Womack Remarks at Oversight Hearing on the National Transportation Safety Board

The subcommittee will come to order. 

Thank you all for joining us at this first hearing of the 119th Congress for the subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development. We’ve got some new faces on the dais this year, welcome, Ms. Stephanie Bice and Mr. Dale Strong. 

I also want to note that Mr. Jim Clyburn, my ranking member, and Chair Emeritus and Dean of the House, Mr. Hal Rogers, are rejoining us on this subcommittee. Albeit when they last served on this subcommittee together we were solely tasked with the “T” of T-HUD. 

Today, we welcome Chairwoman of the National Transportation Safety Board, Jennifer Homendy, to the subcommittee.

Thank you for appearing before us today, and for your service to the taxpaying public. 

I want to start off by expressing on behalf of the entire Subcommittee our heartfelt condolences to the families affected by the tragic American Airlines/Army Helicopter collision that occurred on January 29th.

This tragedy has been followed by several other incidents, from crashes in Philadelphia and Nome, Alaska, to the engine fire in Denver two weeks ago, transportation safety has been top of mind across the nation as we look for answers and aim to mitigate the chances of future incidents. 

Safety is a top priority for this subcommittee in our work to fund the nation’s transportation network. It is our duty to ensure we provide appropriate levels of support to transportation programs that ensure the safety of our skies, roads, and railroads.

It is also our duty on this committee to support the operations of the National Transportation Safety Board, or NTSB. This critical, independent safety watchdog helps ensure our world-class transportation system is as safe as possible, identifying the “how” and “why” of some of our most tragic accidents and puzzling events in civil transportation. 

We are proud on this subcommittee to provide the resources necessary for Chair Homendy and her team to execute this mission. Most recently, I was proud to secure an anomaly to the FY25 Full-Year Continuing Resolution to help provide Chair Homendy with the necessary resources for her team to accomplish their statutory mission. 

Be it the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse, the East Palestine train derailment, or the aviation incidents that have occurred far too often in recent years, Chair Homendy’s team are some of the first on the scene.

In 2025, we secure a 3.6 percent increase for the NTSB appropriation, to $145 million. We know, Chair Homendy, that you put these funds to good use. Under your leadership, the NTSB has dramatically reduced the average age of open investigations, getting reports out to the public faster.  

With that, I recognize the new Ranking Member of this Subcommittee, the gentleman from South Carolina, Mr. Clyburn. Welcome back to the Appropriations Committee and to this subcommittee. 

I look forward to working with you as we look forward to FY2026.  

I turn to you, Mr. Clyburn, for your opening statement.