noise, and fuel economy. These new bus models are tested before they
    are purchased by transit agencies, helping to address problems before
    the fleet is built, saving considerable money and time while avoiding
    inconveniencing passengers.
        Since the beginning of this program, more than 530 new bus models
    have been tested, resulting in over 10,500 documented design failures.
    In Fiscal Year 2024 alone, the bus testing facility identified 175
    deficiencies, including 57 structural, six road calls, and ten severe
    safety-related failures. By identifying these failures early in the
    production process, the program averted many fleet failures, saving
    millions of dollars in maintenance costs, litigation, and lost revenue.
        I request the Committee reauthorize this program (49 U.S. Code
    Sec.  5318) at no less than the currently authorized levels in the
    upcoming surface transportation reauthorization. Without this program,
    manufacturers will not be able to sell new buses, transit agencies will
    not be able to acquire new buses, and consumers will be left with fewer
    options for transportation. Continuing to invest in initiatives like
    the Bus Testing Facility Program ensures a safer, more reliable future
    for mass transit throughout the country.
       Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI)
                                    Program
        In 2015, Congress established the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure
    and Safety Improvements (CRISI) program to improve the safety,
    efficiency, and reliability of the nationwide rail network. Since that
    time, the program has ensured necessary rail repairs and safety
    enhancements have taken place--often in rural communities, including
    those in my district, with projects that have been needed for years. In
    addition to these improvements, the CRISI program has funded rail
    research that ensures the United States can remain a world leader in
    technological innovations that help improve railroad infrastructure and
    safety.
        With thousands of miles of short line railroad track in my district
    providing critical market access and transportation for a variety of
    businesses including farmers, energy producers, and manufacturers, I
    respectfully request continued support for the CRISI program in the
    upcoming surface transportation reauthorization.
                             Essential Air Service
        The Airline Deregulation Act of 1978 made airlines the sole
    authority to determine which domestic markets would receive air service
    as well as what airfares passengers would be charged. Subsequently, the
    Essential Air Service (EAS) Program was established to ensure taxpayers
    in small, rural communities had continued connectivity to the entire
    National Transportation System by subsidizing commuter and certified
    air carriers.
        This program is critical in rural America and has provided links to
    hub airports at over 175 locations throughout the United States and its
    territories that would otherwise lack commercial air service. With
    rural airports located in my congressional district, including two
    airports participating in the EAS program, I see first-hand the
    importance of maintaining this program for all Americans who live in
    underserved, rural areas.
        Our nation's rural and small communities depend on commercial air
    service for transportation, medical supplies, commercial goods, and
    access to larger business markets. By continuing regular air service to
    these areas, Americans will continue to access necessary medical
    services that might only be available in larger cities, as well as
    increasing the economic opportunities and visitors to these
    communities. I urge the Committee to continue the EAS program, and I
    look forward to engaging on potential improvements to the program in
    the future.
        Thank you again Chairman Graves, Ranking Member Larsen, and Members
    of this Committee for allowing me to express my priorities for this
    Committee in the 119th Congress. I appreciate your consideration and
    look forward to working together on these and other issues.

        Prepared Statement of Hon. Norma J. Torres, a Representative in
                     Congress from the State of California
        Thank you, Chairman Graves, Ranking Member Larsen, and
    distinguished Members of the Committee. I appreciate the opportunity to
    share my priorities with the Committee as you begin this year's Surface
    Transportation Reauthorization process.
        Thank you for the opportunity to testify on behalf of California's
    35th Congressional District, which includes Fontana, Ontario, Pomona,
    Upland, Eastvale, Montclair, and Rancho Cucamonga in the Inland
    Empire--one of the fastest-growing regions in the nation and a vital
    logistics hub. The Alameda Corridor, a major freight artery, runs
    directly through my district, underscoring our strategic importance to
    the national goods movement.
        I am appalled by the recent illegal cuts made by DOGE that are
    already having a significant impact on the Department of Transportation
    (DOT). These reductions limit DOT's ability to carry out essential
    programs, delay critical infrastructure projects and undermine long-
    term planning efforts. This not only threatens the safety and
    reliability of our transportation networks but also jeopardizes the
    economic growth of and job creation tied to federal transportation
    investments. Most concerningly, these funding constraints will severely
    hamper the development and scope of the next Surface Transportation
    Reauthorization. With these cuts, this Administration is not helping
    our communities build for the future--it is holding them in the past.
        Instead, to meet our region's growing infrastructure needs, I
    strongly support full funding for Regional Infrastructure Accelerators
    in the Surface Transportation Reauthorization. These accelerators help
    communities like mine move forward on projects that improve freight
    mobility, expand transit, and enhance safety.
                     Key Priorities for the Inland Empire:
          Freight Infrastructure: The Inland Empire is the most in-
    demand industrial and labor market in North America, with 16.1 million
    people living within 50 miles of the region's core. This robust
    population supports a warehouse/distribution labor force over 140,000
    and is forecasted to grow by 17% over the next decade. Modernizing
    freight corridors like the Alameda Corridor is essential to maintain
    efficient goods movement and reduce bottlenecks.

          Pedestrian Safety: In the Inland Empire, we are facing a
    troubling rise in pedestrian fatalities. According to the Dangerous by
    Design 2024 report, the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metro area
    ranks as one of the deadliest in the nation for pedestrians, with at
    least 797 pedestrian fatalities between 2018 and 2022. This crisis is
    particularly acute in lower-income neighborhoods, where residents rely
    more heavily on walking and public transit. Many of these communities
    are situated along busy freight corridors, where unsafe road designs
    and high-speed traffic significantly increase the risk to pedestrians.
    In response, in 2023, I partnered with Congresswoman Bonamici--who was
    a pedestrian that was hit by a car a few years ago--to introduce the
    Pedestrian Hazard, Awareness, and Safety Expansion (PHASE) Act. This
    legislation will combat the rising number of pedestrian fatalities in
    my district and across the country. The PHASE Act directs the National
    Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to work with the
    Department of Transportation (DOT) to identify and implement innovative
    traffic safety solutions. These efforts include improving traffic
    control devices and leveraging new technologies to better alert
    drivers, including those operating bicycles--and protect pedestrians
    and other vulnerable road users. Additionally, the bill establishes a
    new DOT grant program to help cities, municipalities, and tribal
    governments fund critical pedestrian safety infrastructure--such as
    smarter crosswalks, expanded buffer zones, better lighting, and
    upgraded traffic signals. It also calls for a national study to explore
    physical design alternatives that can further protect people on foot or
    using mobility devices. To truly address this growing crisis, we need
    sustained federal investment in pedestrian safety--particularly in
    high-risk, underserved communities. Safer sidewalks, crosswalks,
    lighting, and traffic-calming measures are not just infrastructure
    improvements; they are life-saving interventions. I hope that my bill
    would be considered for inclusion in the Surface Transportation
    Reauthorization of 2026.

          Transit-Oriented Development (TOD): As housing costs soar
    and congestion worsens, TOD is a game-changer for the Inland Empire and
    other areas around the nation. By building housing, jobs, and services
    near transit, we can reduce car dependence, cut emissions, and give
    residents more affordable, connected lifestyles. TOD also helps
    revitalize commercial corridors, reduce commute times, and attract
    long-term investment to communities historically overlooked. TOD can
    revitalize underinvested corridors and create mixed-use, walkable
    communities that support small businesses and attract private
    investment. It also reduces commute times in a region where many
    residents spend more than 30 minutes commuting each way.

          Wildfire Prevention and Infrastructure Needs: As the
    Inland Empire and areas around the nation face increasing wildfire
    risks, we must prioritize funding for wildfire prevention
    infrastructure, including firebreaks, forest management, and fire
    response improvements. Strengthening our region's emergency
    communication systems, upgrading evacuation routes, and improving
    infrastructure to mitigate the damage from wildfires will better
    protect both our communities and our critical infrastructure.

          Dig Once Policy: I also urge this Committee to strengthen
    the Dig Once policy, which ensures coordination between utility and
    transportation projects. When we open a road, we should install
    broadband conduit, water lines, and energy infrastructure at the same
    time. It saves taxpayer dollars and minimizes disruption to our
    communities.
                       RAISE Grant: Fontana Success Story
        As you know, the infrastructure grant programs in the Surface
    Reauthorization are crucial to allow our communities to thrive. For
    example, the City of Fontana was awarded a $15 million RAISE Grant for
    the ``Building A Better-Connected Inland Empire'' project. This
    initiative includes street, bike, sidewalk, and trail improvements
    along Cherry Avenue and Victoria Street, enhancing safety and
    connectivity for residents. The project aims to improve traffic flow,
    reduce commute times, and create over 7,500 good-paying jobs in the
    community. The RAISE Grant is crucial for this community, as it will
    also provide safer walking and biking options in a region where many
    residents rely on these modes of transportation. The success of this
    grant underscores the need for continued federal support to fund
    projects like this, which have a direct, positive impact on the lives
    of residents while contributing to the overall prosperity and
    connectivity of the Inland Empire.
        My District is a national logistics engine with local
    infrastructure challenges that require tailored, accelerated solutions.
    I urge the Committee to support Regional Infrastructure Accelerators,
    pedestrian safety grants, TOD investments, wildfire prevention and
    infrastructure needs, and full funding for the RAISE Grant program in
    the upcoming Surface Transportation Reauthorization.
        Thank you for your time, and I look forward to working with you to
    make these critical investments a reality.

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