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Thank you, Chairman Carter and Ranking Member Wasserman Schultz, and thank you, Secretary Collins, for being with us today.
We owe our freedoms to our veteran heroes, and that includes the over 285,000 veterans who make Oklahoma their home. The mission of the Department of Veterans Affairs remains to fulfill America’s promise to care for those who have served in our nation’s military and for their families, caregivers, and survivors. No one in this room will contest how critically important that is. However, in meeting that duty, I think we can also all agree there are areas where VA is falling short and services can be improved.
The status quo is not cutting it, and I wish to recognize your initiative to address this.
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.
Mr. Secretary, good morning. Thank you for joining us today. Congratulations on your confirmation and your first appearance testifying before our subcommittee.
We value the opportunity to engage in an open and productive dialogue with you as we work together to strengthen the Department’s mission.
We are here today to discuss the Fiscal Year 2026 budget. In the beginning of May, we received a skinny budget that outlined what the Department’s top priorities will be. While the overview was brief, I’m looking forward to hearing more details today—like how these priorities will translate into improved outcomes for our veterans and more effective management across the Department.
Washington, D.C. – Continuing their work to ensure peace through strength, Defense Subcommittee Chairman Ken Calvert (R-CA) and Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK) reiterated the growing dangers posed by Communist China’s rapid military expansion and stressed the urgent need to strengthen the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. As Beijing builds the world’s largest navy, seeking to outpace the United States in ships, submarines, and advanced fighter aircraft, American force dominance is under threat.
Washington, D.C. – Today, Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee Chairman Robert Aderholt (R-AL) underscored the critical importance of strengthening public health and improving the well-being of all Americans, as he welcomed U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to testify on FY26 priorities.
Thank you, Chairman Calvert and Ranking Member McCollum.
Welcome to the three of you. Mr. Secretary, congratulations on your appointment. Admiral Kilby, General Smith—it’s an honor to have you before us today. I want to extend my gratitude to you for your commendable and continuing service to our country, and to the men and women in uniform.
Today, our Navy’s mission has never been more consequential or expansive. From the contested waters of the Indo-Pacific to the turbulent Red Sea, our Navy and Marine Corps are on the front lines of deterring aggression, projecting power, and upholding the rules-based international order.
Mr. Secretary, congratulations on your appointment. We’ve already had several productive engagements, and I look forward to continuing to work with you. Admiral Kilby, General Smith, thank you for joining us today. We greatly appreciate your service. Today, we meet at a time of increasing global instability. The Navy and Marine Corps are under extraordinary operational demand, responding to threats across every domain.
