Cole Remarks at Budget Hearing on Department of Transportation

Thank you, Chairman Womack and Ranking Member Clyburn. Secretary Duffy, welcome back to the THUD Subcommittee. Thank you for appearing before us again, and for your continued leadership and service. I particularly want to commend you for your commitment to modernizing our air traffic control systems. Upgrading aging air traffic control infrastructure is long overdue, and your leadership and urgency on this issue are exactly what is needed.

As we move through the Fiscal Year 2027 process, I remain focused on maintaining responsible investments in our nation's transportation systems. 

Your team has already made great efforts to ensure we are investing taxpayer dollars in infrastructure and safety improvements that are worthwhile, taking a hard look at thousands of funding decisions to make sure they deliver real results for the American people.

This Subcommittee furthered these efforts in the FY2027 bill, supporting programs that improve infrastructure while scrutinizing those that are wasteful and duplicative. But make no mistake, we have not sacrificed DOT's safety mission.

Over the past three fiscal years, this Subcommittee has made the hiring and training of new air traffic controllers a top priority. In our FY27 bill, we are supporting 2,300 new controller candidates on top of the 2,500 we funded in FY26, reflecting this Committee's commitment to rebuilding the controller workforce that keeps our skies safe and economy moving.

I also want to recognize your personal interest in and support for the Monroney Center, and your determination to supercharge controller hiring across the board. That attention has made a real difference, and it reflects a genuine understanding of what this facility means to the safety of our entire aviation system. We have the land, the facilities, and a world-class staff in Oklahoma City to ensure that controllers receive in-person, focused, state-of-the-art training.

I will continue to fight for the funding this center needs to modernize and expand, and I will push back on any effort to decentralize or weaken what we have built there. This commitment extends beyond controllers alone — aviation safety depends on a full complement of qualified safety personnel across the FAA.

I will also reiterate my steadfast commitment to prioritize investments in tribal and rural areas, and the FY27 bill demonstrates this commitment. Nearly 70 percent of America's road miles are in rural areas, and about 145,000 miles of roads pass through tribal lands. These communities face notable challenges and have different needs from urban areas.

As we move through the appropriations process, I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to fund the critical safety missions and transportation infrastructure needs of this country. Thank you, Chairman Womack. I yield back.