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Thank you, Chairman Simpson and Ranking Member Pingree. 

Administrator Zeldin, welcome back to the House. It is great to have you testify before this subcommittee on the Environmental Protection Agency’s goals for the upcoming fiscal year. 

As you well know, I am proud to represent the Kerr Environmental Research Center in Ada, Oklahoma. 

For over 50 years, the Kerr Lab – which leads the U.S. in research and advancements on groundwater, aquifer recharge, and agriculture soil health – has established itself to be a premier EPA research center.

Kerr’s record of scientific achievements proves that the lab is well positioned to take on additional research opportunities to address growing environmental challenges and statutory mandates from Congress.

The Committee will come to order. This morning I’d like to welcome the 17th Administrator of the EPA, Lee Zeldin. Administrator Zeldin, welcome back to the House. I’m sure it feels different to sit on the other side of the witness table. 

We are here to discuss the FY 2026 budget for the Environmental Protection Agency.  

The EPA has ballooned in size over the last several years because the agency received $100 billion in supplemental funding outside of the annual appropriations process. That’s more than 10 times the annual funding of the entire Agency. 

And we are now starting to learn from your work, Administrator Zeldin, that there are serious questions about where some of this funding has gone.